Top 10 Medical Schools: Most Applications

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Liza

A list has been published by US News, ranking schools according to those which receive the most applications. Ironically, many premed students perceive some of these schools to be “safeties” and thus more students apply to them, making the competition to be admitted fierce–much more stringent than most people realize. Overall, 53,029 people applied to medical school in that application cycle.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic medicine tops the list with 16,187 applicants. The schools in the top 10 for volume of applications in the 2016 cycle are:

1. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

2. Georgetown

3. George Washington

4. UCLA

5. Drexel

6. Western University of Health Sciences

7. Thomas Jefferson

8. Brown

9. Temple

10. New York Medical College

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

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Career Changer Post-Bac Premedical Program Essay Tips

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Liza

Post-baccalaureate premedical programs require one central essay as a primary component of the application process. (Some programs also require one or two short essays on more targeted topics than the “big” essay.) The central application essay usually gives some broad prompt or none at all; most often the directions will suggest that the applicant write about his or her reasons for wanting to pursue a career in medicine. The focus of the essay will diverge for applicants who are seeking to enroll in a “career changer” post-bac program as opposed to a “record enhancing” program; the essay for career changer programs should address very clearly why you want to be a doctor and include evidence that you’ve tested your impulse and know what you’re getting into. Here are some tips for writing an outstanding career changer post-bac application essay :

1. Ask yourself how, why, and when. Articulate clearly in compelling prose how, why, and when you became interested in medicine. Admissions committees want to know what prompted you to consider medicine in the first place. Was it an experience with a family member’s illness? The influence of someone you know in the medical profession? Volunteer work that inspired you? A global experience? Trace your path to medicine for your reader. Make it clear how you got to the point of pursuing a career in medicine.

2. Show that you’ve gotten your hands dirty. Post-bac programs want proof that you’ve investigated the medical profession. Once you realized you were interested in medicine did you seek out experiences that proved—both to yourself and to admissions committees—that you’re suited to the profession and that you have a realistic view of what it entails? If you haven’t yet gotten this experience hold off on your application. You need to take time to make sure that the extensive training involved is truly worth the effort. There is only one way to figure this out: by getting medical experience. If you have volunteered in a medical setting (or worked in one) describe the experience for your reader. Show what you learned about patient care, the responsibility of caring for others, and the demands of the profession. Continue reading →

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Questions to Ask in a Medical School Interview

Posted on August 1, 2017 by Liza

 

The traditional medical school interview is a two-way street: it gives medical schools the chance to ask applicants questions about their past experiences/future goals but it also gives applicants the opportunity to ask questions about the school. The interview helps each medical school get to know applicants better and envision them as members of its incoming class (or not) and as physicians caring for patients in the future. Applicants, in turn, should ask insightful questions so that they can learn as much as possible about the school and decide whether it is a good fit.

The Interviewer’s Role: The interviewer will be assessing your ability to communicate and convey important information, as you’ll have to do with patients, while also getting additional information about activities included in your application. Through the give-and-take of conversation, interviewers will assess what applicants might contribute to the medical school and to the medical profession. They will also weigh whether an applicant is a good fit for that particular medical school.

The Applicant’s Role:  Asking questions during the interview is incredibly important in helping you understand a school on a deeper level than is possible through written materials, such as its website. Asking good questions not only shows that you’ve done your homework and thought about the school analytically, but it also allows you to gather crucial information to help you understand the school. Here are some tips in regard to asking questions and assessing each school during the interview:

  • Look and listen carefully. In addition to asking questions, take in your surroundings. Be observant. See how medical students interact with one another. You’ll learn about the atmosphere and culture just by being observant. Continue reading →
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Most Affordable Medical Schools

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Liza

US News recently came out with a list of the most affordable medical schools. As one would expect, many schools on the list are public institutions—and whether or not it is affordable depends on whether or not you’re an in-state or out-of-state student. Nonetheless it’s an interesting list because it includes the average debt per student upon graduation. The only private institutions in the top 20 are Baylor and Mayo. See the full list here.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consultant

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The Medical School Interview: Overview and Guidance

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Liza

Photo courtesy of medicalschoolhq.net

Medical school interview season is fast approaching: the season generally spans from late August to March, although some schools do not start interviewing earlier and some go later. Applicants who submit their applications early (June) and then complete secondary applications efficiently (within two weeks of receiving them) will be extended interview invitations during the early phase of the interview process if their applications are deemed competitive. Applicants who complete application materials later will naturally get later interviews. There is a serious advantage in getting an early interview in that most schools operate on a rolling admission basis, meaning that spaces are given away as applications are considered. To help applicants understand what to expect at an interview I provide general guidance below as to the interview formats. See other posts on my blog in regard to preparing for a medical school interview and on the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). Information about each school’s interview format can be found in the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR).

Interview Formats

There are several interview formats; applicants should be prepared for all of the types that they may encounter, as described below:

One-on-one interview: This is the most “traditional” kind of interview in that it has been in place longer than any other type and is the most common. During this format, an applicant has a one-on-one discussion with someone who represents the medical school (faculty member, administrator, or medical student). Typically this interview will last from 30-45 minutes, sometimes less and sometimes more.

