It’s so much more of a challenge than I thought to figure out the 15 most relevant things to my application!!
that's great. That's exactly how I felt
My advice - write down everything, and then ask yourself of each item "what does this say about me?". If two things say the same thing, pick the one that says it more strongly. If it's something you want to emphasize or show a pattern of, include several of those things.
So, I got accepted to school last November and fell off the face of the earth*. But I came back because I know so many awesome OPM’ers are applying to school in a few weeks and I wanted to say…
None of you need luck. OPM’ers are AWESOME and so many of you are going to amaze the right admissions committee. Seriously, if a nerd like me can do it, YOU can. <3
*Disclaimer: Did not actually fall off the face of the earth. Was just working way too much, left the country for a month and came home to sell all our furniture and prepare to drive across the country with what’s left.
Glad to see you back, Pixie! Can’t wait to hear your perspective on med school. CONGRATS to you, by the way! I don’t know if I had the chance to say that yet.
Sounds like you have had some much deserved time to chill, too.
Don’t forget about us when your neck deep in medical school textbooks! How freaking exciting is that? I can’t wait myself…
Shannon - Thanks! I promise to post a lot the next two months, while I enjoy my little gap before the avalanche starts. I’m super excited about the move and starting school.
After that, well… it’ll be sporadic, but I’ll be around.
My one piece of advice: DON’T do what I did (apply late). By late I mean around the new year. I got lucky, but really it’d be a lot less stressful if I hadn’t done it this way.
Of course, if you’re on here reading this now I am assuming you are already 3 steps ahead of where I was last year at this time! Good luck!
TMDSAS verified my app and it is complete as well. I am complete at one school requiring secondaries (the DO school).
Thus far I have applied to TMDSAS only (8 schools, including 1 DO). There is one school in TX that uses AMCAS, so I would be filling AMCAS just for that. Right now, I don’t feel like doing it, so I am waiting things out and perhaps will fill up AMCAS later. But right now, I really don’t have the strength too.
Heck I am just back from vacation and my motivation is at the lowest.
Two quick questions about the work/activities section:
If I can’t find contact info for an activity, but I can provide contact info for someone who served in the activity with me (but wasn’t in charge), should I still list it?
If I shadowed 4 different physicians and 4 different specialties, do I list that as one experience? (i.e. “physician shadowing”)… if so, do I just pick one of those doctors as a contact person?
I’m super excited about the move and starting school.