Med Schools Have No Patience for No Patients

For those undergraduates who are starting to think about their medical school applications, I will tell you a secret: One of the biggest weaknesses I advise candidates on is their lack of clinical experience. I've seen students with MCATs in the high 30s who did not get into medical school on their first try. They had little or no patient experience.

So, ensure your application has robust clinical activities. Some suggestions:

Scribe
Clinical Care Extender
EMT
Low Income Clinic Volunteer
Hospice Volunteer
Veterinarian's Assistant (a great way to get hands-on procedural experience)
Phlebotomist

If you are not excited about getting clinical experience, it is time to question your interest in a career in medicine... which is exactly what admissions committees will do if they don't see that experience :).

Take a look below at my Guru on the Go© Video about this topic.

NRMP Rank Deadline Approaching

Please remember that on February 25 your rank list must be certified by 9pm EST, and changes cannot be made after that time. The NRMP will not enter a list; add, delete or move programs; or modify a rank order list. 

Every year I see applicants making changes to their lists at the last minute. Please take some time to consider your decisions, and submit your rank list well before the deadline.

Paid Undergraduate Science Writers' Fellowship Opportunity

In 1995, I was selected to be an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Fellow. I was paid to intern at the Oregonian newspaper where I improved my science journalism skills. The experience was fantastic, and I strongly recommend the fellowship to other science students.

The AAAS has a relatively new fellowship, specifically for minority science writers. The below is information from the AAAS about this paid internship:

The AAAS Pitts Family Foundation Minority Science Writers Internship is for undergraduates who are interested in journalism as a career and who want to learn about science writing. In addition to improving their skills, the program seeks to make a dent in the demographics of the profession: Although science is a global activity, the journalists who cover it don't reflect that diversity.

Funded by the Pitts Family Foundation, the internship takes place each summer at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of AAAS's Science magazine, the largest interdisciplinary journal in the world. Interns spend ten weeks at Science under the guidance of award-winning reporters and editors practicing what science writers do for a living. They have a chance to meet leading scientists, attend conferences and hearings, and cover breaking news.

Interns are expected to contribute to all facets of the news operation, including writing bylined articles for the print magazine and online news service, engaging in social media, and contributing to other news products. Interns receive a weekly stipend as well as the cost of a round-trip ticket to and from Washington, D.C. The internship runs from early June to mid-August. This year's application deadline is March 1, 2015. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate academic program at the time they submit their application.

No Ring, No Thing

Residency applicants, please take a look at this Guru on the Go© video. Remember that promises made by a residency director during the interview process should not affect your rank list in any way.