Brief background: My overall and BCPM GPA are averages of my MD and DO GPA's. (MD=3.2/overall 3.3/BCPM, DO=3.4/overall 3.5/BCPM)
I completed my first 120 college hours with a 3.00 GPA, including 5 F's and ~20 withdrawals. I joined the military, came back to school, did a double major (English & Communication), and completed my second 118 college hours with a 3.82 GPA, which includes all the medical pre-reqs. Graduated cum laude from the University of Delaware, and recieved the pre-med committee's highest recommendation for medical school, which is awarded to only 15% or less of UD applicants. So, although my GPA isn't that impressive, I have a serious upward trend that I am hoping will compensate. We will see.
So far, I have applied to only 12 schools b/c it would be most advantagous for me and my family (wife and a daughter) if we were to stay in the region. I mostly prefer the Philly schools b/c we wouldn't have to move in that case, but the cost of living in Kentucky and Virginia make those desirable locations as well. I'm not worried about the prestige of the school I ultimately attend..I just want to be a doctor.
7/18/06
AMCAS has been complete since 6/27/06, but still waiting for verification. AACOMAS has been complete since 7/10/06, and I'm still waiting on that verification, too. This is my own fault for waiting too long before getting my transcripts sent over. The frustration of verification...AAARRGGGGHHH!!!!
7/26/06
AMCAS has been verified. Already have secondary request from Temple and Virginia Commonwealth.
7/27/06
Secondary request from University of Kentucky, and UPenn.
8/3/06
Secondary request from Jefferson
8/5/06
Secondary request from East Virginia.
8/6/06
AACOMAS has finally been verified.
8/12/06
Secondary request from PCOM
8/14/06
Secondary request from Edward Via
8/15/06
Have decided to apply to all the Texas schools (except Baylor) through TMDSAS. This will add 7 schools to my list, making my total number of schools applied to thus far 19. However, it will probably take 2 to 3 weeks to have everything verified. Maybe longer. But to apply to these 7 schools only costs $160 total. That's a lot of bang for the buck, and the way I figure it, I have just as good of a chance getting into these schools as I do anywhere else besides the top tier ones.
8/18/06
YESSSS!!!! Interview invite from Jefferson! This is pretty much my top choice school. Interview date is 10/11. I applied through the DIMER program (Delaware Institute of Medical Education & Research). Since DE is so small, we don't have a medical school. Instead, DE buys 20 seats a year from Jefferson which are reserved for DE residents. I'm basically only competing with other DE residents for 1 of those seats. PCOM does the same thing, except DE only buys 7 seats from them. These 2 schools represent my best chances for acceptance.
8/19/06
Secondary request from Oklahom State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
8/21/06
Secondary request from Drexel and from University of Louisville. The Louisville one actually says that this is the 2nd time they have tried to reach me. I must have accidentally deleted the 1st email from them. Hope that doesn't affect my chances.
8/28/06
East Virginia Medical School sent an email inviting me for an interview. YAAAAYYY!!!
8/30/06
University of Kentucky sent an email invitation for an interview. WOW! I have 3 interviews. I can't believe it! It's kind of wierd because each of the interviews are about a month apart. EVMS is set for 9/13, Jefferson is set for 10/11, and Kentucky is set for 11/11, which is a Saturday. All I can say is that I feel extremely fortunate. Based upon the acceptance rate for past out-of-state interviewees, I have a better than 50% chance of being accepted at each of these schools! That is amazing! And humbling.
9/10/06
Decided to apply to University of Arkansas because I have a friend in Little Rock, and also because I grew up close to Arkansas, in Louisiana. This brings my total number of schools I'm applying at to 20.
9/11/06
Another interview invitation. This one is from PCOM. (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine). This is incredible! I've been to a PCOM open house before, and they really are an awesome school. I would say they are the best osteopathic school by far. Very excited. 4 interviews.
9/13/06
Went to EVMS for my 1st interview. There were 14 of us. I was definitely the oldest one there. Toured the school and hospital first, then had interview in the afternoon. 1 student, & 1 doctor interviewed me together. Although it was a good cop/bad cop kind of thing, it was very relaxing, actually. Interview lasted over an hour...I hope that means they liked me...guess I'll find out.
9/20/06
Decided to withdraw from 6 of the schools before I send in my secondary to them. Withdrawing from 1)Arkansas, 2)Edward Via, 3)Pikeville, 4)Oklahoma Osteopathic, 5)Drexel, & 6)Louisville. I figure that since I already have 4 interviews lined up, I should just save myself the money and time on secondaries.
9/29/06
Wow. Already have a decision from EVMS. They put me on the waitlist. I'm a little bummed, because it's like saying, 'We like you, but we don't like you that much. You're a backup if we don't get who we really want.' I know it's way better than a rejection, so I should be happy...but it hurts. I'm not going to call to find out where I'm at on the list because I couldn't take it if I found out I was really far down.
10/2/06
Had my 2nd interview at PCOM. There were 10 of us. Had breakfast with the Dean of Admissions. Interviews were right after that. There was 1 doctor and 1 person from the adcom office interviewing me together. Seemed like good cop/bad cop to me, but it wasn't so bad. The doctor did seem to question my commitment to osteopathic medicine. He even asked me how many osteopathic schools I had applied to versus how many allopathic schools. Even asked me to name them. I lied, of course, and made it seem like I had applied to far fewer allopathic schools than I actually have. Aside from that slight bit of discomfort, the rest of the interview went well. But I really don't think I left a good impression. Pisses me off, because PCOM is really high on my list of schools I want to go to. After the interview we went on tour of the facilities. About 12:30 we all went home. I just can't help but feel like I really blew this one.
