Who Says You Can't Have It All?

Pre-meds and 2014 ERAS applicants: Who says you can't have it all?

Every winter applicants contact me asking if I can work with them throughout the medical school and residency admissions processes. In the past, my help has been through a la carte services, but now I've created two packages (each with a $430 discount) for those applicants seeking my assistance from the beginning to the end of the admissions process.

The Complete Package for medical students covers a one-on-one Medical School Strategy Session, Editing Services (including the Medical School Personal Statement, AMCAS®, Medical School Secondary Essays, and a Letter of Intent) and Medical School Mock Interviews. Check it out here on my website!

The Complete Package for residency applicants (including IMGs) includes a one-on-one Residency Strategy Session, Editing Services (including the Residency Personal Statement, ERAS®, Curriculum Vitae, and a Letter of Intent) and Residency Mock Interviews. Check it out here on my website!

As always, feel free to email me with questions: insidermedical@gmail.com

New! Guru On the Go© Stop-Motion Video Series

Make sure to watch the first of the Insider Medical Admissions Guru on the Go© stop motion video series. These under-one-minute videos give you professional admissions tips for free... and they are cool to watch! The first one is geared toward residency applicants, but the graphics are so fun, it's worth seeing even if you aren't applying to residency. Check out the video below and subscribe to my Youtube channel to see more in the coming weeks.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Interview Like a Ninja

In addition to my Friday, March 15th featured lecture, "Getting Into Residency: An Insider's Tips" at the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Annual Convention, I'll be leading "Interview Like a Ninja" sessions that Friday before my talk. The Ninja program allows interview practice in a one-on-one speed dating format. Take a look at this cool program and register here to get expert assistance from me.


Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

When Your Debt Affects Your Dates Part 2

The New York Times recently ran Perfect 10? Never Mind That. Ask Her for Her Credit Score, an article that might worry some single pre-meds.

Along those lines, here's an interesting piece by guest blogger David Z. Presser MD MPH that specifically addresses medical school debt and romance.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Check me out at www.insidermedicaladmissions.com

Accelerated Medical School Programs: Great Opportunity or Impending Mess?

I'm sure many of you read last week's news that NYU and other medical schools will be offering a three-year, accelerated medical school program to eligible applicants.

I greeted this news with both encouragement and concern. On the one hand, it's reassuring that low- and medium-income students who cannot afford the exorbitant costs of a medical education will have the option to pursue their career dreams with less (although still significant) financial burden. Shaving off $20 to $50,000 of tuition and living costs can mean opening up the medical career to those who are understandably terrified of decades of loan repayment.

On the other hand, the NYU accelerated medical students will need to choose their specialties when they apply to medical school. In return, they will be guaranteed a residency slot when they graduate, but presumably, these applicants would have matched successfully to a residency position if they had been in a traditional program. After all, they are being accepted to a strong medical school and are competitive applicants. (NYU expects these students to stay in the top half of their class academically in order to continue in the accelerated program.)

Asking students to pick a specialty prior to even completing one day of clinical rotations begs the question of whether these future physicians will be satisfied in their fields. Studies have shown that doctors who are more dissatisfied provide lesser patient care and are more likely to leave medicine, which will worsen the accelerating doctor dearth.

Take a look here to read the NYT's article regarding NYU's new program, and make your own conclusions.

Check me out at www.insidermedicaladmissions.com