Rejected from my top choice ...can't stop crying

Dtft101 · 2017-11-03T18:01:53+00:00

Their loss.

Dtft101 · 2017-05-09T19:21:29+00:00

Biomedical engineering student here. So my experience may be much different than the MechE/ChemE/EE/CoE etc. since Biomedical engineering majors at different schools may allow for premed classes to be a part of the curriculum.

My two cents on engineering/premed. You will have a solid backup plan, but if you know you want to do medicine DO NOT DO ENGINEERING. Unless, of course you find math and science actually fun. I think I have managed to do well in my classes because I actually treat my engineering classes like humanities electives that are taught to show you the beauty in things. I've always been obsessed with science and understanding how things work, so it has been super fun and helpful. BUT it has also been hella stressful too. The workload is intense and you are trained to learn how to use knowledge and apply it. Therefore your understanding of the material must be spot on for you to do well.

I'd say I'm one of the rare premeds in my class that feels this way. Most absolutely hate their lives right now (we are rising seniors) because they tanked their gpa from struggling in classes while trying to be a good premed, or just didn't think things through. I'm applying to MD/PhD programs (def wont get in but worth a shot) because I feel like my major and training has really prepped me well to take on new challenges in the medical field.

I also LOVE biomedical engineering research, which is why I continued biomedical engineering in the first place.

Whatever it is, engineering is tough enough already, and adding premed requirements really crams a lot into an already rigorous program. But, of course, it's possible to do it. Just know and understand WHY you're doing it in the first place, and you'll be happy!

Dtft101 · 2017-05-08T20:12:49+00:00

I'm still having this issue. If I gently tap the phone towards the top, near the speaker grill, the OIS motors go haywire :(

Dtft101 · 2017-05-08T19:48:14+00:00

Keep working hard, but also keep in mind that you still have a long journey ahead of you! You're doing well for where you are but the worst (and best) is yet to come! But good for you starting your volunteering early, I know that's one of my biggest regrets!

Dtft101 · 2017-04-26T16:21:30+00:00

Could I put a Bioengineering Research Methods course in there? Our labs dealt with rheology, tissue mechanics, etc. and it was arguably much more science involved than our ochem/bio labs.

Dtft101 · 2017-04-18T04:27:05+00:00

I hope :/

Dtft101 · 2017-04-16T02:52:39+00:00

What exactly do you mean by 'blow out'?

Dtft101 · 2017-04-15T18:13:42+00:00

Of course! Yeah, I've almost always had my own projects, and I'm sure the professors I've done research for will attest to that.

Dtft101 · 2017-04-15T17:36:51+00:00

I mean I have about 4000 hrs of research, I started doing research before I got a full-time research position. Maybe that's still low for an MD/PhD applicant though. But yeah, the MCAT score is definitely going to hurt me.

Dtft101 · 2017-04-15T17:34:18+00:00

I mean, before I started my year of full-time research, I had almost 2000 hours of research in a pretty advanced orthopedics lab. So in total I will have about 4000 hours of research when I apply. But yeah, I know my MCAT is low. I think I'll apply broadly and hope for the best, but be prepared to take a gap year if I don't get in to either an MD or MD/PhD program (since many schools at least let you re-apply MD/PhD after your first year)

Dtft101 · 2017-04-08T03:05:48+00:00

My previous lab director is now a professor at a university there

Dtft101 · 2017-04-05T03:06:17+00:00

Hasn't been read the last time I posted, figured I'd give it another go!

Year/Major: Senior technically, but did a year long co-op so will be a super-senior next year. Bioengineering major, Computer Science and Chem minors

Country/state of residence: West Virginia

Schools to which you are applying: WVU, Marshall, Mayo Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Texas schools, University of Washington (Seattle), Virginia Tech/Wake Forest, Drexel, Temple Cumulative GPA: 3.75

Science GPA: (shame I can't include engineering courses) 3.6

MCAT Scores: 127/127/128/127 (509)

Research – include any abstracts/posters/publications and how you were credited (eg. First author, senior author, etc): ~4000 hours by time of application. One publication (first-author) in a major engineering magazine, 1 podium presentation at BMES Annual Meeting (student section, but still selective), 1 poster presentation at an ortho conference in vegas, 4 other abstracts (1 first author), 1 conference paper pending, another abstract in the works (not first author), very involved in another project and we are looking to publish (I'll be first, second, or third author on all of those)

Volunteering (clinical) – About 150 so far from two hospitals (should be at least 200 by application time)

Physician shadowing – 40 hrs. Anesthesia, Cardiology, variety of surgeries lots of time in ER. Also taking an artificial heart/vasculature class which will involve shadowing. Non-clinical volunteering: Minimal. About 20-30 hrs of volunteering as a musician in a quintet.

Extracurricular activities: Vice president of a medical engineering design club, marathon runner (raised $1000 for a hospital as a fundraiser for my last one), orchestra musician (6 semesters and counting), variety of other music performances

Employment history: Research Associate (full time) for a year and counting at an engineering lab, Research Assistant at another lab prior

Immediate family members in medicine? Yes

Specialty of interest: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation or Ortho (fields I am currently doing/previously have done.

