Author Archives: Liza
Posted on April 4, 2022 by Liza
The Casper test has been around for several years and is now required at many medical schools. It is open-ended in terms of the responses (no multiple choice questions). Casper is changing in 2022, as follows: the number of scenarios … Continue reading →
Posted on March 3, 2022 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 … Continue reading →
Posted on February 11, 2022 by Liza
What are medical school “letters 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 … Continue reading →
Posted on February 4, 2022 by Liza
A study from Tulane and Thomas Jefferson shows the distinctive benefits of engaging in the arts and/or the humanities while in medical school. The results, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, showed that such activities helped to promote … Continue reading →
Posted on January 27, 2022 by Liza
You’ve landed the coveted medical school interview. Congratulations! But what should you do if your interviewer asks a question that makes you uncomfortable or one that is off limits? What are these questions? What is considered out of bounds in … Continue reading →
Posted on December 20, 2021 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 and have screened, interviewed, and made decisions on thousands of post-bac applicants. The post-baccalaureate premedical program application … Continue reading →
Posted on November 15, 2021 by Liza
As a medical school admissions consultant, I often am asked by applicants how and when to communicate with medical schools. Medical school applicants should keep schools informed throughout the application process, as events unfold and preferences evolve. If new information develops, applicants … Continue reading →
Posted on October 28, 2021 by Liza
Medical school applicants often wonder whether they should update schools with new information. This “update letter” can serve as an important vehicle for keeping the medical schools informed as the application process unfolds. Applicants often wonder what merits sending … Continue reading →
Posted on October 12, 2021 by Liza
The Multiple Mini Interview format is spreading rapidly among US medical schools. Here is a list of schools using MMI in the 2021-2022 application cycle. “Hybrid” means a combination of a traditional interview with MMI stations and sometimes a group … Continue reading →
Posted on September 22, 2021 by Liza
Congratulations—you’ve landed the interview! What’s the best way to prepare for a medical school interview? You should practice. At the very least, you should review common questions and think about how you would answer them. Then you should PRACTICE answering them … Continue reading →