Guest medinvan Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 I wasn't accepted and probably won't get in this year. For those of you who had been rejected/waitlisted (and not offered a space) in the past, what did you do for the year as you applied for admission the following year(s)? How can you improve your application? Also, did you reuse your admission essay (is that a good idea if your essay was really excellent to begin with?), extracurricular lists, same references? Thanks a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Persistent Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Using your essay again is fine if it was done really well. First things first you should go the the feedback session and see if you can get a better idea of ways to improve your application. Personally the feedback session did not help me much because they commented on 10 files at one session. After the buzz of getting rejected dwindled off I made a request to Dr. Vera Frinton to receive a one on one feedback session. I didn't know whether that was possible or not but I figured why not give it a shot. She was kind enough to make arrangements for me to meet with Angelina Desjarlais the admissions manager to go over my file one on one. This was a much better direction giver for me. But, keep in mind they will not tell you what you should do. They might just point out obvious facts. But at least you'll have the satisfaction of exhausting all your resources. My suggestion would be to show your application material to another med applicant (who got in) and get their advice. Just recognize that it's just their opinion and there is no guarantee that their suggestions will get you in. But I think they know best. Especially repeat applicants. They know what they did to finally get themselves in. I know that it may not be easy to show a friend or stranger your application as it is a very personal piece that draws out your life, but if that is what it takes to get some real valuable suggestions in what you should do from this point I say it's sure worth it. I vowed to myself this year that If I do get into UBC Med this year, I would devote this summer to giving my PERSONAL suggestions to those who want it regarding their application. What I really hated about this entire process with the admissions ppl is that they really couldn't take the stand to give you a concrete approach to take. They are restricted due to ensuring fairness and all. I felt like there were really no "advisors" for med school admissions. Not personalized ones at least. So, I am welcoming anyone who would want my suggestions. Again, I do not guarantee that my advice will get you in or that I will be telling you what is in actual fact best. All it will be is a subjectively objective opinion. If anyone wants to take advantage of my offer, feel free to private message me. Regards, Persistent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest transplant Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 That's a very classy thing to do Persistent. Glad to have you as a classmate for the coming year. transplant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Persistent Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Thanks transplant... I look forward to meeting you in August!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest medinvan Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Thanks for your advice! I look forward (not really) to the rejection letter that will outline where i lost my marks on. Hopefully they'll send it soon so I can act on it early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PD84 Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Hi Persistent That was really classy of you. I was just wondering what you personally did last year to improve your application. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Persistent Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 I think my biggest improvement was due to really putting a lot of thought into what I achieved from each extracurricular activity and better explaining myself during the interview. I think I brought my application to life a lot more effectively during the interview this time around and tied everything together. Previously, it may have appeared that I did a whole bunch of really neat things and learned a lot from each individual activity but I don't think I connected it to one big story of why I want to become a doctor, how I came about realizing it, and how my experiences have shaped me into the suitable candidate for this position. Probably everyone here has good to awesome grades and have done a lot of ECs. Everyone can list all the activities and state the number of hours and give a brief description about what you achieved... But I think when it comes to getting in, it's those who tell a better story... a clear story...that can make themselves stand out. UBC does put a lot of emphasis on communication skills and the interview is a crucial opportunity to portray this. There is also one complicated factor that I doubt I will get an answer for... Last year I took a some correspondence courses through a private institute towards an Ultrasound Tech program. I did not know whether these grades would be accepted or not but I requested the institute to send a copy of these grades to UBC anyways. If these grades were used towards my GPA then it would have improved my 77.7 overall GPA and my 80.2 last 60 GPA as I got the following three marks in those courses: 92, 93, 95 (or something like that). If those grades were not used, I would have gotten a 18/25 or so on my AQ...and this may indicate an improvement in my last year's NAQ score of 17 point something. I wonder if the admissions people would tell me information about my application even though I got accepted. Nonetheless, I feel like my biggest improvement was in the interview. Sorry for the consistently long posts Persistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PD84 Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 Your long posts are a blessing! Congrats with your achievement - you deserve it. You're so encouraging to the rest of us and I'm glad someone like you is going to live her dream! Persistance pays off eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Persistent Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 Yes persistence has sure paid off for me! Thanks for all your good wishes for me. I think this is another big reason I got in this year. I felt like I've gotten a lot of blessings from "strangers" this year. And by strangers it's usually people I help during my volunteer shifts, especially at the Red Cross Medical Equipment Loans Service. People