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Medical School Applications. Prepared for MAPS Pre-Medical Students: April 14, 2010 Presenter: Isabella Nga Lai Harvard University, B.A. 2009 Stanford School of Medicine, M.D. 2014. What are you getting yourself into?. Attending Manage an office? Solicit referrals?
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Medical School Applications Prepared for MAPS Pre-Medical Students:April 14, 2010 Presenter: Isabella Nga Lai Harvard University, B.A. 2009 Stanford School of Medicine, M.D. 2014
What are you getting yourself into? • Attending • Manage an office? • Solicit referrals? • Negotiate with insurers? • Return calls and e-mails • Answer pages? • Fill out forms? • Give depositions? • In Between • >50% take at least a year between college and med school • Med School • 2 years of science courses • 1 year of core rotations: intense, enlightening, humiliating • 1 year of electives • +/- additional years for research or second degrees • Residency • 1 year internship • Years of Residency • Long hours • Low pay • Little autonomy • Positions assigned using match system • Fellowship • Specialty training • Optional, but becoming more common • Hours and pay similar to residency
DEBT Average debt is over $150,000 80% of medical students have over $100,000 of debt Debt and Salary SALARY • Intern/Resident: $50,000 • Fellow: $60,000 • Attending: $150,000 • Nurse: $45,000 • Pharmacist: $110,000 • Dentist: $200,000
So you want to go to Med School? • Fill out the AMCAS! • AMCAS = American Medical College Application • This is the primary application for most of the schools: www.aamc.org • They do not consider your application until you turn in your primary applications, your scores (transcript/MCAT), your recommendations, AND secondaries • Students always dilly-dally with secondaries: DO NOT be one of these students
So you want to go to Med School? • Biographical Information • Disadvantage Status • Academic Record • Grades and MCAT Scores • Experience • Experience Type • Experience Name • Contact Name/Title • Organization and Location of Organization • Description • Personal Statement • Letters of Recommendations
Biographical Information • Fill out information about yourself • If you don’t know this…we’re in trouble!
Disadvantage Status • Explain what makes you disadvantaged • Where did you grow up? • How much did your parents make? • Have you been underserved? *All these things are taken into consideration when you apply* Don’t have a pity story but don’t downplay yourself either. You are amazing, make sure they know that!
Academic Record • The MOST important factor • Medical school is a gazillion times more challenging than undergrad! • Can you handle undergrad? • Can you handle the stress of the MCAT? • Reconsider your priorities if you said NO to both
Experience • Experience types: (you will have to categorize each of your experiences according to the choices they give you from a pull down menu) • Paid employment-military • Paid employment-non-military • Extracurricular/hobbies/avocations • Honors/Awards • Community Service/volunteering-medical • Community service/volunteering-non medical • Research/lab • Teaching/tutoring • Artistic endeavors • Journalism/publications • Leadership not listed elsewhere • Other • Experience Name • Contact Name/Title • Organization and Location • Description
Personal Statement • Not that important…but NEEDS to be done well • Chance to show adcom something else about you • Significant life experiences? • Personal development? • Potential to be a great physicial? QUESTIONS: • Why do you want to be a doctor? • To help people? Or is it something else? • What activities/life experiences have make you the person that you are (which is a person qualified to be a physician)? • What do you want to ultimately do as a physician? • Where do you see yourself in 10 years? TIPS: • Sample essays: http://www.studentdoctor.net/essays/index.asp • START EARLY! • Paint a picture of yourself that you want to present to the adcom
Recommendation Letters • Choosing the RIGHT recommenders: • You want one recommender for each category: Some that can talk about… • Academics (talk about your abilities in the classroom and class work) • Research (highlight your scientific abilities: not only knowledge of techniques but if you can think like a scientist) • Clinical Experience (highlight your love for treating patients) • Personal Attributes (highlight your personality) • Leadership (demonstrate that you can lead) • Asking for recommendations • Be polite and give them ample of time (1-2 months!) • Tell them deadline • Give them your personal statement and scores • Clearly tell them points you want them to address in the letter • Directly ask them to write you the “STRONGEST” letter • If they cannot, then they might not be the best person to ask
Interview Tips • Be yourself: kind, considerate, polite, intelligent, confident, etc. • Prepare certain answers: • Tell me about yourself • Why do you want to be a doctor/physician? • Why medicine? • Tell me about your research • What qualities make a good physician? Do you posses them? • Look at my notes for more sample questions • Dress professionally • Know currents events in medicine and the healthcare system • Mock interviews!
The Path Researchers Doctors Educators Med Student Leaders
My Path Doctor??? Medical Student My Personal Statement:http://www.sfms.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=2875&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm
