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…
7 To-Dos for Canadians Applying to U.S. Med Schools
Each year, Canadian medical school hopefuls look across the border for their medical education. While there are obvious challenges (adapting to a different health care system, returning to a Canadian residency, and much higher education costs), the higher acceptance rates at U.S. programs (about 36.2% overall per AAMC, as compared to around 19.6% in Canada)…
Medical Schools That Prefer Committee Letters (and Which Don’t!)
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…
Pursuing a Career in Medicine Beyond the Expectations of Her Community
Learn how real students navigate their way through the medical school admissions process and med school itself with our What is Medical School Really Like? series. Meet Eliana, a wife, mother, and aspiring OBGYN on a mission to empower women in her community. Eliana, thank you for sharing your story with us! Where do you attend medical…
Stony Brook University School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Tips
Stony Brook SOM is located in New York. It has a three-part mission that includes research, education and service. For students interested in applying to SBU SOM, you will need to do thorough research and use secondary sources to learn more about the school. If it is one of your top choices or you are…
Medicinal Magic and Magical Medicine: An Interview with M3 David Elkin [Episode 207]
Our guest today is a fourth year medical student at Stony Brook who graduated from UC San Diego with a bachelors in Physiology and Neuroscience. Nothing too unusual there for a medical student. However, things start to get interesting, maybe even enchanting, when we learn a little about his hobby: magic. He has been performing…