# Anyone have questions regarding to coping with anxiety while in medical school?



## annoymous (Mar 9, 2012)

I just want to have an open discussion with other med students or prospective students if anyone is interested.


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## teacup anon (Mar 9, 2012)

Hi, I'm a med student.

When I started my first year, I was pretty outgoing and flitted from group to group, not really making a solid base of friends myself.

Now in second year and absolutely hating it. I have a couple of friends I speak to in class, study with occassionally, etc, etc..but nothing long term or where I can share my worries, fears, concerns or speak freely.

You soon realise that everyone on the med course is your competition - it can make the entire experience very lonely. 

I found that making friends outside of the course really helped me, though sometimes it IS nice to have a friend that can relate directly to your issues..


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## annoymous (Mar 9, 2012)

Yea, other students in med school can be pretty nasty, particularly on clinicals. My anxiety levels really build up when the residents and attendings start pimping you out for questions and making you do scutwork. Scutwork is the worst since you are constantly talking to new people who are much higher on the totem pole than you are. Makes me damn nervous.


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

I'm applying this summer for 2013 matriculation..to both allopathic and osteopathic schools. 
Med school isnt the most comfortable place for people with SA, but if you look at pretty much everything else (Pharmacy, PhD/Masters, etc) , they all involve presentations, group projects, and other anxiety-provoking situations... so might as well stress over it while working towards something you truly want to do. The only way you can avoid it completely is to not pursue anything further and settle, which I'm not willing to do. I'll dive in, feel uneasy, struggle, and come out on top like I always do. 

I'm not worried about the competitive environment. I seem to thrive under those circumstances. 

What I am worried about, is getting in. I have everything you need to get in and then some..research, publication, presentation at an actual medical conference, high GPA, an award from my department upon graduating, volunteer experience, a job in a hospital... EXCEPT for the MCAT. Which of course seems to be more important than everything else combined. 

This damn test is such a pain.. I'm schedule to take it late May, but not sure how I'll do.


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## pinkmouse55 (Apr 17, 2012)

*Medical School*

For me, my anxiety really started in my third year. You see everyone so calm all the time and you wish the same for yourself. Over time, you make little steps and you have to acknowledge this. You have to remember that it does not take away from your kindness. I think the desire to be kind in the best way we can adds to our nerves


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## destroyX (Nov 20, 2010)

Wow I'm so jealous you even got this far! I'm still trying to pass General Chem as an undergrad and I don't think I'm going to make it. I'm too dense to teach myself from the textbooks and am too embarrassed and shy to get extra help. I'm failing precalc too since Calc was too hard. I don't even know what cosine means. You should be very proud of yourselves for getting this far!! Good luck you're going to make it!! You're almost there.


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

With the influx of mid level providers who can provide cost effective medical care, possibility of major reform in near future secondary to out of control healthcare costs, I think (hope) we may eventually adopt a system similar to the one in UK. It should bring more uniformity among specialties in terms of compensation, hours and other lifestyle factors; people will then choose residencies based on genuine interest and not be drawn by the fewer work hours and flexibility of say a derm practice for example. There should be less competition. 
Otherwise, doctors will continue to lose the "special" place they hold/held in society because PA, NPs will provide, from the standpoint of the lay public, similar care and from the gov. standpoint, an attractive way to cut costs. 
Medicine will still be a good field though, interesting and something you can be content doing for life . It won't hold the same prestige or make you rich but it will be rewarding and will provide a steady paycheck.

sorry for being offtopic, but I really feel medical training and then practice should be made more cooperative and less cutthroat/political.


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

^ I agree with a lot of that. In fact some of the things I've been hearing from current physicians (rising malpractice insurance, lower reimbursments, getting replaced by cheaper PAs & NPs, education debt etc etc along with the long, hard hours) have left me rethinking everything.

I'm not sure whether its the best move right now. I could easily get into PA school, be done in less than half the time, be doing the same job more or less, have less overall headache, and be completely debt free. 

Also thought about Podiatry for a few reasons, including the less demanding work schedule while still being able to practice without supervision, do surgery, etc. Also the scholarships Pod schools give out readily to people with my stats...

Though I don't want to "waste" what I've done and what I believe to be a great set of skills that would make me a great phsyician. I don't want to regret settling. 

How did you people decide what route to take? Most of my peers seem to just do whatever they get accepted into.


