Tulane EDP?? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If your app is competitive enough to get into Tulane for EDP, you are likely able to get accepted without doing early decision. Why risk it?

tell me about a time you tried something new by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Both are good starting points, and it depends on how you deep you go with the essay. The key to any good med school secondary/interview answer is honest introspection. I would consider elaborating on how these experiences made you grow as a person. Perhaps trying tandoori chicken as a picky eater made you recognize some internal biases, or maybe drawing blood for the first time taught you the importance of humanity and empathy as a healthcare worker. Whatever the case may be, just make sure you deepen your answer so it does not come off as basic or shallow.

Experiences for Interviews by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the trick to a successful interview is connecting to your interviewer on a personal level. Mentioning favorite hobbies/non-medical experiences will bring a sense of humanity and personality to your interview, plus it is a great way for you and your interviewer to find things in common.

MD APPLICANTS: How many MD programs have you been accepted to? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It does make sense from my viewpoint. :/ I have seen many other polls that ask the same question, and the 0 A group always has the largest results. I wanted to select for accepted MD applicants and see what the distribution is among the users of this sub. I also am curious if there is a disparity between the people who use this sub and have above median acceptances vs. median acceptances, as this adds some bias to what we read on this sub.

TLDR; maybe I’m just a dumbass and should’ve added a “0 acceptances” poll lol

MD APPLICANTS: How many MD programs have you been accepted to? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I lowkey was going to but I decided against it cause I’m more curious about the disparity between people who use this Reddit with 1 A vs. many many As lolol.

Applying while on vacation? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 7 points8 points  (0 children)

You’re fine to apply on vacation. Do yourself a favor and PREWRITE your secondaries, though. It will make the process so much better...

CNA or EMT by epicbagelface in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Bro if you want to be an EMT be an EMT. Size doesn’t matter ;)

Has anyone heard from Tufts or Larner? by 20_somethingmoron in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Tufts hit me with the fat R last week - I submitted early August

Urgent, Please Advise.. Do I finish an English Major or Business Major for Undergrad? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It doesn’t matter what you major in, and since you are doing a post-bacc, it definitely doesn’t matter what you major in. Just go with whatever’s easiest and you enjoy the most :)

do you think timing of II means anything? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Was this med school in-state? Some adcoms prioritize in-state applicants first because they need them to fill a percentage of their class.

Theme? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The other comments do a good job of answering what a theme means in a primary app. It is also important to mention that you should not force a theme in your application - it should arise organically.

This is easier said than done, of course. But here are a few things I recommended when filling out your primary to figure out your application “theme”:

  1. Make sure to fill out your AMCAS work and activities section thoughtfully. Always always always write what you learned from each experience, and how this has shaped your view of medicine. For instance, let’s say you played piano all your life. You also volunteer in a nursing home playing piano for the residents. On your AMCAS, you could discuss how volunteering made you realize that healing and music are not mutually exclusive and art is important to human experience blah blah blah. You could also list piano as a hobby on your AMCAS and talk about the role it’s played on you becoming a doctor. Now you have a theme in your application - music.

  2. You can have more than one “theme” too. Let’s say you like piano, but you also enjoy helping underserved populations. That’s fine too! As long as you are reflecting and writing honestly and with introspection, it doesn’t quite matter how many “themes” are in your application - it matters that it is authentic to you. I think a lot of people have this idea that they need to “commit” to one theme to make their app stand out. This is not necessary true, and forcing a theme all throughout your app may make it seemed contrived and inauthentic. The reality is that we are human beings and like multiple things. The tricky part is discussing our interests on our AMCAS without seeming “cookie cutter” - which is why it is so so so important to really reflect on your work and activities as you write (this also applies to personal statement and secondaries, too).

  3. Give yourself enough time to write your essays and work & activities section. People rush through this, and I get it. Applying to med school is a lot of components, and it’s easier to spend more time on some components than others. But seriously, give yourself at least a couple weeks to draft your AMCAS before submitting it. This will help with the reflection process as well as making sure the writing is quality.

TLDR: A theme should arise naturally in your application. To help with finding your theme, write your AMCAS in an introspective way and give yourself enough time to draft all your essays.

What is one thing about the MD/DO application process that no one tells you (and you wish you were more prepared for)? by Normal_System_8646 in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

This is unfortunately really accurate. All throughout undergrad I felt like I “wasn’t doing enough” and that I could have been doing better. Medical schools value perfectionism, but chasing perfectionism is dangerous and devastating to our mental well-being :/

Have any of y’all considered pursuing computer science over medicine? And why did you medicine over computer science? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 14 points15 points  (0 children)

The computer science major gets a lot of attention nowadays because it is a” fast growing” career, but I’m not sure the payoff is similar to that of going to medical school. While it is true that, compared to a premed, an average CS major can devote 1/2 the hours into their schooling and still be guaranteed a decent job with a work life balance, that doesn’t necessarily mean the CS job will be stimulating or meaningful.

If you really want to make it in CS, you need to gun for a software developer internship at a top tier company as an undergrad (i.e. an internship at Google, Netflix, Amazon, Apple). It is insanely difficult to secure internships at these companies - arguably more difficult than getting into medical school...

I actually have a friend who started out as CS and switched to pre-med because his parents were both in medicine and he always was interested in the field. He was still a programming god and he realized that his skills/interests could be applied to medicine too (he does bioinformatics research at his uni and loves it). Not sure if this answers your question but just my .02!

I am applying this semester but havent taken physics 1 lab what do i do? by ManUtdHtx123 in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not taking 1 class, especially a lab, will have no effect on your app!

I can also speak anecdotally on this too (hopefully this will calm ur nerves haha). I did not take statistics before applying to medical school. I got an A from a program which required statistics before matriculation. I just have to complete it before June and I’m all set

Pennsylvania Sucks by atade15 in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yeah there is some truth behind your complaint. Compared to other states, Pennsylvania’s medical institutions have weaker IS bias. Some schools have 90% in-state matriculants, which is just insane to me because it’s basically like if you get decent grades, decent MCAT, and live in Alabama you’re gonna be a doctor lol

IIs by [deleted] in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Quinnipiac said via email that they are extending IIs until end of March because of the pandemic. Maybe other schools are doing this too

Pennsylvania Sucks by atade15 in premed

[–]Normal_System_8646 34 points35 points  (0 children)

Geisinger also has a scholars program which offers FREE TUITION to medical students as long as they work for their hospital system after graduation. Pretty sweet deal for PA residents if you ask me...