Group interview: In this format, applicants will be grouped with others and face questioning from a small panel of medical school personnel. Most commonly this would be a group of three applicants along with three interviewers. Typically in this scenario, applicants may be asked individual questions pertaining to their particular background and/or the group is posed questions by the panel. Continue reading →

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AMCAS Activity Description Tips

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Liza

One of the components of the AMCAS application is the “Work and Activities” section, in which applicants help medical school admission committees understand how they have chosen to spend their time outside the classroom. There are 15 spaces for activities; each experience must have a short (<700 character) description and applicants also select three of these as their “most meaningful” activities and write longer (<1325 character) essays about them. For more information about the “most meaningful” AMCAS activities please refer to this blog post.

Applicants must make decisions about what to include in the Work and Activities section; whether they should group activities of the same ilk together; and how they should describe each experience.

Should applicants simply report the facts?  Should they provide reflection? How much detail should they include?  For the short descriptions you will be limited by space; there is only so much you can include. Here are some tips for writing the best possible activity descriptions in the AMCAS application: Continue reading →

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AMCAS Most Meaningful Experience Descriptions

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Liza

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) requires applicants to include descriptions of their activities. You are given space to include 15 experiences. All of the entries require contact and other pertinent information to be included. You must classify the experiences by type, selecting from a drop down list of choices. You are given 700 characters, including spaces, to write a short description of each activity.

The “Most Meaningful” Descriptions

In addition, you must select three activities as “most meaningful” and write an additional essay about these experiences. You are given 1325 characters, including spaces, to describe each experience in more detail and include information as to why it was meaningful to you. Quoting directly from AMCAS, “When writing your response, you might want to consider the transformative nature of the experience: the impact you made while engaging in the activity and the personal growth you experienced as a result of your participation.”  Read this carefully because the language here tells you exactly what to think about as you write your descriptions.

Here are some tips to writing the most meaningful AMCAS experience descriptions:

  • Think about why the experience was “transformative.” How did it change you? What did you learn from it? What skills did you acquire that you will bring with you to the medical profession?
  • What impact did you make with this activity?  Did you somehow leave a lasting legacy? Did you come up with new ideas to advance the organization or have an impact on the people you were working with? If so, describe these things.
  • How did the experience change you?  Did the experience help you see a population, a field of discovery, or the world in an entirely new way? Did it stretch you and teach you something you never thought you were capable of? If so, tell why.
  • The key to writing an outstanding entry for your most meaningful experience descriptions is thoughtful reflection.
  • Help medical school admissions committees understand who you are through the descriptions you write. Writing in-depth descriptions as to why an experience meant a great deal to you will help admissions officers understand you better.
  • Don’t try to “game” the system. Be honest in choosing the three experiences that were truly the most meaningful to you. If you do otherwise, admissions officers are likely to see right through it.
  • For the “most meaningful” entries it is common to choose a clinical experience, research experience, and community service experience, although this varies widely from applicant to applicant depending on the array of activities in one’s background.
  • Remember that you will likely get asked about these experiences in an interview; be prepared to talk about them.

Continue reading →

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AMCAS Resources for Medical School Applicants

Posted on April 4, 2017 by admin

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) provides a wealth of resources for medical school applicants to help them understand the intricacies of the application. Information regarding the AMCAS application has been released in preparation for the upcoming cycle, which opens in early June for submissions. To be fully prepared applicants should read the AMCAS instruction manual, which contains answers to questions about the application itself. There are also other resources for applicants, such as guides on entering coursework, AP classes, current/future courses, and courses that were taken abroad. There is also information about criminal background checks.

In addition, the Medical School Admission Requirements (widely known as the “MSAR”) is the official source for information about US medical schools, which provide pertinent facts and details for inclusion. Medical school applicants should refer to this source for prerequisite course information, acceptance data, the schools’ curricula, mission, and other data.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

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How to Improve an MCAT Score: Strategies for Success

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Liza

keep-calm-and-mcat-on

All premed students know that the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a big component of the medical school admission process. It looms large in the mind of every premedical student.

I have spent almost 25 years advising premed students and coaching them through the MCAT. Helping students refine their test-taking strategies has allowed me to come up with a list of tips to help premed students prepare for and master the MCAT. This list may be especially helpful for those who have taken the MCAT and did not receive the score they hoped for and it’s equally valuable for first-time test takers. Continue reading →

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MD-MBA Programs

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Liza

When I first began advising medical school applicants nearly 25 years ago, I hardly ever encountered anyone who was interested in pursuing a joint MD-MBA degree. But things have changed dramatically since then. Over the last several years I have seen an uptick in the number of clients who are interested in pursuing both MD and MBA degrees, a trend which is confirmed by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the New York Times. Between 2003 and 2016 the number of students in MD-MBA programs increased by about 143%. As one might expect, the impetus for earning a business degree alongside a medical degree stems from an interest in having the skills to either lead an academic department or medical center or run another kind of healthcare organization. More medical students have an interest in entrepreneurship, as well, and want the skills to navigate starting a business and keeping it strong.

To meet the increased interest in business amongst premedical students and medical school applicants, more medical schools are including business courses as electives in their curriculum. And the number of joint MD-MBA programs has risen to more than 70.  For a list of such programs, please refer to the Association of MD/MBA Programs’ website.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

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