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

Laith said:


> ^ I agree with a lot of that. In fact some of the things I've been hearing from current physicians (rising malpractice insurance, lower reimbursments, getting replaced by cheaper PAs & NPs, education debt etc etc along with the long, hard hours) have left me rethinking everything.
> 
> I'm not sure whether its the best move right now. I could easily get into PA school, be done in less than half the time, be doing the same job more or less, have less overall headache, and be completely debt free.
> 
> ...


I am weird in that I really enjoyed learning basic science in first two years of med school. Most people I know couldn't wait to get to the clinical years. Completing medical school should give you a broad and quite detailed knowledge base. The trade off is, that some of the stuff you learn (for example the details of the Kreb's cycle) you will most likely not use. Mid level providers have a more narrow and practical focus, I imagine. 
I just loved learning the stuff even if it wasn't practical, so I don't regret the choice. As far as debt, my way of dealing with it is to not think about it, which is not ideal.


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

I am applying for medical school this summer. My biggest problem is "people comparison". My undergraduate school is competitive, but I know medical school will be even more so, which worries me. I am trying to work as much as I can on my social anxiety now because I do not want to go to medical school constantly feeling "inferior" and unconfident. Out of everything, medical school interviews worry me the most. If I become too anxious, I cannot express myself clearly at all. Even talking with my professors can be difficult. However, I am not going to let social anxiety prevent me from reaching my goals or how I want to live my life. Recently I have been facing more anxiety-provoking situations instead of avoding them. This seems to have helped me some while actively challenging social anxiety thoughts. Are you able to communicate with the other students and doctors without becoming overwhelmingly nervous?


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

"What I am worried about, is getting in. I have everything you need to get in and then some..research, publication, presentation at an actual medical conference, high GPA, an award from my department upon graduating, volunteer experience, a job in a hospital... EXCEPT for the MCAT. Which of course seems to be more important than everything else combined. "
This is like me. I have accomplished a lot but still am pretty worried about getting accepted. I am taking MCATs June. Are you doing a review course? I have been doing Princeton Review.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Laith said:


> I'm applying this summer for 2013 matriculation..to both allopathic and osteopathic schools.
> Med school isnt the most comfortable place for people with SA, but if you look at pretty much everything else (Pharmacy, PhD/Masters, etc) , they all involve presentations, group projects, and other anxiety-provoking situations... so might as well stress over it while working towards something you truly want to do. The only way you can avoid it completely is to not pursue anything further and settle, which I'm not willing to do. I'll dive in, feel uneasy, struggle, and come out on top like I always do.
> 
> I'm not worried about the competitive environment. I seem to thrive under those circumstances.
> ...


You will do fine...soontobeDr. Laith.

....now, I need to look up allopathic and osteopathic to make sure I know what I am reading :lol.


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

cj123 said:


> This is like me. I have accomplished a lot but still am pretty worried about getting accepted. I am taking MCATs June. Are you doing a review course? I have been doing Princeton Review.


Nope. I got the kaplan books though and am using a few other resources like mcat-review.org, khanacademy.

What is the princeton strategy for verbal? Kaplan suggests mapping but I feel it takes a lot of time and I usually end up having to reference back to the passage anyways. I'm most worried about the verbal section. Half the time I feel like I'm guessing and I'm stuck in the 7-9 range.

I test in 3 weeks


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

millenniumman75 said:


> You will do fine...soontobeDr. Laith.
> 
> ....now, I need to look up allopathic and osteopathic to make sure I know what I am reading :lol.


Thx man.

Basically, if an allopathic MD and a chiropractor mated (and I'm talking crazy animal copulation here) and had a kid, it would be an osteopath.

It makes osteopathic schools attractive to me since I would love to know how to do those manipulations in addition to the MD-level knowledge. I find snappin' people up to be so interesting lol. I've heard some aspects of OMM are kinda ridiculous though. I don't know too much about it yet. I'll do more research on that after my test.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Laith said:


> Thx man.
> 
> Basically, if an allopathic MD and a chiropractor mated (and I'm talking crazy animal copulation here) and had a kid, it would be an osteopath.
> 
> It makes osteopathic schools attractive to me since I would love to know how to do those manipulations in addition to the MD-level knowledge. I find snappin' people up to be so interesting lol. I've heard some aspects of OMM are kinda ridiculous though. I don't know too much about it yet. I'll do more research on that after my test.


Wow - the vertebrae is pretty important - I might have a question for you.

Would you be treating the back muscles as well as the vertebrae?


