Components of the Medical School Application Process

Components of the Medical School Application Process

UWSOM Mission Statement Meeting the health care needs of our region- recognizing the importance of primary care and providing service to underserved populations Advancing knowledge and assuming leadership in the biomedical sciences and in academic medicine Special responsibility to WWAMI states Commitment to building and sustaining a diverse academic community Assuring access to education and training for learners from all segments of society

Medical School Application Process Complete online application Send college transcripts Pay application fee Primary Application AMCAS processes the primary application. Once this processing is complete, AMCAS sends the primary application to the medical schools selected by the applicant. At this point, the medical school takes over the application. Secondary Application Upon invitation from the medical school: Submit letters of recommendation Submit additional writing samples Send updated transcripts if necessary Pay additional application fee if required Interview Schedule interview date upon invitation from the medical school

AMCAS: The Primary Application A service of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) which operates as a non-profit, centralized application service

AMCAS: The Primary Application Collects applicant information Collects one set of transcripts Collects letters of recommendation Verifies academic records Provides standardized grading information to participating schools

Sample AMCAS Screen

Getting the AMCAS Application Ready Know the admissions requirements at each school Obtain copies of your transcripts Make sure you have access to a computer that meets AMCAS system and browser requirements Make payment arrangements

Completing the Primary Application: Common Pitfalls Missed application deadlines Delayed processing/missed transcript deadlines Problems with college course work taken in high school Late shipping Incomplete or inaccurate Missing Unofficial Typos and other errors in essay, experiences, etc. Failure to receive and respond to AMCAS notifications Course work errors Missing course work Missing grades / credits Incorrect academic status Incorrect course classification

Submitting the Application: Early is good. Error-free is better! Emphasize completeness and accuracy over early submission Use print option to check your data as final step before submission Have your payment information ready Ensure successful submission by checking the Main Menu

Monitoring Your Application s Progress Check your AMCAS status Monitor progress by frequently checking e-mail and Main Menu

Knowing Your Responsibilities In addition to meeting deadlines and accurately completing the AMCAS application, you must: Know the admissions requirements at each school Promptly notify AMCAS of change in contact info Review verified course work immediately after AMCAS processing is complete Respond promptly to interview invitations from the medical schools File for financial aid as soon as possible Withdraw from the schools you will not attend

UW School of Medicine Secondary Application

Letters of Recommendation Three Letters of Recommendation from faculty members in a discipline where the applicant has taken a course or a composite letter from premedical advisor/committee. Up to three Additional Letters from your choice of individuals. Letters must be printed on university, company or personal letterhead and signed.

Guidelines for Writing a Letter of Recommendation 1. How well do you know the applicant and under what circumstances did you have contact with him/her? 2. What strengths does the applicant possess? Does the applicant have any unique characteristics? 3. Have you observed any particular weaknesses or characteristics which you feel would interfere with a successful medical career? 4. How well does the applicant get along with the faculty and his/her peers? 5. How does the applicant handle disappointing or stressful situations? 6. How do you assess the applicant's emotional maturity? 7. How do you assess the applicant's oral and written communication skills? 8. If possible, please indicate reasons why you feel that the applicant should or should not become a physician.

UWSOM Admissions Requirements Required in either a secondary application or in the AMCAS application Personal Comments an explicit description of : Prior experience in healthcare Steps taken to explore a career in medicine Eventual goals as a physician

Autobiographical Statement Addendum An autobiographical statement in which you describe the origin and development of your motivation to be a physician with specific emphasis on prior health care experiences, steps taken to explore a career in medicine, and eventual professional goals. Any other issues of importance to you should also be included. You may request that the Personal Comments section of the AMCAS application be used to fulfill this requirement

Publication or Other Personal Comments An additional short essay. In a concise statement (limit 250 words) explain based on your experiences, how you are now prepared to be a physician. For re-applicants: From your most recent application until now, how have you strengthened your application?

Course Prerequisites Courses must include a minimum of: 4 semesters or 6 quarters of Social Sciences or Humanities. 6 semesters or 9 quarters of Chemistry and Biology. The subject matter in these courses must include general chemistry, general biology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, and cell biology/cell physiology. 2 semesters or 3 quarters of Physics; or 1 semester of 2 quarters of Physics plus 1 semester or 2 quarters of calculus or linear algebra. The following courses are recommended, but not required. Ethics Anatomy or Comparative Anatomy Human or Mammalian Physiology Embryology

What counts as Social Sciences or Humanities? (source: UW Pre-Health Advising Office) Ask yourself. Will this class ask you to learn more about a different culture? Will you learn more about why a particular social structure was designed? Will this class stretch you to consider difficult questions from multiple perspectives? Will you leave this class with a broader vocabulary about how to describe why people behave in certain patterns? If the answer is YES to the preceding questions, the course may be appropriate.

