Guest coleflower Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Hello folks. I was hoping I could get some opinions to help me feel out my situation. I was unlucky enough to get 4 interviews and no acceptances last year. Now, it had been a backup thought to pursue a MSc and then reapply for med school, but with my 4 interviews, I let the masters thoughts fall to the wayside last winter. I have now arranged with a prof to be probably able to start this september anyway. Now, I'm getting pressure to still apply for med school this fall and ditch the master's after a year if I get in (since most MD programs will not grant deferrals now, and my stats will still be good enough for the undergrad applicant pool). This is the part I'm having trouble with. Has anyone else been in this situation, and what are your thoughts? Thanks for the input... coleflower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ollie Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 You need to be careful with this, because when you apply as a grad student at some schools, your acceptance is conditional on completing your graduate degree (even if your stats are good enough for the undergrad pool). When I started my MSc at UBC, in our acceptance package there was a big note regarding this and stating that UBC Fac of Med would not allow you to leave a grad degree incomplete in order to start medicine. There are a number of schools that do still allow deferrals for the completion of another degree. I would look really carefully into this before you start a grad degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Salkh Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 Yes, definitely check with the schools you are interested in for med school and see what their policy is on acceptance while in grad studies. I am aware of one student who was accepted into UofA med school a year into her grad studies, but needless to say her professor was not terribly impressed. Another option for you is the MD/PhD program, which you could look into. You said you were getting pressure to reapply to med - first of all, make sure med is what YOU want to do. If it is, and you don't feel right ditching a masters program, then reapply for the next cycle, take the year off, and work on strengthening other aspects of your application, because you obviously have the grades to get in. You've been through 4 interviews, so you definitely know what to expect for next time. Apart from the obvious benefits of taking some time off, I'm sure some experiences away from school will help out tremendously with your interviews. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest blinknoodle Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 Unless you do a 1-year Masters, most medical schools won't let you even apply. McMaster is the only school that I know that will take you mid-way through a degree. However, if you do decide to pursue the Masters, I would definitely recommend telling your supervisor beforehand. You certainly wouldn't want to leave with bad blood between to the two of you... -bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peachy Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 If you don't particularly want to do a Master's (maybe I'm reading your message wrong, but it sounds like you're only doing it because it is the "thing to do" while applying to medicine), then why not do something else with your time? There are a million fun and interesting things that you could do with a year out of school, and if your stats were good enough to get four interviews last year, then they will presumably still be good enough to get lots of interviews this year, regardless of what you choose to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aneliz Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 UWO will not let you abandon a graduate degree to enter med school... your acceptance will be conditional on you having COMPLETED all requirements of your Masters...and they will not grant you a deferral to do this. Also, beware that some schools will not allow you to apply in the undergrad pool once you are a grad student (regardless of your stats)... and will look at things like 'research productivity' and publication #'s when deciding whether to grant you an interview. If you feel that your stats are good enough to get more interviews as an undergrad (as I would assume they are) you may not want to become a grad student... especially if you really don't want to do the masters to start with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gonzo23 Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 If the masters is just a backup I backup the other comments to find something else to do. You sound like you have a great set of stats to have chances at 4 schools. Be creative... few have the opportunity you do. Spend a year travelling... volunteering abroad? staying local and building on hobbies you never had time for in the past. These things can only help in your applications/interviews. If the masters is what you really want to do then great. But you can always do that after next year if you are unsuccessful and you might really value the year off from formal education. