One of the most popular secondary questions asked by medical schools is “why our program?” Saying why you’re attracted to a particular school can be hard thing to explain, especially when you’ve looked at so many programs that they seem to blur. I think that’s why I so often see the same answer: “early clinical…
First Drafts of Personal Statements: Let Yourself Go
First drafts. These are probably the hardest part of the whole process for would-be applicants. There’s a sense of overwhelmedness, of trying to capture so much of your experience onto a single page. I’ve read hundreds of first drafts over the years. To be honest, most were okay. Not stellar, granted, but most could be…
Early Decision for Medical School: Does It Make Sense For You?
Do you have a dream school, the one place where you’ve always wanted to study medicine, and no other place will do? Do you have a compelling reason for this one program, maybe a spouse whose job requires them to be in this location or your only living family member is in the area? There…
Meaningful Experiences For Medical School Applicants
“From volunteering on help lines, I became a better listener.” “Joining the college debate team enhanced my ability to organize and present a case clearly.” “Despite communication barriers, I made strong personal connections with my host family while studying in Costa Rica.” I’ve done all these things. It’s obvious that they’re meaningful, right? Well, not…
Dear Diary…: Advice for Third-Year Medical Students
What are you doing to prepare for the residency match? Chances are, you’re up to your eyeballs with rotations and exams and everything else that goes into finishing your medical degree. Chances are, you’re really not thinking much about your personal statement. Not to sound like a Bowflex commercial, but what if I told you…
The Activities Section: The Side Dishes That Make Your AMCAS Application Delicious
It’s summertime, and here that means barbecues on the deck – grilling meat, specifically, if you’re one of a certain group of friends who invited me over for a recent Stanley Cup game. Gracious as my hosts were, I felt a bit daunted by the huge piece of steak that filled my plate, accompanied by…
Experiences That Count for Medical School Reapplicants
In the final section of our Medical School Reapplicant Advice: 6 Tips for Success series, we’ll discuss how reapplicants should improve, and then present, their experiences. One last factor that can seriously hurt your chances is a lack of substantive, ongoing experiences. Medical schools want students who are passionate and committed – to the world around…
Improve Your MCAT Score for Medical School Acceptance
In the next section of our Medical School Reapplicant Advice: 6 Tips for Success series, we’ll move from increasing your GPA to improving your MCAT score. Fortunately, it’s easier to tackle a poor MCAT score than a poor GPA. While you should not retake the exam too many times (don’t bother retaking if you’ve scored above…
Med School Kick-Off: Ten Tips to Get You Through the Season
In just a few weeks, medical school hopefuls will start submitting applications. This can be an awfully hectic time as you try to stay on top of everything. Here are ten tips to help you hit the ground running: 1) Get cozy with the AMCAS/AACOMAS. These two services (the acronyms stand for the American Medical…
Medical School Rankings: What Are They Worth?
Last week, US News and World Report released their list of the 2014 Best Medical Schools (designed for applicants to the Class of 2014). Their rankings are not at all surprising – in primary care, nine of the top 10 are still holding strong, with only the University of Alabama Birmingham rising from last year’s…