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

The Princeton Review course takes the same approach, except they refer to it as "working the passage". I am not too fond of this method either, but I do find with the longer/more complex passages jotting down a few words summarizing each paragraph is helpful for me. Also, I usually quickly glance over the questions before reading the passage, which is especially beneficial for knowing which quotes/terms to look for. How many practice tests have you taken? As soon as my exams are over this week, I will be aiming for twice a week, saving most of the AAMC tests for last. It's nervewracking that the MCAT will basically be the deciding factor for which medical schools I am accepted to. Best of luck with your MCAT preparation!


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

millenniumman75 said:


> Wow - the vertebrae is pretty important - I might have a question for you.
> 
> Would you be treating the back muscles as well as the vertebrae?


Yep!



> The Princeton Review course takes the same approach, except they refer to it as "working the passage". I am not too fond of this method either, but I do find with the longer/more complex passages jotting down a few words summarizing each paragraph is helpful for me. Also, I usually quickly glance over the questions before reading the passage, which is especially beneficial for knowing which quotes/terms to look for. How many practice tests have you taken? As soon as my exams are over this week, I will be aiming for twice a week, saving most of the AAMC tests for last. It's nervewracking that the MCAT will basically be the deciding factor for which medical schools I am accepted to. Best of luck with your MCAT preparation!


That's pretty much what I'm doing now. Write down a very short summary for long paragraphs (if for nothing else, to keep me focused) and I read the questions before hand too. Also, I highlight the whole passage as I find it easier to read with a yellow background. :stu

I've taken AAMC #3, 5, 7, and 8. and EK 2001 VR 1-9. Taking 2 a week for ~2.5months is a good idea. I probably should have done that since content review itself isn't enough. Especially for the BS section.

Ya the MCAT score will determine where you go no matter how good anything else is. My state school typically accepts scores down to 27 though. I can do a 27. I hope lol


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

I really need to get a 32 or above for the medical schools I would like to go to. A 32+ is definitely attainable as long as I consistently study and stop alternating between a week of serious studying and a week off. Now that exams are over I have no excuses to avoid studying as much as I need to.
If you have consistently scored over a 27 on the practice tests, I doubt you would suddenly score under a 27 unless it was just a really bad day for you lol, hopefully not. 
By the way, how far in advance did you sign up to take the MCATs? I was planning to take the end of May MCAT initially and was going to sign up early April. When I looked for test locations, there were none available in my state! It's strange because I live in a large city, and I would literally have to drive to another state to take the MCATS if were to take them end of May.


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

I signed up for my test date back in March. If you haven't registered yet, do it ASAP. I was initially looking at a date in April, but the only test offered in my city in april was already full.. I was surprised since I also live in a big city with a big uni/med school so I thought I'd have all sorts of options. They fill up quick! 

Even if you can't find a test date until July you'll be fine. Just submit the application early,send transcripts, LOR, etc so it can all be in and verified when you get your score. Some schools allow you to send in secondaries before they get your MCAT score too.

A friend of mine took the test in september and he still got in..so no worries!


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

That's a relief. I am signed up for June 21, but I do not feel near ready yet. I wonder if anyone feels completely ready before taking the MCATs. Now that my semester is over I am making an effort to study daily 5-6 hours in addition to the practice tests, and hopefully that will be enough, although I know some people who claim to be studying up to 12 hours. If I studied over 8 hours, I would be burned out by test time. How are you studying outside of practice tests? In the morning I am doing three hours of practice passages (2-3 each for each of the 5 subjects) and later in the day am reviewing material for 2-3 hours. 
By the way, it is very comforting to know that there are other pre-med, high achieving students with social anxiety. Although I know it is not true, I often automatically associate high achieveing students with confidence. I am guility of this mentality at my school which is full of pre-med students, but I am sure many of them also are not completely secure with themselves. Anxiety should never prevent anyone, including me, from reaching goals.


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

If you can keep that up, go for it. Just be sure to take breaks and do fun stuff too so you don't burn yourself out. I find if I take frequent mini breaks my study sessions are much more efficient and I retain more than if I try to plow through 5 hours straight. 

I've only been studying about 2-3 hours a day. But I started back in Feb, so it's been awhile. Now I'm trying to get in more since I'm 8 days away.
I created notes for all 4 science sections, and a separate sheet with all the forumlas from physics and gen chem. I compare and contrast AAMC practice tests results to see what I'm consistently getting wrong or right. 