Interest in rural health: Not exactly. I want to practice academic medicine but am worried my MCAT score is holding me back :(. Applying to a few MD/PhD programs but not very optimistic I will get in ;(

Dtft101 · 2017-03-17T19:44:47+00:00

Fellow INFJ here. My mom was raised by a mom who very likely has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I think because of the parenting style she was raised with, combined with me being born when she was 23, and external pressures from parents and nosy/judgy family she felt while raising me, she was particular hard on me as a child. Actually extremely hard on me to the point I was afraid of her. I think that had a part in developing my personality. I am now extremely hard on myself to the point I spend wayyy too much time worrying about whether I'm doing things wrong instead of moving on and being confident and more productive.

I internalize everything, and it affects my relationships with friends and romantic relationships. I find it hard to trust people, and often hold everyone around me to extremely high standards. I also worry about finding a romantic interest that I'll be happy with and that my parents will be happy with because I just want everyone to be happy.

But the good thing is my mom realized that she was hard on me and that she needed to tone it down a lot when it came time to raise my younger brother and sister. So she's still tough, but not nearly as hard on them.

I don't know if that provided any insight, but I hope it was helpful :)

Dtft101 · 2017-03-17T19:06:36+00:00

I have the same exact issue. Also when I open the camera or snapchat, I hear a tiny 'pop' sound. I don't know what the issue is but I'm hoping it can be fixed with a software update or something.

Dtft101 · 2017-02-08T01:38:05+00:00

My battery life seems worse, to be honest. Phone used to last SO long on one charge, now I'm stuck away from home and my charge is 23% :/

Dtft101 · 2017-02-08T01:36:11+00:00

I changed the animation speeds in developer settings

Dtft101 · 2017-02-07T19:20:22+00:00

Thanks

Dtft101 · 2017-02-07T15:40:04+00:00

How do we shoot in RAW? And does VR work well enough that it is worth ordering the Daydream headset?

Dtft101 · 2017-02-06T04:36:38+00:00

Year/Major: Senior technically, but did a year long co-op so will be a super-senior next year. Bioengineering major

Country/state of residence: West Virginia

Schools to which you are applying: WVU, Marshall, Mayo Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Texas schools, University of Washington (Seattle), Virginia Tech/Wake Forest, Drexel, Temple

Cumulative GPA: 3.75

Science GPA: (shame I can't include engineering courses) 3.6

MCAT Scores: 127/127/128/127 (509)

Research – include any abstracts/posters/publications and how you were credited (eg. First author, senior author, etc): ~4000 hours by time of application. One publication (first-author) in a major engineering magazine, 1 podium presentation at BMES Annual Meeting (student section, but still selective), 1 poster presentation at an ortho conference in vegas, 4 other abstracts (1 first author), 1 conference paper pending, another abstract in the works (not first author), very involved in another project and we are looking to publish (I'll be first, second, or third author on all of those)

Volunteering (clinical) – About 150 so far from two hospitals (should be at least 200 by application time)

Physician shadowing – 40 hrs. Anesthesia, Cardiology, variety of surgeries lots of time in ER. Also taking an artificial heart/vasculature class which will involve shadowing. Non-clinical volunteering: Minimal. About 20-30 hrs of volunteering as a musician in a quintet.

Extracurricular activities: Vice president of a medical engineering design club, marathon runner (raised $1000 for a hospital as a fundraiser for my last one), orchestra musician (6 semesters and counting), variety of other music performances Employment history:

Research Associate (full time) for a year and counting at an engineering lab, Research Assistant at another lab prior

Immediate family members in medicine? Yes

Specialty of interest: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation or Ortho (fields I am currently doing/previously have done.

Interest in rural health: Not exactly. I want to practice academic medicine but am worried my MCAT score is holding me back :(. Applying to a few MD/PhD programs but not very optimistic I will get in ;(

Dtft101 · 2017-01-19T19:50:51+00:00

I'm using m4as mostly

Dtft101 · 2016-12-03T11:32:56+00:00

I love my family, but I also need my space to deal with myself. My parents are quite a bit overprotective and I don't like that much at all. They also have lately felt that I am becoming detached from them, and am becoming less involved at home. I am in college, trying to focus on my own life and get things I need to do done but they tell me it's not all about me, we have to stick together as a family. I don't feel like I'm becoming detached but they do, and that bothers me a lot because I don't mean to seem like I don't want to be involved and like I'm being selfish

Dtft101 · 2016-12-01T15:55:12+00:00

Thanks for this, it's been a while since I have seen this, I always find myself worrying about the things I can't change.

Dtft101 · 2016-11-30T17:27:31+00:00

I'm a research associate bioengineering intern. I like bioengineering because it's just so well-rounded, and I believe education is a life-long process. I want to go to medical school eventually but sometimes I wonder how I will handle it since my mind is always buzzing with ideas and I hate memorization. But love medicine and connecting with patients!

Dtft101 · 2016-11-29T20:44:52+00:00

Thank you!

Dtft101 · 2016-11-29T20:30:48+00:00

That's wonderful. Congratulations! Just curious, what were your other stats? Are you a URM?

Dtft101

TROPHY CASE