For those of you medical school applicants who are fortunate enough to have more than one acceptance by the end of this cycle, I would recommend looking into research by Dan Chambliss, author of How College Works. I also heard him interviewed on the Your College Bound Kid podcast. Chambliss argues that colleges work best when students form robust connections with other students and with faculty because human bonding is a major driver of learning, belonging, and motivation.
Chambliss’ assertions are based on a 10-year study of Hamilton College students, who were tracked over time to identify the experiences that matter most in college. In choosing a learning institution, he recommends asking yourself:
- Will I find my people here?
- Will I know my professors here?
- Will this place make connection easy?
While we can’t say for sure that these findings apply to medical school, they sure do make intuitive sense. I’m still in daily contact through text with multiple medical school friends! Peers were the best part of medical school for me.
