pre med advice

Jan 31 2018

Seven keys to being ready for your medical school interview

The interview is the last step between you and that oh so sweet acceptance to a medical school! If you were offered an interview at a medical school, I would like to congratulate you on that accomplishment. Getting offered an interview is not easy and is a great sign that the school is interested in you. Once you are offered an interview, you have a much higher chance of getting accepted to that medical school. That is why it is really important that you are prepared and do everything you can to put your best foot forward. In this article I will go over the most important keys to being ready for any medical school interview!

1. Research the school

This is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your interview goes the right way. Its an absolutely necessary step and one that will completely ruin your interview if you don’t do it. Make sure to research the school you are being interviewed at thoroughly. You want to be able to give a presentation on that school if you have to. Also knowing some interesting things about the city that the school is in can be a nice touch to many interviewers. Its super important to have specific reasons why you want to attend their school. I repeat myself, make sure you know exactly why you want to go to their school. Is it their awesome clinical locations? Is there something about their curriculum you like? Do you value their mission statement as a school? It is up to you to convince the school that you love their school for what it uniquely is!

2. Study your own Primary and Secondary application

Often times you will have to do an open-file interview, which means that you will be asked questions about either your primary or secondary application. Anything written in there is fair game! So make sure you know everything you said and be prepared for any questions. That is also why its important to only add things to your application that you are passionate about and can talk about with confidence. If you dont remember something you put on your application, that actually could be the difference between you getting accepted or not depending on what it is. You don’t want to give the admissions committee any reasons to not accept you.

3. Prepare for common interview questions

This one seems like a no brainer but many people dont actually practice for common questions they might be asked. Would you give a powerpoint presentation without ever practicing? Probably not. You want to be prepared to answer any question they might ask you in a professional way. Of course you dont want your answers to sound like they are canned and rehearsed, but by practicing them ahead of time it will actually come out way more professionally. When you answer these common interview questions, give answers that have some real substance to them and if possible relate it to specific things about that school.

Here is what I suggest: To prepare for common interview questions, check out our list of interview questions and copy them into a word document. Then type out the best answers you can to each of them. Then once you have answered all the interview questions, practice them.

Check out 45 common interview questions that medical schools might ask you!

4. Prepare proper clothing attire ahead of time

This also seems obvious but you would be surprised at how some of the other candidates dress to their interview. You dont want to be that one candidate who comes wearing something that is too casual. You are here to impress and be professional. There really is no downside to dressing as professionally as you can. Make sure you try on any suit or dress before taking it to the interview. If possible get it fitted to you. You want to do this several weeks ahead of the interview date if possible. Having your proper attire read ahead of time also allows you to do more realistic mock interviews, which we will talk about in a bit. If you dont dress to impress then you are hurting your chances!

5. Create a list of questions you want to ask

This is one of the things that is least considered by pre-meds who are interviewing. Having a list of questions to ask not only helps you to learn more about the school, it also shows the interviewers that you have took the time to come up with questions and that you are serious about their school. Make sure the questions are not too broad but instead are very specific to their program. Once again, showing that you have researched their school looks good on you.

6. Create a medical school interview cheatsheet for that school

This is actually my personal secret to medical school interview success! I make a “cheat sheet” for each school I am interviewed at that helps me be prepared for that specific interview. This cheatsheet is supposed to help you remember the most important things about that school and to say. A medical school cheatsheet would be a document that contains the answers to all of the common medical school interview questions specific to that school, important facts and information about the medical school, questions to ask during your interview, and any other relevant information. For more information on making a good medical school interview cheatsheet read this article!

Download an outline cheatsheet for your interview now!

7. Do mock interviews

The last way to be prepared for your medical school interview is to do a mock interview! You should do this after you have done all the other steps, especially after creating your interview cheat sheet. Now is the time to put it all together and learn what you need to fix for interview day. Are you too fidgety as you sit? Do you make good eye contact? Do you speak with confidence? How well do your answers come out? Make sure to identify your weaknesses and fix them before your interview! Make sure that your mock interviews are done in as realistic environment as possible. Find a formal location to do it at, wear your business attire, and have your interviewer also act and dress professionally. The more realistic the mock interview, the more of a benefit.

If you do all of these preparations, I am confident that your interview will go smooth! Its all about preparation. Never ever underestimate the value and power of preparation. You will know when you are ready for your interview. You will feel prepared and confident going into it. So until you feel prepared and confident, keep preparing more! And remember, you deserve to be at this interview! Now go and let those schools know why you are going to be an incredible doctor!

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Dec 01 2017

Pre-Med 101: Are Caribbean Medical Schools bad?

