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Residency Applicants Have a Looming Date Ahead

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Here’s a quick reminder for residency candidates: Programs can start reviewing ERAS applications and MSPEs at 9 am EST on September 24.

There is an advantage to submitting your ERAS so that it’s in the first batch program directors (PD) see. As one of my PD friends wrote to me, since the residency application is arguably one of the biggest steps in one’s medical career, getting the application in as early as possible should be a given.

On the other hand, if your application is not in its optimal form, waiting a few days is preferable to submitting an inferior ERAS that will be tossed into the “do not invite” pile. 

Contact me ASAP for help with your residency application.

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How to Turn that Elephant in the Room into a Cuddly Kitten

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No medical school or residency application is perfect: That’s why it’s important you have a well-considered strategy for managing interview questions about gaps in your candidacy. Addressing a bumpy freshman year (pretty common) or a suboptimal Step 2 score with aplomb can make a big difference in how an interviewer, admissions committee, or program director perceives you.

Check out this KevinMD article I wrote a few years back about how to be upfront regarding a major deficiency in your candidacy and how to demonstrate strategically — with evidence from the remainder of your application — that the weakness is not representative of your abilities.

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Avoid the Trite

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The goal of your written materials (and your interview) is to distinguish yourself from everyone else to demonstrate that you are worthy of a competitive medical school, residency, fellowship, or postbaccalaureate slot.

Therefore, it’s critical that you avoid flowery or trite language: Using it does the opposite of making you distinctive. When I’m editing, I often reference a piece by Lisa Miller called, “When Did Everything Become a ‘Journey’?” about the overuse of the word. Miller cites linguistics professor Jesse Egbert who notes that “journey,” as a noun, has almost doubled in American English since 1990. 

In her piece, Miller also includes a wry quote from a Los Angeles clinical psychologist who describes the word “journey” as “eye-rollingly cheapened.” In editing personal statements, I see the word used frequently – maybe once in every four essays I revise.

Good writing takes a lot of time – brainstorming, outlining, and many drafts. Make sure your written materials are the best they can be by being diligent about your process (and by getting help).

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Medical School Interview Tips: What Do AdComs Really Want?

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For those of you who’ve submitted your secondary essays, it’s time to start thinking about medical school interviews. Here are tips on what medical school admissions officers/committees are seeking:

1. They want someone distinctive. Your goal is to distinguish yourself from all of the other applicants by showcasing your accomplishments. Anyone can say s/he wants to help people or is hard working. Fewer candidates can prove it with their pre-professional achievements.

2. They want to ensure you’re committed to medicine and you have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Medical school is tough; the institutions are not seeking someone who is ambivalent and might quit. Giving examples of your clinical experience can help.

3. The schools want to ensure you’re reasonable. They want to see that you don’t have a problem personality, aren’t going to harass your colleagues, and aren’t going to cause the institution embarrassment or extra work. Being professional during the interview day and having strong letters are important.

4. They want to hear you’re particularly interested in their program. You can convince them of your enthusiasm by knowing specifics about the school and city.

You would never take the MCAT without practicing first, and yet, countless applicants go to medical school interviews without preparing. If you’re interested in working with me, please hire me soon, as I’m booking up for September.

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Doctors’ Longevity Benefits Don’t Apply to Everyone

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It’s well known that there are longevity advantages to higher education and income, however a recent study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers Christopher M. Worsham, MD, MPH, and Anupam “Bapu” Jena, MD, PhD demonstrated that female physicians don’t reap those benefits. Neither do Black doctors. 

Black women physicians were shown to have the highest mortality rate in the profession.

A recent AAMC article reporting on the study also touches on other gender inequities, including female physicians’ excessive burnout and home responsibilities, experience of sexual harassment, likelihood to quit medicine, as well as their lower pay. 

Check out the AAMC piece with more details here.

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About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

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

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Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the White Coat Investor podcast:

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the FeminEm podcast: