I know, I’m posting a zillion threads a day, and I DO apologize. It’s just that I’m so excited at having found an active forum for people like me! 
I hope no one minds.
Anyway, I was wondering, do most of you have a Plan B? What if you don’t get accepted to medical school the first time you apply? Will you reapply the following year? Do something else? What if you don’t get in after your third or fourth try? Depressing questions, but I was curious!
I think for me, if I don’t get in after three tries, I’ll take the GREs and go on to earn my PhD in Clinical Psych.
Hey there… The more posts the better if you ask me!!
I love to learn, I will likely go on to get a PhD and teach/research. I haven’t defined a plan yet, but I will in detail, that way I won’t need it when I get in. Those that need plan b’s are the ones that DON’T have them right??
GM
- GinaMarie119 Said:
Hey there.. The more posts the better if you ask me!!
I love to learn, I will likely go on to get a PhD and teach/research. I haven't defined a plan yet, but I will in detail, that way I won't need it when I get in. Those that need plan b's are the ones that DON'T have them right??
GM
I love to learn, I will likely go on to get a PhD and teach/research. I haven't defined a plan yet, but I will in detail, that way I won't need it when I get in. Those that need plan b's are the ones that DON'T have them right??
GM
Wrong. Typically if people know they may not achieve something, unless they don't plan for the future at all, they should have a plan B otherwise they are risking far too much imo.
Personally, I think we should all have plan B's since as has been said before the med school process is a complete crapshoot.
I guess I'll already be doing my plan B when I apply...a paramedic in the area I'll be working in makes pretty good money and it's a great career. I'll probably actually have very little stress w/the app process as a result, because if I don't get in, well I'm still making $70,000 a year working as an advanced health care provider so I'll probably just shrug and apply again next year.
I don’t think that “crapshoot†is the right characterization of the process. That implies that an individual has no control. There are a lot of things that you can do to enhance your chances of getting into medical school. On the flip side there are also no guarantees. So perhaps the crapshoot analogy is reasonable, we just try to do as much as possible to load the dice. So “hedging your bet†so to speak with a plan b is something to think about, but not so much that it distracts from the pursuit of your true goal.
I would likely go the midlevel route (NP/PA) if getting into medical school does not pan out. I will definitely reapply through at least one additional cycle.
I think its extremely imporant to have a plan B. Not a good idea to put all your eggs on one basket and no matter how sure you are that you’ll get into med school, the fact remains - you still never know.
With that said, should I not get into med school (I’d keep applying), I’ll also be applying to different grad school programs and go into research. I considered Path A school but Im not interested in being anyones assistant 
Also, since there are only 6 schools in the country (3 of which i would consider), the odds might be against me.
I am already working on plan B. When I deceided to complete my Criminal Justice degree, med school was not on my mind. However, since I am doing well in my school right now I have realized that I can complete med school. But I am still determined to finish what I started with my Criminal Justice degree. So, my plans have reversed themselves. As the old saying goes, plan your work, work your plan.
I am currently doing Plan B. Ha! I will be a very educated flight attendant by the time this ends. I am hoping that in the next few years another possibility will show up that will touch, move and inspire me as much as being a doctor does.
My plan b is to keep applying, for the 3 years my MCAT scores are good, unless they need to be retaken. I will work on strengthening any areas that are weak, whether it is retaking a class or getting hands-on medically related experience. I would also look at getting into a research position. So I guess, you could say my plan b is just to keep working at building myself as a strong candidate, until I get in!
I do not have a plan B. All my eggs in one basket. That being said, I’ve always had an extreme personality and I don’t mind the risk. I am always whole-heartedly involved in whatever it is that I am doing, and it serves me well. In terms of security, I’ve never had much of it, so I’m accustomed to that.
If I don’t get in the first time, I’ll keep working on my application. If I don’t get in the second time, I’ll start working on a plan B.
However, plan B may include applying again or working on something else. I’m also a fairly spiritual person and I believe that things happen for a reason. If for some reason I don’t get in, then probably something else will come along in this process that will attract me with the same (or greater) intensity. Life is full of surprises and I certainly am not going to close the door on the possibility that something may come along that speaks to me in an even powerful way than medicine. But, medicine speaks to me in a very powerful, all encompassing way, like nothing else ever has.
