We are approximately 5 weeks from the submission deadline. I hope that most of you are well under way in having your applications completed. We have over 2100 open applications at this time. However, historically 25-30% are either never submitted or closed for a variety of factors.
Today, I am writing to ask all of you to reflect on how the AdCom should look upon two disturbing things that we have already seen happen:
1. Applicants contacting the office to ask about the status of their transcripts.
We make it quite clear in the applicant manual that applicants should not be contacting the office. We also bold and highlight this on the first page of the application. This clogs up the inbox and/or the phone message line. Despite being very clear in our instructions we are receiving many emails with this exact request. So the question is how should the office and AdCom look upon these applicants. Is this simply an applicant who can’t follow simple instructions? This would be concerning for an individual who believes they are ready for medical school. Is this an applicant who reads and understands the instructions but believes they are above the rules? Or, is this simply someone who despite our messaging just needs constant reassurance? All of these our potential concerns. We are noting those who insist on messaging us despite the instructions.
2. Applicants listing experiences/publications that do not qualify in the publications section.
Once again we are very clear of what qualifies in this section and what does not. It is in the applicant manual. It has been repeated on this blog. Again, this boils down to the simple ability to read instructions or the decision to ignore what we have outlined and thinking this does not pertain to me. The office is even referring applicants back to the sections of the applicant manual and the blog. DO NOT LIST PRESENTATIONS AT LOCAL UNIVERSITY MEETINGS. DO NOT LIST MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION,SUBMITTED, UNDER REVIEW, UNDER REVISION.
We are reserving the right to close applications based on misrepresentation in this section.
