Medical School

Medical School Interview

You are a medical school applicant. This is the big moment that can determine your foot in the door or out the door. All your grades are in. All your work experience and accomplishments are written on a piece of paper called a resume. You, in the eyes of an admissions officer, are represented by that piece of paper. Based on this little, though significant information, the decision to ask you in for an interview is made.

So, what do you do now?

Let’s start off by examining what it means to be asked in for an interview by a medical school admissions officer. Being asked to “come in” means that you looked interesting enough on paper to be considered as a prospective student at their medical school. Furthermore, you, among few others, are given the great opportunity to shine; to stand out.

This opportunity of an interview calls for much preparation. It is essential to know as much as you can: from the medical school to the person conducting the interview. Furthermore, it is wise to plan the details of how you will get to the interview. If the medical school is far enough, you should try to book the necessary flights/hotels in order to ensure a fluid experience. Eating and dressing comfortably, but professionally, will help you feel confident and in control of the interview. Evidently, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with honest answers to possible questions that the interview may entail. For example, some common questions include: “Why do you want to be a doctor?” “Why did you choose to apply to this medical school?” or “What real-life experiences do you have in your field of interest?”

Also, keep in mind that there are different types of interviews. Some consist of you and a single person conducting the interview. Others consist of you and an entire panel of interviewers. The main point is to first do research on what to expect, and then to prepare appropriately in a way that you somewhat know what to expect. Being in control is oftentimes the best indicator of predicting how an interview will turn out.

As a final note, it is extremely important to be honest, courteous, and yourself. The last thing you want to do at a medical school interview is to lie. Do not think about or attempt to answer questions in the way you think the person or persons conducting the interview want to hear; rather, answer the questions with absolute honesty. Remember, you were called into an interview so that the medical school can know who you are. Also, people often forget to follow up with a simple “thank you letter.” Just think about it: out of the dozens of individuals that come in for a medical school interview, how many applicants actually express their sincere gratitude even just for the fact that the medical school wanted to know them better.

You, after all, are more than just a piece of paper. You are a future medical school student. More importantly, you are a future doctor. The medical school interview is a necessary part of your becoming just that. Final word of advice: prepare!

Medical School International

In considering international medical schools, students usually have two common things in their minds: (1) to someday transfer back into a United States medical school, or (2) to attain a United States medical residency. Aside from these two mentioned reasons for choosing to attend an international medical school, some students simply want to experience a different environment altogether. In some ways, the decision to go international is wise if the student seriously has it in their plans to be a doctor outside of the United States. However, it is important to note that American students that attend an international medical school fall into the over 50% of international students that stay outside of the country to pursue their respective medical careers. So, before making the decision to pack your bags and jet out into an international medical school, consider the following point:

The United States is home to some of the world’s top medical schools. In addition, these top medical schools give priority to students within the United States. So, the chances of you receiving an excellent medical school education are far greater if you do decide to remain within United States borders and study here. (Also, on a side note: International students from certain South American medical schools have an extremely difficult time getting accepted into United States medical schools because their schools have a comparably high admittance rate – compared to those in the United States).

It is highly advisable to United States medicals school applicants to remain within the United States to receive a medical education. While many other international students are trying hard to receive acceptance into United States medical schools, it would simply seem strange if you would want to leave the place where everyone else is trying to get into.

In other words, it is best to stay within the boundaries of our country in order to study to become a medical professional. Resort to a carefully researched international medical school of your choice only if it is your last resort. Other than that, just simply “soak in” the facts and make an educated decision.

Burnout in Medical School

The road to becoming a medical professional really kicks in during an individual’s time in medical school. The result is burnout, which describes a person experience emotional distress mixed with low accomplishment levels. Burnout can occur in any point in a person’s life, especially throughout one’s time in school. However, the primary difference between burnout in medical school as opposed to undergraduate and lower levels of education (i.e. high school), is the time one has to regain his or her overall balance. The workload and various different responsibilities than a medical school student experiences is considerably more, which leaves one with less time to “juggle” every part of their out.

Because it is strongly encouraged for individuals to possess a healthy balance of every aspect of their lives, the following hopefully sheds light into possible solutions one may fall back to in order to reduce the level of, or completely avoid burnout:

1)      Join a peer support group. Peer support groups help medical school students to balance their personal as well as professional lives. Sometimes, it is the mere fact that medical school costs so much that medical school students almost force themselves to keep going. Ideas like these are shared among many medical school students. In order to reduce the negative effects of burnout, medical school students share their thoughts and feelings (like that mentioned above) with each other. Moreover, because medical school students are going through the same experiences, they tend to feel comfort even in just knowing that they are not alone in this so-called marathon.

2)      Partake in stress reduction clinics. Medical schools typically understand what their students undergo throughout these critical four years, so many of them offer stress reduction clinics in which professionals actually help students on an individual or occasionally group basis. These serve the same purpose as peer support groups, but are guided by a third party, which often provides rare, but positively effective insight for the students.