Ya, don't let SA hold you back! Or anything else for that matter =)


My last 3 VR tests: 9, 7, 7...argg!!!!

I've heard some adcoms are more lenient with VR if you're an ESL student or grew up in a non-english speaking country. So if I get an 8 or below on VR on the real thing, I have a plan... I will suddenly become "Vladimir Fedorov" from Russia. I can totally fake a realistic accent for the interview too. =D


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

It's day 4, and I'm burned out lol, but yesterday I studied until 6 pm so I am sure that contributed, definitely cutting it down. Even if getting late MCAT scores hurts me in the medical school application process, I rather have balance during my summer. If worst comes to worst, I can take a year off after graduation. I'm confident though I'll get the scores I'm aiming for in July or early August. Have you been consistently studying while in classes, or did you already graduate? 
That is just the type of plan I would expect a pre-med student to have, genius! Considering I have blue eyes/blonde hair, it might be a little more difficult for me. However, I do know some Spanish, and those from Spain do often have light features, so Spain it is! Although my slightly southern accent might give me away; I'm not so great at changing my accent. I think if I attempted an accent change, I and the interviewers would burst out laughing. That's my back-up plan, add some comedic relief to the interview.


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

Ya, no need to rush.. Just do what it takes to get a good score. A solid score is good for like 3 years, so you could use it to reapply if need be. A bad score would warrant another dedicated 3+ months and a retake.

I graduated back in 2010. I work full-time though, which makes it hard to squeeze in studying along with everything else outside work. 

Haha, well in that case I would amplify your southern accent..throw down some southern charm for the interviewers! 

I was reading about the interview process for my state school.. they do "mini-interviews", about 10 of them. You get a prompt at the door and have a minute to gather your thoughts, then you interview for like 5 min. Some of them require you to act out a scenario, others are group interviews, some are 1 on 1. 
I usually interview very well so I'm sure I'd be fine, but I'm definately going to have some anticipation anxiety if I get an invite. 


Oh and make sure you know the structures of common molecules.. Chloroform, acetate, formaldehyde, etc. Nothing is worse than knowing a concept inside and out but getting a question wrong because you're not sure of the structures of the answer choices!

5 more days...


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## Mia Q (Dec 30, 2010)

I hope I'm not too late but good luck!!  I'm planning to sit the gamsat next year, so fingers crossed. ^_^


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

Good luck to you too Mia!

Tomorrow is the day...Best of luck Laith!
How many schools are you applying to? I have my top 5 and then about 7 back-ups. It would be a good idea for me to call my top 5 schools and get an idea of how their interviews are. I would much prefer one long interview than a lot of mini ones, but I am sure it varies. My school has practice medical school interviews that are very similar to the actual interviews of the medical school there-I am going to start scheduling those. Anyways, best of luck again, and let me know how it goes.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

IRT to the people applying, apply ASAP because not doing so will only shoot you in the foot. I had good stats (3.91, 34Q), decent ECs, research, leadership, etc. but I was lazy in applying which I feel killed a lot of potential interviews for me. I did get a decent amount of them, but fairly late in the game, when it would have been a lot harder to get an acceptance. Thankfully my top choice wasn't super competitive, and I had spent my undergrad there, so the interview and getting in was a complete joke.

Also, if you haven't begun thinking about your personal statement, at least start doing so now. It is important as it will be the only human side of you'll they'll see pre-interview, and it will be what gets you interviews at schools that aren't number *****s (I'm sure the interviews I got at Georgetown and SLU, Jesuit schools, were based more on my statement and essays than my stats). Have a lot of people, who know what they are talking about, look at it and give you pointers on how to make it better.

IRT to anxiety

I just finished my first year and while I started off the year pretty social, especially because of all the time spent with others during anatomy lab. I became less and less social though, going out less, and making encounters with a few people I used to talk to very awkward. I have a few friends, but honestly, as cool and smart as everyone is, I guess I'm content with the social relationships I already have and so I'm just not that motivated to try much harder. Throw in the fact that I sat at home most of the time because I otherwise would have to commute, and they offer us video recordings of the lectures, and it was a recipe for me to not interact with others.


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

How late did you apply lonelyjew? I switched my MCAT to mid July. I am afraid waiting until August to apply will hurt my chances, but if I have to I will take a year off inbetween college and medical school. I definitely should have taken the MCATs last summer. I know there is an option on the application to put planned MCAT date; so I still could submit my application before July with planned MCAT date. How were the interviews for you? The interviews definitely will be the most challenging part of this process for me.


