Blog Archives

Great Podcast Episodes for College Applicants on Pre-med Paths

For those high school students already considering a career in medicine, I recommend a recent, two-part Your College Bound Kid (YCBK) podcast series. YCBK is run by Mark Stucker, a genial college counselor who covers a panoply of topics on the college admissions process. 

He and his colleague Susan Tree recently spoke about what pre-med students should be looking for and avoiding when considering colleges. They get down to the nitty-gritty, including inflated medical school acceptance statistics, specific institutions that offer mentored research programs, and the corporatization of modern medicine. The episodes are number 537 and 539.

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AAMC MCAT Prep Workshop – November 8

The AAMC is offering a free webinar “Preparing for the MCAT® Exam” on November 8 at noon PST/3 PM EST. They’re publicizing that the session will include tips for creating a study plan, low-cost prep resources, a demo of their free MCAT Contact Outline Course, and time to ask questions. You can register here. (You will need to create a free AAMC account if you don’t have one.)

As an aside, if you believe you qualify for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP), make sure to apply for it early. This year’s deadline is December 8. The FAP covers the MCAT, but the grant is not retroactive.

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AMCAS Opens for Submission on Thursday

The AMCAS open-for-submission date is this Thursday, May 27. While submitting on Thursday is to your advantage because of rolling admissions, getting that application in at 9:30am EST on May 27 is not worth losing your mind over, so if you simply can’t, please don’t kick yourself.

If you’re wrapping up your work and have your written materials in a superior state, just keep moving and get your application submitted promptly. If you’re 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, during the previous cycle, submitted their AMCASes in August or September…thus making them re-applicants :(. 

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Tomorrow Belongs to Those Who Can Hear it Coming: AMCAS is Opening Next Month

This year’s AMCAS application will open on May 3 at 9:30AM EST, and candidates will be able to submit their AMCAS applications beginning on May 27 at 9:30AM EST. 

Because of rolling admissions, submitting a complete application early in the cycle has distinct advantages at many schools.That doesn’t mean you should submit suboptimal written materials on the twenty-seventh; it means you should start early enough that you are offering your best work.

Rolling admissions means that a school takes applications in the order in which they are received and makes decisions about interviews and then acceptances, accordingly. So, as times goes by, there are fewer interview and admissions offers remaining to be made. Think of an auditorium whose doors open to allow guests in. Those in the front of the line get the seats, and those who come later may not have a chair to sit in. 

If your application is not complete, your candidacy may not be evaluated early when there are more opportunities for interviews and admissions. So, if you have not already, get started immediately. It could make a huge difference in your available opportunities.

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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 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: