Schools are people too....and they want to be liked.

Below is an excerpt of a piece I wrote on how to make the best impression during your medical school and residency interviews. Knowing the institution you're at makes a big difference during the interview process.

When I was at Harvard, we had a residency applicant about whom I was very enthusiastic, but when we sat down to talk about the candidate’s credentials, one of my colleagues put a kibosh on the applicant’s prospects. As it turned out, the candidate had made it clear that he did not want to leave California. “If he’s not interested in us, why should we be interested in him?” my colleague asked.

Although you hope that schools will like you, keep in mind that institutions want to see that you are serious about them as well. There is a psychological principle: People tend to like those who like them. Apply this idea to schools when you interview. Be so familiar with the institution that you convey to the interviewer that you are excited and sincere about spending the next four years there. Know details about the school’s curriculum, extracurricular opportunities, location, associated hospitals, and students. Have very specific questions to ask your interviewer that demonstrate your intimate knowledge of the school and your belief that you could be a contributing member of the class.

Medical School and Residency Interviews: Power Pose

Those of you who have worked with me may recall that I am a big fan of the "fake it until you make it" philosophy espoused by Harvard's Amy Cuddy. Many applicants are overly humble about their accomplishments, leaving their interviewers mistakenly underwhelmed.

Cuddy's TED talk has been viewed over 19 million times. It's definitely worth a watch.

Interview Help

Here's a quick reminder that - because of high demand - I am booking a couple of weeks in advance for my Mock Interview service. Please consider securing your slots now.

Also, here is an article for PreMedLife Magazine that I wrote with several important interview tips.

Nothing Left to Say

I've gotten a few requests for help on the following secondary essay prompt:

Do you have anything else to say in addition to what has already been stated in other parts of your application?

Usually the point of this type of prompt is to offer the candidate a fair opportunity to discuss any weaknesses in her application. So, if you have a genuine shortfall in your candidacy (low MCAT score or GPA, for example), this would be the place to ensure the committee sees that your deficit does not represent your true intellectual ability. Of course, avoid excuses or blaming others.

If the question is elective and you do not feel that you have anything to explain, it is okay to skip the prompt. Answering with filler will not further your candidacy.

DO + MD = Love

This article in the New York Times does an excellent job of showcasing the popularity of DO programs, the rigor of their admissions process (as well as that of allopathic schools), and the imminent slow merging of the two professions. (If nothing else, it's worth looking at the article for the links to hard statistics it provides.) Along these lines, please take a look at my blog regarding the recent announcement from the American Osteopathic Association, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education about the consolidation of the graduate medical education system. 

Urgent, Urgent, Emergency

Every September a swarm of panicked residency applicants contacts me asking for urgent editing help. Don't be one of those candidates approaching your future career goals in a frenzy.

Get started now on your ERAS® personal statement and experiences section. MyERAS® opened on July 1 for candidates to start working on their applications, and residency tokens are already available for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates® (ECFMG).

Even if you have a super-fast editor like me on your side, you should expect that you will revise your materials multiple times and that each of your drafts will take you many days or weeks to craft.

For those of you who don't think the quality of your personal statement matters, take a look at the (bizarrely) high percentage of residency directors who site the personal statement as a factor in selecting whom to interview in the most recent NRMP Program Director Survey.

Here is a list of the residency application services I provide and here is my comprehensive package.

Finally, for fun, take a look at my under-one-minute Guru on the Go® stop-motion, animation video "Honors Won't Make It Write" about the import of the residency personal statement.

Too Busy To Care

Here's an interesting article by Sandeep Jauhar, MD, who was an American Association for the Advancement of Science Mass Media Fellow with me in 1995.

Secondary Essays: Why Our School?

I receive a lot of questions from medical school applicants regarding the "why our school" secondary essay prompt. Although it's work, the goal is to research each institution and then link your qualities and interests with the school's.

Be very specific. Look into what makes the institution distinctive, including electives, curriculum, awards, international opportunities, and research.

The mistake I see is that candidates tend to use generalities, a tactic which doesn't afford the admissions committee members a sense that the applicant is really interested in their institution.

If your interests and accomplishments are linked to the underserved, for example, look into the school's commitment to that community (a free clinic at which students volunteer, a medical student program to teach sex ed in a struggling high school). Then, in your essay, specifically review your achievements and the school's associated opportunities.

Gap Year

I'd recommend purusing this brief piece by Varsity Tutors' Dr. Anubodh “Sunny” Varshney regarding the benefits and drawbacks of taking a gap year before medical school. I should note that Dr. Varshney does not mention a gap year's financial drawbacks, which can be significant.

I took an extra year (although it was during medical school, part of HMS's 5-year plan) that grounded me and made me a more competitive emergency medicine applicant. If feasible, it's a great opportunity.

Same Hospital, Different Worlds

This is an interesting NPR piece (in text) about the discrepancy between a patient’s and his doctors’ perceptions of good care. I would strongly suspect that the patient was consented for the catheterization, which makes the story that much more striking.

Residency and Medical School Personal Statements Don'ts

Some of you may have read my Student Doctor piece on essay techniques to avoid. This article by Frank Bruni in the NYT makes the point with some bittersweet examples. It's worth a read.

ERAS 2015 Information Now Available for International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

If you are an IMG applying to residency this year, please take a look at the newly available ERAS Support Services section of the ECFMG website. There you'll find important information regarding obtaining your token (available July 1) and submitting your supporting documents.

