We discuss the need for moderation of student expectations, improvements to course and verification process for medical school applicants, and issues surrounding recent MCAT tests. We also explored the importance of personal storytelling and the use of AI in essay writing, as well as the importance of tone and bias mitigation in your writing.

We start by discussing the complications during the last application cycle (2023-2024) due to the FAFSA problems and how finances are an important consideration while preparing for, applying to, and starting medical school. This took us to reasons why it is so important to take care of oneself throughout this process and how gap years help you do this.

We discuss the potential benefits and pitfalls of using online forums as a marketplace and a platform for social support, advising students to focus on supporting each other rather than engaging with negative comments. We emphasize the importance of discerning accurate information from misinformation on pre-med forums and the role of data analytics in the admissions process.

We discuss the CASPer and PREview tests as well as the general concept of situational judgment tests (SJTs). We also explore the limitations of the scoring system used in these tests, the potential of improving the interview process, and the ongoing efforts to improve medical admissions processes.

Have you already taken your MCAT and are not sure whether you should retake it? Are you studying for your MCAT and don’t know the best way to prepare for test day? Do you want to apply and don’t know how to fit the MCAT into your application timeline? In this episode we demystify many of the MCAT myths and misconceptions, discuss MCAT prep, and give pointers on how to successfully tackle the MCAT.

Hosted by Joanne Snapp of My Honest Advisor, Amanda Brem of The Brem Method, and Doug McLemore.

You’ve already applied, and it should be done by now, right? But medical schools are waiting ever longer to let you know if you get an interview, if you get accepted, or if you get rejected. There’s been a lot of changes in the process in the last few years due to a variety of factors and we discuss what this all means for you.

Hosted by Joanne Snapp of My Honest Advisor, Amanda Brem of The Brem Method, and Doug McLemore.

You need to apply, but there are so many steps in the process and it’s hard to know what to do and in what order. It doesn’t help that there is a lot of confusing and conflicting information out there. In this episode we delve into the nuance of the application process and how to be successful getting into medical school.

Hosted by Joanne Snapp of My Honest Advisor, Amanda Brem of The Brem Method, and Doug McLemore.

Welcome to the debut episode of “Into the Nuance: Compassionate, Evidence-Based Pre-Med Advising.” Join us each episode as we unravel the complexities, debunk myths, and explore the many paths to medical school. Whether you’re a freshman or a pre-med veteran, we’re here to provide informed, realistic, and hopeful advice for your journey. Tune in for interviews with experts, stories of triumph, and useful tips as you continue towards medical school. This is “Into the Nuance,” and we’re so glad you’re here.

For the past fifteen years, Joanne Snapp has helped pre-health students on their journey to a health career. After serving as the Director of Admissions at an allopathic medical school in New York followed by helping thousands of students as a pre-health advisor in California, she gained the insight and knowledge needed to provide holistic, compassionate advising to future applicants.

Amanda Brem created the Brem Method after years of ‘for fun’ teaching. While in her Masters’ program, she had been teaching the MCAT through a big test prep company for a little extra money. Amanda quickly ended up tutoring my classmates, lab mates, and friends-of-friends who she connected with over dinners or coffee. Over and over, Amanda would hear the same frustrations about the MCAT: burnout, competitiveness, overwhelming amounts of content and resources, and no time or energy or support to do it all and be a human being at the same time. She developed a highly flexible yet motivating study system that is focused on fitting in with your life, not taking it over.

During the early 2010s, the idea of IcosaPrep was born. Doug McLemore‘s love of steps being built into my study plans to the idea of 20-step study guides came to be. He has been writing and will release a series of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Biology, and General Physics primers each touting 20 steps to mastery. Alongside of this work, Doug tired with the one-size-fits-all mentality he had come to know in the commercial standardized test prep world. There had to be a different way than hours of classes and tutoring packages targeted at the lowest common denominator. He is now teaching classes and tutoring to help students not only with test prep skills, but also with fundamental skills like reading comprehension, time management, and study skills.