Rejections

An inevitable part of the med school application cycle is dealing with rejection. It's understandable. When a school has to go through anywhere between ~5,000-10,000 applications for ~100 -150 spots for the incoming class, you better brace yourself for lots of rejections! Last week, I was rejected by several schools. The latest “purge” got me to thinking about rejections and failures in general (and maybe something we can all learn from). 

My feelings towards all these rejections are mixed. On the one hand, I came into the process fully aware that I will be rejected from many places. On the other hand, a couple of the rejections stung a bit because I actually thought I had a fighting chance to land an interview at least.Oddly, I'm actually grateful for these particular rejections.

Up until now, I guess life went the way I wanted it to. I worked hard to get the results / outcomes I wanted. I never had any doubts. However, once I started attending MIT, I got a little...complacent. Don't get me wrong; I was extremely humbled to be learning alongside brilliant minds and being taught by notable professors. I worked hard to keep up with everyone else, but I always relied on the excuse that MIT is almost "designed" to be harder than most other schools in the nation to make myself feel better when I didn't do as well on a test or when I didn't put the effort into a project when I knew I could do more. Even after graduating college, I landed that consulting job without too much stress.

But those couple of med school rejections that stung me gave me the serious wake-up call I needed. I've been complacent for way too long. The possibility that I couldn't get what I wanted even after putting in (what I thought were) my best efforts is scary. I have not felt that uncertainty or fear in a long time, and it's actually inspiring me to hustle and try harder than what I've done these past few years. I recently read a quote somewhere that says "I'm not telling you it's going to be easy; I'm telling you it's going to be worth it". This quote couldn't be more accurate for what is to come. Med school is a long, tough journey, but being a doctor is what I ultimately want to be. Interestingly, these rejections are reigniting my passion for medicine and encouraging me to face the challenges that are to come.

Hopefully my experiences with rejection can help you, because I honestly think this experience is applicable for anyone. If there's a goal / dream you want, find any possible way to get it. Don't be complacent. Stay humble, always remind yourself why you want it, and don't be discouraged by rejection / failure. We can do it guys!