Well I have finally been accepted to an Osteopathic program.. It was a lot of hard work, financial insanity,late nights at Kinko's, eons at the computer and flights to far away places. I am finally headed to Kirksville (pending the AOA's decision on what to do with the student numbers @TUCOM).
Although it's in the middle of nowhere (I'm from California), I loved the school.. The programs are really good there and I can't wait to go.(Not forward to the insane amounts of work, but happy nonetheless.) I was wondering if anyone is heading out to KCOM, or needs encouragement in applying to a DO program..I have stories...
I was told by my academic counselor to give up being a physician. Up to that time, I had a 2.5 or so GPA (I failed two classes and got C's in General Chemistry. If you have the time take them over i did!) in my fifth semester.This is hardly the GPA of a potential physician, but I told my advisor this is what I wanted to do. Of course looking at my grades, he said the right thing, but I was determined to prove to myself and no one else that I could do it.
In the beginning, I didn't want to go to school. I never studied in high school and barely got into a University with a 2.82 GPA. I was actually forced by my parents to go to college. I wanted to pine my time away at the local community college just so I could hang out and skate. But I eventually realized (In my fifth semester!)that I had to find something that I wanted to do.I first changed my major and then I decided to volunteer at the local hospital to see if I would like the medical field. If I was inspired to do anything important in life, it was volunteering and of course going to school. After I made my decision, I hit the books like crazy and made several good friends to study with me. After the fifth semester, I started getting the grades I never thought I was capable of.. While I did school, decided to tutor and help students that felt the way I used to about school. Then I started studying for the MCAT. I choked the first time (April 1996)(Can you believe that I filled in the wrong bubbles in Physical Sciences, and I found out about 30 seconds before time?) I got a 26... I decided to keep going, I decided to become a Resident Advisor at my school to get some experience with leadership and interaction skills. But being an RA got me kicked out of research. The professor said I was spending too much time being an RA. Then I decided to try the MCAT again the following year.(April 97) I did better, 28 , but my girlfriend at the time dumped me that same night.Somehow, I kept going and managed to graduate with a BA. It took me six years. When it came time to apply, I tried to do it by myself while working full time. I had a hard time getting my letters of recommendation from the professors, (START YOUR APPLICATION EARLY!!) and sent my applications around Dec. 1997, I applied to about nine schools. Only got one interview, and was put on the waiting list. During that time a girl I was seeing, dumped me because she thought I was going to move away and she didn't want a relationship that bad. Then soon afterwards, I was rejected for 1998. Oh the irony..
During the past year, I decided to enroll in an EMT course to get more clinical experience. It was an awesome learning experience. I was able to see so much more compared to what I saw as a volunteer. I even had the opportunity to perform CPR on a patient. I also got to see the process of extrication of a patient from a vehicle to surgery in the trauma room.
I decided to apply to DO schools again. Of course, I sent them out earlier this time. I got three interviews, two put me on the waiting list right away, ( I almost cried when I didn't get in to the first school.) Then I finally got an invitation to interview at KCOM. But when I got to Kansas City, the flights to Kiksville were cancelled the day before my interview!! In desperation, I tried to find a way to KCOM but there was no way I was going to make it. Finally the part owner of Redwing Airways, the guys who fly to Kirksville, drove all the way to Kansas City (3 1/2 hours) to pick me up. Well I made it the night before the interview and had the chance to talk to a lot of students. It was encouraging, and the interview went so well.. It was unlike my other interviews (A student interviewer in one of my other interviews decided to ask me what I thought about Dr. Kevorkian's decision to air the death of one of his patients on 60 Minutes. I thought my honest opinion were sufficient, but he kept asking me to relate on the topic.) I was exahusted after my first two interviews. My interview at KCOM was pleasant, and i was very pleased with my interview. I did my best. Finally, I found out today that I was accepted.
It's still hard to believe that I actually made it. All those late nights, the pain, and frustration paid off with one phone call and the words "Congratulations, you have been accepted."
Now it's time to start all over again.
Although it's in the middle of nowhere (I'm from California), I loved the school.. The programs are really good there and I can't wait to go.(Not forward to the insane amounts of work, but happy nonetheless.) I was wondering if anyone is heading out to KCOM, or needs encouragement in applying to a DO program..I have stories...
I was told by my academic counselor to give up being a physician. Up to that time, I had a 2.5 or so GPA (I failed two classes and got C's in General Chemistry. If you have the time take them over i did!) in my fifth semester.This is hardly the GPA of a potential physician, but I told my advisor this is what I wanted to do. Of course looking at my grades, he said the right thing, but I was determined to prove to myself and no one else that I could do it.
In the beginning, I didn't want to go to school. I never studied in high school and barely got into a University with a 2.82 GPA. I was actually forced by my parents to go to college. I wanted to pine my time away at the local community college just so I could hang out and skate. But I eventually realized (In my fifth semester!)that I had to find something that I wanted to do.I first changed my major and then I decided to volunteer at the local hospital to see if I would like the medical field. If I was inspired to do anything important in life, it was volunteering and of course going to school. After I made my decision, I hit the books like crazy and made several good friends to study with me. After the fifth semester, I started getting the grades I never thought I was capable of.. While I did school, decided to tutor and help students that felt the way I used to about school. Then I started studying for the MCAT. I choked the first time (April 1996)(Can you believe that I filled in the wrong bubbles in Physical Sciences, and I found out about 30 seconds before time?) I got a 26... I decided to keep going, I decided to become a Resident Advisor at my school to get some experience with leadership and interaction skills. But being an RA got me kicked out of research. The professor said I was spending too much time being an RA. Then I decided to try the MCAT again the following year.(April 97) I did better, 28 , but my girlfriend at the time dumped me that same night.Somehow, I kept going and managed to graduate with a BA. It took me six years. When it came time to apply, I tried to do it by myself while working full time. I had a hard time getting my letters of recommendation from the professors, (START YOUR APPLICATION EARLY!!) and sent my applications around Dec. 1997, I applied to about nine schools. Only got one interview, and was put on the waiting list. During that time a girl I was seeing, dumped me because she thought I was going to move away and she didn't want a relationship that bad. Then soon afterwards, I was rejected for 1998. Oh the irony..
During the past year, I decided to enroll in an EMT course to get more clinical experience. It was an awesome learning experience. I was able to see so much more compared to what I saw as a volunteer. I even had the opportunity to perform CPR on a patient. I also got to see the process of extrication of a patient from a vehicle to surgery in the trauma room.
I decided to apply to DO schools again. Of course, I sent them out earlier this time. I got three interviews, two put me on the waiting list right away, ( I almost cried when I didn't get in to the first school.) Then I finally got an invitation to interview at KCOM. But when I got to Kansas City, the flights to Kiksville were cancelled the day before my interview!! In desperation, I tried to find a way to KCOM but there was no way I was going to make it. Finally the part owner of Redwing Airways, the guys who fly to Kirksville, drove all the way to Kansas City (3 1/2 hours) to pick me up. Well I made it the night before the interview and had the chance to talk to a lot of students. It was encouraging, and the interview went so well.. It was unlike my other interviews (A student interviewer in one of my other interviews decided to ask me what I thought about Dr. Kevorkian's decision to air the death of one of his patients on 60 Minutes. I thought my honest opinion were sufficient, but he kept asking me to relate on the topic.) I was exahusted after my first two interviews. My interview at KCOM was pleasant, and i was very pleased with my interview. I did my best. Finally, I found out today that I was accepted.
It's still hard to believe that I actually made it. All those late nights, the pain, and frustration paid off with one phone call and the words "Congratulations, you have been accepted."
Now it's time to start all over again.
