The medical school cycle is revving up, and it’s (past) time to get started on your application. Here’s an article I wrote for Student Doctor Network called “Ten Ways to Improve your Medical School Application.” The piece includes statistical truths, strategies for optimizing your approach, and philosophical guidance.
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Med Schools Have No Patience for No Patients
For those undergraduates who are starting to think about their medical school applications, I will tell you a secret: One of the biggest weaknesses I advise candidates on is their lack of clinical experience. I’ve seen students with outstanding MCAT scores who did not get into medical school on their first try. They had little or no patient experience.
So, ensure your application has robust clinical activities. Some suggestions:
Scribe
Clinical Care Extender
EMT
Low Income Clinic Volunteer
Hospice Volunteer
Veterinarian’s Assistant (a great way to get hands-on procedural experience)
Phlebotomist
If you are not excited about getting clinical experience, it is time to question your interest in a career in medicine… which is exactly what admissions committees will do if they don’t see that experience :).
Take a look below at my Guru on the Go© Video about this topic.
Secondary Essays: Why Do You Want to Attend Our School?
Secondary essay prompts vary, but there are a few that are standard fare. “Why do you want to attend our school?” is a common topic pre-meds will encounter.
Medical school admissions officers want to be assured that you know their institution, are seriously considering it, and will fit in well there. In approaching the “why-our-school” question, do your research on the institution and link something specific about you with the school’s philosophy, curriculum, surrounding patient population, and/or extracurricular programs.
For instance, if you were a teaching assistant for chemistry in college, you might link your use of the Socratic method with a school’s tutorial-based learning. In that way, you demonstrate knowledge of the school, show that you connect well with it, and showcase your accomplishment.
Can a Medical School See the Names of the Other Medical Schools You Apply to?
Medical school applicants sometimes worry about adversely affecting their chances of admission because they might “offend” one school by applying to others. Good news: Schools will not know which other institutions or how many other institutions you applied to through AMCAS.
However, later in the season, medical schools at which you are accepted will be able to see at which other schools you are holding acceptances. But, of course, at that point, it’s too late for that information to harm you.
So, rest assured, applying broadly will not adversely affect your chances at an individual school.
Personal Statement Russian Roulette #2
Last week I showcased a personal statement mistake to avoid. Here’s another common one simplified in a stop-motion Guru on the Go© video. This advice applies to residency applicants as well.
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
Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on The Visible Voices podcast:
Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the White Coat Investor podcast:
Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the FeminEm podcast:
