applying to medical school

Feb 01 2018

You need to do this before your medical school interview!

You need to do this before your medical school interview

A medical school interview cheatsheet can be incredibly helpful in your preparation for your interview. This will help you collect your thoughts for what you want to say, as well as being a convenient way to “study” for your interview. The interview cheatsheet was my main method of preparing for my interview! I made a cheatsheet which contained answers to questions specific to the school I interviewed at, it also had questions I wanted to ask them, and important information about the school. I used this to study for my interview, which allowed me to be really prepared for anything I was going to be asked on interview day. At the end of this article I am going to give you a free interview cheatsheet outline download!

What is a Medical school interview cheatsheet?

A medical school interview cheatsheet is essentially what it sounds like. It is a cheatsheet that has all of the information you will need to know for your interview in one simple document. I used microsoft word to make my cheatsheet. Inside of this cheatsheet you should include your specific answers to common medical school interview questions for that medical school, a list of questions you want to ask that school, and information about the school you are interviewing at.

Example:

*Note: This document is free to download at the end of the article!

Inside of your cheatsheet you should answer common interview questions such as these. For a list of 45 common medical school interview questions, check this article out.
Make sure your answers to these questions are specific to the school you are interviewing at. Make your answers show that you have researched the school thoroughly. Whenever possible choose answers that relate to a personal experience you had. Remember, “show don’t tell” when giving answers.

Your cheatsheet should have multiple sections such as this. I recommend having the same sections as I mentioned earlier

Tips for making your cheatsheet:

Remember, this is a cheatsheet. So it should be quick and easy to use.
Make sure you research the school you are interviewing at thoroughly. This way your questions and answers for the school will reflect that you have researched them and you are serious. Showing the school you understand them well looks professional.
Try to not include too much unnecessary information in your cheatsheet. Only the most important things for each section

How to use the cheatsheet:

After making the cheatsheet the best way to use it is to study it every day if possible. You want to memorize everything you put into your cheatsheet. You should be able to tell people the answers to any questions you have written there, give important information about the school you are interviewing at, and memorized the questions you are going to ask the school. Once you have studied the cheatsheet and memorized everything on it, start practicing mock interviews. You can now just use the cheatsheet as a reference for if you forget what you planned to say.

I hope this tip helps! Having a cheatsheet for your medical school interview will really help you with getting prepared and giving you some extra confidence when interview day comes around. Make sure to always give answers that show the school you have researched them thoroughly. For more tips about preparing for your interview check out this article: Seven keys to being prepared for your medical school interview.

And as promised, download your interview cheatsheet outline.

Tell us what you think 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!

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know!

[yop_poll id=”12″ tr_id=“interviewcheatsheet”]

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!

Tell us what you think 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!

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know!

[yop_poll id=”12″ tr_id=“7keysinterview”]

Jan 30 2018

45 common medical school interview questions

List of common medical school interview questions

Hey Pre-Meds! Here is a list of some common medical school interview questions! This list will be updated from time to time with more questions, so make sure you are subscribed to our newsletter to hear when that happens. I also included these questions in a word document that you can type your answers into. Download now! Best of luck with your interviews!

Download word document version

Questions:

Tell me about yourself?

Why did you choose your major? What do you like about your major?

Why do you want to pursue a career in medicine?

Describe a challenge that you have overcome. How does that experience relate to what kind of physician you would be?

What inspired you to become a doctor?

Why become a doctor instead of becoming a nurse, PA, or other medical practitioner?

Why our medical school?

What do you like most about our medical school?

What will you do if you aren’t accepted to medical school?

What other career would you consider if not medicine?

What do you believe makes you unique from other applicants?

What are your two biggest strengths? How will these help you be a good doctor?

What are your two biggest weaknesses? How will overcome them?

What will you contribute to the learning environment of your class?

Why are you a good fit for our medical school?

What do you think will be your greatest challenge in completing medical school or learning how to be a doctor? How will you address it?

What do you believe is the most pressing problem in medicine today?

How do you plan on paying for medical school?

If you were accepted to multiple schools, how would you make your decision?

What makes you most excited about being a doctor?

What are your hobbies?

Why would you be a good doctor?

What do you feel are the most important qualities in being a good doctor?

How would you handle working with a difficult colleague?

What exposure have you had to the medical profession? How has this impacted your decision to pursue a career in medicine?

What are your most memorable clinical experiences?

What lessons did you learn from your volunteer work?

What is your most memorable volunteer experience? Why?

What do you think you will like most about practicing medicine?

What do you think you will like least about practicing medicine?

What are three things you want to change about yourself? How will you go about making those changes?

What is your favorite subject? Why?

What aspect of medical school do you think you will find most challenging? How will you address that?

How would you describe the relationship between science and medicine?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Why do you think you will be successful in coping with the pressure of medical school?

Who has most influenced your life so far and why?

Some people say that doctors make too much money. What do you think?

What do you think about [insert topic on ethical issues in health care]?

What do you think about [insert current policy issue in the US healthcare system]?

How does your research experience relate to a field in medicine?

What type of physician do you want to be? Why?

What was the hardest class you took in undergraduate? Why?