- somedayDrA Said:
I do not have a plan B. All my eggs in one basket. That being said, I've always had an extreme personality and I don't mind the risk. I am always whole-heartedly involved in whatever it is that I am doing, and it serves me well. In terms of security, I've never had much of it, so I'm accustomed to that.
If I don't get in the first time, I'll keep working on my application. If I don't get in the second time, I'll start working on a plan B.
However, plan B may include applying again or working on something else. I'm also a fairly spiritual person and I believe that things happen for a reason. If for some reason I don't get in, then probably something else will come along in this process that will attract me with the same (or greater) intensity. Life is full of surprises and I certainly am not going to close the door on the possibility that something may come along that speaks to me in an even powerful way than medicine. But, medicine speaks to me in a very powerful, all encompassing way, like nothing else ever has.
If I don't get in the first time, I'll keep working on my application. If I don't get in the second time, I'll start working on a plan B.
However, plan B may include applying again or working on something else. I'm also a fairly spiritual person and I believe that things happen for a reason. If for some reason I don't get in, then probably something else will come along in this process that will attract me with the same (or greater) intensity. Life is full of surprises and I certainly am not going to close the door on the possibility that something may come along that speaks to me in an even powerful way than medicine. But, medicine speaks to me in a very powerful, all encompassing way, like nothing else ever has.
I love your post! I feel exactly the same way. Thank you for sharing!
I think a better analogy would be in the realm of cards, specifically poker. We are dealt a pair of cards. It is up to you to ante up and place your chips on the table. Some people are holding good cards (KKs, AAs, 3.7 gpa, 30 MCAT). Others aren’t holding the best starting hands with me included in the latter group (A10, KQ, 3.01 gpa, 20 something MCAT). In the year 2000, I walked away from the poker table and I worked on my plan B-Teaching. Slowly be surely, my plan B has brought me back to plan A. I have my chips back on the table and I can’t wait for the flop.
Everyone here has a plan B.
We are all non-trads for a reason. We’ve started one thing, went to another, came back to the first thing. What makes us different is that we actually have something to fall back on because we’ve been to so many other places before.
I find it hard to believe that there is no “plan B” for some out there. I think the people with no plan B’s are the 22 year olds fresh out of college with no experience in life whatsoever. I’m pretty grateful (and thankful) that I have a plan B.
- putnam2800 Said:
We've started one thing, went to another, came back to the first thing. What makes us different is that we actually have something to fall back on because we've been to so many other places before.
I personally don't think every nontrads plan "B" is the same. In my case, I only recently came upon what I would call a happy plan "B" while pursing med school. In fact, I'd never worked in the capacity I'm working now before in my entire life!
I also feel very fortunate too because unlike so many people that leave something they hate for med school, I'm now already doing something I love! It simply isn't "enough" which is why med school is still on my radar!
- peterhass Said:
I don’t think that “crapshoot†is the right characterization of the process. That implies that an individual has no control. There are a lot of things that you can do to enhance your chances of getting into medical school. On the flip side there are also no guarantees. So perhaps the crapshoot analogy is reasonable, we just try to do as much as possible to load the dice. So “hedging your bet†so to speak with a plan b is something to think about, but not so much that it distracts from the pursuit of your true goal.
I would likely go the midlevel route (NP/PA) if getting into medical school does not pan out. I will definitely reapply through at least one additional cycle.
I would likely go the midlevel route (NP/PA) if getting into medical school does not pan out. I will definitely reapply through at least one additional cycle.
Well, of course you have some control over your application, but I still think it's a crapshoot to some degree because each med school simply gets too many qualified applicants to make a completely objective determination on each person...they do the best with the cards they're dealt as do we.
Applying early, not showing up to the interview with a psychotic hairstyle or a bright yellow suit, having good grades and a good MCAT, etc. all can improve your chances of course but it still comes down to a crapshoot in my opinion.
Agreed, there is no specific guaranteed path. Everyone does what they can to put together the best app possible, but in the end it is not completely in your hands.
So, back to the original post, thinking about another route if things don’t work out the way you want, or find out that its not what you want, is not a bad idea.
I think my plan B is to move to Mexico and sell grilled shrimp and beer on the beach 
Actually - I may try to move into the medical device industry as a Quality Manager.