A Note On The Personal Statement

     As I've been trying to plan out what I want to write about for those of you preparing to apply to medical school, I came to the realization that I had not yet touched on one of the most important parts, the personal statement. I'll be honest, I've been avoiding this topic for a bit because it was honestly something that I personally struggled with, but as it is important I wanted to discuss it a bit.

The Struggle of The Personal Statement

     

     I'm sure I wasn't the only one that struggled with writing their personal statement because, like me, many pre-meds don't have a single defining moment that influenced their decision to pursue a career in medicine. For many of us, the decision was a culmination various interests, personal experience, and curiosity. So, how can one capture that in one essay? It's rather difficult. Apart from that, the personal statement creates quite a bit of pressure because it is one of the first things that your potential medical school will read and may use to decide whether you have what it takes to become a doctor. But, with all of that involved, writing a good personal statement is still possible. 

Telling Your Story

     The best thing that I can advise you to do is not to think about what medical schools would want to hear, but rather to tell the story of what made you want to pursue this career and what keeps you motivated to continue with it. Your story certainly doesn't have to be extraordinary (i.e. You didn't have to have an epiphany while serving at a mission in India.), but I recommend that you try to make it as unique to you as possible. For me, it took quite a bit of thinking, but when I finally pieced together my story I was very proud of it.

Writing Tips

     During the process of writing my own personal statement, I came upon a few tips that helped me. So, I wanted to share the ones that I remember.

  1. Make It Engaging

      You have to remember that the admissions person that is reading your essay has read hundreds of others. If it is boring, you won't be memorable and your essay might get overlooked. Focus on keeping your reader engaged throughout the essay (with an emphasis on a strong beginning and end) by telling your story in an engaging way. I wrote mine as if I was telling an actual story and I think that is what helped mine stand out (or at least I assume so).

2. Keep It Short

     Going along with the first tip, essay readers have read several personal statements before picking up yours. If you happen to make yours as verbose as possible, I'm sure they'll get annoyed. Try to say what you have to say with as few words as possible. You'll be forced to ensure that you are utilizing quality over quantity and essay readers will be thankful you opted out of using every word in the dictionary.

3. Read Samples

     Taking the time to read what other people have written for their personal statements can be incredibly beneficial. For one, you'll be familiar with the general format of a personal statement and through reading several of them you'll be able to learn what makes them engaging. I read quite a few before attempting to write my own. Of course, this tip doesn't mean to go out and copy what someone else has written, but instead utilize them to get in the mindset to write your own unique statement.

4. Try To Avoid Pre-med Cliches

 
       A subject people will gravitate to when writing a personal statement for medical school is talking about a sick person they have encountered in their life that made them decide to pursue medicine. Another topic is talking about how you want to save people. Truth is, we all might've had that influential "patient" and we all want to save people. That's why we are pursuing medicine. I am not saying these aren't valid reasons, but that they tend to be overused. Try to write your statement with less of a direct focus on these topics and on instead focused on you. Also, be specific to medicine. There are many jobs that would allow you to help people, so why are you choosing medicine in particular.

     With all of that in mind, I advise writing from the heart. If you are pursuing this career, you are definitely passionate about it. If you approach your writing with this in mind, it'll definitely show through. 

     I hope you are having a great start to your week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

Preparing For Medical School Interviews

     With regards to the application cycle, it is a bit early to be thinking about interviews. But, as this was a question that I was recently asked on one of my YouTube videos, I figured that I would take the time to answer it again on my blog.

Know Yourself

     When it comes to interview prep, I would start by being knowledgeable with what you are writing on your applications. This was a piece of advice that my friend Alissa gave me before I interviewed and I believe it was rather valuable. Of course, medical schools want you to write about what you like to do outside of school, but they'll also like to ask you about it. When I was at my last interview, my interviewer asked me about running (I wrote about it for one of my short essay questions and it was also listed as one of my hobbies). It was slightly awkward because I am currently nowhere near where I used to be with my running, but I talked about running with her anyway. 

     Another thing, know how you would answer things about yourself. Something that I noticed across interviews was that schools like to ask "situational questions" in order to get a better sense of your character. You might encounter some of these on secondary applications. They'll have the format of, "Tell us about a time..." and if you are asked this type of question during an interview, you'll have to quickly come up with your answer. During my first interview, I was not adequately prepared for these types of questions. I don't exactly remember what I was asked, but I know I hesitated a bit trying to decide what I should answer. I tried to answer the question as best as I could. Honestly, I thought I could've done a much better job. But hey, I was still accepted. So, I wouldn't say that you need to go look up every question that you might be asked (maybe look up a few to be familiar with the format), but definitely know how you would go about answering similar on-the-spot questions. I know this might sound a bit nerdy, but something that I did to prepare for my interviews was to practice out loud. One question that you will be inevitably asked is "Why do you want to be a doctor?"I think it was helpful to be able to have an answer thought out, so I didn't have to scramble for an answer come interview time. So, practice your response to the difficult questions, but don't have a memorized answer. You don't want to make it seem like you have a rehearsed answer, but rather that you have given deep thought to the subject and can answer it.