Note that for ERAS 2015 all letters of recommendation must be submitted through the AAMC's LOR Portal (LoRP) or ECFMG's Medical School Web Portal. The former is for waived letters (highly recommended by me) and the latter is for unwaived ones.

American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Merge

As many of you know, in March the American Osteopathic Association (AO), American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) jointly announced a memorandum of understanding to consolidate the graduate medical education system.

I would recommend reading a short article about the merger called "Proof of Equality or a Loss of Identity?" in the recent ACEP Now magazine. (The magazine is a a publication of the American College of Emergency Physicians. The article starts on page 5.) The piece is a short summary written by J.D. Polk, the dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Des Moines University. The article takes on a positive tone, highlighting the increased influence a unified front could have in positively affecting graduate medical education funding.

AMCAS Tips

As many of you know, the 2015 AMCAS application opened for submission June 3.

Here are a few quick tips for writing your AMCAS (and ERAS) activities:

1. Use full sentences. Some applicants erroneously use phrases in their activity descriptors. You're submitting a formal application, and full sentences are appropriate.
2. Avoid abbreviations. Again, we're talking about a formal application here, so let's treat it as such :). Also, abbreviations you think are common might be unintelligible to the reader.
3. Do a spell and grammar check. Don't submit only to be embarrassed by a simple error.
4.. Although you are very familiar with your accomplishments you need to spell them out in your application as though you are speaking to a lay person. If your reader does not understand an activity (or activities) on your application you will not get "credit" for what you've done.
5. Ensure the email address you offer has a spam detector that is set low. You don't want to miss important emails.
6. Get help. Do not send your application without having it reviewed. You cannot afford to submit suboptimal materials.

For professional, individually-tailored assistance with your AMCAS or ERAS please contact me.

2015 AMCAS Application

Just a reminder that tomorrow, June 3 is when the 2015 AMCAS opens for submission. It's advantageous to submit as early in the season as you can while maintaining high standards for your written materials. 

Contact me for help.

Getting Into Residency: Put a Ring On It

Many of you already know about the Insider Medical Admissions' Guru on the Go© video shorts - a free, stop-motion animation series that provides critical advice in under one minute for medical school and residency applicants. I received some great feedback last year after rolling these out, including a nod from the NRMP® itself. Check out this brand new getting into residency video called "Put a Ring on It." Also, take a peek at the Insider Medical Admissions Guru page for more shorts.

Getting Strong Medical School and Residency Letters of Recommendation, Continued

This is my second blog entry  regarding actions you can take immediately to help you obtain strong letters of recommendation (LORs). The first entry describes two initial strategies for improving your medical school letter of recommendation process. (Much of the guidance in both blog entries is critical for residency applicants as well, so feel free to read on if you are a medical student.)  Today I’ll pursue the LOR topic further, specifically advising you how to positively influence the content of your LORs.

As a Harvard Assistant Residency Director, I bore witness to how weak – or even mediocre – LORs had the potential to bomb an otherwise competitive candidacy. Once you’ve followed directions and asked the right people (see my previous entry), it’s time to influence the content of your letters by making the job of letter writing easy.

 Let's Give Them Something to Talk About -Bonnie Raitt 

When pre-meds, residents, nurses, and physician colleagues asked me to write them LORs when I was Assistant Residency Director, the first thing I requested was that they send me background information to make my letter robust…and my job easier. Accordingly, I strongly recommend you create a “LOR packet,” which can include the following:

1. A brief, well-written cover letter defining all of your important accomplishments
2. Your curriculum vitae (CV)
3. Your personal statement in its final form
4. Your transcripts.

With regard to the cover letter, keep it streamlined. No one will skip the beach or her two-year old’s birthday party to read your exhaustive biography, so you want to thank the writer and highlight your pre-professional achievements in one page. The point of the cover letter is to supplement a letter writer’s knowledge of your candidacy and offer flattering content for inclusion. A professor may know that you made the only A in an organic chemistry class, but her LOR will be more complete, and she will demonstrate a more intimate familiarity with you if she knows enough to write that you volunteer regularly at a homeless shelter.

With regard to the CV and personal statement, these make useful supplements to the LOR packet only if they are in professional and final form. Don’t include rough drafts, as poorly organized background information leaves your writer the impression that you are a disorganized person. Also, only include the transcript if it bolsters your candidacy, demonstrating academic achievement. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot if you have some bad grades or an incomplete you’d rather not showcase.

Bottom line: An applicant who offered me a list of her accomplishments in a tidy, accessible package was more likely to get a strong, comprehensive letter that was submitted promptly. She also distinguished herself from the majority of candidates who requested letters without demonstrating a comparably sophisticated understanding of the demands this process made on my time. If you can make a letter writer's job easier, your forethought is likely to pay dividends in the letter your receive. This is not a court of law, so the savvy applicant can take subtle advantage of her ability to "lead the witness."

Signed, Sealed, Delivered - I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder

In addition to making your writer’s life easier with a LOR packet, you can improve your writer’s attitude and speed by making the process of submitting your letter easy: Ensure that you don’t leave your letter writer to figure out where to send the completed LOR.

Your medical school recommenders have several options for submitting their letters to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). You want to make the process as convenient as possible for the writers, and different faculty members may have different preferences, so offer each writer all feasible alternatives. If your letter writer plans to send the letter by postal service, provide her with a pre-addressed, stamped envelope. There is no worse party foul than asking someone to pick up the tab for the letter she is writing you as a favor.

