Ten AMCAS Mistakes You Absolutely Want to Avoid

 Here's a quick and dirty list of AMCAS Work and Activities section errors to avoid at all costs:

1. Don't write to write, and don't fill to the maximum character count unless necessary. While you want to include many strong achievements, you do not want your AMCAS to be so wordy that your reader is tempted to skim.

2. While you need to be brief, don't write in phrases; use full sentences. It’s a formal application, and you want to make your written materials as readable as possible.

3. Don't assume your reader will carefully study the "header" section (including the title of the activity, hours, etc.). Make sure your descriptor could stand alone: Instead of "As an assistant, I conducted experiments..." use "As a research assistant at a Stanford Medical School neuroscience lab, I conducted experiments..."

4. Don't be vague or trite. Make sure you spell out your accomplishments clearly and substantively. If your reader doesn’t understand an activity, you will not get “full credit” for what you’ve done. Make no assumptions.

5. Avoid abbreviations. Again, you want to be formal, and abbreviations you think are common might not be familiar to the reader.

6. Write about yourself and your role – not an organization. For example, don’t use the space to discuss Doctors without Borders. Use it to discuss the specifics of your role at Doctors without Borders.

7. Avoid generalities and consider using numbers to be persuasive. Saying that the conference you organized had 300 participants says it all.

8. Don't merge the descriptors with the most meaningful paragraphs because they are separate sections: You can complete descriptors for up to 15 activities with up to 700 characters each plus up to three most meaningful paragraphs of up to 1325 characters each.

9. Unless your PI won the Nobel, avoid using supervisors' and/or doctors' names in your descriptors as they will be meaningless to the majority of your readers.

10. Choose the right category for each activity, so you get "full credit."

Bonus: Get help. Do not submit your medical school application without having it reviewed by someone with experience. You do not want to showcase suboptimal materials for a process that is this important and competitive.

You Can't Be It If You Can't See It

I had the great opportunity to see the film Black Men in White Coats last week as part of an HMS alum event. The documentary follows several African American male doctors and, in particular, the founder of the Black Men in White Coats organization Dr. Dale Okorodudu, a pulmonary and critical care physician. Here's the trailer for the film. 

African American men represent only 2% of all physicians, and they are applying to medical school in lower numbers than decades ago. Dr. Okorodudu is trying to improve those numbers through his organization's efforts, including impressive outreach to kids.

If you have a chance to see the film, I highly recommend it. 

What Makes New Yorker Articles So Good?

I have a dear medical school friend who gifts my family the New Yorker every year at the holidays. The New Yorker is one of the best Chanukah presents we receive, and we get to appreciate it weekly, which makes it even better than the usual candy and fruit baskets. What makes New Yorker writing so good is that the journalists offer facts and then let the reader make his/her own assessments. A subject's own words or the description of his/her home office or clothes or even gait tells it all. There is no need for convincing.

Currently, as I'm editing medical school essays, I'm reminding my clients of the importance of that principle in writing a strong personal statement. To an admissions reader who hasn't yet met you, you are what you've done. It's the facts that matter. You need to use substantive examples of your achievements to demonstrate your worthiness for a potential medical school position. Evidence is persuasive; use it!

Tomorrow Belongs to Those Who Can Hear it Coming: AMCAS is Opening Next Month

This year's AMCAS application will open on May 3 at 9:30AM EST, and candidates will be able to submit their AMCAS applications beginning on May 27 at 9:30AM EST. 

Because of rolling admissions, submitting a complete application early in the cycle has distinct advantages at many schools. That doesn't mean you should submit suboptimal written materials on the twenty-seventh; it means you should start early enough that you are offering your best work.

Rolling admissions means that a school takes applications in the order in which they are received and makes decisions about interviews and then acceptances, accordingly. So, as times goes by, there are fewer interview and admissions offers remaining to be made. Think of an auditorium whose doors open to allow guests in. Those in the front of the line get the seats, and those who come later may not have a chair to sit in. 

If your application is not complete, your candidacy may not be evaluated early when there are more opportunities for interviews and admissions. So, if you have not already, get started immediately. It could make a huge difference in your available opportunities.