Pre-med 101: Are Caribbean Medical Schools bad?

Getting into Medical School is hard, in fact only about 40% of applicants get accepted into American medical schools each year. Those who don’t get in are left without options or to apply again the next year. That’s where Caribbean medical schools can come into the picture. But are Caribbean medical schools bad? There are a lot of myths about them and also a lot of stigma surrounding them. Hopefully by the end of this article some of those myths and stigma surrounding them. Let’s jump right into this!

Myths about Caribbean Medical Schools:

Caribbean medical schools aren’t as good as American medical schools
You cannot get an MD and practice as a physician in America

Myth #1: Caribbean medical schools aren’t as good as American medical schools

The first myth about Caribbean medical schools not being as good as American medical schools has some truth to it, but is not true across the board. While it is true that there are many lower quality Caribbean medical schools out there that you should avoid, there are several Caribbean medical schools that provide a medical education that is around on par with those of American medical schools. Caribbean medical schools will not hold your hand during medical school and are not an easy path to becoming a physician. They are second chances for dedicated and hardworking students who are determined to put in the work to become a physician. Caribbean medical schools such as Ross follow a basic science curriculum similar to those of American medical schools and even allow you to do your clinicals in the US. At the end of the day you are going to get a high-quality education at any good Caribbean medical school, just be prepared to work for it.

Myth #2: You cannot get an MD and practice as a physician in America

Another common myth is that you cannot get an MD from a Caribbean school and you can’t practice in America. This is definitely not the case. Caribbean medical schools will give you the exact same MD behind your name as any American medical school. The curriculum is very similar to those of American medical schools. You have to do basic sciences, clinical rotations, and take the USMLE. Some of the Caribbean medical schools such as Ross allow you to do your clinical rotations in American hospitals. At the end of the day you will receive your MD and be able to practice as a physician just like your American medical school counterparts. No one will be able to tell the difference between an MD obtained from an American medical school and a Caribbean medical school.

“Truths” about Caribbean medical schools

Now that we have debunked a few myths, lets talk about some of the “truths” about Caribbean medical school. The main two are that it is easier to get accepted into a Caribbean medical school and it is often harder to place into competitive residencies.

Caribbean medical schools let in a far higher percentage of applicants than American medical schools. This is often because they usually don’t use your metrics as the main qualifier for acceptance. This is good for students who have a low GPA or low MCAT score as this allows them a second chance at getting into medical school. Because the Caribbean medical schools don’t value these metrics as much, they take a look at you in a more holistic way. So students who demonstrate they really want to be doctors through other aspects of their application such as extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, clinical experience, shadowing, etc. are the ones who often get accepted into the Caribbean medical school.

The class sizes of Caribbean medical schools (Avg. class size of around 400-600 students) are often around two to three times that of American medical schools (Avg. class size of around 150 students). This also helps contribute to it being easier to get accepted into a Caribbean medical school. While it is easier to get accepted into a Caribbean medical school, that does not mean it will be easier during medical school. Caribbean medical schools are just as hard as American medical schools in many ways. They will not hold your hand and help you through medical school, you must be a very self-motivated student to succeed in a Caribbean school. Although the class size starts off much higher than those in American medical school that number often dwindles down as students are weeded out during the program. The main point I am trying to make is: Even though it is easier to get accepted into a Caribbean medical school, don’t think it is an easy path to becoming a doctor. You will still have to put in the work and effort to get that MD.

The next thing to know about going to a Caribbean medical school is that students often have a harder time getting into competitive residencies. Caribbean medical schools are known for having a lower match rate for residencies. If you want to be a heart surgeon or plastic surgeon you will have a hard time getting a residency from a Caribbean medical school. But if you just want to be a doctor of any kind then you still have hope at a Caribbean medical school. Know also that Caribbean schools in general have a lower match rate than American medical schools across the board. Make sure to check the match rate for the schools you are applying to. Take your time to learn about how well that school does at placing you into residencies.

Fun fact: The doctor I shadowed graduated from the Caribbean medical school, Ross. He is a successful Nephrologist who is soon to become partner for the practice he works at. Every day I shadowed him he was highly respected by all of his colleagues and patients. He always told me that no one cares about where you went to medical school at the end of the day. That was the truth as he was every bit as good of a doctor as anyone else at the hospital. So don’t think that going to a Caribbean school will be something that will haunt you. It can be a great opportunity if you make the most out of it.

What are considered the top Caribbean medical school?

