Part of your AMCAS application requires that you write about your “meaningful experiences.” Do you want to create a winning AMCAS application? Then let’s jump right into learning about how to choose and write about your experiences… “I became a better listener from volunteering on help lines.” “Joining the college debate team enhanced my ability…
The Activities Section: The Side Dishes That Make Your AMCAS Application Delicious
It’s summertime, and for me that means barbecues on the deck, specifically with the company of friends. I was recently enjoying a cook-out at one friend’s home in particular, and gracious as my hosts were, I felt a bit daunted by the huge piece of steak that filled my plate, accompanied by a small scoop…
Watch Words: Advice For M3 Students
In the past, I’ve blogged about keeping a diary during your rotations. Here are three things you can watch for during your rotations that will get you in great shape for later: 1. Watch your attendings. What did your attending do today that struck you? This can be anything, from observing how they reacted to a patient’s…
Improve Your MCAT Score for Medical School Acceptance
In the next section of our Medical School Reapplicant Advice: 6 Tips for Success, 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 a 32), a better-prepared…
Presenting Yourself to Medical Schools: Other Communications
In the last part of our Medical School Reapplicant Advice: 6 Tips for Success series we discussed the importance of assessing your dinged application, especially your personal statement. Today we’ll talk about other opportunities for you to shine – not through the personal statement, but through secondary essays and interviews. With the multi-staged admissions process, applicants can make…
Reapplying to Med School: Evaluating Your Medical School Profile
This is the first blog post in our series, Medical School Reapplicant Advice: 6 Tips for Success. Hopefully by now, you have your acceptance in hand and are gearing up for Fall. If so, then congratulations and good luck! But what if all you’ve received are rejections? To start with, know you’re not alone. Last year,…
Med School Kicks Off: Ten Tips to Get You Through The Season
Medical school hopefuls are getting ready to work on those 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 Colleges…
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…
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…