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

> I'm planning to sit the gamsat next year, so fingers crossed. ^_^


I had to google to eduate myself on gamsat! Had no idea there was another medical admission test. Is that the primary test where you are? Are you taking the mcat too? and thanks, goodluck to you too !



> How many schools are you applying to? I have my top 5 and then about 7 back-ups.


I am going to submit the AMCAS app with only my state school and if my score is good, I'll add more schools. 
For my osteopath app, I don't know. I'll probably choose the cheapest 3 or 4 in areas I'd like and apply to those. Thanks for wish me goodluck...hope studying is going well!



> I'm sure the interviews I got at Georgetown and SLU, Jesuit schools, were based more on my statement and essays than my stats


Why do you say that? Did they specifically mention/ask anything you wrote in your personal statement or secondaries in your interview?



> just finished my first year and while I started off the year pretty social, especially because of all the time spent with others during anatomy lab. I became less and less social though, going out less, and making encounters with a few people I used to talk to very awkward.


lol... That's pretty much how it's gone for me at work, school, the gym, and anywhere else involving socializing. I can put on a high energy, outgoing front for short periods and make good connections...but as time goes I can't keep it up and things get awkward. 

For those of you studying for MCAT or GAMSAT, based on what I just wrote, draw a graph that would best represent my ability to socialize as a function of time 

Speaking of which...

I took my mcat.. I thought it was gonna be a lot harder than it actually was. That doesn't necessarily mean I did well though lol. I felt good after though. Here's what I thought of each section:

PS: A surprising number of "gimme" questions (or maybe its just that my studying paid off).. There were some hard ones, but it was much easier than I expected overall. This was usually my best section so I'm sure I nailed it. 

VR: My weakest section, though I seemed more focused than usual, maybe because it was the real deal. I have no idea what to expect as far as score. I hope >8

Writing: I BS'd it. In a very articulate way of course  No one will care about this section as long as its not a J or whatever the lowest mark is. Isn't it gonna be elminated from the 2013 mcats? 2013 or 2015. 

BS: This section was sorta hard simply due to the convoluted passages. Some of the stand alone questions were ridiculous too. There was 1 passage I had a hard time deciphering, but the rest was very dooable.


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## Mia Q (Dec 30, 2010)

Laith said:


> I had to google to eduate myself on gamsat! Had no idea there was another medical admission test. Is that the primary test where you are? Are you taking the mcat too? and thanks, goodluck to you too !


Awe, darn. I was about to ask you whether the two were similar. Yes, its the primary test here in Aus (and I think for the UK too). No not taking the MCAT, it seems somewhat similar to the gamsat...


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

Mia Q said:


> Awe, darn. I was about to ask you whether the two were similar. Yes, its the primary test here in Aus (and I think for the UK too). No not taking the MCAT, it seems somewhat similar to the gamsat...


From what I gathered from my brief search on gamsat, it seems that gamsat essentially has 1 science section and 2 reading comprehension sections. mcat on the other hand has 2 science sections and 1 reading comprehension section (though one could argue that the biological sciences is actually a reading comprehension section with a science theme) so not too much different. both are tailored to test your critical thinking ability.

Also, the gamsat has passages about boomerang physics and kangaroo chemistry. And every passage of gamsat starts with "Ello Mate!"


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## Judith (Sep 27, 2008)

Has social anxiety drawn you to certain specialties?


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

Hey Laith and cj123, sorry for being so slow to respond, I haven't checked this section in a while. To answer some of the questions, I underestimated how long my personal statement would take to polish, so I ended up sending my primary in early July I believe, which wasn't a big deal at all. I however let my secondaries sit until at least mid August before starting to complete and send them out. I completed most by the end of September, but still had one or two which I finished in October. As to applying w/o an MCAT score, they won't look at your app until you have a score.

