Lag time between 2ndary->Interview for Duke?

[xanthines]

My app has been complete for a little more than 6 weeks and I still haven't heard about an interview. Their site says 2-3 weeks, but longer during peak season. I kind of figured that 2X their estimated time would be enough. I e-mailed them ti see if my letters of recommedation had arrived and I got a... pithy, we'll say.... response. I don't want call them unnecessarily and piss them off.

Does anyone know what the going time is lately for interview invites or rejections or whatvers? Thanks.

-X

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[duka]

When I interviewed, they said they don't send out rejections or acceptances until late february or march. I'm not sure about lag time for interviews though.

 

[soonerpillow]

I've been complete there for over 3 months. Haven't heard about an interview yet. Oh well. *shrug*

 

[raincrew]

i have been complete for almost exactly three months and just received an interview invite today. so yeah, i guess they're still doling them out.

i know that some people have posted that they've received rejections already.

-raincrew

 

[kwanny]

You can check your status online at http://www.dukemed.duke.edu/AccountLogin/index.cfm

I got rejected after being complete for about 3 months.

 

[xanthines]

Does your status page change when you're rejected? That's why I'm asking. It still says review. No decision, no holding pattern, no indication that I'm complete/verified, actually. It's like that song: Waiting is the haaaaaardest part...



-X

Originally posted by kwanny
You can check your status online at http://www.dukemed.duke.edu/AccountLogin/index.cfm

I got rejected after being complete for about 3 months.

 

[steve007]

i feel your pain. i've been complete at duke over 3 months.

 

[boomuntilnoon]

I was complete at Duke just after the August MCAT scores were released (Mid-October), and I was rejected last week via the website... but it sounds like the waiting time can vary greatly.

I'm one of those applicants that schools will either immediately love or hate, so I am not surprised at the efficiency of Duke's rejection.

 

[kwanny]

Originally posted by xanthines
Does your status page change when you're rejected? That's why I'm asking. It still says review. No decision, no holding pattern, no indication that I'm complete/verified, actually. It's like that song: Waiting is the haaaaaardest part...



-X

IT does change when you're rejected. I was complete in early september, and I checked my status daily until last week when it changed from "under review" to "sorry we couldn't offer you an interview."

 

[xanthines]

That sucks, dude.

Thanks for the info, though!

-X

Originally posted by kwanny
IT does change when you're rejected. I was complete in early september, and I checked my status daily until last week when it changed from "under review" to "sorry we couldn't offer you an interview."

 

[steve007]

Originally posted by steve007
i feel your pain. i've been complete at duke over 3 months.

Hey, just an update for those of you who feel written off. after being complete for 3 months, I got an interview invite. g' luck everyone.

 

[ATPase]

Originally posted by steve007
for those of you who feel written off. after being complete for 3 months, I got an interview invite. g' luck everyone.

Same thing happened to me. I was complete in early September and just got an interview invite two days ago.

 

[xanthines]

Well, I WAS written off. No interview for me!

8 weeks to notify me.

-X

Originally posted by steve007
Hey, just an update for those of you who feel written off. after being complete for 3 months, I got an interview invite. g' luck everyone.

 

[jamnx]

I was complete Oct 20th and I got an interview invite yesterday, I heard the timing varies. I was just starting to become uneasy about Duke recognizing my exisitence. good luck!

 

[ice_23]

How did you guys hear for an interview? Email?

-Ice

 

[spumoni620]

Originally posted by ice_23
How did you guys hear for an interview? Email?

-Ice

invites come via email with the title "your Duke med school status has changed" or something to that effect.

 

[menemotxi]

Hey xanthines,

How did they notify you of the rejection? My status page tells me no interview, but I haven't received a letter or e-mail about it.

Thanks,

Menemot XI

 

[xanthines]

I guess I haven't been officially notified. I went to the status page and it said they couldn't offer me an interview. I'm assuming a rejections e-mail/letter will follow. Rejections seem to take a long time.

-X

Originally posted by menemotxi
Hey xanthines,

How did they notify you of the rejection? My status page tells me no interview, but I haven't received a letter or e-mail about it.

