In the final episode of the Competitive Medical School Applicant series, we talk about how to decide whether or not medicine is the right path for you. We discuss factors like cost, interest, time commitment, and academics and talk about alternative paths if it seems an MD isn’t right for you.

Deciding if Medicine is for You (AAMC):

https://students-residents.aamc.org/choosing-medical-career/medical-careers/deciding-if-medicine-you/

6 Red Flags Medical School Isn't the Right Choice (US News and World Report):

https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/articles/2016-06-28/6-red-flags-medical-school-isnt-the-right-choice

Today we talk about how to decide which medical school to attend, how to get off a waitlist, and what to do in the months leading up to entering medical school. We go through a variety of determining factors that are relevant to choosing a medical school like finances, curriculum, culture, career advancement, and support systems. We also talk through update letters, letters of intent, and improving your application to get off the waitlist.

Selecting a Medical School: 35 Questions I Wish I Had Asked (AAMC):

https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/selecting-medical-school-35-questions-i-wish-i-had/

Strategies to Select the Right Medical School to Attend:

https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/articles/2016-01-05/strategies-to-select-the-right-medical-school-to-attend

Today we talk about secondaries and interviews for medical school. We discuss common prompts for secondary essays, how soon you should submit them, and how much they cost. We also compare the traditional interview to the MMI style and talk about how to best prepare.

Prospective Doctor Medical School Secondary Essay Prompts Database: https://www.prospectivedoctor.com/medical-school-secondary-essay-prompts-database/

University of Washington School of Medicine Bioethics Topics:

http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/index.html

Atlantis Blog: How to Prepare for MMI:

https://atlantisglobal.org/blog/mastering-mmi

In Portugal, Drug Use Is Treated As A Medical Issue, Not A Crime:

https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/04/18/524380027/in-portugal-drug-use-is-treated-as-a-medical-issue-not-a-crime

Today we have a mock interview with Oliver Ha who has already been through many real medical school interviews. We’ll start with a couple of traditional interview questions and then have one MMI (multiple mini-interview) style interview question.

This week we walk through all the pieces of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) including the personal statement, letters of recommendation, descriptions of work and activities, and recommended timelines. We also briefly discuss the application services for Texas medical schools and osteopathic (DO) schools.

2018 AMCAS Guide: https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/33/f0/33f0bd3f-9721-43cb-82a2-99332bbda78e/2018_amcas_applicant_guide_web-tags.pdf

AMCAS Fee Assistance:

https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/applying-medical-school-process/fee-assistance-program/

Medical School Admission Requirements for U.S. and Canadian Medical Schools (MSAR):

https://apps.aamc.org/msar-ui/#/landing

2018 TDMS Application Handbook:

https://www.tmdsas.com/medical/homepage.html

Community service and leadership experience are important to show admissions communities that you’ve acted on your stated desire to serve people and that you’ve begun to develop the necessary skills to lead a team in providing coordinated healthcare. We’ll discuss some organizations worth looking into and how to make the most of your service hours and leadership experience.

Today we’ll be talking about one of the most important metrics for any med school applicant - GPA. We’ll discuss what GPA you should be aiming for, how to get that GPA, and what to do if your GPA isn’t the best. Since we’re on the subject of classes, we’ll also discuss which courses you need to take to get into med school.

This week we discuss the MCAT. We’ll talk about what it is, when you should take it, how to study for it, and what you need to score. In the second half, we have an interview with Oliver Ha. He is a Baylor University grad who scored a 526 on the MCAT and will be going to medical school in the fall. He’ll talk about his MCAT studying strategies and give advice he wishes he had known before starting to study for the MCAT.

This week we discuss how to get clinical hours. We’ll talk about shadowing, as well as getting certified to be an EMT, CNA, phlebotomist, and hospice volunteer. In the second half, we have an interview with Julia DeCelles-Zwerneman about volunteering at a clinic in Washington, D.C. Julia a UVA grad who is working at Saffron Ventures until she applies for medical in the upcoming applicant cycle.

Welcome to the Atlantis Podcast! Our first series will be about how to be a competitive medical school applicant. This episode introduces the topic and provides a cursory overview of the importance of GPA, MCAT score, personal statement, letters of recommendation, interviews, clinical hours, and volunteering hours.