In general, there are four Caribbean medical schools that are considered the best. These are:

There are other good Caribbean medical schools, however, these would be the better ones that you want to apply to. Make sure to thoroughly check each school you are applying to before sending in the application.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Caribbean medical schools can be a great back up plan for students who couldn’t get accepted into an American medical school. But don’t expect the Caribbean medical school to be an easy path to becoming a physician, they make you work just as hard as the American medical schools. The top Caribbean medical school will provide its students a high-quality education that mimics what one will get from an American medical school. The major downside of going to a Caribbean medical school is the lower match rate for residencies than American medical schools. However if you are a strong self-motivated student, at the end of the day you will get your MD and be able to practice as a physician in America.

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Oct 12 2017

Why being a Pre-Med is awesome

Why being a Pre-med is awesome

Let’s get this out of the way. Being a pre-med is HARD. You have to stay up late studying for exams, you have the pressure of making straight A’s, you have the MCAT to prepare for, you are encouraged to do research and shadow a physician, and then you have to fit volunteering into what little free time you have left. And you do all of this without even the certainty that you will get accepted to medical school. But it is exactly this which makes being a pre-med awesome in its own right and why you should feel proud. In this post I want to focus on all the reasons that being a pre-med is awesome and hopefully, help motivate you all to keep up the great work you have been doing thus far and enjoy the process of being a pre-med no matter how hard it gets. Being pre-med is not easy but it is definitely worth it. Here are some reasons you should appreciate being a pre-med!

Being pre-med helps you grow as a person:

The main reason being a pre-med is awesome is because of how much you grow and develop as a person. The process of being a pre-med indirectly builds you into a person who has all the skills to succeed as a doctor. In my opinion, being a pre-med is a necessary step to prepare you to handle the life of a doctor. As a pre-med, you will be pushed beyond your limits in how hard you have to study, in discipline, in time management, and in so many other ways. The very difficult nature of being a pre-med builds character.

The only way we grow as people is through challenges. And being a pre-med is most certainly challenging! While most other students are out relaxing and going to parties, a good pre-med is staying at home studying. Instead of going to that concert everyone else is going to, you instead are going to volunteer or shadow. Sacrifice is the name of the game. And that sacrifice will definitely pay off as you mature into a person who will one day become a fantastic doctor.

The skills you learn as a pre-med are transferable to the rest of your life:

This goes with the previous point but all of the skills you obtain as a pre-med transfer over to your personal life as well. As a result of your hard work as a pre-med, you will also notice improved discipline, time management, and work ethics in your personal life. Apart from developing character, you also gain valuable knowledge from your studies that can be applied to your life. Although ironically as pre-meds we learn about the importance of sleep, then we never have time to maintain a good sleep schedule ourselves! For me, studying for the MCAT helped to develop work ethics and discipline unlike anything else! I had to maintain a very strict schedule studying for it and after I finished the MCAT, that discipline stuck with me! Spending years as a pre-med truly does help develop personal responsibility like nothing else.

Discover things you would never have realized you liked:

Being a pre-med gives you the opportunity to discover things you would have never realized that you liked so much. These could be things such as volunteering, research, tutoring, specific courses/subjects (biology, chemistry, etc.), running a club/organization, etc. For me, it was all the above! I never realized how much fun volunteering is until I went out to do it. The feeling of helping others, while also doing something new is amazing. If it wasn’t for being a pre-med, I would have never become a tutor at my school and have the joy of helping my classmates. As a pre-med, I took many classes that I never knew I wanted to learn about! I was surprised to find how interested I was in courses like genetics, organic chemistry, and even biochemistry. There are so many things that I love now and it’s all because of being a pre-med. I’m sure you will find many things that you love too as a pre-med!

It’s a journey:

Being a pre-med is a journey. From when you first start as a freshman to when you finally apply to medical school, the whole process is a rollercoaster of emotions. It has its ups and downs, and moments of triumph and defeat: the early morning exams and the long grueling waits to find out what your grade is, spending what feels like your whole evening in a research lab, meeting up with friends to prepare for that organic chemistry exam, the first time you shadow a physician in the hospital, when you make an “A” in a class you didn’t think you would. During this long and crazy journey as a pre-med, you will make new friends, discover new things you love, and develop into fabulous young adults. Being a pre-med is definitely a journey and it is one you will be thankful you had.

I know as a pre-med you have a lot to focus on right now, but take a second to appreciate how far you have already come and how much you have grown. Think about all of the friends and people you have met because of being a pre-med. Yes, being a pre-med is hard! But it is so so worth it. That is exactly why the journey of being a pre-med is so transforming and meaningful. Whatever you do, make sure to give it you’re all! You don’t want to have any regrets. Be proud of all the hard work you are doing and know that you are bettering your life because of it. The goals that are difficult are the ones most worth achieving. If it was so easy then everyone would be doing it. Being a pre-med is awesome and you will be a better person because of it. So be proud and be the best pre-med you can!

