Tuesday, April 28, 2009

More silver lining than cloud

UCSD rejected me:
I regret to inform you of the decision not to consider your application further. The Committee feels that applicants who do not have any possible chance of hearing of an acceptance from us during the summer should be encouraged to pursue other opportunities for acceptance.
My first reaction was a visceral flash of disappointment. But almost in the same moment, a wave of relief washed away all of the anxiety that surrounded the uncertainty of my medical education and my life, as well as the looming decision between UCSD and Colorado.

I finally have some measure of certainty in my life, now. I can look forward to going to medical school at Colorado and actually envision myself studying and living there. I can make plans for housing. I can tell my friends who I met during the open house last weekend that I will definitely be seeing them in August.

More importantly, I am genuinely excited about going to Colorado. Numerous people have commented on my animation and enthusiasm when I talk about both my interview and open house experiences at Colorado. "You came away with such a positive gut-level feeling," my mom said, and she's right. In spite of the negativity of being rejected, I see more silver lining than cloud in this situation.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Colorado open house: impressions

My distilled impressions of Colorado after the open house:
I really like it here. I like the program, I like the people, and I like the environment. I can see myself being happy here for the next four years - at least, as happy as one can expect to be while going through medical school.
However, I feel that my experience this weekend was to some extent hampered by the uncertainty in my situation, not knowing whether I will end up here or at UCSD. The majority of my potential classmates are definitely coming to Colorado, but I did meet a significant number of people who are in the same boat as me, who either have multiple acceptances and are here to get a second look, or are on a waiting list at a school that they may very well choose over Colorado.

Aside from getting a second look at the program itself, meeting my potential classmates was one of my primary goals of attending the open house. I was struck by how many people are "non-traditional" candidates like me, not straight out of college but with some real life experiences. A lot of them have advanced degrees, are in committed relationships, and some even have children. As part of the program, a panel of students addressed issues such as housing, living on a budget, balancing work and play, and having a family during medical school. It was helpful to hear directly from current students how they are coping with the pressures of school.

There was a barbecue after the scheduled presentations and panels, and after the barbecue, a big group of us went to the Rockies game downtown. That was when I felt I made some meaningful connections with the people who I might be going to school with for the next four years.

That was also when I realized that Colorado is beer country. Being a wine guy, this revelation was cause for concern (said tongue-in-cheek). "We're sitting in Coors Field," one person told me. "Of course we like our beer!" At a bar later that night, I took a beer taste test of sorts. "That one tastes fine, I guess," and wouldn't you know, it turned out to be Coors!

I came away from the Colorado Open House with overwhelmingly positive feelings about the prospect of going to medical school here. Despite the drastic difference of tuition between UCSD and Colorado, should I be given the opportunity to go to UCSD, deciding between UCSD and Colorado would be difficult.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Colorado open house

Around this time of year, medical schools hold open houses to give accepted applicants a "second look" at their program. I was invited to the Colorado open house this coming Friday, April 24. Regardless of my current state of flux (I won't hear back from UCSD for weeks, yet, if not months), I am moving forward with the assumption that I will be going to Colorado for medical school. I am very excited about this open house to meet my future classmates and professors and to get a better feel for the program. Here are some of the highlights of the day:
  • Faculty Panel on Tracks/Program Opportunities related to the Mentored Scholarly Activity (MSA)
  • Financing your medical education
  • Student panel topics: Maintaining Relationships, Choosing a Track and enjoying it, Managing Debt with good planning, surviving academic and personal challenges as a medical student.
  • Student barbecue and ice cream social
  • Rockies versus Dodgers game with current medical students

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The bucket list

My 81 year old grandfather (who, incidentally, is strong and healthy) told me this afternoon over a couple glasses of lemonade that attending my medical school graduation made it on his bucket list. This is a list of things that one wants to do or accomplish before kicking the bucket. I was touched that my personal journey of becoming a doctor means so much to him.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Drexel: Wait List

Well, I finally heard back from Drexel in a snail mail letter dated April 8. This is a week and a half longer than the long estimate they gave me of 6-8 weeks. It would have felt good knowing that I got into Drexel, but the reality is that I decided almost immediately after getting into Colorado that I would prefer Colorado over Drexel.

Interestingly, Drexel requested that I confirm my continued interest in writing:
  • I choose to accept your offer to be placed on the "Wait List."
  • I choose to decline your offer to be placed on the "Wait List."
They of course need this information to help them shape their incoming class. The flip side, though, is that I now get the puerile satisfaction of turning down Drexel without even having been admitted.

Jefferson: Rejected

Knew it was coming. Would take Colorado over Jefferson, anyways. No more needs to be said.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

UCSD: "Acceptable Pool"

I got an e-mail rather than a phone call from UCSD this morning, which means that I was placed in what they call the "Acceptable Pool" of applicants.
This pool is essentially an unranked waiting list. As the admissions season continues, individual applicants within the Acceptable Pool will be selected for admission – we anticipate that the first acceptances from this pool will occur in early May 2009.

What this means for me is that I have quite a bit more waiting and uncertainty ahead. Although I am obviously disappointed in the immediate outcome, I cannot say that I am all that surprised. It's a tricky business balancing hope and positive thinking with the pragmatism of acknowledging that the odds of acceptance are long in such a competitive process. Regardless of the final outcome, I feel comfortable knowing that I had my fair chance at getting into UCSD and that I did everything in my power to maximize that chance.

Still, though, the game is not over. UCSD will be admitting applicants from the Acceptable Pool starting early May and even up through July. Given that I will be preparing for a move to Colorado in the absence of a UCSD acceptance, I have to consider: At what point do I write off UCSD? Early June? Mid-June? July? Right up until the first day of classes at Colorado?

Saturday, April 4, 2009

UC Davis: Rejected

Like Irvine, UC Davis sent me a rejection e-mail (with a typo, even). They probably send e-mails rather than real letters to save costs, which is understandable, but it still comes off as cheap.

At this late stage in the game, I am only waiting to hear back from four more schools: UCSD should notify me on Tuesday (!); Drexel told me 6 to 8 weeks from the interview date, which was January 30; and I expect rejections from both Temple and Jefferson, schools that never invited me to interview.