Thanks,

Menemot XI

 

[clowne]

After being complete since mid-Sept., I received an interview invite yesterday, so I guess they're still sending them out (obviously). Good luck everyone!

 

[Rendar5]

I've been complete for about 3 months, too.

But I don't particularly care. I didn't realize at the time of applying, but an entire year is spent doing research and I'm not sure that's for me.

 

[ATPase]

Originally posted by Rendar5
...an entire year is spent doing research and I'm not sure that's for me.

You don't have to do research - there are also several dual-degree programs you can work toward during this year, as well as a primary care training program. I'm not too interested in the research aspect either, I don't think, but I might use the time to get an MPH or something like that. (If I even get accepted!)

 

[Rendar5]

What's the primary care training program? That does sound like something I'd love to do.

The other thing I was concerned about was how Duke only spends 1 year pre-clinical teaching and that's it. Maybe I got that wrong, but I'd be nervous having half the pre-clinical education that everyone else gets.

 

[TheFlash]

Originally posted by Rendar5
The other thing I was concerned about was how Duke only spends 1 year pre-clinical teaching and that's it. Maybe I got that wrong, but I'd be nervous having half the pre-clinical education that everyone else gets.

This is a valid concern. Duke students' Step I scores show their lack of preparedness from their 1 year crash course in basic sciences. It doesn't affect residency placement too much though from what I hear, because of Duke's high reputation.

tf

 

[Steinway]

Originally posted by TheFlash
This is a valid concern. Duke students' Step I scores show their lack of preparedness from their 1 year crash course in basic sciences. tf

just wondering, but do you know duke's average or is that an assumption ??

 

[TheFlash]

Originally posted by Steinway
just wondering, but do you know duke's average or is that an assumption ??

A friend of mine who's a 3rd year at Duke told me that their average was slightly above the national Step I average. Of course, this is second-hand internal info, but it seems on the mark to me. Considering that Duke teaches about ~75% of the basic science material that other schools do, and that there is a large lag time between students last learning the material in lecture and taking Step I. Schools with a more traditionally constructed curriculum, say Vanderbilt, set their students up to crush the boards. I'm not saying one curriculum is necessarily better or worse, but higher Step I scores are never a bad thing.

tf

 

[ATPase]

Originally posted by Rendar5
What's the primary care training program? That does sound like something I'd love to do.

The other thing I was concerned about was how Duke only spends 1 year pre-clinical teaching and that's it. Maybe I got that wrong, but I'd be nervous having half the pre-clinical education that everyone else gets.

Here is a link to info about Duke's dual-degree programs, including the primary care track.

http://www.dukemed.duke.edu/Curriculum/index.cfm?method=Dual

I agree with your concern about the two years crammed into one. Sounds like some serious stress!! Not to mention the potential impact on board scores.

 

[Tezzie]

Without trying to start a flame war ... i don't think i have come across any more snobbish people than in Duke med. It really made me feel uncomfortable. Add to that the concern about the board scores and i scratched Duke off my list.

Nevertheless Duke SOM is truly a great school, just not for me. I am pretty sure that there are hundreds of applicants out there that would love to attend.

 

[ATPase]

That doesn't really surprise me....Duke undergrads have that reputation too. My interview's in January, so I'll have to be on the lookout for the snobs!

 

[banannie]

Tezzie, I'm very sorry that you had a bad experience at Duke. As a Duke student, my overriding impression of people here isn't that they are "snobbish" but I can definitely understand that if you ran into a certain subset of people, you could get that impression. Anyway, it's definitely a shame if our school is driving away laid back, fun, interesting people! ATPase, I highly encourage you to come to Duke with an open mind next month!

Also, I just wanted to comment, before this whole Step 1 scores debate gets blown out of proportion, please be sure to look at it realistically. You didn't pick your undergrad school based on average MCAT scores (or at least, I certainly hope you didn't!) While I understand that you're concerned, you should also be aware that Step 1 scores are pretty much used for getting into a good residency. As you can see from Duke's residency director reputation and great match list, the "slightly above national average" board scores aren't hurting Duke students. In fact, as a Duke student, it takes a lot of pressure off to know that I don't have to score >240 to get the residency of my choice.

