I’ve been working on my AMCAS app, and have taken a look at ACOMAS. In it’s own special way, this is almost as stressful as the MCAT…almost. I’ve got my personal statement written and ready to go, but those classes (I have over 100) took forever to enter.
Tedious.
And the “Work History/ why you’re an awesome guy”
section requires quite a bit as well. But that’s o.k., got my first draft of those done. Only a couple more letters to retrieve and I’ll be good to go!
Now it’s time for a few days at the beach on a much needed and long overdue vacation.
I’m excited! Let the games begin!
And may the odds be ever in your favor!*
Yeahhhhhh, the classes part was the worst. I had my big printout and a ruler to make sure I was entering the right grade with each course.
TOOK For. Ev. Er.
What a rockstar you are to have it all ready so early! 
Also, your quote makes me happy.
Also make sure you have the right classes in the right “semester” I beilieve the summer semester classes cause the most confusion. That caused a little redo on my part.
Oh Yeah, had to redo quite a bunch of stuff myself. I am done with TMDSAS and the secondaries associated with it.
I am not working on AMCAS for now, after a good start. I kind of gave up. I need to get my motivation up and fill it up. I intend to apply to only 3 schools or so in AMCAS, so that’s why I am not so motivated. Ehhhhh… I’ll do it, early June. I think it will still be early enough.
As for ACOMAS, there would be only one school in there I would target. So I am not doing it! I applied to the one DO school in TX via TMDSAS. All these systems and secondaries, this is not only costly but very time consuming. I love to remember Baileys’ remarkable way to put: “If you ain’t blowing huge wads of cash, you ain’t trying hard enough”. Remarkable and true.
I feel your pain. I’m in the middle of doing my AMCAS app, and looking to start the AACOMAS app after I submit. I didn’t realize how much work the AMCAS app was. And then there’s secondaries? And interviews? Ugh. I selected 20 medical schools. Is that too much? I figure I’d maximize my chances.
Still need to work on my personal statement. The temptation to procrastinate is closing in. Must fight it off!
Good luck everyone!
I would LOVE to be able to apply to that many schools, but I am confined to about a 4 hour radius of Nashville. (I’m applying to 5 schools…)
It simplifies the process out of necessity, but I hope I’m not ruining my chances.
I tore through the AMCAS application, and I got everything done except work/activities. Now, I’m stuck. I haven’t even looked at it in over a week.
Motivation, where are you? I think I’m feeling the pending doom of my MCAT score and just don’t have the desire to face it… LOL
I’m doing AMCAS, AACOMAS, & TMDSAS (the joys of only having 1 medical school in Utah). Keying in every class I have or will take 3 times was not my idea of fun. The fact that AMCAS gives 5300 characters for the personal statement, while AACOMAS gives 4500 and TMDSAS gives 5000 is also rather annoying. The 300 characters that TMDSAS gives you for describing work & EC’s is painfully short.
Starting the first week of May is what I think saved me more than anything. Being able to fill them out in little pieces as I go makes this about a million times less stressful.
I have about 27 schools on my list at the moment, but I really don’t want to shell out the money that will cost with secondaries, so I have to narrow the field a bit…which is not fun or easy.
- syr_eng2md Said:
I selected 20 medical schools. Is that too much? I figure I'd maximize my chances.
20 is not too many, if you can afford the expense, and are sure that all of those schools are places you want to live. The secondary fees are killer, and in a few cases I did not bother to submit them.
I'm not 100% sure on the total, but I applied to over 20 schools (5 MD, the rest DO). I did secondaries for 17 of them. I got 3 interviews - 2 waitlisted me and 1 accepted. I got lots, and lots of crushing rejections - mostly by email, but more than enough came by regular mail, too.
20 isn’t outrageous. It’s a lot of work and a lot of money, but as I have said earlier "If you ain’t spendin buttloads of cash to apply you ain’t doin it right.
I applied to around 17 (7 MD 10 DO) Did secondaries for 15, had 7 interviews and five acceptances. I bet I spent around 6000 to apply.
syracuse, look at my MD Apps profile and you’ll see that i also wanted to maximize my chances and applied to much more than 20 schools. if you can stand filling out all the secondaries then i say go for it.
Ooooooh, you guys are making my stomach churn. I have this sinking fear that being bound by my location is going to blow my chances…
(Worry much, Carrie?)
I can’t do anything about it. No sense in wasting time worrying about it. I just have to put forth the best application possible and hope for the best. But 5 schools? FIVE?
Going to go breathe now. 
