You’ve been waiting eagerly since your interview. You check your email constantly. Then it happens. Ping! You open the email, but it’s not the news you’d hope for. You got a rejection. What do you do now?
Getting a med school rejection is upsetting, overwhelming, and scary. You’ve put in so much hard work from the MCAT to the interview. Common reactions that you may be feeling include that medical school is not for you, that you will not get into any other schools, and that you should just give up. However, this could not be further than the truth. Nearly every med school applicant gets rejections–even those who apply only once. And if you have to reapply, it’s actually quite common. It’s not over!
Take a break. Spend some time not thinking about medicine. Close the laptop, go outside or talk to someone. Depending on what makes you feel better, utilize or avoid premed reddit. You may feel like there’s no time to rest, but you need to make time. Receiving bad news makes burnout worse, and in a moment like this you need to breathe, even briefly.
It’s important that you take the time to process this news. Receiving a rejection, depending on the school and whether or not you have acceptances yet, can range from disappointing to devastating. Premed culture is very fast paced, but force yourself to take the time to experience your feelings. Talk to your advisor, call a friend, discuss with family members, or tell your therapist. Engage in activities that make you happy whether it’s playing with your pets, going for a run, or seeing friends.
Some of the most common reasons for rejection are low GPA or MCAT score; too little clinical hours, research, or volunteering; weak personal statement; and/or poor interview performance. By the time you hear back from schools, many of these are no longer under your control. However, if you still have upcoming interviews you should reconsider your approach. We recommend that you read up on the school and common interview questions and have some answers prepared. For more tips see our sample interview questions and check out our interview prep packages!
We strongly recommend that you contact the admission department(s) of the school(s) in question to ask an admissions counselor for feedback on your application. Understanding these factors can help you identify areas for improvement, whether or not you are reapplying. You should also meet with your premed advisor. Others who can offer a helpful perspective are mentors and friends who are in medicine. Finally, at MotivateMD we offer comprehensive application review services including for med school reapplicants!
This will come up if you reapply later on. Schools will want to hear 1) how you handled the challenge and 2) what you did to improve your application. Focus on how this experience has helped you grow and become more resilient. Med schools will want to hear about the lessons you learned. Strength, growth, and overcoming adversity is a major component that admissions committees look for during interviews. And remember that reapplying is very common and people have been known to get accepted after 3 and 4 application cycles. For more tips on reapplying, see here.
A post-bacc can be a great way to strengthen your next application, but do not just jump into it if you don’t have to. These programs are expensive and will add 1 or 2 years to your journey to being a doctor. However, they are a valuable option for students who struggled with MCAT, GPA, finding enough prerequisite classes, acquiring clinical hours, or did not have strong advising. Post-baccs are not just helpful for taking classes. They also connect students with clinical experiences, advising, clinical mentorship, volunteering, networking with medical schools, and MCAT preparation. For more info on whether a post-bacc is for you, talk to your advisor, mentors, and see this AAMC post.
Get as much feedback as you can. Use the feedback you get from admissions counselors (ideally), your premed advisor, mentors, and others to make a list of areas for improvement. If this includes MCAT and/or GPA, consider retaking the exam or classes or doing a post-bacc. If you struggled with clinical experiences, find a job in a clinical setting– medical assistant, EMT, scribe, etc. If you don’t have much research, reach out to some professors, “cold email” some researchers, and try to find someone who needs help with a project. Finally, the personal statement is a crucial part of the application for reapplicants. You will need to acknowledge your weaknesses while highlighting how you have grown from the experience of facing rejection.
There are many other career paths that you can take to become a clinician. For example, the autonomy of a nurse practitioner offers similar work opportunities in many specialties without the extra years of residency training. Physician assistant offers similar roles, even including surgical assistance, without the level of liability of a physician. Physical and occupational therapy involve very hands-on work and a lot of patient interaction. For more information, check out this list of careers.
A medical school rejection can easily become a hurdle if you let it. However, rejections are very common and many applicants apply more than once. If you follow our guidelines and stay positive, the rejection will help propel you towards a successful future as the doctor you are meant to be!
Written By: Sophia
Sophia is a medical student at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. Bringing three years of expertise in medical school application consulting, she thrives in collaborating with each applicant to tailor an exemplary application. Additionally, Sophia provides guidance through her contributions to the MotivateMD Blog and is particularly dedicated to supporting fellow nontraditional applicants on their journey to success.