3)      Exercise opportunities. Exercise is proven to help medical school students with not only their health, but also with their mental stability. A regular exercise schedule can help students maintain a steady daily routine as well as improve one’s ability to “soak in” information. Group exercise can also build support for everyone involved.

4)      Alone time. I know it sounds a bit corny, but time away from everyone is always helpful. As long as this time is specifically set aside in order to step back and reflect on one’s individual progress throughout medical school, and is not spent studying, burnout levels can significantly decrease. Students can use this alone time to think and to plan ahead in preparation for upcoming events. Doing this for tasks even as simple as planning the next day has proven extremely helpful for many medical school students. Burnout can greatly be controlled if one spends as little as ten minutes each night before sleeping, planning the next day out in a way that best accommodates their time and energy.

Hopefully the aforementioned tips will come into good use for any medical school students experiencing burnout. As a final note of advice, it is wise to always think in a big picture perspective – especially one including the “grand prize” at the end of this medical school marathon: you’re on the road to becoming a medical professional!

It is widely believed throughout the nation that medical school is the hardest graduate and professional school to get accepted into. There is the grueling business school and the demanding law school, but medical school seems to consistently top the list in being – based on several national average statistics – the most overall intense. Of course, this is a subjective matter, as people can argue that any graduate or professional school is difficult in their own sense, but if you take a look at some of the statistics, some of the solid numbers, then you may be surprised (or not) to find that medical school really does possess the most daunting numbers!

Just to give you an idea of some acceptance rates into medical school:

California:                  From 1.3% to 3.69%

Massachusetts:           From 1.66% to 14%

New York:                 From 1.61% to 3.54%

(As you can see, despite the random bursts of high acceptance rates, the numbers are typically very low – meaning, it’s not an easy feat getting into medical schools regardless of where you are in the country!)

In terms of advice to get accepted into medical school, your chances can significantly increase if you just focused on preparation. Stop thinking about how hard it’s going to be and how many sacrifices you are going to have to take on. Instead, start thinking and planning ahead so that when the time comes for you to dive into that seemingly endless abyss of studying time, then you’re simply ready to take on the challenge.

Well, I guess it helps to know just what it is you should focus on in increasing your chances of getting into medical school. So, I thought it would be helpful if I just laid it down for you really clear:

Your chances of getting into medical will be far greater than most other medical school applicants if you appropriately prepare your:

1)      GPA!

2)      MCAT!

3)      Letter of Recommendation(s)!

4)      Personal Statement!

5)      Interview!

You’ve got to be a competitive applicant. Aside from the clique adages that revolve around the phrase, “you’ve got to stand out,” it is wise to step back into reality sometimes and start right back at the basics: work hard. You know what, do not just work hard. Instead, work much, much, harder than everyone else you could possibly imagine.

From my conversation with several medical school students, the thing that keeps them “on top of their medical school game” is their constantly being reminded that they are just one of many other hard working medical school students.

You do not want to fall behind, so start early and work hard!

Medical School Career

The general public usually has a somewhat skewed perception of what life after medical school is really like. To start things off, people usually believe medical school is the most difficult time of one’s medical career, or road to one’s medical career. On top of that, there are numerous television shows portraying a comfortable, though oftentimes action and drama-filled, lifestyle of the typical medical professional. However, this particular depiction could not be further from the truth. The true story of life after medical school – residency – is a lot less glamorous… and a lot more real.

The first year of out of medical school, you can expect to do routine rotations either by yourself or with a team consisting of other residency students, upper-level residency supervisors, and doctors. The second year is when you will finally dive deep into your chosen specialty. Furthermore, you will be immersed not only in the books, like what you are – by this point in the journey – very well accustomed to, but also in real-life experience. You will have the opportunity to deal with real-life patients, giving life to everything you have been reading in books and learning in lectures throughout medical school.

As you progress through the minimum of three years of residency, you will notice the pattern of being an observer into being a teacher to newer residency students.

Now, let’s dig deeper into the real life of a typical residency student. A number of residency students are married with kids, while another group of residency students are deprived of a social life – particularly one involving an intimate relationship. In addition, residency students in today’s age earn on average $35,000 to $40,000 a year for the often over 80 hours of work they do every week. Residency students claim this three (or more) year period to be the most challenging point in their road to becoming a medical professional.

However, after all the hard work and sacrificing, and with medical school and residency under their belt, the life of a medical professional is much, much different. Perhaps the most significant difference between the life of a residency student and a medical professional is the dramatic jump in pay scale. Doctors are consistently ranked among the highest paid professionals in the nation.

With all this being stated, the life of a residency student is a necessary, yet undeniably grueling, step in becoming a prestigious medical professional.

As a final note: despite the hardships (some of which have been clearly laid out above), ask any doctor if the journey was worth it… and you’ll like hear something on the lines of… “definitely yes, but I wouldn’t go through it again.”