10/2/06
I answered the phone this evening and it was an adcom member from the Texas College of Osteopatic Medicine inviting me for an interview. I accepted. SHeeeshh!!! I have 5 interviews. I am astounded. I never, ever thought I would have this much interest in my application. I just pray that one of them will be the one. I don't know though...after my PCOM interview, and my EVMS waitlisting..I'm not feeling so confident.
10/11/06
Went on my 3rd interview to Jefferson Medical College. This is the best school I have been to so far. It was downright opulent in comparison to PCOM and EVMS. There were 25 of us interviewing. Once again, there was noone close to my age in the room. (But can I expect...I am 35) I'm really hating the fact that if I get accepted to medical school, then I will be working with people who are a whole different generation from me. Sucks...but I've been through worse. Anyway, the faculty and students at Jefferson are very sincere and very concerned about the human side of medicine, just as much as they are with the technical side. I was very impressed with all they had to say. I truly felt at home at this school. The one negative is that it is in the heart of central Philly. It is a virtual Metropolis...and I am so much the proverbial country mouse. I got so lost both on the drive in and on the drive out. Thank goodness you don't really need a car if you are in the city because of an awesome public transport system. OK....After the obligatory introductions in the morning I had a 1 on 1 interview w/ a 1st year student. She was great! We walked around the campus and then found a place to sit and talk. She was not evaluating me at all, but was rather giving me a chance to ask any questions I wanted about the school. After this we had a great lunch provided to us. Then we broke up into 4 groups and went on a tour of the campus and the hospital. Although the school is immense and has several buildings, we really didn't see that much of it, but we did go to the hospital, which seemed pretty nice. Our guide then escorted us all to the buildings where we had our interviews. My interview went OK. I felt like I didn't come across as being very confident. The doctor who interviewed me was sort of low key and quiet, so that sort of set my tone as well. I realize that I'm just not good at selling myself. I hate doing it. I believe very strongly in humility, so it's hard when I'm in a situation where I feel like I have to showcase all my assets and qualifications.
10/13/06
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is what the letter from PCOM said. I have been accepted by them for the class of 2007! I can't believe it. On Friday the 13th of all dates, I find out that I am going to be a doctor. Amazing.
10/15/06
Deciding to forego my interview at TCOM on 10/27. Although the tuition is very inexpensive, there are some draw backs to TCOM compared to PCOM. I don't have to uproot my family if I stay in the area and go to PCOM. My wife has a great job with decent salary already. There will be no extended family support in Texas. And then there is the cost of moving. Even the cost of flying out for the interview is sort of prohibitive at this point given my financial situation. I guess that in the end the cons outwiegh the pros. I have a feeling that I may regret this decision in the future, but have to do what seems right for now.
10/27/06
Post-interview letter from Jefferson. I have been placed into a 'special High Priority category'. Not sure what that means, but I know that it doesn't mean I've been accepted. Actually the letter says that they are 'very impressed' with my application and even though they can't offer me a seat 'at this time' I am in the 'High Priority' category. I guess this means I am high up on the wait list. Sigh....really, really, really, really like this school. I'll keep my hopes up, but it's much easier to take a wait list notice with an acceptance from another school in hand.
10/30/06
Sent $250 deposit to reserve my seat at PCOM.
11/7/06
Decided to withdraw from my interview at University of Kentucky. My wife sort of convinced me to let it go. Same reasons as why I withdrew from my interview with TCOM. Sigh....it's hard to let go...especially when the secondary for UofK was so damn long and time consuming.
11/17/06
Recieved interview invite from University of Texas in San Antonio. I am going to this one. I regret not going to the other Texas interview because the savings in tuition would be worth the move now that I think about it. I'm happy because UTSA is in my top 3 schools that I thought I might match into when I first started applying. Interview will be on 12/4/06.
12/4/06
Love San Antonio. Everything about it is perfect for me. I will be heartbroken if not accepted here. The interveiw was amazing, and the facilities are truly top notch. Plus it is a real family friendly city, and the cost of living is very low. Keeping my fingers crossed.
12/28/06
Just noticed that my status for Virginia Commonwealth has changed. Apparently they are interested in interviewing me. I chose the date of 2/15/07. Placed it so far out because if I hear back from San Antonio before the interview date, then I will cancel the interview. I'm very fortunate b/c out of the 14 schools I submitted secondaries to, 7 of them have extended an interview invitation. I feel very proud about that.
2/15/07
Interviewed at VCU. Really liked the vibe it had. Huge medical center here. Lots of opportunity. My interview was with a 4th year med student who had just matched into opthalmology. He was really laid back, and I think we genuinely connected. He said I could expect the highest recommendation from him to the adcom. Well, that is good to hear, but I'll have to wait and see. I would be very happy at this school if fate so had it.
3/2/07
Well, I've been rejected from every Texas school I applied to, including San Antonio. That really hurts since I thought it was such the perfect place for me.
3/25/07
Found out via email that I have been waitlisted at VCU. YAY, I guess.
3/27/07
Not accepted at UPenn. What a surprise. At least I tried.
3/31/07
Went to the accepted student brunch at PCOM. Thank God my wife went with me. I'm very proud to be accepted there, but I really have a hard time socializing, especially with people who are 10 years or so my junior. Nice speeches, nice food, and nice people. It's looking like it will be PCOM in August for me.
No applications have been submitted yet during this cycle.