Below are the options. Note that your AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID (found on your Letter Request Form) are required, regardless of the means of submission:

1. AMCAS Letter Writer Application: This site enables letter writers to upload documents to AMCAS securely.

2. Interfolio: AMCAS can receive letters sent to Interfolio if the applicant is an Interfolio user or if the faculty member’s institution/organization uses the program.

3. Traditional post (i.e. snail mail):
AMCAS, attn: AMCAS Letters
AAMC Medical School Application Services
P.O. Box 18958
Washington, DC 20036

4. VirtualEvals (VE): VE is available to members of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP).

A savvy applicant recognizes that even the way in which one asks for a LOR has the potential to leave a favorable impression on the writer if performed tactfully. The candidate who submits organized materials, provides supplementary information about her extracurriculars ("I knew she was a star in my chemistry class; I had no idea she also captained the tennis team and coordinated medical interpreters at the community clinic, too!"), and demonstrates the foresight to provide a stamped, pre-addressed envelope or explicit directions on how to submit a letter online can turn even the most overburdened professor into an enthusiastic supporter.

International Medical Graduate Performance in the 2014 Match

Many of you already know that the ECFMG® (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) is a certifying, advocate organization for International Medical Graduates. Each year, the ECFMG publishes data on International Medical Graduate performance in the Match.

ECFMG posted their results recently:  In 2014 53.0% of U.S. citizen IMGs obtained first year positions through the Match. Of those IMGs who were not U.S. citizens, 49.5 % matched (Source: ECFMG®).

Considering this reality, it's important for current IMGs to approach the application process by ensuring they apply broadly to residency programs.

Medical School Admissions Timeline

Every year in June I receive panicked requests from pre-meds, begging me to edit documents urgently. Don't be one of those people! Here is a safe timeline for you to follow to avoid the frenzy:

Now: 1. Draft your AMCAS activities (maximum 700 characters) and your three most meaningful paragraphs (maximum 1325 characters). Also, complete a strong draft of your personal statement. Then get expert editing help. Expect to spend several weeks updating your written documents after aggressive edits. 2. Request all letters of recommendation if you have not already. If your school has a pre-medical committee that requires an interview, set yours up immediately.

June 3: Submit your AMCAS.

July through early August: Complete your secondaries. Set aside time now to ensure you will be able to complete the multiple essays in a timely and thorough fashion.

September: Complete mock interviews with an adivsor who has admissions experience. Practice, practice, practice.

October through winter: Interview. (I've seen applicants who submitted their AMCASes at the beginning of June receive medical school acceptances as early as October.)

Winter through spring: Celebrate acceptances and send letters of intent to wait list schools. Consider "second looks" to help make matriculation decisions and to show wait list schools you are interested.

Summer: Enjoy your freedom.

Avoid Medical School and Residency Application Missteps

Please check out my recent Student Doctor Network piece to help you avoid big admissions bloopers.

Choosing your Medical Specialty

The medical education system is really quite twisted: We spend a mere 2-12 weeks exposed to a specialty and then must make a quick decision as to whether we want to spend the rest of our careers in it.

 A few recommendations:

 1) Understand that what you are seeing in your rotation may not jive with what you would really be doing on a day-to-day basis after training. For example, most internists don't spend the majority of their days in the hospital, although you will likely do that on your internal medicine rotation.

 2) Ask attendings what they do and don't like about their fields. Make sure you could stomach the worst parts.

 3) Consider whether you like the operating room or not. 

 4) Shadow a few attendings outside of rotations. 

 5) Study statistics on physician burnout by field.

 6) Finally, do some soul searching, and don't be afraid to be honest with yourself about your likes and dislikes. It's okay to admit you want a reasonable lifestyle or a salary that could support a large family. Considering those "ugly" issues now may help you avoid a lot of pain later.

Medical School Wait List Advice

Waitlisted for medical school? What can you do?

First, remember that the number of medical school applicants has been increasing yearly, so don't feel insecure. Medical school admissions have become increasingly competitive, and being on the wait list is better than being rejected, despite the anxiety you feel.

Here are a few things you can do:

1. Send a letter of intent. Let the school know of your continued interest and any new accomplishments. Ensure the letter is well written and brief. In the letter, don't make the mistake of dwelling on the school's strengths when you should be highlighting yours.
2. Ask the school if you can set up a second look: Show them you are serious, and provide yourself with more data if you are later offered a spot.
3. Don't neglect other options or opportunities, focusing all of your attention on this institution to the exclusion of others.
4. Plan for last minute notice. I've heard of acceptances being offered to applicants off the wait list the day before medical school was to begin!

Above all, try to keep your chin up despite the expected stress.

ECFMG Data

First of all, congratulations to all residency applicants who matched on March 21! I appreciated the good news from clients. Please take some time to enjoy yourselves before the hard work of residency begins.

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) recently partnered to publish some really important data for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) called "Charting Outcomes in the Match for International Medical Graduates." Previously, "Charting Outcomes in the Match" was available, but it left IMGs trying to interpret the Independent Applicant data. This document is far clearer. It can be found here.

Medical School Personal Statement

As I mentioned in my penultimate (I love that word) blog entry, it's time to get started on your medical school personal statement. We've talked about distinguishing yourself with your accomplishments. Now, let's start at the top and briefly consider the intro.

