You’ve taken the MCAT, maybe even applied and been rejected. Discouraged? Don’t be. Hear Dr. Allie’s story.

Allie Lyle had wanted to be a doctor since she was 14. More specifically she wanted to be a pediatrician. And she pursued this path diligently. But the MCAT and a few mistakes got in her way. She didn’t let them stop her and today she is a pediatric resident.

Can you give us a little background on your path to medicine and your pediatric residency? [0:44]

I am the first doctor in my family. I shadowed my pediatrician for a school project when I was in high school and from then on I knew I wanted to do some form of medicine that involved kids. I majored in biochemistry in college, and my extracurriculars revolved around children. After college I earned a masters in bioethics and medical humanities, got married, and worked in research for a few years while my husband finished his engineering degree. I was finally accepted to medical school and we had our daughter at the end of my first year. Last spring I successfully matched into pediatrics, and am now a pediatrics intern, which means I am in my first year. It’s no secret I applied to medical school four times, but in this age of social media where you see “picture perfect” snapshots of life, I think it’s important for people to realize success doesn’t always come without obstacles.

Linda: I agree, and that’s one of the reasons I invited you on the show. People need to hear from medical students/residents who didn’t have smooth sailing the whole way, because frankly, most people do have bumps along the way. The last statistic I heard is that 39% of applicants to allopathic medical schools were accepted, which means 61% weren’t! Struggles are not talked about nearly enough, so I think it’s really important you share your story.

Let’s go back to when you applied: What was the hardest part of the application process for you? [2:55]

The application process is so long and hard and intricate. The application opens in early spring, and if you are waitlisted you might not hear anything until the following August – over a year later. In general, people applying to medical school are Type-A planners, wanting to know things ahead of time, and it is just so slow! Also, on a personal level, I am such an introvert that trying to sell myself in the interview process was hard – it’s very unnatural for me to talk about my successes and brag a bit.

On your blog you list 5 mistakes you made during your 3 unsuccessful application efforts. To help the listeners avoid these errors, do you mind reviewing them? [4:06]

One is applying to too few schools. Prior to my first application, my advisor told me my best bet was to apply to a state school. Since it was my dream school, I only applied to that school, with one interview and one shot at acceptance. I was waitlisted, only to wait until August of that next year to hear there wasn’t room in the class for me. Another error was not having enough advisors – I recommend multiple, so you can get as much advice as possible. Applying early is important, too. If you are late, why should they look at you? I also had to take the MCAT more than once. My first score was average,