What counts as Social Sciences or Humanities? (source: UW Pre-Health Advising Office) Ask yourself. Will this class teach you a specific skill? Will this class focus on one academic discipline with the goal of increasing your knowledge of how to construct/produce something, how to complete a task, or how to navigate through a system? If the answer is YES to the preceding questions, the course may not be appropriate.

2010 MD Applicant Pool and Entering Class as of 3/29/10 State of Legal Residence Applied Offered Entering Washington 709 109 107 Wyoming 44 16 16 Alaska 62 21 20 Montana 104 20 20 Idaho 108 20 20 Non-WWAMI 3,202 12 12 Total 4,229 198 195

2010 Applicant Pool and Entering Class as of 3/29/10 Gender Applied Offered Entering Female 2,025 111 106 Male 2,431 112 110 Age at Application Applied Offered Entering Female (12) 23 (49) (20) 23 (40) (20) 23 (40) Male (17) 23 (61) (19) 24 (42) (19) 24 (42) (XX) YY (ZZ): (XX)=Youngest, YY=Median, (ZZ)=Oldest

Statistical Outline of Montana Applicant Pool (105) and Entering Class (20) as of 3/29/10 Applied Offered Entering Undergraduate GPA and Standard Deviation 3.65 (0.23) - 3.71 (0.21) MCAT Mean and Standard Deviation Applied Offered Entering Verbal 9.50 (1.63) - 9.8 (1.44) Physical Science 9.15 (1.65) - 9.75 (1.73) Biological Science 9.87 (1.86) - 10.65 (1.65) Writing Sample P - Q - O

Statistical Outline of Montana Applicant Pool (105) and Entering Class (20) as of 3/29/10 Highest Degree Anticipated at Time of Application Applied Offered Entering None/Other 0-0 Bachelor of Arts 35-5 Bachelor of Science 61-12 Other Bachelor 2-2 Master of Arts 1-0 Master of Science 2-1 Other Master 3-0 Doctorates 1-0

Total Interviews for E-2010 Interviewed Applicants for the MD Program Washington 410 Wyoming 37 Alaska 34 Montana 72 Idaho * 64 Non-WWAMI 43 Total 660 Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) 40

Out-of-Region Applicants UWSOM considers applicants who have demonstrated a strong commitment to working with underserved populations and/or individuals who come from an educationally or socio-economically disadvantaged background.

UWSOM Application Deadlines AMCAS Deadline November 1, 2010 Secondary Deadline January 17, 2011 TRUST Deadline December 1, 2010

WWAMI Applicants Most applications are screened by two members of the Executive Committee to determine if an interview will be extended. Approximate GPA <3.0 and approximate MCAT score <21 will be reviewed by the EXCOM member of the respective state to deem eligibility for secondary

UWSOM Interviews Committee of three individuals 30 to 40 minute duration Interviewers are partially blinded to grades and MCAT scores Evaluation based on the interview, personal comments, recommendations

Experiences Leadership positions Team work Research with a compatible supervisor Under-served communities Children The aged Hospice Health area of personal interest

What UWSOM Expects Inquiry and awareness of current problems affecting medicine and society in general Feeling for ethical issues in the health care delivery area Some relevant activities Good communication skills Broad interests and life experiences

The Best Applicant Experiences Find Out What You Are Getting Into! Exposure to clinical setting Physician shadowing Patient contact Time = Indication of commitment

The Value of Experience Discover what medicine is all about. Work in the environment that makes you think. Thinking clarifies motivation. Motivation makes you more articulate.

Examples from Montana E-2010 Habitat for Humanity Paid Position in Homeless Shelter Clinical Research Coordinator Nursing Assistant in Long Term Care Facility Health Care Screener Head Start Swim Volunteer Therapeutic Recreation Peace Corps Volunteer

Personal Statement UWSOM: Either AMCAS or secondary application must include: A description of prior experiences in health care Steps taken to explore a career in medicine Eventual goals as a physician.

The Appealing Personal Statement Motivation, motivation, motivation Awareness! Maturity! Interesting detail

Is there an experience that solidified your desire to go into medicine? Family or personal illness Experience with under-served populations Understanding gained from reading medically-oriented literature

Winning Characteristics An account of how your motivation for medicine evolved. Writing from the heart. Interesting detail A beginning, a middle, and an end Evidence of awareness Passion for Medicine The truth as you know it

TRENDS

Rejected Before Interview Spotty Academic Record Dropped Courses and/or Average or below average MCAT s Bare-bones application Investigation of medicine does not match up with stated goals. No Exploration of medicine

Immediate Reject at Interview Limited patient interaction Limited life experiences Naïve to medical practice realities Lack of self awareness Lack of warmth or empathy No evidence of concern for others

Top Interviewed Candidates Quotes from review Discovery of medicine is logical and inevitable. Able to think on feet Weighs both sides of an issue. Good analytical thinker Well-demonstrated motivation and drive Diverse background experience Displays empathy and caring in personal essays and demeanor Appears highly ethical Patient centered

Questions?