We all know that medical schools are selective, so…
I’m curious about what happens to people who don’t make it in. Do they just keep trying until they’re accepted somewhere? Do they give up and find something else?
Do you know anyone who wasn’t accepted? What did they do?
It is quite varied, I’m sure. Some may move on to other careers. Some will reapply–if people applied to only US MD schools, they will often reapply to DO schools or Caribbean schools. Some may elect to choose another medically-related profession. Some will choose to go back to school in a formal post-bacc program to repair a poor application. Lots of different things…
I had a professor as an undergrad who was on the medical school admissions committee for many years teaching genetics but also taught a non-majors intro biology course. He once mused what would become of all the freshman who start college stating that they are premeds? It really depends on what you define as premed. Lets try to create a reasonable model of numbers
Lets start with some numbers that we can defined. 42,000+ people applied to US-MD schools last year, of that some 31,000+ were first time applicants so about 25% were reapplicants. 19,000 were accepted (rate 2.11 applicants per acceptance). There were 12,000+ US-DO school applicants with some 4,000 plus accepted (2.69 applicants per seat). However, there is undoubtedly a large overlap of applicants between the two. so perhaps 55,000 at max applied for some 25,000 seats. I believe 60,000 to 70,000 people take MCAT a year. Accurate numbers for applicants to the off shore schools are non-existent but at about 25 schools at 100 seats school would be 2,500 additional seats. Lets say some 10,000 “serious” premeds don’t take the MCAT thus don’t apply or just aim for non-MCAT off shore schools. Even though we overlap, we have some 75,000 “serious” premeds at minimum a year applying for 27,000-30,000 seats a year counting all US-MD, US-DO, Offshore schools and other foreign programs.
It would seem reasonable that at roughly 2.5 or 3 to 1 of serious premeds to seats, most do not get into medical school of any kind.
The harsh reality is that getting in is difficult and if you look at the odds, you wouldn’t take the gamble. But this is not a game of chance. This is one of hard work, intelligence, passion, determination, and discipline.
Gonnif, thank you very much for your reply. That really gives me a clearer sense of perspective. Having spent the last decade or so daydreaming about medicine, I have only just begun to actually pursue it. Since daydreams aren’t very informative about numbers, your answer was very helpful.
I also didn’t realize that nearly half (or maybe closer to a third) of the applicants eventually get in somewhere, so I actually find the numbers somewhat reassuring. My background didn’t prepare me for much more than a job as a waitress, so naturally, mine will be a slow start, as I’m not prepared yet at all. Having an idea of where the actual numbers are is helpful.
Someone who I used to be very good friends with once told me, “The work is hard, but the path is very simple. It is simply ‘point a’ to ‘point b’ to ‘point c’ and so on. If you follow the path, and don’t give up, you can do it just like others before you have done it”. Although I am no longer in contact with him, I do know that he did make it. I can’t say his advice would be the same, but it still seems pretty sound to me. 
I particularly like that you point out that “this is not a game of chance. This is one of hard work, intelligence, passion, determination, and discipline”. I absolutely agree with you. It’s kind of set up that way, too weed out those without passion (and ability, of course), right? I mean you’d have to be nuts to choose such a hard road to do something you aren’t passionate about, wouldn’t you?
MD2B2010, I’m sure it does vary a great deal. There really are a lot of options out there. I hadn’t really considered those that apply to alternate programs. That’s a good point.
I expect that I took pre-med about as far as you could go without taking the MCATs and applying to med school. If you’ve read my post “a return to pre-med?”, you will find that one former pre-med student became an accountant. At times, I get the opportunity to work for healthcare companies, which makes work more interesting for me. As part of this work, I also get the opportunity to interact with doctors who have chosen investment banking/Wall Street as a career path.
Unfortunately, get a few rejectees become bitter, disgruntled PhD profs, LOL!!!
I didn’t get in when I applied for fall 2006. I just reworked the resume, did some more clinical volunteering, and tried again. Lots of people aren’t admitted on the first try; it’s not a federal case.
- MattFugazi Said:
I didn't get in when I applied for fall 2006. I just reworked the resume, did some more clinical volunteering, and tried again. Lots of people aren't admitted on the first try; it's not a federal case.
Last year, nearly 12,000 people or 25% of the total AMCAS application pool of 42,000 were "non-first time" applicants
They are a primary source of Santa’s elves and college bonfires…
This is why it is important to know what you might want to do if you don’t get in - ever. And, often an interview question is “What’s Plan B?” It shows a realistic approach to career choices.
Cheers,
Judy
- jcolwell Said:
And, often an interview question is "What's Plan B?" It shows a realistic approach to career choices.
Or a knowledge of contraceptives...
- spoxjox Said:
- jcolwell Said:
And, often an interview question is "What's Plan B?" It shows a realistic approach to career choices.
Or a knowledge of contraceptives...
Hmmm, can't seem to make the connection here. I wouldn't advise a discussion of one's personal knowledge of prophylactics in a med school interview.
- Dazed Said:
- spoxjox Said:
- jcolwell Said:
And, often an interview question is "What's Plan B?" It shows a realistic approach to career choices.
Or a knowledge of contraceptives...
Hmmm, can't seem to make the connection here. I wouldn't advise a discussion of one's personal knowledge of prophylactics in a med school interview.
Link to Plan B, The Emergency Contraceptive Pill
Yes, that what the product is called. Ah marketing and branding in Big Pharma, you gotta love it
I always felt that the name “Plan B” (for the ‘morning-after pill’) was in kinda poor taste.
As for your med school Plan B… I do think it is important to consider, if you don’t get in this cycle, whether you plan to apply again.
If I absolutely cannot get into medical school and I feel that going to the Caribbean is not for me, I will do research. A PhD in neuroscience or biomedical science will be almost as fulfilling for me. My motive for wanting to be a doctor is rooted in the loss of my 8 year old daughter to cancer 6 years ago. Every since then I have wanted to join the fight. I took a $25K pay cut to come to work for a non-profit medical charity which provides me with the flexibility to get my pre-med courses taken care of and be a part of something bigger than profits. I want to save lives directly (surgical oncology, interventional radiology/interventional oncology, radiation oncology), but if I cannot I will help to provide those who are MDs with better weapons against cancer or degenerative brain disorders. After losing something so dear to me as my only daughter and first born, I need my life to have more meaning than that of a corporate slave.