Applying to Medical School - Page 42
ized by denial, resentment, and anger. This
leads to placing the blame for failure to
attain admission on others rather than oneself.
A third stage may follow in which
depressive behavior, instead of the rational
self-appraisal that is called for, becomes
apparent. Lethargy and fantasizing, as well as
anxiety, dominate the individual's per-
sonality.
It is obvious, then, that students who fail to
gain admission are confronted with a
major crisis that easily lends itself to
perception as having been brought about by others
or by uncontrollable factors. Most individuals
eventually work through the trauma of
rejection successfully, begin a realistic
appraisal, and successfully adjust to their new
situation. Some, however, remain in one of the
reactive stages noted above and may
need help to cope with the stress produced by
the circumstances in which they find
themselves.
For those unable to handle the impact of
admission failure, counseling by the
premedical advisor may prove beneficial. The
advisor, if necessary with the help of
other relevant and qualified personnel, should
initially seek to help the individual
maintain his or her sense of self-worth and
thus facilitate working through the crisis.
The individual next should be made to realize
that the failure should be perceived as
another of life's problems that needs resolving
and can be resolved successfully.
Finally, the advisor should offer assistance in
developing a strategy for meeting this
problem.
There are a significant number of rejected
applicants who, after careful considera-
tion, have concluded that neither reapplying to
or enrolling in a foreign medical school
is a viable option. Many of these individuals,
due to their background and interests, can
find a rewarding career in one of the health
sciences other than medicine, both allo-
pathic and osteopathic. Listed below are the
addresses of the professional organizations
for the fields of dentistry (see also Chapter
17), podiatry, optometry, pharmacy, and vet-
erinary medicine. These organizations can
provide detailed literature about their respec-
tive professions.
American Association of Colleges of Podiatric
Medicine
1350 Piccard Drive, Suite 322
Rockville, MD 20850
Association of Schools and Colleges of
Optometry
6110 Executive Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20852
American Association of Colleges of
Pharmacy
1426 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Association of American Veterinary Medical
Colleges
1101 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 710
Washington, DC 20005
Keys to Bouncing Back
Rejection of any sort has its negative impact
on an individual's personality. This is
especially true when it applies to medical
school admission; a serious blow to one's
self-esteem and psychological composure may
occur because a dream appears to
have been shattered. The nature of the response
to this crisis may determine whether
the individual will ultimately succeed, so a
critical choice must be made between
passive acceptance or taking appropriate
action. Obviously, the latter approach is
logical and hence preferable.
In summary, you should thoroughly reevaluate
your candidacy and carefully con-
sider the following options:
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