#MedicalSchoolRejection #ThirdTimeApplicant #FeelingDejected #MovingForward
## Facing Rejection: A Heartfelt Struggle
Interviewed all three times. Last year I was waitlisted, this year straight up rejected from the same school that waitlisted me. Feeling really dejected right now.
My life outside of applying to medical school is fine. I’m a chemist at a biotech company and work on novel reactions / oversee their scale-up, and now they have me doing some technical sales work on the side. A lot of people are telling me to cut my losses and stick with my current job, but it really doesn’t pay as much as I’d like.
I know this is what I want to do. I can’t see myself doing anything else in life. I know how to improve my application. But I just feel like life is passing me by. My brothers are married and having kids; my friends have all bought homes.
I’m just low. Dejected; embarrassed it’s taking me this long and this many applications. Embarrassed that I’m almost 30 while a ton of my friends are already attending physicians and I keep getting rejected from schools. Need some advice on how to move forward and not get bogged down in defeat.
## Strategies for Moving Forward and Overcoming Rejection
### Assess and Improve Application
– Seek feedback from previous application cycles to understand areas for improvement.
– Consider hiring a professional advisor or consultant to help with application strategy and personal statement crafting.
– Enroll in MCAT preparation courses or seek additional clinical experiences to strengthen your application.
### Consider Alternative Paths
– Explore post-baccalaureate programs or master’s degrees to enhance your academic profile.
– Look into international medical school options or consider applying to DO programs for increased acceptance chances.
### Focus on Personal Growth and Resilience
– Practice self-compassion and gratitude to maintain a positive mindset during the application process.
– Engage in hobbies, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities to nurture your passions outside of academia.
– Seek support from friends, family, or mental health professionals to navigate feelings of embarrassment or self-doubt.
Remember, rejection is not a reflection of your worth or potential as a future medical professional. Stay resilient, keep pushing forward, and trust that the right opportunity will come your way. Don’t give up on your dreams, no matter how many obstacles you face. You have the strength and determination to overcome this setback and emerge stronger than ever. The journey to medical school may be challenging, but your perseverance will ultimately lead you to success. Keep believing in yourself and the path you are destined to follow.
Possibly consider a DO school. They’re more expensive but they usually have more openings.
Go into another field. Such as nursing, physio therapy, paramedic etc.
Look at the diversion as life being to short and more important memories to make. Start listing the positives of being rejected… such as school debts.
28 is young and getting an interview and waitlisted means you’re on track. Try to get different types of experience for the next time you apply. Again 28 is super young, don’t get discouraged just keep trying. It might help to try more schools. And comparison is the theft of joy. What your friends did have nothing to do with you and your journey
What about med school outside of Canada like Ireland?
First of all you need to stop comparing yourself to anyone else. That is a must. It doesn’t matter and will only way you down.
If that’s your dream, go for it. It might be the fourth time you get in. Fall down 7 times, stand up 8. I’ve heard of someone that became succesful after being turned down to medical school more times than you. His parents only gave him 2/3 shots so after his fourth and fifth attempt his parents stopped paying for anything. So for about half a year, while working minimum hours and having his own appartment he only ate 1 meal a day for 3/4 months and almost became homeless. But the guy just kept trying because he couldn’t let it go. What he did, after these months was listen to his parents and he went to study something that took up almost no time just so he could get financial support because his body and mind couldn’t handle it any more. he still pursued medical school on the side without telling them (because they would disown him) while giving himself more time than he did before that. He got rejected the 5th time, and got in the 6th. He told his parents at this point and ended up eventually making enough money (mainly thanks to his side hussle) to buy them a new house and car. Point is: it was his dream, and he chased it no matter what. In the story he said: “I could’ve never achieved it if I compared myself to others. I just focused on what I needed and ended up losing people because of if, but I don’t even miss them even though I thought I needed them at the time. I compared myself to others for about a month during this time but I would’ve burned out and this person (his brother) would’ve taken advantage of me if I continued. I only hung out with him if I were this version of my (old) self and he would’ve found out what I did and would’ve told my parents (after about a year his family became suspiscious and he only saw his brother on occasion). I would’ve lost my house and any chance to pursue this career.” This person was his brother and their relationship was always toxic like that. They simply never knew better than to have that relationship. He was someone that always did what was expected of him and compared himself to others for years before that. Untill he decided to pursue a career in medical school because it was the first time in his life he felt a sense of purpose.
I read this story some time ago, but he chased his dreams and after he did what he did, his brother started to respect him a lot and they got a normal bond for the first time in their lives because of his success. It’s really up op to you man but do with this story what you want
Also: if I remember correctly, the guy applied to about 4 different schools but his mind was set on 1 specific one but he ended up at another school that turned out just as great despite his initial opinion of it. His moral was that his life started changing as soon as his mindset did. He attended a school he never would’ve said yes to when he started and he got closer to his family than ever.
I would become a nurse,
If that wasn’t enough become a PA, NP, or Nurse Anesthesiologist(make like 250k per year).
This may seem out of left field, but have you thought of being a traveling nurse? You can gain experience in the field and see the US. I think you may even be able to do it in different countries? Personally, I moved to SA and I have never been happier!
Edit: I see you are from Canada but I’m guessing they have this profession as well?
Comparison is the thief of joy, it’s noble that you’re trying a fourth time. In perspective, the alternatives to not doing med don’t seem appealing. Don’t give up, you mentioned you know how to improve, that’s exactly the growth mindset that’ll lead you past this difficult time. Also I read somewhere that average age of med students is 26-28, so you’re really around average.