Catching the reader's attention is a way to make an excellent first impression and increase the odds that your essay will be read - not skimmed. Consider a topic that is distinctive to you that also demonstrates traits, talents, and/or perspective that other applicants might not have. I've read excellent essays that start with a description of applicants' unique hobbies, international experiences, performances, and sports events. Note that these may seem to have nothing to do with medicine at first blush. However, once they are conveyed for a few sentences (not more!), the skilled writer can link the introductory stories to traits, talents, and/or perspective that make the writer a good match for medical school.

Getting into Residency – Sending Appreciation to a Great Audience

I wanted to thank all of those who attended my AMSA national conference lecture. We had such great attendance that we caused a fire hazard - with audience members even packing the aisle. Yikes!

If anyone needs a lecture handout, please email me at insidermedical@gmail.com.

Medical School Personal Statement

Hard to believe, but it's already time to start tackling the medical school personal statement. Over the course of the next few blogs, I'll offer tips on how to get started on your essay, so that you can initiate a draft early and be on top of your application.

Remember that the goal of the personal statement is to distinguish yourself from all of the other applicants. The best way to make yourself distinctive is by showcasing your accomplishments. Your essay should be dense with achievements. Avoid purple prose. After all, who you are to the admissions reader is what you've done.

Here's a short blog of mine from 2012 that reminds applicants that highlighting accomplishments does not mean regurgitating a resume (although the highlights of your curriculum vitae absolutely should be covered in your essay).

Getting into Medical School - Prove You Can Handle the Heat

Getting into medical school has gotten so competitive that it's important to have a strong candidacy with excellent grades and robust extracurricular activities starting freshman year. There is no time to waste.

One mistake I see pre-meds make is that they are so focused on leadership and research that they forget a critical component - clinical experience. No one wants to hire a cook who hasn't worked in the kitchen. If you want to prove that you want to be a doctor, it's essential that you obtain clinical experience for a significant period of time - not just a health fair or two. 

Working as an EMT, in a good clinical care extender program, or in a low-income clinic are just some ideas for obtaining excellent clinical exposure.

To create a plan for your medical school candidacy, secure a Strategy Session with me here.

The Medical School Myth

Please check out my latest guest posting "Exploring the Medical School Myth" on the Varsity Tutors blog.

AMSA National Convention Keynote Speaker Sheri Fink MD PhD

I mentioned in my last blog that I'll be speaking at the American Medical Student Association's Annual Convention in New Orleans on March 7 at 1pm. I also wanted to point out that a former colleague of mine Sheri Fink will be a keynote speaker at the event.

Sheri is a  talented professional and all around-nice person. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for her piece on the deadly choices faced at a New Orleans hospital post-Hurricane Katrina. Sheri's latest book "Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital" was named as a top ten book by the New York Times.

Sheri was interviewed on the Daily Show. You can watch the segment here.

Featured Guest Speaker at AMSA

This is my fifth year as an invited guest lecturer at the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) National Convention. The conference will be held in New Orleans this year, and I'll be speaking on Friday, March 7 at 1pm on "Getting into Residency: An Insider's Tips." Last year I was fortunate to have a completely packed auditorium for my talk.

In years' past, the AMSA national meeting has been the largest annual gathering of medical students in the United States. The conference is a fantastic opportunity to learn and network. Here is more information on the National Convention.

Curling up with a Good Book

Please check out my latest Varsity Tutors guest blog "A Recommended Reading List for Pre-Meds."

Medical School Interview Questions

As my clients trudge through their medical school interviews (sometimes in the Midwest and East Coast they really trudge because of the snow), I encourage them to keep their chins up. The good news is that many medical school interview questions are the same from institution to institution.

Practice answering broad questions like "Tell me about yourself,"  "Why do you think we chose to interview you?" and "Is there anything else you want me to tell the committee about you?" Once you've drafted answers that demonstrate your distinctiveness, half the battle will be won.

For professional help with medical school interviews, contact me.

How to Rank Residency Programs for the Match

Getting into residency is hard. Understanding how to rank programs for the Match is easy. Thanks to a Nobel Prize winning economist and his colleagues, the current Match algorithm ensures that your desires are the priority over the residency programs'. What this means practically is that you should rank your first choice first, your second second, etc. There is no need to try to play the system. Please see my Guru on the Go® video "NRMP Ranking to Avoid a Spanking" below for a fun summary and the NRMP® website here for more details about how the algorithm works.

Letters of intent

I receive a lot of inquiries this time of year about how to distinguish one's self after the interview process.

One option is the letter of intent. This is a formal note to program directors and medical school deans that a) states your interest in the institution and b) restates the strengths of your candidacy. As I tell my clients, what you do not want to do in the letter of intent is wax poetic about the program's good qualities. The reader is already familiar with them.

Getting into residency and medical school is never clear cut, so I'll end by saying that the weight that a letter of intent carries is variable. It depends on the reader, the institution, the timing, and the program's interest in you. But in this competitive game of  residency and medical school admissions, taking a little time to make yourself distinctive before decisions are made won't hurt.

Another Plug for the NRMP Program Director Survey

A residency applicant recently asked me if Board scores, grades, and academics in general were no longer significant once someone had gotten past the interview stage; she wondered if those factors were important to get to the interview but not get on the rank list.

Of course, every program is different, but generally, questions like this one can be answered with evidence - using  the NRMP Program Director Survey. (According to the survey, academic issues are still a critical factor in deciding whom to rank.)

If you want to know what Program Directors really want, check out the Survey. The NRMP is very good about culling and publicizing data.