What were the main lessons you learned from undergraduate that will help you handle the rigor of medical school?

As an applicant what do you think your greatest strengths and weaknesses are?

Check out this other article about preparing for a medical school interview:

Seven keys to being ready for your medical school interview

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know!

[yop_poll id=”12″ tr_id=“interview questions”]

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.

Tell us what you think 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!

Give us feedback!

Aug 01 2017

9 Tips to write a personal statement that captivates your reader. (Medical School essay)

Nine Tips to write a personal statement that captivates your reader

The personal statement is one of the most important aspects of your medical school application and one of your best opportunities to separate yourself from other applicants. Your personal statement is your chance to convince medical schools that you would be a great physician. Do not underestimate the value of having a good personal statement. There are many medical schools that accept students who don’t have the highest GPA or MCAT, but have excellent personal statements. And it is often the personal statement that plays a major role in encouraging the medical school to invite you to an interview. Please take your time to review the tips I wrote down below, these tips come from personal experience as well as advice from medical school admission officers. So what are some tips to help you write a spectacular medical school essay that no school can resist?

1.Treat the essay as if you are writing a novel. Tell a story.

One of the most important things you can do when writing a personal statement is to write it as if it were a novel. You want to start the essay strong with something that catches the readers attention, use suspense, build up to major events, and give the reader closure at the end. It is important that you are able to maintain the readers interest in your story.

2. Use powerful language.

An easy way to improve your essay is to use strong and emotionally powerful adjectives. When describing events use metaphors. You want all of the language that you use to really leave an impression. This ties in with the first tip about writing a novel, you really want to use strong and symbolic language that will captivate your reader.

3. Make a list of several key points and themes you want your personal statement to include

This also goes back to the idea of writing a story and is honestly one of the best ways you can guarantee you say everything you want to and give the right impression to your reader. By having themes and key points in your essay you are both implicitly and explicitly emphasizing why you would be a great addition to their medical school program. Make a list of all of the major points you want to emphasize and the main themes that will define your essay. This list will be a valuable asset as you write your essay.

Heres a list of some things you might want to focus on: Showing you really care about helping other people, illustrating your hands on experience with patients, showing that you love to volunteer, showing all the different struggles you have overcome and how you have grown from them, showing your growth and evolution as a person over time, showing that you understand the rigors and realities of medicine, showing strong and resilient character, and showing that you are humble.

4. Make sure to subtly repeat your key points and themes throughout your personal statement

It is important to be able to subtly remind your reader of your key points as you write your essay. You want to be able to tell them that you are awesome without having to say it directly. Having consistency in your key points and themes makes it more authentic. For example: If you want to get the key point across that you have learned a lot from patient interaction, mention in the beginning of the essay how one patient was memorable to you. And then later in the essay bring up how the lessons you learned from that patient played in an impact in a separate situation. Once your essay is able to show consistency in your key points they become themes of your essay. And having a theme is much more powerful than trying to tell your reader explicitly why you are awesome. Being consistent and subtly repeating your key points and themes makes your essay more genuine.

5. Give examples for your claims

Having examples for each of your key points will greatly increase how believable your essay is and also the impact it leaves on your reader. Make sure you have good examples for your key points. Also make sure to use strong and emotional language, see tip #2, when describing that example. For example: If you are trying to show your reader that you are compassionate for others, then have an example where it shows you are compassionate.

6. Stay humble.

This is one of the most common pitfalls that many pre-med students fall into. Many medical school admission officers emphasize the importance of being modest and humble when writing your personal statement. Often one of the biggest turn off’s to medical school is being too full of yourself. That is why it is best to imply rather than directly state that you are good at something. Remember, being subtle and consistent is key.

7. Make sure not to go over the character limit

This one is actually really important for saving you lots of time and annoyance. The character limit is only 5300 characters! That is only about one page long. When I wrote my essay I accidentally misread it as 5300 words! That was a big mistake. Because when I copied my essay into the AMCAS essay box, it was literally twice as long. Then I had to go back and try and cut certain things out to make it fit. It was a very painful and upsetting process. So make sure you are constantly checking that you don’t go over the character limit. If it helps, you should write the essay in the essay box instead of a word processor.

8. Don’t have any grammar mistakes

This is an obvious one but also one that is easy to avoid. Having grammar mistakes is one of the easiest ways to show a lack of professionalism. So just make sure to double-check that.

9. Have multiple people proofread your essay and give feedback

This tip is a must. It is critical that you get other people’s opinion on your essay. Other people will see things that you won’t and have advice that you wouldn’t have ever considered. You will most likely have to go through several drafts of your essay before it is truly ready. I went through 6 drafts before I submitted my essay.

Follow these tips and you will have an essay that truly stands out and makes medical schools interested in you. The main key points to take from this article is: Write a story that will captivate your reader and keeps their attention, develop major themes and key points that your essay is based around, and to have others check your essay. Remember, the personal statement is your biggest opportunity to let you stand out. Write a powerful essay that will blow the socks off your reader! I believe in you! You can do this!

Tell us what you think 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!

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know!

[yop_poll id=”12″ tr_id=“9tipspersonalstatement”]