On an unrelated note, I got a fantastic LOR from my Organic professor this morning. He went on and on about my rigorous schedule of full time career, family, and school–and how I never made excuses or asked for extensions, but was always on time, prepared, and ahead of all my classmates. Said I was a leader. Said I was easily in the top percentage of all the students he’d ever taught. Said I had the scholastic ability to make a great med student and the personality to make a fantastic doctor… said I’d be an asset and a leader, and that any med school would be lucky to have me.)
He said that. And yet all I can think about is that I’m screwed because I only have 5 schools. Why in the WORLD do we allow this toxic insecurity to pollute our minds, OPMers? I wave the flag of “FUD be damned” for anyone on this board, and yet I can’t crush it in my own spirit? W-H-Y??? LOL
I will conquer it someday. I WILL. 
Think I’ll read that letter about 25 times today, and maybe I’ll stop freaking out about the rest of it. LOL
Carrie - Maybe I’m exhausted from my delicious lunch, but… didn’t you do really great in all your pre-reqs? Aren’t you an amazing super mom with an adorable kids who managed to score really high on exams despite all her mom-duties? Aren’t you, like, TOTALLY AMAZING?
Yeah, I thought so. Your MCAT score will be great, and the fact that you are applying to schools in your area will work in your favor - because you want to stay in that area, and practice medicine there.
Finally… I don’t quote you in my signature without reason, madam. Consult your own words. FUD be darned.
As my mother says - worrying is paying interest on loans you haven’t yet borrowed.
Yes ma’am. Thanks, Pixie…
=)
I think the MCAT experience rocked every shred of confidence I had in me. I was so prepared, but by all counts, everyone else got the test I was prepared for. I just feel…shell-shocked…
I’ll get over myself at some point. Thanks for the reality check… =)
Hey Carrie - don’t give the MCAT that amount of power over you - keep on plugging away at those applications while you wait. Believe me, I know it is hard and I know exactly how you are feeling. But you will be so mad at yourself when your MCAT scores come back and you are happy with them and you’ve let MCAT FUD put you behind the 8 ball time wise.
BTW - it doesn’t get better in med school. Our finals week for each section consists of a written and hands on OMM practical on Monday, followed by a path practical on Tuesday (sometimes Wednesday) followed by our section final exam on Thursday. I have let myself stress over how I think I did on the Monday exam mess me up for Tuesday and/or Thursday. One of the things I want to focus on over my summer break is learning how to compartmentalize a lot better than I do and on managing my anxiety during our time compressed OMM hands on practicals. I get so worked up about them it is painful.
Lynda
Lynda - I also had a lot of trouble with anxiety and stressing over how I did during first year. Caused me to really struggle with my blood pressure first year. Second year isn’t really easier but most of my classmates and I found out that we were better at dealing with it. I’m sure you’ll find your balance.
VickiV - for you (and Lynda 
it’s important to “accept the things I cannot change”…you do your best right up to the test, take it, and move on. No amount of worry will change the result of what you have done, but NOT worrying and putting your best effort forward can change the outcome of the challengees yet to come.
When we are practicing medicine, we will not be perfect. God help us that we don’t do anything too stupid or wrong. But to grow in our competence as physicians, we’ll need to ask ourselves --is there anything I’ve learned from my performance today? Any way I could better prepare? Can I apply that to the next patient (or the next challenge)? I’m trying to work on that attitude of continous self-improvement now.
And NOT consuming my energy worrying about yesterday, but instead direct my energies toward goal-directed activity for the future is a crucial step.
Having said that —back to board study!!!
Kate
Thanks Kate. Exactly what I am trying to do. Rationally I completely understand but it is really hard to actually do sometimes.
CarrieLiz,
Perhaps a very quick fact about samenewme (aka denise) who is in her 3rd year of FP residency will give you some encouragement:
1 application
1 interview
1 acceptance
NICE. Good to know!!!
Thanks again, guys… I guess we all take turns out on that proverbial ledge. 
I know this is my path. My day in the OR today (I posted about it in general somewhere else) affirmed that and then some.
If the score doesn’t come back the way I want it tomorrow, I will just buckle down and take it again. It doesn’t matter. Just another hurdle.
The way I felt in that room today told me everything I need to know.
I am so grateful for this community!
Carrieliz-
Great attitude. That’s it…just keep charging forward if there is a new wall. Hoping for excellent news for you tomorrow but I know I will be seeing your report of a successful application in the long run!
PS - your day in surgery sounded amazing. My favorite that I’ve observed is open heart - love the iced saline in the chest cavity to stop the heart, and the small internal paddles to start it up again (I know, I’m crazy).
Kate
- In reply to:
If the score doesn't come back the way I want it tomorrow, I will just buckle down and take it again. It doesn't matter. Just another hurdle.
YES! I need to keep telling myself this over the next three weeks.