How To Decide What Medical School is Right for You

Pre-meds, check out my latest guest entry on the Varsity Tutors' blog about choosing the best med school for you. Many applicants find themselves ill-prepared to make a decision that will play such a major role in their professional and personal lives. Don't let that be you!

Check out the Complete Packages for Medical School and Residency Applicants

For those of you who have friends or family applying to medical school and residency in the next year, make sure they check out my Complete Packages for pre-meds and residency candidates. These packages flew off the shelves last year. They are a great way for me to help from the beginning to the end of the application process.

Create your Medical School or Residency Interview Elevator Pitch

You may have heard the term "elevator pitch," a short summary a business person uses to describe and - hopefully - sell her product or service. In preparing for medical school and residency interviews, you, too, should create an elevator pitch to sell - you.

Create a 1-2 minute "summary statement" that recaps your candidacy. If you have this elevator pitch at the tip of your tongue, you'll be at a great advantage, ready to answer questions like "Tell me about yourself" and prepared to showcase your accomplishments in other answers throughout the interview session.

Unforgettable

Need some help making a strong impression after your interview day? Take a look at my most recent Varsity Tutors guest blog here. This entry is directed toward pre-meds but the principles translate well for residency applicants too.

Considering or Currently in Osteopathic Medical School?

This is an important article for any pre-meds considering osteopathic (DO) medical school or current DO students, especially those considering a career in emergency medicine. These failed negotiations among the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) are disappointing. I am still a big fan of DO school as an option for pre-meds, but it is worth understanding what kind of challenges DOs can face.

Call me anytime

I recommend that if you have not heard from medical school, residency or fellowship programs to which you've applied, that you contact the institutions to inquire about your status.

After offering that advice to a client recently, she emailed me this week to say she obtained an interview in a competitive specialty with a call. Another said she received two preliminary interviews with simple emails. (I recommend calls over emails, however, because it's hard to ignore someone on the other end of a phone line.
Still, if you simply can't bring yourself to call, an email can be effective.) In years' past I've seen this phone call strategy work for fellowship and medical school interviews as well.

Of course, if the school or program explicitly asks in written materials that you don't contact them about your status, then calling is not a good idea.

Understanding the Admissions Game

In the most recent Stanford Magazine, I encountered a piece called "What It Takes: How Does Stanford'sUndergraduate Admissions Staff Decide Who Gets Accepted? Short Answer: It'sComplicated." Although the article focuses on college admissions, it's instructive for medical school and residency applicants as well.

A take home point is uncovered when Stanford Dean of Admission Richard Shaw says he is seeking "intellectual vitality" and "passion." He remarks, "We want to hear a 'voice' - that's a critical component."

These comments directly support the point I drill into those I mentor: Make sure your candidacy is distinctive by showcasing your accomplishments. Make sure you can be distinguished from all of the competing applicants.

Take a look at the piece. It's worth the short read.

FREIDA Rocks

If you're applying for residency, make sure to check out FREIDA, which has a lot of improvements. As a reminder, FREIDA Online® is a database with over 9,400 graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), plus 100 combined specialty programs.

General information about programs - percentage of residents who are international medical graduates (IMGs), percentage who are doctors of osteopathy (DOs), and minimum Step scores (to name a few) - are all useful in deciding where to assign your application in September. But now that we're into November, you can search the system for other factors that might affect how you rank programs - work schedule, salary, whether a night float system exists, etc.

FREIDA is an amazing, free resource that you should not overlook.

Can't Get Enough of that Med School and Residency Interview Help

For more useful medical school and residency interview tips, check out my latest Varsity Tutors guest blog here.

Medical School and Residency Interview Thank You Note Etiquette

See my last blog on the low cost and high potential gain of writing thank you notes after your interviews.

I get asked by clients what the best way to send post-interview thank you notes is - email or snail mail. I strongly advise sending your thank you note by good old USPS. The reasons are:

1) Email may be viewed as lazy. Hand-written notes demonstrate you've put some time into being appreciative.
2) Email can be deleted without much thought. Emotionally, it's harder to throw someone's hand written note in the trash.

Get your handwritten thank you notes in quickly. The night after you've completed your interview or the next day is a good time to write and send.

Medical School and Residency Interview Thank You Notes - So Easy for You to Do

Two years ago a medical school applicant wrote me to say that the dean of the school at which she had recently interviewed called her to tell her that he was impressed with her candidacy and the hand-written thank you note she had sent. The client thanked me for my help and the thank you note tip I had given her. As you might have guessed, she was admitted to that med school.

Writing a thank you note after a medical school or residency interview is so easy for you to do, and it can go a long way. More on thank you notes in future posts.

Online, Free Practice MCAT Questions

For those looking for MCAT practice, Varsity Tutors recently launched a suite of free practice tests, digital flashcards, and questions-of-the-day for standardized tests, including the MCAT. (Disclosure: I am an invited monthly guest blogger for Varsity Tutors, but I have no financial affiliation with them.) The site looks like an interesting addition to your armamentarium of study options.

Residency Match: Ready...Set...Go

Last week was the ERAS MSPE (Medical School Performance Evaluation) release date (October 1). Some programs will not send invitations until the MSPE is out, so residency applicants frequently start to receive interview invitations around this time of the year. Please remember that an invitation should be met with a quick response. Doing so is polite, shows interest, and oftentimes permits you to get a convenient date before it is taken.

