In 2010, McMaster University, the Canadian university that created the MMI (multiple mini interview) format, implemented a new test called CASPer (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics). This situational judgment test (SJT) assesses core competencies related to social intelligence and professionalism, including collaboration, problem solving, empathy, and ethics. As of this date, nearly 600 programs…
When Will Medical Schools Give You an Answer?
This post addresses some of the big questions on med school applicants’ minds: How long does a medical school have to invite an applicant to submit a secondary application? (Go there) When to expect interview invitations for medical school (or a response of ‘thanks, but no thanks’?) (Go there) Final interview invite date and update…
Zucker SOM at Hofstra/Northwell Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]
The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell is a nationally recognized leader in medical research, partnering with the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, specializing in immunology, bioelectronic medicine, neuroscience, cancer biology, genetics and genomics. Their medical school is highly competitive. The average metrics for the 2021…
Which Allopathic U.S. Medical Schools Prefer Committee Letters?
Collecting letters of recommendation is a stressful part of the medical school application process. To make it easier for you to decide which letters to collect, I did the research! (You’re welcome.) There is an exciting development this year—there are no longer any medical schools that require a pre-health committee letter of recommendation from your…
What Do the Medical School Admissions Teams Say About Admissions?
Can you think of a better source of medical school admissions advice than the admissions committee directors and deans themselves? Well, neither could we. And that’s why Linda Abraham, founder of Accepted and admissions guru in her own right, has been inviting med school deans, admissions directors, and other admissions insiders as guests on the…
Medical School Interviews During COVID-19: What You Need to Know
This is a particularly challenging year for med school interviews, not least due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unavailability of testing in the spring. Now comes the newest change, entirely virtual interviews and in some cases a video interview: AAMC’s Video Tool for Admissions (VITA) program, which launched this year to…
How to Approach VITA, AAMC’s New Video Interview
To address the novel challenges the pandemic has created, the AAMC will be using a video recording in place of in-person interviews. They are calling it the AAMC Video Interview Tool for Admissions (AAMC VITA). It is being offered at no cost to applicants since it is a pilot program and will be available from…
How to Get Into Zucker SOM at Hofstra/Northwell [Episode 333]
Interview with Dr. Rona Woldenberg, Associate Dean for Admissions at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell [Show Summary] We interviewed today’s guest almost three years ago about Hofstra/Northwell’s fairly new medical school. A lot has changed since then and Dean of Admissions, Dr. Rona Woldenberg, bring us up to date on what’s new at…
Allopathic Medical School Interview Styles: From Traditional to New Approaches
Your interview is the next and hopefully final step in your journey to medical school acceptance. Are you ready for it? Before prepping for your interview, you’ll need to know what type of interview you’ll be having. There are four main types of medical school interviews that you can expect at an allopathic med school:…
Get Accepted to Hofstra Medical [Episode 179]
Ten years ago, the AAMC looked with alarm at the increasing and aging U.S. population and the aging physician workforce, and called for an increase in medical school enrollment of 30% by 2015. At least partially in response to that call to action, approximately seven years ago Hofstra University and North Shore-LIJ Health System established…