Just a reminder that the ERAS Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) release is scheduled for today – October 1st – instead of November 1st, as in years past. Likely this will lead to earlier interview invitations at many residency programs.
If you are interested in mock interview assistance, please consider contacting me early, so you are not caught with a surprisingly early interview without professionally-guided practice.
This is just a quick reminder that residency applicants can begin applying to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) residency programs tomorrow, September 15.
I recently read this article in the New York Times regarding recruiting and keeping women at Google. Toward the bottom of the piece is something that is relevant to those applying to medical school, residency, fellowship, and dental school. Here’s the excerpt:
Google’s spreadsheets, for example, showed that some women who applied for jobs did not make it past the phone interview. The reason was that the women did not flaunt their achievements, so interviewers judged them unaccomplished.
My Mock Interview clients know that I reinforce that applicants must showcase their accomplishments fully. In the almost ten years I’ve conducted real and practice interviews, I’ve noticed that women and non-U.S. born candidates are more likely to be “overly modest” in interviews. Although modesty is an excellent trait, one doesn’t want to be overlooked because s/he is not highlighting important achievements. If you feel that it’s rude to “brag,” consider that you are really just stating facts when you speak to an interviewer about what you’ve done. Remember, too, that by understating your achievements you may be overlooked when others are skillfully showcasing successes.
For Mock Interview help, contact me. Please note: I am currently booking 2 to 3 weeks in advance.
In writing their personal statements, some candidates end their essays with a plea like “I hope your residency program will see me as a valuable candidate who is eager to learn and work.”
Imagine that you are a lawyer in front of a judge. How can you best argue the case that you will be an excellent resident? With examples! Keeping that idea in mind will help you show – not tell.
Remember that if you are writing an effective, persuasive document with explicit examples of what makes you a distinctive applicant, you won’t need to make a second person appeal because your accomplishments will make your case for you.
I receive a lot of questions about the “why-our-school” secondary essay prompt. Although it’s a lot of work, the goal here is to research each school and then link your qualities or interests with the school’s.
The mistake I see made is that applicants tend to use generalities, e.g. “XX University is an excellent match for me because I am seeking a medical school with an outstanding faculty and a focus on research.” That sentence does not afford the admissions committee members a sense that the applicant is interested in their institution. On the contrary, it sounds like something anyone could have written about any school.
Say your interests and accomplishments are linked to the underserved. Look into the school’s commitment to that community – a free clinic at which the medical students volunteer, a medical student program to teach sex education in a struggling public high school, etc. Then, in your essay, specifically mention your achievements and the school’s associated opportunities.
Remember: Schools want to see that you like them!
For those who need some guidance, here’s information about my secondary essay service.
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more
