Many of you read the recent news that NYU Medical School will charge nothing for tuition going forward. Here’s a great entry from the CrispyDoc blog that sums up the fact that this announcement is going to completely change medical education going forward – and why.
Blog Archives
AMCAS is in the House
The AMCAS submission date came and went, and the question I’m getting now is: Should I be panicking if I haven’t submitted my AMCAS yet?
The answer is no… and, depending on where you are in the process, yes. Submitting on Day 1 precisely is not worth losing your mind over, so if you didn’t do so, please do not kick yourself. On the other hand, submitting very soon is to your advantage because of rolling admissions.
So, if you are wrapping up your work and have your written materials in a superior state, just keep moving and get your application submitted promptly. If you are behind the eight ball and don’t feel that you can craft outstanding written materials speedily, consider waiting a year to apply. Every season I encounter re-applicants who submitted their AMCASes in August or September.
So… on your mark. Get set. Go!
An Offer You Can’t Refuse
I speak to a few lucky medical school and residency applicants who are asked to write their own letters of recommendation. If you have this opportunity, first, realize that it is not unethical to write your own letter if you’re asked to do so. If you’d like to explore the scruples of this issue, take a look at this New York Times ethicist column about this topic.
The mistake I see candidates make in these situations is that applicants don’t write strong enough letters for themselves because they feel awkward about showcasing their accomplishments fully. If you have the opportunity to write your own letter, craft a glowing one. Be effusive and full-throated in your remarks about yourself. Remember that the letter-writer can choose to tone down the recommendation if she doesn’t agree. But if she does, you’ve utilized an opportunity fully and bolstered your candidacy tremendously.
Haven’t Heard Back from a Medical School or Residency Program? Here’s What to Do.
One of the more frustrating aspects of the medical school and residency admissions processes is the lack of response from some institutions. There is no obligation for medical schools or residency programs to reply to a candidate, which leaves applicants in limbo.
If you have not heard back from medical schools or residency programs to which you’ve applied, I recommend that you contact (preferably call) the institutions to inquire about your status.
After I offered that advice to a residency applicant I was advising, she emailed me to say she obtained an interview in a competitive specialty with a phone call. Another said she received two preliminary interviews with simple emails. (I recommend calls over emails, however, because it’s hard to ignore someone on the other end of a phone line. Still, if you simply can’t bring yourself to call, an email can be effective.)
I’ve seen this phone call strategy work for medical school interviews as well: Several years ago I helped a strong applicant who had been rejected by a top medical school. He thought he was a very good fit for this particular institution, so he called the school to make his case. Surprisingly, after the applicant’s phone call, the school granted him an interview, reversing their original rejection. Ultimately, after being initially rejected, this applicant was admitted to that top school. Of course, this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. But to me, the moral of this story is that it is worth being assertive in the application process.Now, if the school or program explicitly asks in written materials that you don’t contact them about your status, then calling is not a good idea.
If you have not heard back from medical schools or residency programs to which you’ve applied, I recommend that you contact (preferably call) the institutions to inquire about your status.
After I offered that advice to a residency applicant I was advising, she emailed me to say she obtained an interview in a competitive specialty with a phone call. Another said she received two preliminary interviews with simple emails. (I recommend calls over emails, however, because it’s hard to ignore someone on the other end of a phone line. Still, if you simply can’t bring yourself to call, an email can be effective.)
I’ve seen this phone call strategy work for medical school interviews as well: Several years ago I helped a strong applicant who had been rejected by a top medical school. He thought he was a very good fit for this particular institution, so he called the school to make his case. Surprisingly, after the applicant’s phone call, the school granted him an interview, reversing their original rejection. Ultimately, after being initially rejected, this applicant was admitted to that top school. Of course, this is an exceedingly rare occurrence. But to me, the moral of this story is that it is worth being assertive in the application process.Now, if the school or program explicitly asks in written materials that you don’t contact them about your status, then calling is not a good idea.
An additional strong option is to send an effective update letter or letter of recommendation from an influential writer (alumus, for example). I do edit letters of update/interest for medical school and residency applicants, but even if you choose not to use my services, I recommend sending a well-written, strategic note in addition to making a phone call.
This process is an uncertain one, but asserting some small bit of control can be useful (and comforting).
An Offer You Can’t Refuse
I speak to a few lucky medical school and residency applicants who are asked to write their own letters of recommendation. If you have this opportunity, first, realize that it is not unethical to write your own letter if you’re asked. If you’d like to explore the scruples of this issue, take a look at this New York Times ethicist column about this exact topic.
The mistake I see candidates make in these situations is that they feel awkward about showcasing their accomplishments fully in their letters. If you have this opportunity, write a glowing letter. Be effusive and full-throated in your compliments to yourself. After all, the letter writer can always tone it down if s/he doesn’t agree. But if s/he does, you have bolstered your candidacy tremendously.
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
