Becoming a Doctor

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Becoming a Doctor

• What you need to know

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There are many paths to medical school
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Applying to medical school

• http//www.aspiringdocs.org

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Traditional path First year

• Find out what resources are available at your
  school Career Placement Office, premed advisor
• Take biology
• Join pre-med clubs
• Apply for summer programs early
• Look for future research opportunities
• volunteer

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Traditional path Second Year

• Take chemistry with lab
• Apply for summer programs or jobs early
• Volunteer
• Find a mentor!

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Traditional Path Third Year

• Take physics and organic chemistry
• Prepare for MCAT early
• Meet with advisor and request recommendations
  early
• Avoid difficult courses in spring (MCAT)
• File AMCAS and non-AMCAS applications in June
• Investigate medical schools

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Traditional Path Senior Year

• Take biochemistry and other major requirements
• Check Career Placement Office for help with
  interview skills
• Interviews
• Have fun during summer. Your last chance!

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Key Points!

• Be certain that you want to be a doctor
• Find a mentor
• Get to know your professorsGo to office hours
• Spend a few months writing a good essay and ask
  someone to review it
• Dont over commit! One or two activities that you
  love better than 10

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Extracurricular Activities

• Community service Volunteer work-- medical or
  non-medical
• Tutoring
• Researchlab or clinical
• Sports, hobbies, talents
• Jobs

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Summer Programs for Minority Students

• NYU School of Medicine-- summer research program
• Weill Cornell--Gateways to the Laboratory Summer
  Program
• Harvard Medical School--Summer Honors
  Undergraduate Research Program
• www.aamc.org/members/great/summerlinks.htm

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Other research opportunities

• NIH www.training.nih.gov/student/sip/catalog/
• index.asp
• Pediatric research www.pediatricresearch.org
• Mayo Graduate School www.mayo.edu/mgs/surf-old.ht
  m
• http//cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/ps/minority/minor
  ityaffairs/resources.html

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The Application (AMCAS)

• 1. Biographic information
• 2. Post-secondary experiences Extracurricular,
  awards, honors
• 3. Personal comments Very important! Why
  medicine? Motivations? Hardships or challenges?
  Anything else that needs to be explainedlike
  that D- in organic last semester.

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The photo
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4. Schools attended 5.Transcript request
form 6. Coursework all classes in which you
have enrolled 7. Certification and
submission Institutional actions against
you Felony convictions Certification
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Choosing a school
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Choosing a school

• Apply to 12 to 20 schools
• State schools less expensive
• Where is the school located?
• What is their record for minorities and
  disadvantaged students?
• What is the reputation of the school?
• Will you be happy there?

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TIPS

• AAMC Fee Assistance Programreduces MCAT fee from
  180 to 75 and 10 medical school applications
  free.
• Register with Medical Minority Applicant Registry
  at the time that you take the MCAT (minorities
  and disadvantaged)
• Keep good records!

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Record Keeping

• Make photocopies of everything you send
• Record dates
• Keep track of your applications. When will you
  hear from the schools?
• If you dont hear in 2-3 months, call or email to
  make sure your application is complete

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Spreadsheet

• School name
• Date application requested (non-AMCAS)
• Date application received
• Due Date
• Date mailed
• Date secondary received
• Date secondary mailed
• Date application complete
• Phone or email contact notes Person you
• spoke to, with dates

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Letters of recommendation

• Choose people who know you and can comment
  positively about your personal qualities and/or
  intellect
• Waive your right to see letters
• Request EARLY!
• Make an appointment to request letternot email
• Ask if they can write a strong letter
• Provide resume, personal statement
• Send a thank you note

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Strengthening your application when you have weak
GPA or MCAT

• Retake MCAT in fall
• Raise GPA by taking additional science courses or
  post-bac year
• D or lower, you must retake course
• Take science courses during summer or at
  different school
• Get graduate degree
• Take a year off and apply later

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Admissions Committee What are we looking for?

• GPA overall (undergrad and grad/post-bac)
• GPA science
• Is there a upward trend in grades?
• MCAT score (highest score)
• Extracurricular activities/ leadership/
  commitment/ personal statement
• College attended/ major/ letters of rec.
• Interview

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Personal statement and Interview
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The personal statement

• Your chance to talk to the admissions committee
  and convince them to accept you.
• Make it interesting. Tell a story.
• Hook the reader in the first paragraph.
• Make it personal
• FocusDont ramble on about too many topics.

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• Have a beginning, middle, and end
• Focus on what is unique about you
• Make sure all statements are accurate.
• Be prepared to talk about it during interviews
• End with a conclusion

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The personal statement Getting started

• How do you know that you want to be a doctor?
• What experiences led you to this decision?
• How has your interest in medicine changed or
  developed over time?
• What were major turning points in your life?

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Personal statement Getting started

• What are your goals?
• Why do you think you will be a good doctor?
• What have you done to demonstrate your interest
  in medicine?
• What person most influenced your life?

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Tips

• Write and re-write
• Read and proof-read
• Dont depend on spell check
• Check grammar and punctuation
• Read your essay into a tape recorder and listen
  to it
• Ask others to read and comment

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More tips

• Avoid political statements
• Stay positive
• Dont complain
• Avoid the I trap
• Lecture the reader
• Dont use words that you dont understand

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The Interview

• An interview offering means that you are
  acceptable for admission
• Prepare for interview
• Study the school catalog
• Make sure you ask questions
• Dress for success
• Be on time

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Dressing for success

• Suits for males and females
• Minimal jewelry
• Conservative make-up
• Remove excess piercings
• Neat hair
• Take care of hygiene
• SMILE!

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Interview Tips

• Remain calm, relaxed and composed
• Look at the interviewer
• If you dont know the answer, be honest
• Enthusiasm and interest in the school count
• Write thank you note to interviewer

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GOOD LUCK!