I told myself I would wait. You can't just write about the application process if you're not accepted anywhere! I mean, I'm not that superstitious, but come on. But I've decided to write about it anyway, even though I haven't--wait, yes I have. I've been accepted to med school! OK, there's my moment of celebration, now onto the fun stuff. Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, wizards and muggles alike, elves, dwarves, dragons, cyborgs, mutants, Caleb Osborne Productions proudly presents:
Thoughts on the Med School Admissions Process.
- The MCAT is stupid. If I had a gun with two bullets and I was in a room with Hitler, Bin Laden, and the MCAT, I would shoot the MCAT twice. This one test somehow had the power to be the bane of my existence for 7 months. First, it was just the annoyance of studying FOR ONE TEST 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week. Then, it was the agony of waiting for results. 35 days to get the results of an entirely computerized, multiple-choice test. Let that sink in for a moment. Then, it was the thought that my low (ok, average) score would keep me out of a school. But now I know I never have to take it again! I had several people, when I said I was disappointed with my score, ask why I didn't just take it again? Surely I would do better next time, right? I would audibly say something like "Maybe. Hopefully I won't have to," but inside I was laughing and saying...
But now the MCAT is forever behind me. Here's a poem I wrote* to commemorate the occasion.
"MCAT be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
...
The MCAT is no more; MCAT, thou shalt die."
* ellipsis added for your convenience. We all know you weren't going to read the whole thing. Also, ellipsis added because there are actually no more line to the poem I (sort of) wrote. It was intended for humorous purposes only.
- The timeline of applying is dreadful. I would say it's like a roller coaster with all the emotional highs and lows, except there are no highs. It's like the carts that travel through the depths of Gringott's: lows and lower lows. There is the studying for the MCAT (see above, in case you decided to just skip here for some reason), then the waiting for results and filling out AMCAS, then waiting.
Then there are secondaries all coming in at once, and a mad rush to get all these essays done in time to seem like an organized, Johnny-on-the-spot type of person that yes, sir, you would indeed love to have as a part of your medical school. Why should we pick you, why would you pick us, what's your favorite color, what experiences do you have with Native American culture, why do you want to live in West Virginia, why do you want to live in Louisiana, how will you help rural communiies, how will you help urban communities, wait, what was your name again????? Then you wait.
And you wait.
And then (hopefully) interviews.
And maybe, just maybe, an acceptance (or multiple? Who knows? Come on, Wake Forest!)
. And that's the process.
But really, what you need to know is this:
the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned. (Matthew 4:16 ESV)
I've just realized that I ran out of steam halfway through this post. I apologize if you lost interest halfway. I'm surprised if you maintained interest even to halfway. God is good, but even better, God is God, and that is not dependent on any scores or acceptances or rejections or career path. May we always be mindful of the gifts he has given us, and wise to use them for the advancement of His kingdom. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