In regards to interviews, some were easy, and some were tough. At SLU, I thought I did ok, but got wait listed, and never got an acceptance. I honestly don't remember much about the interview and never asked why I wasn't accepted.  At my second interview at WSU I had a professor who had just retired, and the interview was super relaxed and probably as easy as I could have hoped it could go (in part because he saw that I done my undergrad at the school, did research at the medical school, and volunteered at hospitals in their system) and got an acceptance soon after. Next interview was at a new medical school (OUWB) which I applied to as a safety, and having had an acceptance to my top choice (WSU), I only went for interview experience. I barely researched the school, showed up with a lack of sleep, hungry, and slightly late to the introduction (despite my living 15 minutes away), and as a result bombed the first interview and it didn't help that the most charismatic interviewee interviewed with the same guy right after me. After lunch I was fully awake and rocked my second interview. I got wait listed and was accepted last minute (a few days before decision day) with a 1/2 tuition scholarship, but turned it down. Last interview was at Georgetown which I went to out of curiosity and as an excuse to have a vacation to Washington DC. I decently prepared (but not nearly as well as with my first two interviews) but managed to bomb my interview (I think), which was with a 4th year medical student because apparently I didn't prepare well enough . They wanted a letter of interest to be sent post interview which I didn't send, so I don't know if I would have made the wait list or what. 

As for interview questions, you have your basics: why medicine, why our school, what would make you a good doctor, your strengths/weaknesses, what was your research, meaningful experiences, etc. You had better have serious things to say about why you want to go to that school because they won't like feeling like they're a safety pick, or that the location is nice (this possibly killed my GF when she interviewed at my school for the PA program and said I go to the same school and her parents live nearby, without much else). Not all schools give the interviewer your application and essays, but you should still know what you put down on them cold, and be able to talk about yourself and your hobbies (without parroting your app). I have gotten ethical questions, so be prepared for them, and again, don't just memorize answers because that bit me in the *** during my Georgetown interview where the interviewer asked a question differently than I had expected/practiced for, which really threw me off. There will usually be time for you to ask questions at the end, and make sure to have questions to ask. I did research on things the school was doing, student organizations, etc. so I would have specific questions to convey my interest, but general questions about housing, student aid, scholarships, curriculum, volunteer opportunities, clinical exposure, among other things are fine and I asked about them as well. Lastly, let me say it again for good measure, don't memorize everything you want to say, because if it sounds memorized and insincere and they pick up on it, it won't look good.

Finally, in regards to choosing schools to apply to, get the MSAR book and read up on each medical school to make as wise choices as possible. The guy who taught me at KAPLAN didn't do this and applied to schools like Hawaii, which don't take any out of staters, but will happily send you a secondary so you can send them money. Find schools that you feel you have a chance of getting into with your stats, and if they're out of state, make sure that they actually will take you, as well as make sure to look at the ratio of applied : interviewed : accepted, and finally look at how much the schools tuition is. 

If you have any more questions, feel free to message me, or post on here, and I'll try to actually pay attention .

edit*
Oh, and Laith, the worst thing about the MCAT is that you really don't know how well you did, and that they make you wait a long time for results they could probably give you that same day (minus the written that nobody cares about anyways). There is absolutely no sense in worrying about it because how you feel isn't a predictor of how well you did (I thought my MCAT was insanely hard in comparison to the KAPLAN practice MCATs and the retired MCATs and I did well). Good luck, and don't sweat it if you didn't do great, because retakes are the norm.


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

Judith said:


> Has social anxiety drawn you to certain specialties?


I chose anesthesiology and I don't know if it is the right choice for someone with social anxiety. From my limited experience, it has been stressful, working with surgeons is a PITA, working knowing that you are not bringing business to a hospital and therefore are of less value compared to say surgeons (patients come to a hospital to see surgeons not anesthesiologists) and midlevel encroachment headaches is already making me regret the choice. It is a great field if you leave the politics and the work environment aside. I will probably end up doing a fellowship to get out of the OR setting (atleast some of the time) or try a different residency.

Ideally, I would love to be a surgeon but I lack the personality of one.


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## eyedlemon (Jan 11, 2007)

Out of curiosity, what is "the" personality of a surgeon?


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

Confident, outgoing, decisive, arrogant, has a big ego, occasionally throws child like fits when things don't happen their way - a generalization that does not apply to everyone.


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## Mia Q (Dec 30, 2010)

^Adding on slightly asocial, controlling, god complex...


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## Laith (Mar 20, 2009)

Thanks for all that info lonelyjew, very helpful!



alte said:


> I will probably end up doing a fellowship to get out of the OR setting (atleast some of the time) or try a different residency.


What if you get into a different residency you like even less? From what I've heard about the match process it seems sort of unpredictable. Something like you have your top choice and a few other back up plans, and you might not "match" with your top choice and end up getting a residency you aren't as passionate about. That sucks! Who wants to spend 4 years 200k debt and run the risk of not getting the field you desire. I don't know too much about the match process..hopefully its not that unpredictable.



