game plan for reapplication: advice welcome!

[ethyl13]

The vital stats:
Age: 30
MCAT: 32O (PS9, BS12, VR11)
GPA: 3.83 BCPM, 3.87 AO

AMCAS and AACOMAS primaries submitted 7/14/08
Secondaries submitted between 8/18 and 10/2

I applied to 4 allopathic schools and 1 osteopathic. Two interviews (one MD, one DO), both resulting in no's. One other pre-interview no, and no word from the two remaining schools, but with no interviews scheduled I'm resigned to not starting med school this fall...

I've learned a good deal in the process though, and have found this site very helpful--just learned about it. It's funny how these rejections seem to have strengthened my resolve, and I'm working on a plan of attack for next year.

Clearly, I'll cast the net wider with a lot more applications, and will submit earlier.

My self-diagnosis of the weak spots in my file:
--Not enough CE (or the wrong kind--three days shadowing different docs, along with several years work as a nurse aide. I maintain that the nurse aide experience is valuable--as someone else mentioned in a post here, I've been close enough to smell the patients. However, it's not working with a doctor. So I'll be seeking out some kind of regular shadowing/intern/volunteer opportunity, and aim for the 8hrs/wk x6-8 months that's been recommended here.)
--I did 20 of my premed credits post-bacc. Eight of them (2nd semester inorganic and 1st semester physics) were at a community college. I lack upper level science credits.
--I didn't have anyone proof my essays. There is room for improvement there.
--No research experience.
--Interviews could have used more prep, finesse, and determination.

A few of my many questions at this point:
--Firstly, with the extra legwork I'm willing to put into another round, will my chances be improved enough? In other words, am I crazy to try again, or am I right in believing that I'm a strong candidate?
--I feel like getting more CE, along with applying earlier to more schools, will provide the biggest kick to my file. So assuming I've added that, how important might it be for me to retake the MCAT, take an upper level science course or two, and/or seek out research?
--What am I missing in this analysis?

Thanks for your feedback...

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[virusgirl]

First, you didn't apply to enough schools. Although i am still surprised that you didn't pull of an acceptance, because your stats all seem pretty good. It is vital to apply intelligently and broadly, because even if numerically you're solid, you never know what a particular school is looking for.

The lack of clinical ECs is a biggie. Medicine is a huge investment of time, energy, and money, and no one will take you seriously if you apply without any real perspective.

Yes, I definitely think you are a strong candidate, and I wouldn't worry about retaking the MCAT. That's a good solid score, esp. in light of your grades -- you don't need a 42 to be competitive at most schools. Research experience would be good to have.

 

[icaruswalks]

I also agree with the above post. You need some solid ECs that have extensive patient contact and medically related volunteer activities. Apply to more schools, apply broadly, and early!

 

[ruraldr]

I found the feedback from schools that looked at me last year, but didn't take me, to be very helpful in my application this year.

 

[dragonfly99]

Apply to a lot more schools (like 30).
Apply very early.
Yes, you need some more volunteer experience with MD/DO's. You can do this.
It wouldn't hurt to take a few upper level bio classes, perhaps 1/semester.

I'm not sure retaking the MCAT will give you much bang for your buck...your score isn't high enough to get into the Hopkins/Harvard/WashU/UCSF type schools but would be high enough for a lot of schools. If you have enough time and can study like mad, retake might not be a terrible idea, but I don't think it's "where it's at" in terms of the most important thing to improve your application. I had to apply 2x to med school - first time with 32P I didn't get in, and 2nd time with 40R I did, but also had more volunteer experience, an extra LOR and was savvy about the interviews and applied to more schools. Most people who retake MCAT don't go up that much with the score, and some go down, so you have to know yourself and what is likely to happen...I usually do very well on standardized tests, and didn't know what else to do to help myself get in, so I chose to retake the test after taking Princeton Review, and it worked out for me.

 

[DisabledDoctor]

Apply to a LOT of schools, do a LOT more shadowing and volunteering and also apply to Caribbean schools (the "top 5") as backups. I wouldn't mind spending 20 months on a tropical island.