are very grateful for the service and the volunteers that make it possible so they constantly give us their blessings. It makes my day! Regards, Persistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kupo Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 yeah, feel free to ask any of us for advice. I've got no problem giving more detailed private msg's. many people have different perspectives on how they got in, hopefully one of our experiences resonates with you btw, for newbies on this board, i got in the second time around. no ground breaking volunteer experiences (nor groundbreaking hours), a fair number of intramural sports (albeit co-rec, non competitive), and decent marks (enough to max out the AQ score - but seriously not much of a big deal when there are tons of people with those kinds of marks). if i had one "clinical pearl" of getting into med, it would be to take advantage of the interview being worth as much as it is. this is your opportunity to substantiate (is that the right use of the word?) and build on the best parts of your application. it's your opportunity to weave a story about yourself that resonates with you (very important) and with admissions as well as the interview panel. i'd like to think this advice speaks for the vast majority of you, but you will be the judge of that. its late, im going to bed now. kupo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shetland23 Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 if you guys want to do mock interviews... I'd be happy to help out, it wont cost you anything, just 40 min of your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shetland23 Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 I am a first time applier... but a dear friend of mine had an interview last year and he was excellent support. i would like to do the same plus its the same ques every year thats what he told me, but perhaps its good practice to do mock interviews or even practice on your own in front of a mirror. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tigerlily Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 Ditto on the mock interview. I would love to get together with anyone who wants to do one. (Perhaps even several of us could get together and create a panel?). I did a mock interview with a friend who was in 3rd year med and it was hands down the best part of preparing for my interview. I also did one through UVic counselling, and it was a VERY different experience than the one with my friend, though both were helpful. Also, I revamped virtually every part of my application. I totally reworded and rearranged my NAQ, and my second essay was WAY better than my first. I also had increased my GPA somewhat. I'm not sure if any one of these things helped more than another, but I'd be happy to pass along more information privately. Hang in there! Honestly, you *can* get in. Utilize every resource, and go for it again with everything you have. Maybe this is getting philosophical, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I know for me, not getting in the first time ended up being the best thing. I hadn't realized how much I needed a break from school, and I was able to have the most amazing time of my life overseas, which changed me in ways I never imagined. Cliche as it sounds, I know I'll be a better doctor for it. So keep your chin up, take a deep breath, and go in fighting. We're all rooting for you and will help in any way we can! Cheers, Tigerlily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shetland23 Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 hey tiger did you get registration package in the mail already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tigerlily Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 nope, not yet. But then I'm in Victoria so it might take an extra day to get here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kupo Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 yeah i'd also be happy to give mock interviews. if you know some doctors that could give you a mock one, that's probably the most authentic interview setting. I had two docs interview me. I first told them my weaknesses and they both told me they'd push me on those fronts. it was awesome. I also tried different settings too, with fellow med students, an engineer, my girlfriend, my co-workers, all which offer different experiences and perspectives. It's all helpful because you learn about the potential diversity of the panel and the kinds of personalities and tendencies you might encounter. that's if you pay attention to those kinds of details kupo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GundamDX Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 Yeah I found any kind of help/ advice from before applying to post interview can be very useful. Kupo gave me some detailed feedback when I wasn't sure if I'd get an interview in Feb, and that put my mind at ease I'd be happy to help out too. Feel free to PM me maybe we can chat on MSN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Law Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 Thanks for sharing your suggestions, it really helps to hear about stuff you've done to imrpove your applications. :eek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PD84 Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Hi tigerlily Unfortunately I have been given the axe by UBC. You mentioned that in your year off you had some great overseas experience. Mind sharing what that was? I'm trying to figure out how to spend the next year and reading about someone else's experience might help. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tigerlily Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Hey PD, Sorry to hear you didn't get in I don't know exactly how you feel, but I know how I felt when I didn't get in. It was totally devastating. Keep your chin up though. Most people I know took 2-3 applications (one took 5!) before getting in. And honestly, I truly believe that sometimes it works out for the best. I took the year off after I applied and spent 3.5 months in Uganda, in east Africa. It was the most incredible experience of my life, and fulfilled a dream I've had since I was a little girl. I worked mostly with the AIDS homecare team in a hospital in the capital city, seeing patients at the clinic and taking several trips a week into the slums to visit bedridden patients. It's unbelievable. None of our patients even had access to ARVs. I also spent time working in Outpatients and the TB clinic (taking lots of blood pressures and temperatures, and trying to take histories, which often proved comical since I didn't speak