I was accepted but I feel I'm not good enough

[Chamilt]

As a couple above mentioned, you are NOT old! lol, you are ~26??? I am 29, and will be 33 when I graduate. It's actually somewhat insulting to us "older" folk that you think you are so old! And like someone above, am thinking about a 5 year residency if not more. The average age of the school I will be attending is ~25-26 most years. And I wouldn't be suprised if this was common for most schools.

[WtsupDoc?]

I think that it is similar for Queen's too, or so I've heard. This is comforting because I'll almost be 30 when I graduate and might have 5 years of residency. Personally, I know that I'm much more suited to start medical school now, at my age and with a couple more years of experience under my belt than when I applied at 22. (Not saying that older is better in general, just in my case, I know it is).

 

Don't let a "mentor" get you down. This kind of thing is going to happen over and over in your career. Like others have said, be sure of yourself and your abilities - it's necessary for your success.

[mt229431]

As a couple above mentioned, you are NOT old! lol, you are ~26??? I am 29, and will be 33 when I graduate. It's actually somewhat insulting to us "older" folk that you think you are so old! And like someone above, am thinking about a 5 year residency if not more. The average age of the school I will be attending is ~25-26 most years. And I wouldn't be suprised if this was common for most schools.

 

I think the multiple examples like this, which can be found above, clearly demonstrate that age is not an issue. It's really about the quality of the doctor, not their age.

 

Off-topic, but Camilt, what school are you attending? I will be attending Dal. The 2016 Dalhousie Med Profile:

 

Average Age: 24 Range: 20/39

 

So, starting at 30 doesn't really bother me. I expect that the majority of the class will, obviously, be younger than me. But there will also be a few older too!

[Chamilt]

I'll be attending NOSM. Since they opened in 2005 these have been the average age of the class.

 

2005: 28.7

2006: 26.3

2007: 25.8

2008: 26.1

2009: 26

2010: 26

2011: 25

2012: 26

 

I believe NOSM tends to take a lot of older students but I can't imagine most schools are that much different. If I had to guess I'd say the average age of a 1st year med student would be ~24/25

[shady]

I felt that way for a while. But then it occurred to me: others probably feel that way too! I'm pretty sure there are many who can't believe they got in, and think that there is a good chance it was due to luck.

 

You are no different than the rest of us. We all have our doubts at certain points in our lives. The way I think of it is this: now that you have been given the chance of a life time (i.e. accepted to med), you have the choice to make the most of it or just let it slip. Pick the one with which you can sleep at night

[futureGP]

hey i felt that way too!

 

i also feel that way now that i'm getting rdy for clerkship!

 

 

 

It never ends! which is why we need to continue to study!

[deadlybutterfly]

There is a lot of truth in it being a game and dishonest (the interview/MMI), but that is how things are set up now. People will exploit everything as long as they get in. It is unfortunate, but it is something that needs to be done with the way things are set up.

 

Anyways, you shouldn't feel bad about anything. You obviously have worked hard, especially if you have a masters (like me!). Go into med school if you want to become a doctor and enter this field. Don't withdraw your offer just because you feel guilty. You have worked hard for a long time, harder than most undergrads who get in. Sure, the interview may be a little fake, but it is fine. All your other accomplishments prove youre good enough to get in and succeed. And 30 isn't old for a med school graduate. What did you expect for those of us who did a Masters/phd? You're situation is fine. Pursue medicine if you are passionate. Don't let go of your offer due to guilt because you have done nothing wrong.

[McMasterHopeful]

From the way you were talking I assumed you were like 35 or something.

 

Me too. 35! now thats old

[10wattbulb]

So basically, even now I don’t accept myself for being accepted, I feel like I will be an embarrassment for the school and that they might regret choosing me.

I feel too old to study.

I feel I cheated because I practiced MMI and

because my referee/mentor is very well known figure in the community this might have given me a slight advantage.

 

I’m not confident at all that I will do well...and I feel my conviction is confirmed because of all these.

 

 

I also feel guilty because my mentor said the admission being a game and I played it well.

I was given geographical advantage because I relocated - I'm not sure my mentor was aware of this, but I don't think I would have been accepted if I didn't have the geographical advantage.

 

First off, feeling guilty at this stage is utter nonsense! Yes, the med admissions process is kind of like a game, but all of us are in it together and have to play it to the best of our abilities. And the Ad Coms do everything they can to make it as objective and fair as possible for everyone.

 

Now, while your mentor helped you get into med school with his ref letter and you feel very grateful to him for his help, you need to realize that you earned your spot mainly through YOUR own hard work & efforts and by being smart (i.e., prepping in advance to the best of your abilities). Ergo, you worked hard to get the good ref letter, and he didn't/shouldn't have given it to you if he didn't feel you were up to par.

 

Feeling guilty because you think that you're too old to study is completely ridiculous in my opinion. I call this self-discrimination based on age, and I don't approve of it since I it's utterly unjustified - what's a couple of years more or less going to change? Older people tend to be more mature and have a better overall sense of where they're heading anyways (i.e., they've had more time to truly reflect & debate with themselves why they wanted to be a doc and whether the job is for them).