> Has social anxiety drawn you to certain specialties?


Absolutely not. I don't let anxiety dictate what I choose to do. If I get in, any specialty I choose will be because I love it (or because i matched with it lol), not because I feel its best for my anxiety.


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

Laith said:


> What if you get into a different residency you like even less? From what I've heard about the match process it seems sort of unpredictable. Something like you have your top choice and a few other back up plans, and you might not "match" with your top choice and end up getting a residency you aren't as passionate about. That sucks! Who wants to spend 4 years 200k debt and run the risk of not getting the field you desire. I don't know too much about the match process..hopefully its not that unpredictable.


If you are very good, you have more options. If you are like me, with limitations, not especially smart or with another useful ability or even worse have deficits, then choices are limited and you have to make do with what you can get. This is how the world works, and how the match process works. A lot of people choose specialties depending upon interest as well as their chances of securing a spot in that field.

I would love to do some other specialties but fact is, I am simply not good enough and I knew this going into the match process. As an example, consider dermatology. If you rotate through this service in my school they won't even consider you as an applicant unless you are in the top 5% of your class, they make this plainly known.

edit: once in medical school, if you want to try for the most competitive specialties I suggest practicing becoming a good test taker. The step 1 exam at the end of the second year, probably accounts for 40-50% of your residency competitiveness. It is a one day, 8 hours ~350 question exam which tests your endurance as much as knowledge. One difference from the MCAT is that you can take it only once. You can do well on it by having good preparation.


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## eyedlemon (Jan 11, 2007)

I graduated from pharmacy school recently. It was no picnic, but probably nothing compared to the gauntlet you med students have to endure. I really don't know how you guys do it. Brain must be wired a certain way.


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

^ Thanks. I guess that is a compliment. Pharmacy is a nice career too, with a not too long training, interesting, good job security, reasonable work hours from what I hear and easy access to the good stuff.


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## ForeverInBloom (Oct 4, 2010)

Hello, my name is Johnathan and I'm going to be a freshman at The University of Texas at Austin, and I've been contemplating the possibility of a career in medicine for years. For the past four hours, I've been worrying about my shot of actually making it into medical school, because of the prerequisites necessary for applying. My worrying might be futile, but it's been getting the best of me for a while and I don't know where to start in preparation for this path. I've been thinking about pathology for a while, since diseases seem so enigmatic and tempting to discover, so I've laid my eyes in that discipline for the past year.

Well the synopsis of my message is this; what would you guys recommend I do to make myself a competitive applicant during my tenure as a college student? I have a gist of what I should do; keep my grades up, research, volunteering, recommendations, etc. The research thing gets to me, how do I initiate this? I know this sounds dumb but how do I engage in research, do I just ask my professor if he/she has any openings? If that's the case, how much research is enough? How did you guys get into research, did you ask professors, or how did your involvement in research arise? Volunteering? Recommendations? I get nervous at the prospect of acquiring recommendations. Any tips?

I apologize for my bombardment of questions, I'm just very scared and confused at my imminent steps in this major task. I went to a college camp a year ago that dealt with medical school, and the current seniors who were in the process of applying to medical schools told me how they spent hours studying for the MCAT exam. Just how important is this exam?

If you could give the "you" you were back in your freshman year advice, what would you tell him/her?

As for my academics, I do alright. Frankly, I don't study as much as I should but realize this might change once in college. I assume much studying in medical school should be expected? I am not apathetic towards studying certain subjects, such as those within the sciences. Mathematics is a different story. I also take calculus and statistics as being the only mathematical classes that are required at the basis of applying to medical school, no?

Anyways, congratulations to those of you that are already in medical school. Best of luck to those of you in the process of applying!


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## miller90 (Jun 29, 2012)

*thanks*



Laith said:


> I'm applying this summer for 2013 matriculation..to both allopathic and osteopathic schools.
> Med school isnt the most comfortable place for people with SA, but if you look at pretty much everything else (Pharmacy, PhD/Masters, etc) , they all involve presentations, group projects, and other anxiety-provoking situations... so might as well stress over it while working towards something you truly want to do. The only way you can avoid it completely is to not pursue anything further and settle, which I'm not willing to do. I'll dive in, feel uneasy, struggle, and come out on top like I always do.
> 
> I'm not worried about the competitive environment. I seem to thrive under those circumstances.
> ...


thanks


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## twilightmoon (Sep 17, 2007)

I'm a med student studying medical billing. The school I go to is actually not a college or university. It's a vocational school that centers around classes that are vital to the career path the student chooses, such as medical billing or medical assisting. It's not a college in a way it has clubs or elective classes or having to accumulate like 80 credits. The only classes they give me are the classes most important in my learning how to be a medical biller. 