Lugandan!). I also spent a lot of time at a nearby home for abandoned babies. It's funny, kids aren't really my thing usually - I'm not one of those "oooooh! A baby!!!" kind of girls, but the home was quite something. We had a baby come in with it's umbilical cord still attached and wet. The baby had been pulled out of a pit latrine (where he was discovered), and had maggots crawling on and in him. Miraculously, he survived, though not all of them did. We also spent 1-2 mornings a week rounding with the surgical residents, which gave me great clinical exposure. Orthopaedics was my favourite! One of the first surgeries I saw, the doc yanked out a chisel and hammer and pounded off the atrophied head of a femur! It was pretty incredible. The most amazing part of my trip though, was something I hadn't planned. The northern part of Uganda is caught up in this terrible civil war. The rebels have been terrorizing the area for 20 years, and have abducted over 25,000 (!!!) children (though many have died, escaped or been rescued). Almost the entire population of 2 million people now live in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps where they depend on the World Food Programme to feed them (and most still aren't getting enough) and the government soldiers to protect them, which isn't happening. So, 40,000 people, mostly women and children, "commute" into the main town centres *every* night to sleep, because it's safer. Many walk 2-3 hours in each direction. My friend and I made some connections and spent a couple of weeks in Kitgum. We volunteered (aka - mostly shadowed) at the hospital there. 3000 "night commuters" slept at the hospital every night, just outside on the cement, sometimes with a blanket, sometimes without. We were there during a supposed "ceasefire" but still heard rifle and machine gun fire ~every 2nd night. One night I awoke to rifle and machine gun fire, and heavy artillery. It was in the valley (we were staying on the hill) and we found out in the morning that one of the camps we had visited had been attacked, and they'd abducted 5 children and raided all the food. The rebels are notorious for their cruelty. They'll often make children kill their own family members so they have nowhere to return to and are feared by their fellow villagers, making them less likely to escape. They rape and mutilate, often hacking off lips, ears, noses, breasts, and limbs. There are a number of even more unthinkable acts that I won't write about here. Needless to say, it's shocking and horrifying, yet hardly anybody hears about Uganda. Sorry - I've totally gone off! But it's something I'm very passionate about, and it's where I plan to go back to after med school (at least for a few years). The people are so incredibly beautiful. There is nothing like the grace and resilience of people who have been through so much horror. Oh, and I got to scrub up and assist on a surgery for a gunshot wound, which totally made me want to be a surgeon. It was absolutely amazing. The entire experience absolutely solidified in my heart that there is nothing else I want to do on this earth than be a doctor. I had gone there hoping and expecting to be of some value to the people there, but I think I ended up taking just as much - probably more - than I ever gave. Wow. I'm longwinded! Congrats if you made it this far in my post Feel free to fire away with Q's. ~Sarah~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PD84 Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Wow...I got teary eyed reading that post! That seems like a really intense experience. Mind if I ask which organization you went with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tigerlily Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 I went with a local organization which supports a hospital in Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The organization is called Friends of Mengo Hospital, though most of the contacts I made on my own once I was there. The AIDS and TB clinics were the only things I was set up to do. The babies' home, rounds, and the entire experience in the north were results of contacts I made while I was there. Depending on what your interests are, I'd be happy to send you contact info on any of them. If you're interested in going soon, a friend of mine (an Aussie nurse) is going back to the babies' home and would be a great resource and friend. You also, unfortunately, deal with HIV and TB in the babies' home. I wouldn't recommend deciding to go to the north until you've experienced the country for a while. The Aussie nurse I mentioned spent 3 days there and hated every moment of it. Also, the organization I went with understandably said that they couldn't be responsible for me while I was in the north and asked that I not go, but it was something I knew I had to do (though obviously, independent of an organization). If you know for sure you really want to go to the north, there are some organizations there as well. There are the standard World Vision, Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, Catholic Relief Services, etc. There is also one which runs a school and has just opened an AIDS hospice. I believe they are in need of help and would also probably be one of the easier ones to go with, since they're not a huge, international organization. But anyway - feel free to email me with your interests and I'll do my best to help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PD84 Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Thanks tigerlily...check your inbox I PM'd you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shaka84 Posted May 21, 2006 Report Share Posted May 21, 2006 This is my first post on this list but I have visited the site many times and have found it very supportive and helpful. I recieved my UBC rejection "report" and I am more than a little confused. I have no idea how admissions scores the NAQ portion. In my application I had well over 1200 volunteer hours in a variety of settings, an academic award, a published paper in a peer reviewed journal and played a varsity sport at UBC. My NAQ score was 15. I would also like to know what a good interview score is. I think I scored well but would like to hear from others in the forum. Any information on these subjects would be appreciated. I am planning to get some advising but hearing from some people in the "trenches" would be great. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tigerlily Posted May 21, 2006 Report Share Posted May 21, 2006 Thanks tigerlily...check your inbox I PM'd you Oh thanks! I hadn't noticed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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