Results: What now?

You waited all year, and finally the results are out – did you get into medical school? If not, what do you do then?

You were...

Accepted

Congratulations! Inform your family and friends – they be so proud of you! And of course, go celebrate! While you are experiencing some overwhelming happiness, don’t forget there are a few other things to complete before you can begin: pay your tuition deposit, send in an updated transcript if needed, complete your immunization forms and police record forms, etc. Try to have a relaxing summer, since you don’t get to relax too much once you are in medical school.

Waitlisted

Waitlisted means that you did not get into medical school, but there is still some hope for you if someone else gives up their spot. It’s hard to predict how people will react to being waitlisted: some may feel disappointed, while others are just happy that there is still hope. Whatever emotions you are experiencing, I’d advise you to keep preparing yourself for future admission cycles. Maybe you will get in off the waitlist during the summer, but it’s better to play it safe and not assume. Keep working on your  extracurricular activities, research, etc. and assume you will be re-applying or choosing another path.

Rejected

Whether you are rejected on the decision release date, or never get off the waitlist, not getting in is a difficult pill to swallow. Undoubtedly, you’ve worked extremely hard on your application, MCAT, GPA, etc. and may think the result doesn’t accurately reflect your effort. How could that guy with the bad MCAT get in but not you? Unfortunately, these thoughts are unproductive and won’t help you get in.

The important thing is to reflect on your application experience and identify areas for improvement. It might have been your personal statement, or your interview, or your extracurricular experiences. Use the summer to improve on your weaknesses. If you aspire to be a clinician-scientist, it may be reasonable to pursue a Masters or PhD before reapplying for medical school. In fact, we find that graduate entry medical students perform better in medical school than undergraduate entries, which makes them more competitive candidates for other applications down the road, such as residency and fellowship.

Remember, many people don’t get into medical school on their first try. Be motivated and gain as many experiences as possible to improve your application for future admission cycles. These experiences will benefit you lifelong both as a clinician and as a person.