Your Medical School Admission or Residency Match May Boil Down to How You Sit at Your Interview

For those of you who have never watched this TED talk, hunker down with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy. Professor Amy Cuddy is Harvard Business School faculty, and her TED talk reached 2 million views within 2 months of being posted. Dr. Cuddy argues that your body language affects how people (interviewers) perceive you. This video is instructive, funny, and sad. It's worth the 21 minutes.

Medical School and Residency Interview Tips

For those of you starting to prepare for interviews, check out my entry here on the Varsity Tutors blog.

Don't Rush that Residency Application

As of yesterday, applicants can begin applying to ACGME accredited residency programs through myERAS. Getting your application in early is a help, but make sure you don't rush it if it's not in its final form. Take an extra week to make sure you submit your best work.

Residency Match Data

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) has recently updated their website. It's still easy to navigate, but some web pages have been replaced with newer ones. Here is the NRMP data page, which includes some current reports on the 2013 residency Match.

Getting Into Med School and the Residency Match Can Hinge on a Single Day

Make sure to watch this - the third of the Insider Medical Admissions Guru on the Go© stop motion video series on interview tips. This one, called “Dine but Don’t Wine,” helps pre-meds and medical students avoid a common, painful error when navigating the interview day. Check out my Youtube station for more of these videos.

Does Getting Into Medical School Mean Losing Your Heart?

Here is a nice piece called "Beautiful Pathologies" by Nathaniel Morris, a student at my alma mater Harvard Medical School. I can just imagine everyone in the lecture hall as this happened.

Get More Med School and Residency Interview Help

Make sure to watch this - a new Insider Medical Admissions Guru on the Go© stop motion video. These under-one-minute videos give you professional admissions tips for free... and they are fun to watch! This one, called “Stars are Made, Not Born,” guides pre-meds and residency applicants toward some good interview advice.

Your Residency Application Starts Way Before Your Fourth Year... USMLE News

Just a quick tip that updated Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) practice materials are now available on the USMLE website. The website, by the way, is worth keeping your eye on because there are useful announcements posted regularly.

Med School and Residency Interview Advice

Early this year I launched the Insider Medical Admissions Guru on the Go© stop motion video series with residency application and medical school admissions tips. Now, as medical school and residency interview seasons approach, I'm posting the first of three original Guru on the Go© videos called "No Ring, No Thing." Take a peek.

Medical School and Residency Interview Tips

Early this year I launched the Insider Medical Admissions Guru on the Go© stop motion video series. These super speedy videos, offering expert admissions advice, give great tips in under a minute. Now, as medical school and residency interview seasons approach, I'm posting three original Guru on the Go© videos over the next few weeks. Keep your eye out for the first one, "No Ring, No Thing."

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

2014 Residency Application Timeline

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) offers a very cool interactive timeline for the residency application process on the ECFMG website. Here is the link. It's useful for international/ foreign medical graduates and U.S. medical students as well.

AMCAS is Done. Now Prepare for Your Next Big Step.

By Michelle Finkel MD, Insider Medical Admissions

Pre-meds, now that your AMCAS personal statement writing is completed, are you starting to worry about your medical school admissions interview?

Have no fear! I've just started a series of interview blog entries as an invited guest writer on the Varsity Tutors blog. Take a look at the first in the series "How to Prepare for Your Med School Admission Interview" here.

Note: This series of entries will offer residency interview strategies too. Take a peek.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

NRMP® Data

Here's a reminder that the National Residency Matching Program® (NRMP) provides a cornucopia of Match data, which can be very useful in deciding how to approach your residency candidacy. It's impressive that the NRMP publishes this data, offering transparency in what can be a confusing process. Some newer reports are viewable here.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Emergency Medicine Should Not be your Back Up

I've recently heard from several residency applicants who are considering emergency medicine as a back up specialty for the coming Match. These candidates are interested in applying in their field of primary interest and using emergency medicine as a safety specialty. I would not recommend this strategy! Emergency medicine's popularity has waxed and waned over the years, but currently it is pretty hot. It's far from a back up.

For more information about emergency medicine candidacies and careers, take a look at my piece "Why Are Emergency Physicians Burning Out" on KevinMD.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Get Started on Your ERAS® Now

Every September a swarm of panicked residency applicants contacts me asking for urgent help. Don't be one of those harried people, approaching your future career goals in a frenzy! It's time to get started on your ERAS® personal statement and experiences section now. MyERAS® is already open for candidates to start working on their applications, and residency tokens are already available for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates® (ECFMG).

Here is a list of the residency application services I provide and here is my comprehensive package.

And for those of you who don't think the personal statement matters, take a look at the (bizarrely) high percentage of residency directors who site the personal statement as a factor in selecting whom to interview in the 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey.

Finally, for fun, take a look at my under-one-minute Guru on the Go® stop-motion, animation video "Honors Won't Make It Write" about the import of the residency personal statement.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

The Complete Package

If you plan to hire me for the Complete Package for Residency Applicants, please do so very soon. The benefits of an early Strategy Session are numerous: I can assist you in furthering your candidacy and avoiding common missteps. Also, getting your written materials polished early will afford you a strong advantage in the residency application process.


Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Cutting for Stone

It's a stressful time right now for pre-meds, so I thought I would try to cut the anxiety by recommending a medically-related novel called "Cutting for Stone" by Dr. Abraham Verghese, Professor for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at Stanford University Medical School and Senior Associate Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. The book follows twin brothers born to a nun and a surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa. The story is wonderful.

Try to kick back and enjoy this masterpiece.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Getting the Best Letters of Recommendation Part 2

Check out part two of my Varsity Tutors guest blog on getting the best letters of recommendation to strengthen your candidacy.