Choose the Right Medical School

Choosing the right medical school can be a daunting task. If you have begun your search, you will have already have considered key factors—among them, your field of study, finding a means of payment, and residency options. That is why, before you embark on riveting biology labs and crowded lecture halls, it is imperative that you choose not only the right medical school, but the right one for you.

Though we cannot ace the MCATS for you, we can provide a general direction. Taking data from national surveys and student polls, we provide you with an overview of the top five medical schools in the nation and why they deserve your attention.

1. Harvard University Medical School
   Conducting research throughout Boston, Harvard tops the list of medical schools. This prestigious institution is world renowned for peak teaching hospitals and a staggering count of 50 clinical departments. These facilities are invaluable for research and breakthrough treatment. The Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention is the backbone of their illustrious medical department, providing incredible instruction to aspiring young EMTs.
2. John Hopkins University School of Medicine
   The John Hopkins School of Medicine is spearheaded by the prototypical “Hopkins Model” an ethical approach that encourages basic science instruction and community involvement. The Summer Internship Program (SIP) is the brain child of the medical school, providing equal opportunities to the economically challenged at an affordable, reasonable cost.
3. Washington University Medical School in St. Louis
   If you are seeking a medical school with high credentials, Washington University may be your direction. Founded in 1891, the Washington University Medical School enjoys an impressive 117 year history of nationally renowned research and top quality patient care. Running by the ethos of “investigation and practice are one in spirit, method and object,” Washington touts amazing achievements, among them: having close affiliation with 17 Nobel laureates and possessing 100 faculty members as recipients of awards from the National Institutions of Health (NIH).
4. Stanford University School of Medicine
   The Stanford School of Medicine is located in the belly of Silicon Valley next to progressive, technological monsters Hewlett Packard and Google. And rightly so, this school of medicine shares heavily to the community in which it is encased. The well-known Stanford Medical Center offers unmatched clinical patient care and their Learning Teach Team heads biomedical research in the nation. If you are still skeptical about this medical school’s achievements check out their research accomplishments. It is wise to consider the institution that conducted the first adult human heart transplant in the United States.
5. Duke University Medical School
   Though located bottom of the list, this university is by no means a medical school to overlook. The youngest school at the forefront, Duke University Medical School became a world renowned institution within five years of its inception. The Physician Assistant Program, the Medical Scientist Training Program, Medical Science Training Program—Duke asserts nation-leading basic and clinical departments. Start writing your application now—last year, only 100 of the 2500 applicants made it in. Number 5, huh?

Again, we can only provide with a sneak peak at what these schools have to offer. The relationship is reciprocal. As an aspiring medical student, be sure to demonstrate what you have to offer in return. The rest is up to you.

Good luck finding the right medical school for you.

MCAT

“Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”

The above quote could not be more accurate and helpful, especially in regard to your future as a Medical Professional.

The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is the test required for admission into most United States and Canadian Medical Schools. It is one of the most important factors Medical Schools look at when considering acceptance of new students. Because of its weight in the decision process, preparation for the MCAT is necessary for enhancing your chances of getting in to a Medical School, especially one that you want to attend. In preparation for the MCAT, the following information and advice will hopefully be of great help to you.

1) The first step of preparation (for practically anything at all in life) is knowing specifically what you want. By knowing what you want, you can start setting goals for yourself. Having a target will help you focus your time and energy into the attainment of that goal. So, you could start by having a particular Medical School in mind. Find out exactly what the Medical School of your choice requires in order for you to be accepted. Once all the “extraneous details” are taken care of, focus on the MCAT!

2) In preparation for the MCAT, students usually know that a prep class would be beneficial, but often wonder if it is necessary. Students usually consider the cost of a prep class as a hindrance to their decision to enroll, but thinking “big picture” may help put things in perspective. Medical School, itself, is an expensive load. Therefore, it only makes sense to invest in a proper preparation course in order to enhance one’s chances of possible scholarships. In addition, it never hurts to remind people that enrolling in a prep class does not guarantee better scores, it is merely an additional opportunity to of guided preparation.

3) When should you apply to Medical School? Most students find it most beneficial to take the MCAT a year and a half before beginning the anticipated first year.  Although it is often recommended to take the MCAT only once, it is also advisable to take the MCAT a second time – just make sure you score higher the second time! Preparation should not slow down after you take the MCAT the first time! If anything, work harder and prepare more the second time around.

4) The big test day is what you have been preparing for, so this is perhaps the most important day of the MCAT preparation process. To start things off, do NOT pull an all-nighter the night before the big day! Part of your preparation should include getting a full night’s rest. Planning out the directions to the test site, dressing comfortably, getting breakfast, arriving early, and having all test materials/writing materials will build your confidence and help you focus on the test itself.

In conclusion, the MCAT is evidently no little step in the path to being a Medical Professional. Therefore, your preparation is the biggest factor in determining your MCAT success story.