If you want it that badly look at foreign schools. Canada is really hard yall have really small number of seats and not alot of private schools. The US aint easy by any stretch, i wouldnt recommend it because of the debt but if you are dead set go for it. Prob have to practice in the US forawhile to pay for the cost but eh.
If you don’t imagine doing anything else, carribean is calling your name, me and all my buddies are all attendings in good fields now (EM, cardiac anesthesia, cardiology, radiology) with zero regrets, they weed all the clowns out pretty quickly (~50% attrition rate) but if you’re serious, it’s a real option
To be clear, you want to be an MD because of the money, right?
Keep applying, but ask yourself, if this is what your heart speaks to you
How many schools have you tried? If you have gotten rejected by the same school, stop applying there.
Just get a job at a local hospital in an entry level position. Then apply for the work credit training course. This is how my poor friend got her nursing degree. She didn’t have to pay 100k for education. She got paid to work and gain experience at the same time.
Have you asked the programs that rejected you for reasons or ways to improve?
I am also 28, just now entering medicine. Also a Canadian like you, so congrats on living in the most competitive country in the Western world to try and become a doctor in.
I very much understand your concerns on age. Medical education demands on average almost a decade. The strain it will put on your relationships/health until your late 30s is no joke. That mental strain of watching others live the life you eventually want will only get worse as the years go by.
That’s why I think you need to strongly reconsider your situation. If this is your dream and you refuse to quit, even though you could have a decent life with your current gig and money is not a great reason to waste your life in school until late 30’s, you should apply international next cycle and just move on with your life. Every year you get rejected is another year of wasted energy/effort, building frustration, and hundreds of thousands lost in physician salary. To put it into perspective, if you got in at 22 after undergrad with an average Canadian specialist making 350K, you are out 2.1 million in untaxed salary. If you are working in Canada, your scientist job is pulling in probably what, 80-90k, so you missed 1.5 mil ish in earnings because you “wanted to get into med school in Canada”. It’s just not worth waiting for the lottery in Canada.
Yes, it is “harder” to come back to Canada.
1. There is nothing in Canada that you cannot find in other countries. Life in Australia or USA is pretty similar, salaries are similar or better, taxes are similar or lower, weather can be significantly better, cost of living is similar or lower, etc. You can still live close to home in the USA and fly back regularly for fairly cheap.
2. You can finish training internationally and move back later… May take an extra year or two, but you are making physician money while you sort out the paperwork.
3. You most certainly can match back with a bit of elbow grease as long as you don’t want to do something insanely competitive or only in a specific city in the country.
If you are dead set on this as a career, then go do it. But having your dream that you refuse to quit on and ignoring the path to get there faster and in equal quality just doesn’t make sense.
Doctor of nursing. Get nursing 1st and move up the role
Go to the Caribbean med schools. Then apply to the US for residency. Then you can transfer up back to Canada.
One of my good friends was rejected from med school. He went back and got an engineering degree. He now works at intel making near doctor levels salary with great work life balance.
Go somewhere else ? Or are you super set on going there ?
Do you know why you are getting rejected?
What you could look into that’s transferrable with prereqs/application areas you have after medical school attempts would include schools for Pharmacist, PA, PT, Nursing, CAA, Optometry, Dental, Orthodontist, Speech Therapist, Perfusionist, etc.
If you’re over healthcare/medicine, could look into Actuary, Analyst, Sales, Accounting, Supply Chain, etc without continued education past your undergrad. If open to medical/healthcare field still w/o continued ed, there’s roles like Medical Technologist, Clinical Research, etc.
Edit: also if you’re open to it, maybe veterinarian school? Still medical, surgical, health tasks but for animals vs ppl. Pays well in USA idk abt Canada
Post in a sub with physicians. They can best advise you. Good luck.
What about PA school? You can do most of what a doctor can but with less stress and still make decent money. My sister went that route and she loves how she can improve people’s lives in the medical field yet have a healthy work life balance.
Medical schools in other countries are way easier to get into. Go to one and then come back and get licensed here. Issue resolved
You must not be opening your horizons to which schools you are applying for.
I work in biotech/pharma. Many of my docs that get paid high dollar didn’t go to Harvard, they went to a med school in the Caribbean. Do they have fewer residency and fellowship options? Yes, but they weren’t aiming to be a head researcher at Hopkins anyway.
I wonder if you gave an uncompelling answer for why you want to be a MD. I don’t know you beyond this post but it sounds like there is some insecurity stemming from a perception of you own inadequacy. You need to get that figured out because med school is just going to be even tougher on your mental health and can be a very unforgiving environment.
Also 28M, did not make it into med school but mentored 15 people that did.
My backup career (Biotech, Lab Management) has some things I like, but is still immensely difficult.
I’m white, from a non affluent family and not well connected. The competition is predominantly white and affluent, and it is just too hard to compete with any real chance of success for me.
I have always been a person who intrinsically lives to serve others, and I don’t think a single day goes by that I don’t think about my failure in the medical school aspirations, but also can’t change the odds.
It is not about pay for me, I just like the ability to perfect my craft and fully utilize my very high attention to detail to help serve others.
The kids that I mentored and who made it are all wonderful and passionate people, but just have so many advantages that I do not have, it is not a fair comparison.
My friend got rejected 8 times!!!
I guess he kept going because he didn’t have an alternative.
Yes 8 times a charm.
See where you are deficient, improve your application and apply again next year. Also consider PA school, which often has very similar prerequistes that you probably already have completed.
Say you are black
32 and went through years of savings stocks becuase horrible economy. Trust me, you are doing good.