Find Healthy Ways to Deal With Medical School Rejection

This is the time of year when medical schools wind down their interview season and send letters of rejection to those students who were not placed on an alternate list. This is distressing to students who are used to achieving their goals and don't understand why they were not accepted.

There are a diversity of approaches to how students can deal with this disappointing news.

Recently I recently heard a TED talk by Stanford University professor Carol Dweck, Ph.D., who spoke about the two ways students react to failure. The first type react to failure as disastrous and ruinous, having what Dweck calls a "fixed mindset." Typically, these are the students for whom success has become an expectation.

The other type of students have what Dweck calls a "growth mindset." Students with a growth mindset know that they're on a learning curve and have confidence that they can develop their abilities, they just don't have the abilities now.

This "not yet" attitude, as Dweck calls it, is part of the growth mindset. If students with this attitude fail at a test, for example, they wouldn't say they're a failure and run from future challenges. Rather, they would say they are not yet successful and embrace the opportunity to try again.

[Learn about four common mistakes that lead to medical school rejection.]

We all can understand the difficulty people with a fixed mindset face when they, perform poorly on an exam or fail at mastering a second language. But unless they can transform their fixed mindset into a growth mindset, they will be devastated by rejection, and that includes rejection from medical schools. But the good news is that they can change.

If you feel you have a fixed mindset, you can work toward developing a growth mindset. First, know that every time you tackle a difficult challenge, as Dweck pointed out in her talk, you're creating newer, stronger neurons, which will boost your intellect and abilities. Second, be honest with yourself. In terms of getting into medical school, take an honest look at your application.

Think about how well your essays were written and if your grades demonstrated what you really know. Perhaps you could have done better on the MCAT. If you were lucky and had an interview, think about how it went.

Once you have looked at the process, ask others for their input. This includes your premed adviser, staff in medical admissions departments and others who may be able to comment on your interpersonal and communication skills. Examine everything about yourself, from how well you interact verbally with others to how well you show interest in others.

[Here are some ways medical school hopefuls can cope with rejection.]

There are many applicants who have called me for advice, and some have used that advice. Examples include a student who actively began a course in public speaking, others who sought treatment for anxiety, some who studied and retook the MCAT, some who practiced interviews with a coach and others who took a gap year to allow for time to take more science courses.

I once spoke with a prospective student who demonstrated a fixed mindset. He wanted to talk with me about why he wasn't admitted to medical school. In reviewing his application and interview notes, I identified multiple points that I believed he could consider to improve his chances for the next year.

He argued with me about each point. I realized then that he wasn't seeking my help but was attempting to prove that the admissions committee was wrong about him. He simply couldn't accept that he was not yet ready for medical school.

If an applicant isn't ready to learn from what didn't work and try a new approach, they might not be ready to become a physician. I will never be as good as I can be, but I will continue to learn from my mistakes. If applicants choose not to do this, it might be a time to reflect on other career options.

Another student was advised to take a course to improve his interpersonal communication. He knew that he had to learn how to be a better listener, how to explain his ideas clearly how and demonstrate passion for what truly mattered to him.

He was accepted to medical school the following year. But more important than that was his determination to get better and better in this area. He realized that patients didn't just want a diagnosis and treatment plan, but sincere communication. This is a great example of growth mindset, as he continued to improve his skills, became chief resident and later a faculty leader.

Keep in mind that opportunity abounds, even for those who fail and even for those who get rejected by one, two or even three or more medical schools. If I were applying to medical school, I would approach rewriting an application or interviewing in the next cycle being grateful for the opportunity to try again.

People with a growth mindset are able to see opportunities where others, while those with a fixed mindset see defeat. Those with a growth mindset are eager to try again, to try harder. To them, a missed opportunity isn't a reflection on their ability or intelligence. Rather, it's an invitation to embrace effort, hard work and perseverance.

Kathleen Franco, M.D., is associate dean of admissions and student affairs at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. She previously served both as director of residency training and director of medical student training in psychiatry at Cleveland Clinic. She is board-certified in psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine and attended Medical College of Ohio -- Toledo.