Monday, March 26, 2012

Cool Things Med Students Do

I wanted to put in a plug for a charity that does great work in the battle against the spread of HIV. Little Travellers, an organization started by a Canadian medical student, sells beaded dolls and necklaces made by South African women infected with or affected by HIV in a community with a 45% HIV rate.

Not only does the project help with hospice care, education and medical facilities, but it also employs the bead artists who make the dolls and jewelry. If you'd like more information or you'd like to get involved, please contact Erin at erin@littletravellers.net.

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Match

Congratulations to my residency applicant clients on your great success in the Match! Special kudos goes to those who applied successfully in very competitive fields.

I was also thrilled that even those with significant weaknesses in their candidacies presented themselves effectively in their written materials and interviews such that they matched well.

Now, go out and celebrate!

Monday, March 12, 2012

AMSA Success

Thanks to everyone who attended my AMSA lecture. We had a standing-room only crowd. Your support is appreciated!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Letters of Intent

Medical school letters of intent (or what some applicants jokingly call "love letters") can be used for several types of applicants:

1) Those who have been wait listed
2) Those who have been interviewed but have not yet been accepted or rejected
3) Those who have not yet been invited to interview

When writing your letters of intent (LOIs), you should have the following principal goals:

1) Restating your interest in the institution
2) Positioning yourself as a distinctive candidate

The biggest error I see in LOIs is too much content about a specific institution's advantages. There is no reason to spend a paragraph or more telling medical school admissions members what makes their institution special. They already know! Using your precious space this way is an opportunity cost, keeping you from fully showcasing what makes you a compelling applicant.

For those of you interested in LOI assistance, please contact me. I do offer a popular LOI editing service.