Medical Schools on Probation

Posted on March 24, 2025 by Liza

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education accredits medical schools in the US and Canada. Accreditation ensures that medical schools meet standards set by the LCME. Medical schools are required to “demonstrate that their graduates exhibit general professional competencies that are appropriate for entry to the next stage of their training and that serve as the foundation for lifelong learning and proficient medical care.”

Most state medical boards require that U.S. medical schools be accredited by the LCME as a condition for graduates’ licensure. US medical students cannot take United States Medical Licensing Examinations unless they are enrolled at an accredited school.

Each medical school periodically goes through a review and re-accreditation process. Occasionally schools are put on probation and must make changes to maintain their accreditation.

Medical school applicants should be cognizant of the schools on probation. If they apply to those schools they should find out what the schools are doing to rectify the situation to be taken off probation.

At this date the following schools are on probation:

Albert Einstein

California Northstate University College of Medicine

Meharry Medical College

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

Updated in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025

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Medical School Letter of Intent

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Liza

What is a medical school “letter of intent” and what role do they play in the medical school admission process? A letter of intent is like a love letter that’s sent to a medical school: it expresses an applicant’s fervent wish to enroll, stating why the applicant feels so strongly about the school, its environment, student culture, and curriculum—and articulating in clear terms what they might contribute to the school if admitted.

The ultimate purpose of the letter of intent is two-pronged:

1. To let the school know that it is, without question, your top choice.

2. To inform the medical school that you will accept their offer if given the chance.

When weighing one applicant over another—and if they are equal in all other measures—a letter of intent may make a difference. If the admissions office believes that one applicant is more enthusiastic about the school and would therefore join the incoming class, she may have a better chance of being accepted. An admitted applicant who enrolls affects the school’s “yield,” the percentage of admitted applicants who opt to enroll. This is often one of the measures used to assess a school’s rank and prestige. So admissions officers care whether admitted applicants accept their offer.

A letter of intent should only be written for one school. It would obviously be unethical for an applicant to state that she would enroll at every school where she has not yet been admitted; that can only be true for one school. However, applicants can still write “letters of interest” to other schools, stopping just short of stating they would enroll if admitted. The letter of intent should be reserved for the true top choice.

What’s the proper format for a letter of intent?  The letter should be passionate, eloquent, direct, and relatively brief (no more than one page). In general, this format works well: Continue reading →

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Medical School Waitlist Tips

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Liza

waiting-list

Photo courtesy of carp.ca

The medical school application process starts in June of the year prior to medical school enrollment and extends to the following April. But for some applicants—those placed on waitlists—the long process extends into the late spring and summer. I have over 30 years of experience guiding students in regard to medical school waiting lists, thus have advice to offer to those on waiting lists, along with guidelines to follow and the proper protocol.

1. Be grateful that you still have a chance! A waitlist position is better than a rejection and you still have a chance for admission. As such, start thinking about what you can do to emphasize your strong interest in a school where you are waitlisted.

2. Think thoughtfully and carefully about what you would add to the incoming class at any medical school where you are waitlisted. Express this cogently and convincingly in a letter you send to the admissions committee. If you want to move from the waitlist into the class you MUST convey your interest to the admissions committee. The only exception to this would be schools that prohibit contact–be sure to check each school’s rules before sending letters. Submit a letter soon after being notified of your waitlist status. Articulate specifically why the school appeals to you and what you would add to it. Express your enthusiasm; schools want students who are eager to enroll and who will contribute positively to the environment. If you’re certain you would accept a spot in the incoming class if admitted, you should write a letter of intent.

3. Be sure that your contact information is up to date if you’re on a waitlist and be prepared to be contacted at any time. Also be prepared to respond to a waitlist offer quickly. There are AAMC rules pertaining to waiting list protocol.

4. Do not badger the admissions office with repeated calls or letters. Do not communicate with the admissions office more than once a month and do not pull out the “important” people with connections to the school to try to advance your case; this will only annoy admissions committees.

5. Keep the medical school informed if there are important updates to report.  If you publish research, win important awards or earn honors you should keep the medical school apprised of these accomplishments.

Movement from waiting lists usually occurs in April, May, and June. Occasional spots open up in July, and can even occur up to the first day that a school starts. As a medical school admissions consultant, I advise applicants through the waitlist process. Feel free to send me an email at liza@thompsonadvising.com or call me to discuss your particular situation.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

Originally posted in 2018, 2021, and 2025.

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New Medical Schools

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Liza

Several new medical schools are in the pipeline. Any new school must go through the application and accreditation process at the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. As of this writing, new schools which have applied for full status are:

Aria University

Arizona State

Brigham Young 

Methodist University

University of Georgia

Xavier Ochsner

The stages of the accreditation process are numerous. The full directory of accredited medical schools can be found here.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

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Medical School Update Letters

Posted on January 25, 2025 by Liza

Update

 

Medical school applicants often wonder whether they should update schools. An “update letter” can keep medical schools informed as the application process unfolds.

Applicants often wonder what merits sending an update; only significant additions to an application should be reported and/or information that was not provided previously.

The following list includes items of interest for the medical schools.

Honors or Awards:  If an honor or award is achieved since submitting the application, the medical schools should be informed.

Publications/Presentations: If there is a new publication, abstract, poster, or presentation, relay this information.

Changes in Classes:  If courses change, and a class which was included in the application is dropped, it should be reported to the medical schools, especially if the course is a requirement at a particular school.

