Medical School ApplicationsMedical School Applications

Prepared for MAPS Pre-Medical Students: April 14, 2010

Presenter: Isabella Nga Lai Harvard University, B.A. 2009

Stanford School of Medicine, M.D. 2014

In Between

•>50% take at least a year between college and med school

Med School

•2 years of science courses

•1 year of core rotations: intense, enlightening, humiliating

•1 year of electives

•+/- additional years for research or second degrees

Residency

•1 year internship

•Years of Residency

•Long hours

•Low pay

•Little autonomy

•Positions assigned using match system

Fellowship

•Specialty training

•Optional, but becoming more common

•Hours and pay similar to residency

Attending

•Manage an office?

•Solicit referrals?

•Negotiate with insurers?

•Return calls and e-mails

•Answer pages?

•Fill out forms?

•Give depositions?

What are you getting yourself into?What are you getting yourself into?

Debt and SalaryDebt and Salary

DEBT– Average debt is over

$150,000– 80% of medical

students have over $100,000 of debt

SALARY– Intern/Resident: $50,000– Fellow: $60,000– Attending: $150,000– Nurse: $45,000– Pharmacist: $110,000– Dentist: $200,000

So you want to go to Med School?So you want to go to Med School?

• Fill out the AMCAS!

• AMCAS = American Medical College Application

• This is the primary application for most of the schools: www.aamc.org

• They do not consider your application until you turn in your primary applications, your scores (transcript/MCAT), your recommendations, AND secondaries

• Students always dilly-dally with secondaries: DO NOT be one of these students

So you want to go to Med School?So you want to go to Med School?

• Biographical Information

• Disadvantage Status

• Academic Record– Grades and MCAT Scores

• Experience– Experience Type– Experience Name– Contact Name/Title– Organization and Location of Organization– Description

• Personal Statement

• Letters of Recommendations

Biographical InformationBiographical Information

• Fill out information about yourself

• If you don’t know this…we’re in trouble!

Disadvantage StatusDisadvantage Status

• Explain what makes you disadvantaged

• Where did you grow up?

• How much did your parents make?

• Have you been underserved?

*All these things are taken into consideration when you apply*

Don’t have a pity story but don’t downplay yourself either. You are amazing, make sure they know that!

Academic RecordAcademic Record

• The MOST important factor

• Medical school is a gazillion times more challenging than undergrad!

• Can you handle undergrad?

• Can you handle the stress of the MCAT?

• Reconsider your priorities if you said NO to both

ExperienceExperience

• Experience types: (you will have to categorize each of your experiences according to the choices they give you from a pull down menu)

• Paid employment-military • Paid employment-non-military • Extracurricular/hobbies/avocations • Honors/Awards • Community Service/volunteering-medical • Community service/volunteering-non medical • Research/lab • Teaching/tutoring • Artistic endeavors • Journalism/publications • Leadership not listed elsewhere • Other

• Experience Name

• Contact Name/Title

• Organization and Location

• Description

Personal StatementPersonal Statement

• Not that important…but NEEDS to be done well• Chance to show adcom something else about you• Significant life experiences? • Personal development?• Potential to be a great physicial?

QUESTIONS:• Why do you want to be a doctor?• To help people? Or is it something else?• What activities/life experiences have make you the person that you are

(which is a person qualified to be a physician)?• What do you want to ultimately do as a physician?• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

TIPS:• Sample essays: http://www.studentdoctor.net/essays/index.asp• START EARLY!• Paint a picture of yourself that you want to present to the adcom

Recommendation LettersRecommendation Letters

• Choosing the RIGHT recommenders: – You want one recommender for each category: Some that can talk about…

• Academics (talk about your abilities in the classroom and class work)• Research (highlight your scientific abilities: not only knowledge of techniques but if

you can think like a scientist)• Clinical Experience (highlight your love for treating patients)• Personal Attributes (highlight your personality)• Leadership (demonstrate that you can lead)

• Asking for recommendations– Be polite and give them ample of time (1-2 months!)– Tell them deadline

• Give them your personal statement and scores

• Clearly tell them points you want them to address in the letter

• Directly ask them to write you the “STRONGEST” letter– If they cannot, then they might not be the best person to ask

Interview TipsInterview Tips1. Be yourself: kind, considerate, polite,

intelligent, confident, etc.

2. Prepare certain answers:• Tell me about yourself• Why do you want to be a

doctor/physician?• Why medicine?• Tell me about your research• What qualities make a good

physician? Do you posses them?• Look at my notes for more sample

questions

3. Dress professionally

4. Know currents events in medicine and the healthcare system

5. Mock interviews!

The PathThe Path

Med Student

Med Student

ResearchersResearchers

EducatorsEducators

LeadersLeaders

DoctorsDoctors

My PathMy Path

Medical StudentMedical Student

Doctor???Doctor???

My Personal Statement:My Personal Statement: http://www.sfms.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=2875&TEMPLATE=/CM/http://www.sfms.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=2875&TEMPLATE=/CM/

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Life of a Physician?....We wish Life of a Physician?....We wish