Ask AZK about being Pre-med/Getting into Medical School - Page 3

lennytheduck · #21 01-30-2007, 10:04 PM

I'm applying to medical school right now.

When you interviewed at Maryland did you get your interview right away? I am currently in the "Holding for further review" category at UM and just want to know what the actual likelihood of receiving an interview is. Thanks.

Also I am out of state and applied pretty late in the cycle.

AZK · #22 01-31-2007, 02:42 PM

Mr. P - You are absolutely right, for most people doing poker would probalby be a bad idea, my personal statement was not entirely Poker, it mostly just served as an intro. to get the reader hooked. I wouldn't say I received several interviews, the first year I applied really late with late MCAT and got 4 interviews and 4 waitlists, I was interviewing in Jan/Feb when most people were interviewing in Sept/Oct, I probably applied to about 20 schools that year.

The 2nd year I applied much earlier and only about 16 schools, I got 4-5 interviews and 3 acceptances, with me canceling the other schools before they had a chance to reply. The 2nd time around was much smoother, my interviews went a lot better and I was more comfortable

mmb- Fim and it's not even close.

Lenny - I applied to maryland (in state) and they put me on hold waiting for my first semester grades from georgetown (I did a masters there) so that took some time, when I finally got my interview (again way late in cycle I think feb.) I was happy but I was already into 2 schools so the pressure of having to go somewhere was off, that being said, I really wanted to go to maryland, I interviewed and had the best interview I have ever had with one guy here who I think is kinda a big deal, it's really the only reason I think I got in, I mean I was a competitive applicant, but nothing really distinguished me from anyone else. This guy and I just clicked and the interview went really really well. I heard back in two weeks. Normally I'm told it takes a month or 2. They normally make a pretty good effort to interview people if they are competitive, and they don't fill their class early, I've always been told that UMD is behind in general compared to other schools in their admissions processes... so don't lose hope. If you get an interview let me know what day and I can come to your interview luncheon (they normally have M1s talk to interviewees). Best of luck.

CheckRaise · #23 02-01-2007, 12:16 AM

AZK

Why did you go through a M.S program if you knew you were going to med school?

AZK · #24 02-01-2007, 09:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
AZK

Why did you go through a M.S program if you knew you were going to med school?

[/ QUOTE ]

Short answer: Stupidity.
Long answer: I was worried that I wasn't qualified enough to get in, since I got waitlisted at all the schools from the year before, I needed to do something and I already had 3+ years of research experience, so when in doubt, more school. Of course when I got in in the middle of Oct. and was bound to the MS program I felt like a retard. It was ok though, I mostly just went in to pick up notes and take exams and played poker pretty much the entire time. My class nickname was "ghost". It didn't help that the people at georgetown suck.

restrikt · #25 02-03-2007, 02:59 AM

AZK, are you in residency right now? If so, how is it? No free time at all? Average hours?

How is clerkship?

Tablerat · #26 02-03-2007, 05:57 AM

If you don't mind, would you elaborate a little more on your experience after your first application cycle? Specifically, would you have done anything differently between cycles? It seems like you were overqualified academically for these graduate/postbacc type programs. Did you hesitate in reapplying or were you determined to go to medical school the whole time? Are you now satisfied with your decision to go to medical school? How do you stay motivated in such a rigorous environment, or is that not an issue for you? Thanks.

thedarknight · #27 02-03-2007, 03:46 PM

I am not sure why anyone would ever want to go to med school. Being a doctor right now is like getting a punch in the face. I used to be pre med..and I know a lot of ppl who just went to med school because "it was the only thing I could do." If you desire to go to med school, you better come up for a good reason than "my parents told me to."

tabako · #28 02-03-2007, 04:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Being a doctor right now is like getting a punch in the face.

[/ QUOTE ]

You mind explaining this?

meatypants11 · #29 02-03-2007, 05:22 PM

Yeah dude don't go to medical school unless you think you would enjoy being in the military.

Those old farts who are teaching you have lost touch with reality (or were never in touch with reality hence those who can't do teach) with the fact that medicine is a business.

Lots of people are paying through the nose for med school nowadays with insane tuition and taking out loans the size of a mortage only to have some jackass think he owns you for the simple fact he's been alive longer than you.

The world has changed and medicine hasn't kept up. Just now they are moving to standardized protocols and evidence based medicine (medicine based on facts and research). Which means that yeah even though that guy might be older than you for years and years he was practicing without any real clue or research to support what he was doing is right.

This coupled with the fact that after year 2 of med school job prospects become the realm of the circle jerking old boy s club where one person with a grudge agaisnt you can ruin your prospects at making any decent money with one bad evaluation.

Don't do it unless you like politics, ass kissing, boot camp, politics, and more politics. If thats the case you might as well go into politcs. If you like science and money do something else.

Mr. Philosophy · #30 02-04-2007, 05:33 PM

Sadly this is the truth with going to med school. There is so much crap involved with the medical field that it really is a pain in the ass to become a physician.

However, I know for myself I am willing to deal with the crap because I have attempted other lines of work, and being a physician is where my interests lie. So for those interested in attending med school, make sure you truly want to be a doctor. If you want to be a doctor just for the money, then you are much better off finding another line of work because you will most likely earn more money and work less hours.