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How to Get Outstanding Letters of Recommendation

Click here to read my guest entry on the Varsity Tutors blog explaining how to obtain the best letters of recommendation possible to bolster your candidacy. The article focuses on medical school applicants, but contains very useful information for residency, fellowship, post-bacc, and dental applicants as well.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmsissions.com

AMCAS Calendar Change

AMCAS has announced that the opening for the 2014 AMCAS submission is being delayed until Monday, June 10 at 9:30 am EST because of technical difficulties. Check out this page for details.

AMCAS Calendar

Here's a quick reminder for med school applicants that 2014 AMCAS opens for submission tomorrow, June 4. For more information, check out this AMCAS web page for applicants.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Medical School Letters of Recommendation: You Get More Bees with Honey

Making the process of letter of recommendation (LOR) writing and submission smooth for your faculty recommenders will likely improve the content and turnaround time of your LORs. Your medical school LOR writers have several options for submitting to AMCAS. Because you want to make the process as convenient as possible, and because different faculty members may have varying preferences, you should offer each writer all feasible alternatives.

Below are the options. Note that your AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID (found on your Letter Request Form) are required, regardless of the means of submission:

1. AMCAS Letter Writer Application: This site enables letter writers to upload documents to AMCAS securely.

2. Interfolio: AMCAS can receive letters sent to Interfolio if the applicant is an Interfolio user or if the faculty member’s institution/organization uses the program.

3. Snail mail:
AMCAS, attn: AMCAS Letters
AAMC Medical School Application Services
P.O. Box 18958
Washington, DC 20036

(If your recommender plans to send the letter by snail mail, be courteous and provide him/her with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.)

4. VirtualEvals (VE): VE is available to members of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP).

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

What Your Personal Statement Reader is Thinking

Please take a look at part 2 in my series of expert guest blog entries on the Varsity Tutors blog. This piece (and the one prior) are a good reminder of what to target and what to avoid when writing your personal statement for medical school, residency, fellowship, and post-baccalaureate programs.  Also, for "edutainment" take a look at my Guru on the Go® videos here (mid-page) on the same topic, called "Personal Statement Russian Roulette #1 and #2." 

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Emergency Medicine: Can a Sizzling Hot Specialty Burn You to a Crisp?

Please take a look at my recent guest entry on the KevinMD blog exploring the disconnect between emergency medicine's immense popularity in the Match and an Archives of Internal Medicine study documenting severe burnout among emergency physicians. (According to the research, emergency physicians experience burnout at a rate of more than three times that of the average doctor and more than anyone else inside or outside of the medical field.) Pre-meds and medical students will find useful information in my guest blog entry, as they consider their future fields and lifestyles.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

How Do International Medical Graduates (IMGs) Perform in the Match and How Can that Information Guide Future Applicants?

I've reviewed data here in my blog regarding IMGs' performance in the 2013 Match, but here are some graphics and additional data published by the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates). Again, the numbers are a reminder of the challenges IMGs face.

Also, for those interested in how IMGs have performed in specific specialty Matches, here is the NRMP's (National Residency Match Program) data for 2012. Check out page 5 for "Matches by Specialty and Applicant Type."

One of the pieces of data I find interesting here is that a greater number (more positions) and percentage of non-US IMGs matched to Internal Medicine Categorical (IM) over Family Practice (FP), but in looking at "Charting Outcomes of the Match," IM applicants require higher board scores and generally tougher credentials to match to their specialty versus FP. It's hard to interpret this data, but it may mean that non-US IMGs who have higher board scores and stronger credentials have a shot at IM positions, whereas those who have lesser credentials have a better chance with FP. Something to consider.

Sleep Deprivation is a Form of Torture

As a resident, I spent one horrific week on my surgical rotation clocking 138 hours in the hospital...and I slept only 6 1/2 of those. By the end of the week, I had decided to quit residency. Fortunately, a good night's sleep helped me turn that decision around.

Pauline Chen MD recently wrote a piece in the New York Times called "The Impossible Workload for Doctors in Training" in which she argued that the ACGME's (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) work hour improvements over the last decade have not been effective. After the Libby Zion case, the ACGME started mandating fewer work hours for residents for their safety and the safety of their patients. The most recent (2011) rules do not allow interns to work more than 16 consecutive hours.

Dr. Chen's point is that because the volume of work has increased, limiting the number of hours has not been an adequate way to address the problem of over-tired residents. In other words, even if someone is working fewer hours, if she's managing many more patients in a shorter time period, safety is still a major concern. There are studies and anecdotes to support her assertion that are cited within the article.

Of course, the solution is not to go back to the previous work hours -  nor to continue as is. More funding needs to be allotted to residency positions. Not only would this alleviate the workload problem, it would mitigate the physician shortage crisis. We have a lot of medical students; the bottle neck comes in residency positions. If we had more training spots, we could train more doctors and consequently, offer more primary and preventive care, while providing increased safety to residents and their patients. It would be a win-win-win.

That week on my surgical rotation was particularly bad, but I had many, many others that were also minimally human. We would not accept heavy or dangerous work loads for pilots or police officers. We need to reject them for doctors-in-training as well.

On Your Reading List

Every once in a while I make a book or film recommendation for those starting their medical careers. I recently found an old book that positively influenced me years ago: A Leg to Stand On by Dr. Oliver Sacks. Many of us know Sacks' popular works (The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Awakenings), but this is a lesser known book that has a lot to offer. In it, Sacks is the patient, and he describes being a physician in the uncomfortable sick role, exploring this vulnerable position. It's worth a read.