 

[dragonfly99]

The problem isn't necessarily spending 20 months on a Caribbean island...the problem is getting back up here to practice. Your choice of residencies is likely to be limited to the less competitive specialties, and at least as importantly, you might have to do residency at a hospital that has bad working conditions or bad teaching. Also, a signficant % of Caribbean students flunk out and/or can't pass the USMLE exam that you MUST pass in order to get any US residency (the OP likely wouldn't b/c the OP has solid academic background/credentials, but it's still a risk). I considered the Carib at one point when I was in a very similar position to the OP's, but I'm very very happy that I didn't do it. I would at least reapply for a total of 2-3 cycles before giving up and going to the Caribbean, especially if you aren't 30-something or 40 already.

 

[gman33]

Your stats are fine. The main problem is not applying to enough schools.
Even with good stats, the chances of acceptance at any given school are pretty slim. My school gets around 10-13,000 applicants for 180 seats. As such, plenty of good candidates aren't going to get in. On the other hand, somewhere around 50% of candidates will get into at least one school.
Do yourself a favor and apply to 20-30 well chosen schools.

Try to get some feedback from the schools that rejected you. Make sure you don't have a bad LOR or something like that.

With you NA position, I'd be surprised if it was clinical experience holding you back.

The suggestions you made all seemed good. Upper levels, more shadowing/volunteering; those are good things. They couldn't hurt, but at this point you don't have much time if you are going to apply this cycle.

Also, if you are applying DO, make sure you have a DO letter and a good reason for applying. They don't like the whole back-up plan thing, even if that is the reality.

 

[teacherman]

Based on my own experience (reapp, acceptance at two schools this year) I would suggest:
1. Apply to more schools.
2. Apply as early as possible.
3. Do research. If there is a med school near you, contact them and do some clinical research. If anything, it gives you a lot more to talk about in your interviews and you may get a good LOR out of it. I enjoyed my experience.


Good luck to you. You have better stats than me, so I'm confident you'll get in. Just make sure that you demonstrate the improvement you make in your app.

 

[DrJosephKim]

Make the investment and cast a a wide net. The wider the better. I knew a Harvard grad who applied to over 20 schools and was only accepted at Stanford (even his "safety" backup schools rejected him). Sometimes it just doesn't make sense.

 

[fahimaz7]

Did you apply to your state school?

 

[CycloneDO]

I think I experienced a lot of the same issues you did with this application cycle. My secondaries weren't submitted until Jan. I only applied to three schools and interviewed at one. Although your MCAT and GPA are much better than mine (3.2, 25M) My plan of action is as follows: retake MCAT, get feedback from schools, shadow 2 physicians from different areas...one family practice, one ER. My strength is my past experience working in an ICU and military medic. And get updated LOR from professors from last year. I sat down with one of them and they were more than willing to write another letter for this coming year even though I am not a student anymore. And of course.....apply much much earlier.

Best of luck to you. I think if you can stomach the process again you will get in.

 

[silas2642]

Your numbers are fine. You definitely did not apply to enough schools, and i don't think you told us where you applied to nor when you applied. If you applied late and to the "wrong" schools (i.e. mostly top tiers), then that could have been the final nail in the coffin-- you can be the perfect applicant, but if a school doesn't have a seat for you, you're not getting in.

Do not go to the Caribbean. Like dragonfly noted, the problem isn't studying in the Caribbean for 20 months, the problem is matching into a US residency-- it's harder from paradise.

Get more clinical experience and some clinical lors, re-write your essays and have them proof-read so that they reflect you well and don't put readers into a coma, and apply early and broadly.

Good luck.

 

[LaTortuga]

Just another thought ... you might want to spend extra time on your essays and interview prep during the next go around. Give your essays to trusted friends, the doctors you shadow, etc for that extra bit of feedback and polish.

One suggestion that my PI told me is to make sure your essays tell a clear, coherent story of how you have gotten to this point of wanting to go to medical school. Make sure you back up buzzwords (if you so choose to use them) like determination, perseverance, dedication to medicine, etc with actions that back up your claims. Other suggestions that I heard regarding essays include making sure you have a clear view of what you want to do after medical school. Even if the exact trajectory is a bit foggy, show that you have explored medicine and know where you want to be in 10 years.

Also make sure that the story you tell matches up with your experiences to date. If you tell the committee that you love emergency medicine, be sure you have lots of hours shadowing in that field; the same for research, etc.

Another thing to think about is really making sure you are polished, confident, and have the "finesse" that you talked about with regards to the interviews. Interviews can have a huge impact on separating you from the rest of the pack ... so do everything you can next time to reach that next level when you re-apply.

Best of luck to you during the next cycle!