Know The School

     Before an interview, I would spend some time looking over the school's website. I would try to find out as much about the program as I could. I would look up the curriculum and other things that made the school unique. The goal is to be able to speak about what draws you to the school and why you applied. When I interviewed at my Chicago school, I was asked about why I wanted to go there. Obviously, I had a billion reasons before even looking up the particulars for the school, but after getting familiar with what the school offered, I could pin point why this particular school was a good fit for me.

     Along with knowing the school, try to figure out their interview style. I know that different schools interview in different ways, so knowing what to expect before you walk in will be advantageous. For my first interview, It was two-on-one and the interview was conducted by two faculty members. My following interview, I had three one-on-one interviews. The first interviewer was a faculty member and the two others were students. To find out the school's interview style, I believe I googled "[School name] secondary application" and I happened to find the application cycle thread on The Student Doctor Network's forum. Applicants that have interviewed typically go on the forum and will say what the interview style was. So, finding out what the interview style will be like will help you know how to prepare.

Know What To Ask

     Almost every interview ends with, "Do you have any questions?" and your answer should always be yes. Even if you get the general grasp of the school, come up with things you'd like to know or want further clarification about. Asking questions about the school shows the interviewers that you are actually interested enough in the program that you want to know more about it. Asking questions can also help remove some of the interview tension as questions tend to be a bit more informal. This is great because it helps show a bit more of your personality that might've been left out because you were nervous during your interview. Also, this might be the place that you're going to spend the next four years of your life. You want to make sure that you are going to be happy attending this school.

What To Wear

     This section is geared more towards my ladies because for guys the attire is the expected suit and tie combo. For ladies, we have a plethora of options. When I was trying to figure out what I was going to wear for my interview, I tried to figure out what was appropriate. Either pants or a pencil skirt should be fine. I decided to go with pants, but many of the girls I interviewed with wore skirts. On top, a nice, dressy blouse or button up are the norm and not everyone wore a blazer. As far as shoes, wear something comfortable. Usually, part of interview day involves a tour of the school, so if you are not comfortable in heels, it won't be a fun experience. I wore a reasonable heel and I was fine, but a couple girls were wearing flats. Overall, just go for a polished look. Keep your hair and makeup natural and you should be good to go!

     Hopefully, this post helps you feel a bit more prepared to tackle the medical school interview. Also, remember, if you've gotten to the point of an interview, enjoy it! It is a really great sign when a school wants to interview you, so just go and show them that they made the right choice and don't stress yourself too much.

     I hope you are having a great start to your month and I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

MCAT Day Survival Guide

     With the end of the school semester quickly approaching, I figured that many of you will be taking the MCAT following the end of the school year. In order to help you kick butt on MCAT day, I want to share a couple of the things that I did in order to make it through.

Day Before Prep

     The most important thing that you can do the day before your MCAT is to just relax. By this point, I'm pretty sure you've learned as much as you'll be able to remember on test day, so spending the day before cramming yourself with information won't be that helpful and will most likely just drain you out. If you were about to run a marathon, you wouldn't want to run one the day before. So why do that for the MCAT? The day before my MCAT, I spent time with my family, went out to dinner, and did something fun. If you absolutely must review, I'd say keep it to under an hour. I think all I looked over the day before were some of the formulas, but that was it.  Plan out what you are going to wear the next day and what you will need to bring with you. Make sure that you wear something comfortable as this will be a long day. I am pretty sure I wore some yoga pants, a t-shirt, a zip-up hoodie, and a comfy pair of shoes. I think it's smart to wear layers because you don't know what the temperature will be like in the testing center, and you want to be able to adjust yourself to keep at a comfortable temperature.  Don't forget your ID! You'll be needing it to check in. Also, make sure you get to bed at a reasonable time, as being well-rested will greatly benefit you. The whole goal is to keep your stress levels low, so you can walk in on test day refreshed and ready to bring your A-game.

MCAT Day

Before The Test

     Wake up at a reasonable hour, so that you have enough time to get yourself ready. I know that some people don't like to eat breakfast, but on MCAT day, it's a must. Make sure you eat something that is filling. I am pretty sure I had some steel cut oatmeal because I had read that it would slowly release glucose, and glucose is what will help you power up your brain. Try to avoid anything too sugary because too much sugar will cause a crash later in the day and you obviously don't want that. I remember I also made a Starbucks run on my way to my test so that I could be well caffeinated. For coffee intake, follow your own judgment. I always start my day with some coffee, so I knew it was something that I needed/wanted.  Make sure to bring some healthy snacks and some gatorade. I brought almonds because they are a great source of healthy fats and are good to help boost your brain power in between test sections. The gatorade is to stay hydrated. I would normally say drink lots of water, but on mcat day you want to avoid having the need to pee during the test. I don't know about you, but having to pee really breaks my focus. I read that gatorade was a better option to avoid having to pee because it doesn't filter through your system as fast as water does. I followed this and it worked pretty well for me. Make sure to leave for the testing center with plenty of time. You want to have enough time to figure out where you need to go and get yourself settled in. Also, try to keep calm as you are getting yourself there. I know MCAT day jitters are common, but just keep the mentality that you are ready for this.