New Jobs or Responsibilities in the Workplace:  If you switch jobs or assume more responsibilities/roles it is worthwhile to update schools. Continue reading →

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Post Baccalaureate Premedical Program Interviews: What to Expect

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Liza

As the former director of both the Johns Hopkins and Goucher Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Programs, I have in-depth knowledge of the post-bac application process; I have screened, interviewed, and made decisions on thousands of post-bac applicants. The post-baccalaureate premedical program application process entails submitting an application with essay(s), transcript(s), and letters of recommendation. Once your materials are complete your application will be reviewed and you may make it to the next step of the admissions process for the more selective career-changer programs: the post-baccalaureate premedical program interview.

Just as with the medical school interview, the post-bac program interview assesses several important elements:

  • Do you match your written materials?  In other words, is there synergy between your application and your actual persona?
  • Are you a good fit for the program? Will you thrive in that particular institution’s academic environment? Are you ready to handle the academic demands in a post-bac program?
  • What will you contribute to the program? Will your personal traits and attributes make you a welcome addition to the program?
  • Is your enthusiasm—for both the program and for a career in medicine—palpable?
  • Will you help foster a positive learning community?
  • Can you handle the rigor of medical school?
  • What have you done to have a realistic view of the medical profession?  How have you tested, explored, and confirmed your interest in medicine?

All of these factors are assessed during the interview. While post-bac programs have different ways they interview applicants, here is a synopsis of the various interview formats: Continue reading →

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Medical Schools Using Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Liza

The Multiple Mini Interview format is now commonplace among US medical schools. Here is a list of MD schools using MMI in the 2023-2024 application cycle; this list is subject to change, please check with each school to which you apply to get the latest information. “Hybrid” means a combination of a traditional interview with MMI stations and sometimes a group exercise:

For information about how to best prepare for the MMI, please refer to a previous blog post here or contact me to do a mock MMI session. Good luck!

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

Originally posted in 2019 and updated in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

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Pre-Writing Secondary Applications

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Liza

Photo courtesy of 123rf.com

Secondary applications arrive soon after the primary application is transmitted to the medical schools. It is important to return secondary applications quickly; an application is not considered complete until the secondary has been received. The suggested time window for returning a secondary application is within two weeks of receiving it.

If an applicant applies to 20 schools, that’s 20 applications to complete within two weeks, all with several essays to write. Let’s say the average secondary application has three to four essays–that’s 60-80 essays. Writing that many essays in a short period of time creates a tremendous amount of work. Medical school applicants rarely anticipate the amount of work that secondary applications entail.

To streamline the process, many applicants pre-write secondary essays, putting the finishing touches on them when the secondaries are actually released.

The secondary applications are as important as the primary application; they should be completed carefully and with great care. 

There are several ways to approach pre-writing secondaries:

  • Look for common themes amongst secondary applications; focus on fleshing out ideas for those topics and prewriting a paragraph or two on each. You can then refine those essays for particular schools, tailoring them to the exact prompt, when you receive secondaries. Common themes can be found in my blog post on common secondary prompts.
  • Do a quick Google search for secondary application prompts and you will easily find them for particular schools. Start writing.
  • Be mindful that some essays can be recycled from one school to another but only with great attention. Always read the prompt for each school carefully—and tailor your response specifically for that school, answering it precisely. I often see essays that are more general in scope and which do not specifically answer the question posed. Also keep in mind each school’s mission and focus, and tailor your essay accordingly.

If you have questions about or want help with secondary applications feel free to reach out to me via email at liza@thompsonadvising.com.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

Originally posted 2017 and updated in 2019, 2021, and 2023

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Medical Schools Requiring the Casper Test

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Liza

Casper  (Computer Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) an exam that is used by some medical schools in the admissions process. It assesses an applicant’s situational judgment in various scenarios. Here is the most recent list of MD schools requiring it; the list is alphabetical by state.

U of Colorado

Frank Netter (Quinnipiac)

Charles Schmidt (Florida Atlantic)

U of Miami

Medical College of Georgia

Rush

Indiana U

Boston U

Michigan State (either Casper or Preview)

Wake Forest

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson

Hofstra

New York Medical College

Stony Brook

Northeast Ohio

Drexel

Temple

East Tennessee State

Meharry

Baylor

McGovern (U of Texas-Houston)

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

U of Texas-Tyler

U of Texas-Medical Branch (Galveston)

U of Texas-Southwestern

Virginia Commonwealth

U of Vermont

Medical College of Wisconsin

Marshall

To get ready for the Casper, read about the format of the exam and what to expect, and take the practice test. Here are tips to help you prepare for the exam, provided by the company that administers the test.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consultant

Posted in 2019 and updated in 2020, 2021, and 2023

 

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Personal Competencies in Medical School Admission

Posted on September 8, 2022 by Liza

Medical school admissions personnel have identified core competencies that are necessary to be a successful medical student and physician. The competencies are grouped into four categories: interpersonal, intrapersonal, thinking/reasoning, and science. The 15 competencies that are considered essential are:

1. Service orientation

2. Social skills

3. Cultural competence

4. Teamwork

5. Oral communication

6. Ethical responsibility to self and others

7. Reliability and dependability

8. Resilience and adaptability

9. Capacity for improvement

10. Critical thinking

11. Quantitative reasoning

12. Scientific inquiry

13. Written communication

14. Living systems

15. Human behavior

An article in Academic Medicine explores how competencies can be assessed. Over the last five or so years, I have noticed a shift in secondary applications and the questions they ask. More prompts/questions are focused on digging into the competencies; schools want evidence that applicants are aware of and have honed these competencies in preparation for a career in medicine. Premed students should be aware of these competencies; it can be constructive to keep a journal or log of experiences and reflect on how these experiences have helped sharpen the competencies. Applicants can then use their reflections in secondary application essays.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

First posted in 2015 and updated in 2022

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