On a different note, I am currently booking several weeks in advance for Strategy Sessions. If you are planning to schedule one with me, I would recommend you do so very soon, so you can secure an appointment time that works best for you.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Writing Your Own Residency or Medical School Letter of Recommendation: Is it Ethical?

It's not infrequent that an applicant tells me that a letter of recommendation (LOR) writer has asked the candidate to draft his/her own letter because the writer is "too busy." I notice that medical school and residency applicants are a bit sheepish as they tell me about this arrangement. Have no fear: You are not doing anything unethical. (Here is a piece by the New York Times ethicist Ariel Kaminer regarding this exact topic.)

If a faculty member asks you to write your own letter, not only should you do it, but you should do it with zeal. Make sure you showcase the accomplishments that distinguish you from other candidates and highlight traits that are important for your future career path. Use honest - but bold - adjectives to describe your best qualities.

Remember that the letter writer has final say, so even a busy faculty member might modify the letter. Keeping this fact in mind might alleviate your (unnecessary) guilt and should encourage you to write the strongest letter you can. (It's harder to go from outstanding to mediocre than from outstanding to excellent.)

Contact me for Strategy Sessions and Complete Packages. The latter are very popular this season.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

IMG Performance in the 2013 Match - Good News and Bad News

The good news is that a greater number of IMGs (International Medical Graduates) matched to first-year positions in the 2013 Match compared to last year's. According to the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates® ), 6,311 of the 12,683 IMGs who participated matched, which was an increase of 1,425 compared to 2012. The bad news is that that number only translates into 49.8% of IMGs' matching to first year positions.

Although international medical schools are a good option for some candidates, it is worth noting these numbers if you are a pre-med considering an international school.

Check me out at www. InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

ROAD to Nowhere?

This New York Times article, "Job Prospects are Dimming for Radiology Trainees" is worth reading. It's interesting how seemingly outside forces (overused emergency departments) can lead to job losses in another specialty. It's also worth noting (and troubling to see) that despite declining job openings for radiologists, there is even more competition for many residency slots because the number of medical school graduates continues to grow. This relative dearth of residency positions represents the so-called bottle neck in the physician supply problem.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Medical School Personal Statement

For those of you getting butterflies in your stomach just thinking about the medical school personal statement that you're going to have to write soon, here is a recent article I wrote on the Varsity Tutors blog.


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Busy Week

Wow! This past week has been crazy busy. Here we go:

1)  Congratulations to all of my residency applicant advisees: I am thrilled by the enormous success the Match brought to these candidates in a variety of fields. (For fun, here is a play list of Match Day videos from medical schools around the country.)

2) The AMSA national conference was a great, great success. "Interview Like a Ninja" sessions were really robust, and we had a full auditorium at my lecture. Thanks to a very engaged audience.

3) Please take a look at my headlining article on the Student Doctor Network home page, "Tales from an Insider...."

Whew! I'm ready for a rest.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

Inaccuracies in Medical Student Grades Translate into Residency Application Strategy

Here's an interesting article by Dr. Pauline Chen on medical student grades. In reading the article, residency applicants should reflect on how important the content of their letters of recommendation is, especially in the setting of medical school grades that may be inflated or simply inaccurate. The 2012 NRMP Program Director Survey (yes, I do mention that document a lot because it's so helpful) supports the importance of letters, as well, with statistics. Make sure your letters are very strong; remember that mediocre letters should not be a part of your residency package.

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It's Never Too Early To Start Thinking about Applications

Last month I was an invited exhibitor at Student Doctor Network's Test Prep Week 2013. As an exhibitor, I received several good questions. Because I am always impressed with someone who thinks ahead, one of my favorites was

When do you suggest students begin preparing for residency applications?

The below was my response:

Good question. The simple answer is to start working on a personal statement and ERAS activities draft around March of the year you are planning to apply. Assume it will take multiple drafts to get your written materials into good shape. Once you've done your best, find someone with residency admissions experience (like me) to help you get your documents into outstanding shape.

In terms of your comprehensive residency candidacy, you should start planning a strategy toward the beginning of your first year of medical school. If you are applying in a very competitive field (derm, plastic surgery), you should get started on your first day of med school. (No joke.) Consider hiring me for a Strategy Session early.

I hope this helps current first-, second-, and third-year medical students who are thinking ahead!

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com

NRMP Schedule of Dates

Now that rank lists are in, the next important date for residency applicants is March 11 at noon EST when both applicant matched/unmatched information and individual program filled/unfilled results are posted to the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) website. If you are not confident you will be matching, it's worth looking at the NRMP's schedule of dates, so you understand what the timeline of the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) - previously called the "Scramble" - is.

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Compared to the Old Scramble, NRMP's SOAP Cleans Up the Match

For those interested in a comprehensive explanation of the NRMP's process for unmatched candidates, here is an article I wrote for Student Doctor Network with a step-by-step approach to the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). Most residency applicants are hopeful about their Match prospects, but if you are not a strong candidate, it's not a bad idea to understand SOAP early.

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For IMGs Participating in the 2014 Match

International Medical Graduates who are planning to participate in this coming year’s match should note that the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) ERAS Support Services will not longer accept paper documents. All of an applicant’s supporting documents must be submitted electronically. For more information about how different documents (transcripts, photographs, letters of recommendation) should be submitted, click here.

Check me out at www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com