What to Expect 

     After you check in, they will call everyone in one-by-one. When you get called back, they take your picture, take your finger prints, have you sign some forms, have you shake out your pockets, and will run one of those detector wands over you. Then you get escorted to your seat and you begin. There is a whole protocol when you enter and leave the test room, so just be aware of that. You'll also have cameras on you while you test, and a proctor will be going around the room every so often to make sure that no one is doing anything sketch. 

During The Test

     While you are testing, try to treat each section like it is it's own separate test. What I mean by this is that don't let a previous section bog you down. Try to do the best you can while you're on a section, but once you move on to another section, don't worry about the previous one. There may be cases where you feel like you are struggling through. I hope this isn't the case, but if it happens, work through the section and move on. Remember that your score is important as a whole, so it is important to keep going no matter what. Also, don't stress about individual questions. I know that you will want to get everything right, but it's most important to make sure that you finish everything as best you can, so spend some time on a question, and if you just can't get it, move on and if you can, come back to it later. TAKE YOUR BREAKS! I know that you might be tempted to just power through, but it is so important to step away from the computer when you can. I know that this was important for me, and will be super important now because the current MCAT is super long. I believe you get ten minutes ( At least that's what I had when I took my test. I'm not sure about the current MCAT.), so take the time to quickly go to the bathroom, have a little bit of your snack, and a couple sips of gatorade (don't drink too much though!).

After The Test

     At this point, I am pretty sure your brain will feel like mush. I remember feeling like I couldn't think anymore, so my best advice is just go home and rest. For the next 30 days ( I hope that's still the post test waiting period), don't even think about the test. You've done everything that you could and now it is out of your control, so don't stress. Go back to enjoying life, catch up with your friends and family (Who I'm sure were put to the side while you were on your MCAT grind), and just relax. You'll have plenty of time to worry about your test score later, so don't do it before you actually need to. When scores are finally posted, don't freak out too much. It is just a test. This does not define you, but just how you performed on a single test. So, no matter what you get, don't worry.

     I hope these tips help you as you are headed to your big test day and I wish you all the luck in the world. Many have made it past the beast that is the MCAT and so can you! I hope you are having a great week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Applying to Medical School

     This past year has definitely been a crazy one, and of course that all had to do with the fact that I was applying to medical school. Now that I've pretty much completed the process, I wanted to share my "review" of the medical school application process.

     I did make a video about this, and that will go into the general overview of the process. This post will mainly be dedicated to explaining some of the things that I mentioned in the video and giving you more of a sense of the timeline (I'm a visual person, so this is for my other visual people).

     

Timeline

     (All beginning in the year prior to medical school entry)

May: The primary application is available online

June: Primary application (along with supplementary materials) should be sent out by the end of the month.

July: Secondary applications are sent out to applicants by the end of the month. Applicants can also begin sending in their secondaries as soon as they are completed.

August: If the secondary application was sent in early, applicant might be invited for an interview.

September: Interview season begins.

December: Deadlines for most secondary applications.

March: End of Interview Season.

April: By April 30th, you can only have a spot saved for one school. If you have multiple acceptances, you will have to cancel the ones for the schools you will not be attending.

Things Mentioned

Primary Application: This will be the first "round" of the application process. If you are applying to allopathic (MD) schools, you will be filling out the AMCAS. If you are applying to osteopathic (DO) schools, you will be filling out the AACOMAS. The primary application is a general application that is sent to all of your selected medical schools, so it is mainly focused on your background information, personal statement, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation.

Secondary Application: The secondary application is sent out individually by each medical school. Every school has different requirements for their secondary but for most schools, the secondary is mainly a set of supplementary essays set by the school. At this point, schools want to get to know you a bit more beyond your grades. 

Interviews: In order to be considered for acceptance, each applicant must complete an interview. Despite being intimidating, interviews are a great thing because you'll literally have a foot in the door. If a school is inviting you to interview, this means that they are already interested, but that they would like to get to know you in person to see if you would fit in the environment of their school. For interviews, I would say that of course, you have to bring your A-game but at the same time have fun. You should be seeing if the school is a good fit for you. After all, you'll be the one studying there for the next four years.

Acceptance: If all goes well, you will be getting a big white packet in the mail offering you a place in the entering class and instructions for the next steps. At this point, you respond to their offer and you save yourself a place at the school.

     I hope that this post gives you a better breakdown of the application process. I know it is rather general, but I think it gives you a general overview of what to expect. I hope that you had a great week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3