Why do you love being a pre-med? Let us know by leaving a comment down below! For more pre-med tips and advice, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, twitter, and pinterest!

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Aug 07 2017

Something most Pre-Meds don’t do but should be doing!

Almost every university has one and it is there for your benefit. I am talking about your school’s AMSA or pre-med club. Most major universities and colleges have a club for pre-medical students. This club is intended to help keep you on the right track for getting into medical school and can be one of your greatest resources as an undergraduate pre-medical student. This is also an easy piece of advice to implement into your pre-medical strategy. Lets jump right into some of the benefits of joining your school’s pre-med club.

Benefits of joining a pre-med club:

1. Get valuable pre-med advice:
At your pre-med club you will be surrounded by other pre-meds, often ones that are closer to applying than you, who will be able to help answer any pre-med related questions you have. If you want pre-med advice, there is no better place to go than to your university’s pre-med club.

2. Meet like-minded people who will help keep you on track and motivate you to try harder:

This might be one of the most important reasons to join the pre-med club. Meeting like-minded people will greatly improve your own success. Simply by being around other people who share a common goal will motivate you to get more involved in pre-med related endeavors. We are the average of the five people we hang out with the most. So by spending more time with hard-working and high achieving pre-med students, you will in turn become a hard-working and high achieving pre-med over time. Spending time with other driven pre-meds will keep you on track.

3. Discover opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise:

Your pre-med club will most likely have the connections to be able to get you opportunities that you need for your medical school application. This includes things such as volunteering, shadowing, and research. If you need help finding extracurricular activities, there is a good chance you will find them through your pre-med club.

4. Can lead to leadership roles and letters of recommendation:

Another great opportunity that can be provided by your local pre-med club is that it can lead to leadership roles and letters of recommendation. If you spend enough time with your pre-med club, there is the real possibility of landing yourself a leadership role in the club. This is something that will look nice your medial school application. Also many pre-med clubs have a science faculty member/teacher involved, so this can also lead to getting a nice recommendation letter!

So how do you find your university’s pre-med club? There are a few ways:

– Ask your pre-med advisor

– Do a quick google search

– Browse through the list of clubs and organizations on your university’s website

Once you find your school’s pre-med club, go to it as soon as possible! From the networking to all the opportunities it provides, being a part of your pre-med club can make a huge impact on the success you find as a pre-medical student. I hope this article helped to inspire you to find and join your school’s pre-med club if it has one. Search right now for it and schedule a time you will go there!

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Mar 26 2017

Three unique ways to make your med-school application stand out

As pre-medical students we face tough competition for getting into the medical school we want. We are pitted against many other strong applicants, often ones who will have a better GPA or MCAT score than us. This is why it is so important to find ways that make your medical school application stand out. There are two things to focus on when crafting the perfect application: Activities that are unique, which can grab the attention of those who are reviewing your application. And activities that show your character, which demonstrate your commitment to helping others. Adding these things could make the difference between you or someone else getting accepted into medical school.

Here are the three ways to make your medical school application stand out:

Go on a study abroad
Do tutoring
Lead a club at your university

Go on a study abroad:

Going on a study abroad trip looks great on a medical school application. A study abroad trip shows a lot to those who review your application: It shows that you are open to new experiences, you aren’t afraid to leave your comfort zone, and you are exposed to different lifestyles and cultures. This is something which will not only make your application stand out to those who review it but it will also give you some fun stories to talk about in your interview.

Do Tutoring:

Tutoring is another excellent way to make boost your medical school application. Tutoring is excellent for many reasons, but one of them is that it looks great on a your med-school application. Tutoring demonstrates your willingness to help your fellow students, that you take your studies seriously, and that you are good at interacting one-on-one with another person. These are all essential characteristics a physician must possess, so it makes the admission board happy when they see it.

Lead a club at your university:

A huge thing that medical schools want to see in prospective students is that they are leaders. Being able to create a club or be in a leadership role in a club makes you stand out from other applicants. This shows you are someone who is not only a leader but also responsible, which are crucial for being a physician.

As pre-med students we must find ways to make us stand out from the other applicants. This is especially true when your metrics (GPA and MCAT) are not above average or even below average. However, that does not mean we should slack in that department. What it does mean is that there are many ways to improve your chances of getting into medical school. Many pre-med students only focus on the GPA and MCAT, and that gives an advantage to those who take the time to add more to their application.

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