I was in a Manhattan, NYC based campus in my first term at the school, but then they closed down the campus and forced the students to transfer to the Jersey City, NJ based campus, which I complied with. Students who decided to leave had to go looking for another school; something I wasn't sure I could do. 

Anyway, now at the Jersey City campus, all the students from the NJ campus and NY campus have merged together and the school has gotten bigger. There's one class per term. A term at my school is only four weeks, so there's a lot of work. I was glad to be in a small class, but since they changed the class schedules to begin at 8:30 AM, class has gotten bigger. I hate it. 

I have heard medical billing is a good career for introverted people. Ha. I'm more than introverted, lol. I'm downright scared of having to rely on my classmates, which I stay far away from. The class is three hours a day from monday to thursdays, and mostly I keep to myself in class. I don't care to participate ( for obvious reasons) and the most anyone can get out of me is the occasional "good morning" I say to the teacher. That's it. I get in, do my work, and get the hell out.


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

I'm glad to see I am not the only pre-med student with social anxiety
I have gone into extreme MCAT study mode over the last couple weeks. I changed my test date from June 21 to July 27 because I really really want to get a 34 plus on my practice tests before I take it. I am consistent with a 10 on verbal, but my physical science and biology sections can be within a three point range largely depending on content. I would feel much more comfortable if they were consistently 12+ each.

ForeverInBloom- In regards to your question about how to make yourself a competeitve applicant, I suggest number one become involved with research as you mentioned. I know it can be intimidating emailing or talking with professors, especially with social anxiety. I am extremely shy, but I told myself "I am doing this for medical school". I became involved with research by first searching on my school's psychiatry department website (my school has a medical school) and looked for all research projects that interested me. I then emailed about ten professors, and I was surprised that about 1/3 replied. I then sent them my resume, had interviews, ultimately picked the research I liked most. If you can get a publication from your research, this will greatly help you when you apply to medical school. If you email several professors, at least a few will reply; so go for it! In addition to research, I suggest shadowing a doctor and getting involved with either a job or volunteer work related to the medical field. MCAT and GPA are very important; take both very seriously. But also remeber life is about balance; make sure not to get too stressed with trying to become a competitive medical school applicant (I have had this issue before). Best of luck with everything! And feel free to message me if you ever have any questions.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

It's good to set your goals high, but just so you don't stress too much, a 34 is hardly necessary to get in. Don't get me wrong, a great score helps, but a lot of people get into MD programs with scores that are sub 30. Study hard, and make sure to take the old exams, as they are consistently the best predictor of your actual score.


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## cj123 (Nov 30, 2007)

I have been taking AAMC tests and Princeton Review practice tests. Are there any other ones you would recommend lonelyjew? Any advice on how to best raise biology and physical science scores? Thanks!


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## Valentine (May 17, 2012)

cj123 said:


> ForeverInBloom- In regards to your question about how to make yourself a competeitve applicant, I suggest number one become involved with research as you mentioned. I know it can be intimidating emailing or talking with professors, especially with social anxiety. I am extremely shy, but I told myself "I am doing this for medical school". I became involved with research by first searching on my school's psychiatry department website (my school has a medical school) and looked for all research projects that interested me. I then emailed about ten professors, and I was surprised that about 1/3 replied. I then sent them my resume, had interviews, ultimately picked the research I liked most. If you can get a publication from your research, this will greatly help you when you apply to medical school. If you email several professors, at least a few will reply; so go for it! In addition to research, I suggest shadowing a doctor and getting involved with either a job or volunteer work related to the medical field. MCAT and GPA are very important; take both very seriously. But also remeber life is about balance; make sure not to get too stressed with trying to become a competitive medical school applicant (I have had this issue before). Best of luck with everything! And feel free to message me if you ever have any questions.


What type of stuff did you include on your resume? I want to get involved in laboratory research but I don't have any prior experience, that and I have severe anxiety when it comes to writing a resume.

And do you have any tips for the best ways to get involved in clinical volunteering?


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