Come March, if your decision comes down to Duke and one other school, and you really can't decide between them, then sure, make average Step 1 score a factor. Duke has a lot of great advantages: it's incredibly student-centered, the clinical training is super, and you have the opportunity to get a second degree without losing a year and paying the extra money, or to do research in basic science, clinical science, history, ethics, religion, health services, public health, epidemiology, etc, etc, etc. The tradeoff might be losing a few points on your step 1 score. But years from now, which will you appreciate more: the extra step 1 points, or a great experience and education that really helped you explore and define a fulfilling career?

 

[periodic]

Tezzie:

Really? I didn't get that sense too much (the snobbishness). My host was really nice, and some of the kids I met were pretty chill too. But, you always tend to get the best PR reps who show up at lunches and waiting rooms...the class presidents and such.

IMO, Duke University as a whole is getting a great new president...one of the, if not the best from our administration. He really is as personable as these press statements below say, and if you're a Duke student, I wouldn't hesitate to say hello if you see him in passing. Medical centers like Duke's and Yale's are extremely important to the university as a whole (both financially and academically), and I'm sure Duke's will get careful attention from Brodhead.

http://www.duke.edu/newpresident/index.html

 

[Tezzie]

Hey banannie. Thanx a lot for the great info. Can you tell us a bit more about living in Raleigh/Durham ? How was the change from Boston (i assume that is your hometown or where you went for undergrad). Are you originally from the South? If not how was the change?

Sorry for the many questions

 

[ATPase]

banannie,
Thanks for the feedback - I will certainly come with an open mind! Tezzie's comment struck me because for the first part of undergrad I went to a prestigious school that, to my dismay, had more than its fair share of pretentious people. I hated it and ended up transferring. So I certainly don't want to end up in a place like that for med school. Hopefully I will avoid these certain subsets of people you're referring to and get an objective look at Duke next month.

Also, you mentioned that you can get a second degree without having to pay for it...what does that mean? Are there grants/scholarships for third year if you pursue a second degree, or is tuition waived for the classes you take? How does that work? Thanks for the info -

 

[banannie]

Since I'm only a first, year I don't want to get in over my head with my remarks, since I continue to learn more and more about this place each day!

As for Raleigh/Durham, yes it was (and still is) a tough adjustment. I miss the city, I think this area can get very boring, I don't like that I live in a cookie cutter suburban apartment complex, and I especially don't like that I have to drive everywhere. On the other hand, I love the weather here, and after getting beaten down by Boston winters for 6 years, this is such a huge relief. I like that there are quiet places to get away and go hiking, just a few minutes drive away. I really notice, every single day, how much friendlier people are here. I miss the Red Sox desperately, but the Durham Bulls are a nice consolation.

When I wrote about not paying for the 2nd degree, I meant that if you go for the MD/MPH, you only pay for 4 years of school (assuming you declare NC residency) rather than taking a year off and paying for an extra year to do the MPH. I believe with the other joint degree programs, you end up paying for 3 years of medical school and the full cost of the 2nd degree, or something like that. Either way, you're saving a year's worth of time and tuition that you would have spent if you took off an extra year to get an extra degree. Does that make sense?

As for the snobbishness, it's possible that my snob-o-meter isn't very sensitive after living in Boston (which considers itself the "Hub" of the universe and going to Harvard. But overall, I think my classmates are not very snobbish at all. In fact, I think if you ran into people who came off as snobs, it may have been that they were just trying to impress you.

Just another note: I am definitely NOT a cheerleader for Duke. I am acutely aware of its weaknesses as well as its strengths. And the people you meet at lunches and in the interview holding pen actually are a pretty good cross section of students. They give us free lunch to go to lunches, and free drinks if we stop in the admissions office to chat . . . even those of us who are very critical of the place enjoy free food!