04-07-2009, 06:56 AM
You know you come to forums for advice right? I remember always coming here and reading inspirational posts and also helpful advice when I needed it. Now I feel like there is overwhelming negativity and competitiveness and its pretty sad.
For Izzy25 I just read your post, and though there was some good advice there please never give up your dream and listen to people telling you you can't do it, because it is possible. It may take more time, but you will get there, and once you do, you will realize how strong of a person you were to listen to all this all of the time. I hope my story will inspire you.
I am an IMG who started medical school in 2004. Right before I left to go away to school (in another country) my boyfriend of 4 years broke up with me, and my grandmother died. I still went. When I got there they made me take this preperatory course a semester before taking the real basic science semester. I failed. I appealed to the dean of the school and they told me they would not help me with anything, even after giving other people 3 chances, and I would forever have F's on my transcript. These people also told me I would never be a doctor and to give it up while I was still young. I felt my life was over.
I came home. My mother and father for the first time in their life doubted me. My dad was saying maybe I could be a teacher. My mom said maybe medicine wasn't for me as well. I think maybe its the worst feeling when your family doubts you because then how do you believe in yourself.
I applied to other international medical schools, I applied to 4, got 3 rejections and 1 acceptance. The one I got accepted to was a school just starting out with really no name, and was a lower tier school. I went and started my life over with my F transcripts. I did well in my classes but I'm more of a B student.
After completing Basic Sciences I failed my step 1. Definitely not on purpose but I did. I had to take it over and I got an 82 the second time. I then did my clerkships on OK hospitals meaning community programs, and no my school did not have any residents at any of them, they actually had a low placement. I had to do this all on my own. I then took my step 2 and got a 79. I completed CS on my first try as well.
When ERAS started I was doing a rotation in one of the CT hospitals, and the program director looked me in the eye and told me I will never take someone with scores as low as yours. I want someone with scores in the 90's. He told me this while I was busting my butt knowing more answers than his own residents during a subinternship rotation. Some people you can never please, believe me.
I got 8 interviews in IM. One of my first interviews was very humiliating. He asked me a medical question and when I didn't get it right he asked me what I knew if anything at all. I held back tears and just smiled. I felt again like nothing. All of my friends were telling me about their wonderful interviews and I was getting this treatment.
When Match Day came I want to be honest with you. I ranked only five hospitals. Call me stupid whatever you want. But I said you know what, I would rather not match and wait a year then to deal with that program director for the ones I did not like.
Low and Behold I matched. With all of those people telling me oh you won't get IM, you should go for family. You don't go to a good school, you should do this you should do that. Noone controls my life except for me and the same should go for you out there. I matched into a University Program in NJ. Yes, ME, the one with no chances got the University.
Every person has their own situation. Maybe I aced my interviews for the ones that liked me who knows. But you can also be a 99'er and totally screw up your interview, THAT DEPENDS ON YOU. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE LEFT IN THE END. YOU HAVE YOUR FUTURE IN YOUR HANDS NOONE ELSE AND ALOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT WANT YOU TO GET AHEAD OF THEM IN LIFE.
I hope I inspired someone. But also let me give advice since this is what I stand by with this forum. If you have multiple attempts, get your butt in their and make contacts. Take your next step and do really well on it and get an externship. I know externships are not easy but they are possible its just if you are willing to travel or not.
God Bless Everyone and please have an open heart.
Ro
For Izzy25 I just read your post, and though there was some good advice there please never give up your dream and listen to people telling you you can't do it, because it is possible. It may take more time, but you will get there, and once you do, you will realize how strong of a person you were to listen to all this all of the time. I hope my story will inspire you.
I am an IMG who started medical school in 2004. Right before I left to go away to school (in another country) my boyfriend of 4 years broke up with me, and my grandmother died. I still went. When I got there they made me take this preperatory course a semester before taking the real basic science semester. I failed. I appealed to the dean of the school and they told me they would not help me with anything, even after giving other people 3 chances, and I would forever have F's on my transcript. These people also told me I would never be a doctor and to give it up while I was still young. I felt my life was over.
I came home. My mother and father for the first time in their life doubted me. My dad was saying maybe I could be a teacher. My mom said maybe medicine wasn't for me as well. I think maybe its the worst feeling when your family doubts you because then how do you believe in yourself.
I applied to other international medical schools, I applied to 4, got 3 rejections and 1 acceptance. The one I got accepted to was a school just starting out with really no name, and was a lower tier school. I went and started my life over with my F transcripts. I did well in my classes but I'm more of a B student.
After completing Basic Sciences I failed my step 1. Definitely not on purpose but I did. I had to take it over and I got an 82 the second time. I then did my clerkships on OK hospitals meaning community programs, and no my school did not have any residents at any of them, they actually had a low placement. I had to do this all on my own. I then took my step 2 and got a 79. I completed CS on my first try as well.
When ERAS started I was doing a rotation in one of the CT hospitals, and the program director looked me in the eye and told me I will never take someone with scores as low as yours. I want someone with scores in the 90's. He told me this while I was busting my butt knowing more answers than his own residents during a subinternship rotation. Some people you can never please, believe me.
I got 8 interviews in IM. One of my first interviews was very humiliating. He asked me a medical question and when I didn't get it right he asked me what I knew if anything at all. I held back tears and just smiled. I felt again like nothing. All of my friends were telling me about their wonderful interviews and I was getting this treatment.
When Match Day came I want to be honest with you. I ranked only five hospitals. Call me stupid whatever you want. But I said you know what, I would rather not match and wait a year then to deal with that program director for the ones I did not like.
Low and Behold I matched. With all of those people telling me oh you won't get IM, you should go for family. You don't go to a good school, you should do this you should do that. Noone controls my life except for me and the same should go for you out there. I matched into a University Program in NJ. Yes, ME, the one with no chances got the University.
Every person has their own situation. Maybe I aced my interviews for the ones that liked me who knows. But you can also be a 99'er and totally screw up your interview, THAT DEPENDS ON YOU. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE LEFT IN THE END. YOU HAVE YOUR FUTURE IN YOUR HANDS NOONE ELSE AND ALOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT WANT YOU TO GET AHEAD OF THEM IN LIFE.
I hope I inspired someone. But also let me give advice since this is what I stand by with this forum. If you have multiple attempts, get your butt in their and make contacts. Take your next step and do really well on it and get an externship. I know externships are not easy but they are possible its just if you are willing to travel or not.
God Bless Everyone and please have an open heart.
Ro