premed

The Changing Landscape of the Multiple Mini Interview

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The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) was first adopted by McMaster University in Ontario, Canada at the Michael G. DeGroote, School of Medicine back in the early 2000s. Initially, MMIs were used strictly during the admissions process for medical school.
For starters, depending on the specific program where you interview, your MMI circuit will likely consist of 6 to 12 stations and may include rest stations. There will be as many participants in your interview circuit as there are stations. The instructions for each station are typically posted directly outside of each room and you are given up to two minutes to carefully read the prompt prior to entering the room. At the end of the two minutes, a bell will sound and this is your cue to enter the room. Typically, a bell ringer type method is used to keep track of the time and you will be allocated six to eight minutes for each station before moving on to the next station.

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Finding Clinical Opportunities: Show Up, Ask, and Follow Through!

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I was recently asked to give advice on finding clinical opportunities. Here’s the short version: show up, ask, and follow through! This is an exciting and supportive profession you are entering. Physicians not only remember what it feels like to be in your shoes but they are eager to support you. Part of our responsibility in medicine is to educate and mentor the next generation. This applies to everyone from a first-year medical student all the way to the most seasoned attending.  I’ve had opportunities to tutor my classmates, write for Elsevier, deliver a heart from its pericardium, coordinate a helicopter landing and practice my old fashioned medical skills on the 7th continent all because I have shown up, asked for opportunities, and followed through when given the chance. Here are a few notes on how I approach gaining these clinical opportunities.

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Improve Your CARS Reading Speed by Quickly Finding the Main Idea

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The CARS section of the MCAT Exam can be really scary. It’s not that you don’t know how to read. The problem is that you don’t know how to read critically, and that’s a whole different way of analyzing a passage. Trying to decipher a CARS passage with the same skills that you use to read a science text is like trying to play tennis with a golf club. You need different tools, and the first tool you need to help you read faster and have a clear understanding of a passage is a basic knowledge of Rhetoric.

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Time Away From Formal Academics Can Enhance Application

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take gap year

Whether or not a student should take a “gap year” (or two) often comes up during our conversations with applicants to medical school. Based on MedEdits’ experience working with students, we find that gap years are becoming increasingly common and that this extra time away from formal academics can enhance a student’s candidacy.

The Association of American Medical College’s (AAMC) 2016 Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) reports that the age of matriculants continues to rise, with 60.6% reporting that more than a year had passed since graduating from college, up from 57.9% in the 2014 MSQ. Matriculation data from colleges of osteopathic medicine show that the average age at matriculation in both 2015 and 2016 was 24.

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A Med Student’s Guide to Becoming a Physician-Scientist

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physician scientist

When medical students start to think about areas of practice to specialize in once they graduate, the area of medical research can sometimes be overlooked in favor of more traditional practice areas such as internal medicine or surgery. However, for some doctors-to-be, the pull towards such research is strong and it is an important part of the healthcare system, as the discoveries that such scientists make can have an impact on techniques used to improve patient care and outcomes.
This article covers the work and scope of physician-scientists as well as educational pathways these professionals pursue in order to undertake their important work.

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Where to Apply to Medical School: Factors to Consider when Making Your School List

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where to apply to medical school

If you’re applying to medical school this year, you’re probably starting to think about what school you’d like to attend. Many students are encouraged to apply broadly, and on average, applicants apply to 16 medical schools. While the right number of schools is different for everyone—you may apply to more or less—a good rule of thumb is to only apply to the medical schools you would attend if accepted. This will save you time and money overall, even if it means doing more research before the application cycle begins.

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4 Strategies for Students Reapplying to Medical School

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reapplying to medical school

In an ideal world, your first attempt at applying to medical school would also be your last. You would apply, receive several interview invitations, and at least one acceptance letter.
However, for many medical school hopefuls, applying to medical school does not result in an acceptance, and as the rejection letters pile up, it can be difficult to determine how to regroup for another application cycle. Ostensibly, you submitted the best application that you could, so how can you improve in the future? What was that original application lacking?

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Three Tips to Improvise Your Way to MMI Greatness

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three tips mmi

Ding. The ring of a bell emanates from invisible speakers overhead, and the pre-med waltz begins.
Immediately, a hallway of med school hopefuls grab the laminated neon sheets hanging on the doors in front of them. We flip over the page, read the prompt, and have two minutes to mentally outline an answer in our minds before the next…

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Use Mind Mapping to Write a Personal Statement that is Unique to You

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MCAT preparatory courses

Mind mapping is a brainstorming technique that can help you see the big picture of your life story, key personal strengths, and professional competencies. As such, it can be an invaluable method for students preparing for personal statements, medical school applications, interviews, etc.

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I Want You Tibia My Valentine

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i want you tibia my valentine

Valentine’s Day can be hard for med students, medical professionals, and their spouses because all the other couples are out and about with their special someone. Where is your special someone? Your “person” in the wise words of Meredith Grey, is currently on call at the ER and just texted you during a moment of sanity (miracles do happen) to tell you that due to the high influx of patients they won’t be home that night…even though they worked the previous 6 nights. Sound familiar? “Wait, you don’t know what time your husband will come home every night?” Actually no, no I don’t. “You spent your weekend studying?” Of course! Doesn’t it sound like fun to spend every moment of your waking hours at the library? “Can you guys go out tonight?” Please define “out” and could you set specific parameters on how long we will be gone and when it will be socially acceptable for us to leave to sleep or study once again.

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How to Prepare for the MCAT’s Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Section

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The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (or CARS) section of the MCAT is occasionally placed on the backburner by prospective medical students who are focused on learning (and relearning) the information necessary for success on the science-based portions of the test. What some individuals realize too close to their exam date, however, is that the CARS section is anything but a buffer score for results in “more difficult” sections of the MCAT.

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New Student Success Stories: How I Prepared for the MCAT Exam

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Studying for the MCAT exam can be daunting, and chances are, you’ve typed “How do I study for the MCAT exam?” or “What’s the best way to prepare for the MCAT exam?” into your search engine. You may have even wondered how long you should spend studying.
Whether you are about to begin studying or are currently in the process, it’s likely you are still looking for guidance about where to start or where to find the best review strategy, or whether you are on the right track with your preparation. To find these answers, you may have searched the web, skimmed online forums, and consulted with friends or family, likely uncovering hundreds of different results, advice, and opinions that can leave your head spinning.

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4 New Year’s Resolutions for Pre-Medical Students

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Being a pre-medical student means committing to a years-long process aimed at ultimately gaining admission to medical school. No matter how many years away you may currently be from applying, starting the new year with a resolution or two that is geared toward helping you achieve your goal of becoming a physician is a great way of ensure that you are on track. Whether you vow to finally enroll in that EMT class, or to broaden your academic horizons by taking an elective outside your major, find time to build yourself as an applicant while also maintaining a life outside of your pre-medical activities. Consider taking on one or more of the below resolutions, or craft your own to fit your academic and personal needs.

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