 

Now, note that everyone who's serious about med school practices intensively for the MCAT, the MMI, etc. I do feel that there is a bit of unfairness in the sense that we don't all have access to the same resources (i.e, some of us can't afford to buy all the practice MCAT tests, redo the MCAT 6-7 times, do intensive MMI practice, etc), but realize that it's not your fault if you have access to extra practice material; that's the system's fault. Are you also going to feel guilty once you start making 6-digit salaries as a doctor? Do you feel guilty each time that you put food in your mouth thinking about all the people in the world that have none? My point here is that each of us needs to do what's best for ourselves, and when we can possibly help out others, we should. But if you don't first start by helping yourself out a little bit to begin with, no one's going to come over and care for you (maybe your parents at first, but even they will end up kicking you out of the 'nest' at some point). And worst, you won't be able to contribute anything to society. I believe that life is a lot about balance - we can't be too selfish nor too selfless; we need to find the proper, healthy point between the two extremes.

 

The last point I'd like to make is that it's important in life to think for yourself and generate your own opinions after having heard and considered all arguments. Your mentor expressed his views, now you need to consider the other side of his arguments and ultimately come up with your own stance on these issues. You can't just absorb all that he says like a sponge... Sometimes you gotta be your own mentor!

 

Now, if you still feel guilty, then as Robin Hood said, there's millions of applicants out there who'd love your seat and who wouldn't feel guilty for a penny of getting it. (sarcasm here).

[Real Beef]

You are good enough, the admissions process is a rigourous one .... you will do well. Work hard, be humble, help your classmates, let them help you, seek help if you need it from profs/facilitators. No one knows medicine before they start school .... it is a profession that can only be taught ... you will learn that in med school .... good luck .... chin up.

 

Beef

 

I must be the weirdest person on this Earth.

I feel so apologetic for being accepted… I feel inadequate and while I’m very excited, at the same time frightened.

 

 

Today, I was talking to my mentor, without whom I could have never, ever been accepted to medical school at all period.

Issue number 1, older medical students are not preferred.

He doesn’t agree with older medical students, when you look at it from amortization or rather investment point of view, yes perhaps ‘older’ students are not the best investment by the government compared to 3rd year students who gets accepted who will most likely to stay in the field longer than these ‘older’ students proportionally giving their life span (of course they could be lazy or their priorities could be different where they end up not doing their expected mileage of being a doctor is entirely possible but… generally in a pure number sense they are most likely to stay in the field little longer). Yet he wrote me a non-traditional, older applicant an excellent reference letter – which ultimately helped me get into medicine – TBH I slightly feel bad for taking a possible seat from a younger student, who can potentially be much better doctor than I am.

 

 

Issue number 2, practicing MMI – not truly you.

Before the interview, I was attending MMI practice sessions and I told my mentor about it. My mentor seemed to have approved the idea of communicating and working together to improve – also I enjoyed the discussion immensely! but today when I shared the news that most of members who have participated in the MMI practice were accepted to med, he said that it’s wrong. It’s fake, it’s not honest – along that line. That it has become a game. Although he is not sure what is the perfect way to pick doctor candidates, the MMI practice is wrong.

I didn’t know what to do at this point, of course with practice I got better at interview, about approaching the problem and understanding from other’s perspective – whole different way of analyzing the situation was taught to me while practicing. But in other words, because I’ve practiced its not truly me, I just knew the rule and played accordingly and so it’s not fair for others.

I defended don’t people practice before the interview? Isn’t it normal that you want to do well when you get a chance like this? My mentor said its like a speed dating where a ‘person’ is not evaluated only the good actor, politicians do well –those who practice and is able to put on a ‘mask’.

I guess I defended vehemently because my mentor did mention at my agitation that he wasn’t condemning me for doing it…

I asked another mentor and according to her it’s not fair if its not open to everyone, I said it was posted in forum(information about MMI practice) and no one knows each other and if you are interested enough to google it then its there. She said she doesn’t necessarily google all things she is interested in.

It’s not like certain people had advantage or had extra leg up in the race – they just practiced because they felt compelled to… its like studying for exams. If you care for it and study more than others of course, you would do better and then she said nothing is fair, that she is sure that admission process must be corrupt as with everything else, you know someone that kind of thing.

I said it’s a pretty transparent process and they grade then rank you accordingly, I said your GPA, MCAT extracurricular and everything is considered and she said her daughter in law had GPA and MCAT and she was really good candidate yet she didn’t get in.

I instantly thought about my mentor’s position and my having a reference letter from my mentor. My mentor is very well respected in the medical community and I didn’t know this but one of the patient’s child (they are on personal term) turned out to be assistant dean at the medical school I will be attending. Also, although I’m not sure this is the place to ask but during the MMI I was asked a job I think, and I told I worked at Dr. So and so’s office and the interviewer said she worked with my mentor’s spouse.

 

 

So basically, even now I don’t accept myself for being accepted, I feel like I will be an embarrassment for the school and that they might regret choosing me.

I feel too old to study.

I feel I cheated because I practiced MMI and

because my referee/mentor is very well known figure in the community this might have given me a slight advantage.

 

I’m not confident at all that I will do well...and I feel my conviction is confirmed because of all these.

 

 

I also feel guilty because my mentor said the admission being a game and I played it well.

I was given geographical advantage because I relocated - I'm not sure my mentor was aware of this, but I don't think I would have been accepted if I didn't have the geographical advantage.