Admissions Advice
19 September 2009 - 3:05pm
Hey guys,
My name is Chelsea Brothers. I'm a senior this year, and want to be available as a resource for whatever questions anyone may have with respect to the medical school admissions process. It is a long and daunting process, but each step does make sense, and (I'm hoping!) it's worth it in the end.
I scored a 36R on my MCAT and have applied to 28 schools (which is a lot; there are personal reasons behind this). I currently have been invited to interview at 11 schools. I have finished four interviews as of yesterday.
So I just want to help answer any questions anyone may have. That could range from getting ready for the MCAT, to picking schools to apply to, to AMCAS and secondary application procedures, to interview tips, to being an LDS woman in medicine, to whatever.
Please feel free to contact me at any time, with any question! If I can't answer it, I'll pass you along to someone who can help. The best way to contact me is through email, cjbros88 [at] gmail [dot] com.
Thanks and good luck!
-Chelsea
4 October 2009 - 5:28pm
#2
Ben
I have known for a long time I want to practice non-profit medicine either internationally or with immigrant populations in the United States. I tried to illustrate the altruistic reasons I have for entering medicine, and did so by describing my international experiences in my personal statement and clearly tying those experiences back to WHY I want to become a physician.
I also think it is so important to get good letters of recommendation, especially for the University of Utah. Ask from employers, mentors, supervisors, professors, etc. who know you very well and who you are sure respect you and will help you.
So probably those were the two biggest things!
13 October 2009 - 10:01pm
#3
Advice from a current med student
I'm a BYU alum from the class of '07 and I'm currently an M3 at Northwestern. I'd be happy to answer any questions that any of you might have about the MCAT, the admissions process, medical school, residencies, or about medicine in general. I understand that the whole application process can be a bit intimidating and even confusing at times, so feel free to use me as a resource if you have any questions or concerns. My e-mail address is Olson [at] md [dot] northwestern [dot] edu. Best of luck to you all!
21 October 2009 - 2:16pm
#4
The who, what, how, etc.
Chelsea, how did you decide where you wanted to apply? Where did you receive invitations to interview? Of the schools you will be accepted to, how will you decide which one you will attend?
9 November 2009 - 2:39pm
#5
Jeremy
I did a lot of research with the MSAR, to decide which schools I would apply to. I knew I didn't want to do a lot of lab research; I wanted to be a practitioner. I knew I would prefer to be in a city, because there are more opportunities to get involved with other organizations and people. I thought it would be nice to be near my family. Other than that, pretty much every medical school will give you the same kind of thing.
It was also important to apply to a broad range of schools in terms of competitiveness. I applied to several highly competitive schools, and added a few more after I interviewed at less-competitive schools and realized I wanted to be somewhere with a very challenging curriculum. I applied to a lot of "fit" schools, that matched my GPA and MCAT scores. And I applied to less-competitive schools, but only places I could really see myself living in for 4+ years.
I have received invitations to interview, thus far, at the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Georgetown, George Washington, Albert Einstein, Rochester, Mt. Sinai, St. Louis University, Rosalind Franklin, Ohio State, Drexel, Jefferson, Eastern Virginia, Creighton, and the University of Utah. I withdrew my application from some of the Virginia schools I listed (before attending the interview) after being accepted to more-competitive schools in the DC area (which is where I am from).
It is SO IMPORTANT to keep copious notes on everywhere you interview! I could never keep track of so many schools without notes to review later. They will play a HUGE part in deciding where I attend school. For me, the deciding factor will be to find a city where my boyfriend gets into law school and I get into medical school. But important for me and for everyone is where you FEEL good; where FEELS like a good fit. At your interviews, you'll feel comfortable with the curriculum and students, or you won't. If you're neutral, that's fine, but if you don't feel good about a place, don't commit to going somewhere you think you'll be unhappy.
Good luck!
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Wow, eleven interviews. Obviously there was something about your application that caught the eye of the admissions committees. What was is that you did to stand out from all the other applicants?
Ben Dewey