Medical School Interview Questions - Discerning or Disturbing?

This fun piece from the Harvard Medical School (HMS) alumni magazine is worth a read. The article, "Stress Fractures" by Dr. Jules Dienstag, a member of the HMS Admissions Committee, briefly chronicles a history of the "stress" interview at HMS, specifically whether a well-known professor Dr. Daniel H. Funkenstein used the dubious tactic. The famous nailed-shut window story is explored.

ERAS Help and Scheduling

Just a reminder that U.S. medical students can already register for MyERAS and can start inputting their application materials. IMGs must wait until June 21 for their tokens and then they, too, can register. Both groups can "assign" their documents early September, which means that at that time they can start sending their completed applications to ACGME-accredited residencies.

DO candidates for AOA-accredited residencies have a somewhat accelerated cycle; please check it out here.

No matter what camp you are in, please start working on your materials early. Good writing takes a lot of time, and that mad rush at the end is never strategic.

How to Navigate the Residency Personal Statement when You're Applying for a Preliminary Year

Candidates who apply to certain fields - dermatology, ophthalmology, etc. - need a preliminary or transitional year of residency before initiating their specialty training. So does that mean those applicants need to toil over two personal statements?

No, thankfully. It's very appropriate (and strategic) to use the same essay with modifications. Ensure you explicitly address why a prelim year will advance the rest of your career and how you will contribute to the training program as a future specialist.

When you use a very similar essay, you can be honest about what your professional goals are. After all, the reader knows you're applying for a one-year position anyway.

Remember that many preliminary/transitional year programs are eager to match residents who are moving onto competitive fields. In general, those applicants will have strong USMLE scores, evaluations, and clinical skills.

Medical School Help: What are the Next Steps Once the AMCAS is In?

Once you've submitted your AMCAS, what can you do next to best prepare for what's to come in the medical school admissions process?

Here are a few tips:

1. Start to draft secondary essays. Even if you haven't yet received the prompts, you can begin to craft responses to common themes like "how would you add diversity to our school?" and "describe an extracurricular activity that might be of interest to the committee." Good writing takes time, but if you wait for the onslaught of secondary applications, you won't be able to impart your essays with your highest quality effort.

2. Get a head start on preparing for the medical school interview. Practice, practice, practice. Start mocking up answers to interview questions so that you distinguish yourself.

3. Consider what you want. Do some soul searching to determine what you are really seeking geographically, philosophically, and educationally. You want to make considered decisions when the time comes.