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest McCarey007 Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Hmm....with 4 interviews and no acceptances, I would focus on "why" you didn't get in this year. Your stats must have been great to get 4 interviews, but there must have been something in your application or during your interview that held you back. IF med school is your ultimate goal, then doing a MSc won't advance your application further since you already have what it takes to get an interview...something that many applicants are not fortunate enough to have. If I were you, I would take advantage of the time you have been given and do something you love. Spend the extra time doing some reflection and practicing for your interviews. If you love research, then perhaps work as a research assistant at a lab. There are many interesting projects that you can do within a year. This way, you would not get caught up in that conundrum of how to finish your Msc in one year to get into med school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve U of T Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 I also had several interviews with no acceptances yet this past year. I had considered doing a master's degree because I am truly interested in research, although I know medicine is a first priority for me. I discussed this with my research supervisor who I've been working with for 2 summers and a 4th year project so far (he is an MD, so he is very supportive of my application to med school), and we agreed that if I plan to apply for med school again this year, I shouldn't start a master's degree, since it will most likely take 2 years to complete. Thankfully, he is willing to hire me as a full-time employee. I'd be conducting the same research that I would as a graduate student, except I'm not obligated to take any classes or write a formal thesis (although I expect to prepare several publications). I think you should definitely let this potential supervisor know that you are planning to apply for medical school, and discuss the options. He/she would be investing a great deal of time and money to train you as a graduate student, and leaving in the middle of a degree would be quite disrespectful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest coleflower Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Thanks for the input folks. Those are all thoughts that have been going through my mind. I am pretty sure right now that what I really want to do is be a doctor. And I definitely eliminated myself with my interviews last year, being very unprepared for what to expect and not an overly outgoing person do not combine for good interviews. But, I've had trouble finding things I can do to fill the gap in a way that would seem worthwhile, not cost too much of my rapidly dwindling savings, and give me a future in case I never get in. That's where the MSc comes in, asuming I never get in then doing this type of research is what I would want to do. But I would feel like it was rude and disrespectful to even apply for med while starting a degree. I know he has been doing some serious looking to come up with funding for me to study with him, and I don't think he would transfer to the employee idea so well. I guess I need to do some more soul searching and figure out what's right for my life. coleflower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peachy Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Good luck, Coleflower! I hope you find something to do this year that you absolutely love. :rollin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest acropolistica Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Since I gather that you have a great desire to pursue the career of medicine, yet was unsuccessful at the interviews, the major thing I can suggest is to improve the weakness in your application for next cycle. It is obvious that it is not academics that are the faltering point. Therefore, I suggest that, unless you are extremely confident that you want to do and will do well at a graduate degree, you should forego pursuing a masters. If you ~really~ want to get into medicine, and your undergraduate marks are good enough to make you competitive (you did get 4 interviews, after all), then the best advice I can give is not to do a graduate degree. I have heard of way too many people who did a graduate degree because they thought it would make them look "better" come interview/application time. Boy, were they wrong! Not only does GPA factor into masters apps, but also publication quality and frequency. So there are even more hurdles to jump! If your supervisor is working hard in trying to get you funding but you really don't want to do a masters, then politely tell him/her that you have decided not to pursue one....I find it is bad on everyone involved if you force yourself to do something you really don't want to. If you're sitting on good ground now, and what you really want to do is medicine, I'd stick with your current academic standing and do something else, like take up playing saxophone or painting or something, to occupy the year up to the next application cycle. Additionally, this year would be the perfect opportunity to become more outgoing. Volunteering in the emergency ward at hospitals is a perfect way to hone your social skills, and it looks great on applications too. Additionally, go out to clubs and dance or something, lose your inhibitions. Make yourself confident, because if you don't believe you are the best man for the job, who will? I have faith that you will get in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gonzo23 Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Coleflower! I sensed a negative vibe from your last post. I know what it's like to get rejected (last year I didn't even get interviews) but with 4 interviews this year I'm sure many will agree with me that you have a really good chance of getting in someday. Timing is the only issue. I think you should be really proud of where you stood this year (4 interviews is nothing to downplay) and just re-evaluate your interviews (as was said before). Plus, the experience you gained from interviewing this year can only help you next year to know what to expect and be better prepared! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lactic Folly Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 You don't need to be outgoing as long as you can communicate effectively in the interview scenario.. friendly and sincere will get you a long way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.