Medical school admissions are becoming increasingly difficult. Thousands of students each year are unable to make the cut, leaving them in a position of having to reapply or choose a different career. However, there is an alternative route to becoming a doctor, and that is through the Caribbean medical schools.
Caribbean medical schools are for profit organizations and are easier to get into and require a much less competitive application for acceptance. However, students from Caribbean medical schools usually have a harder time finding a residency in the United States and oftentimes students have to settle for specialties that may not have been their first choice. Yet despite the rockier road, many doctors practicing now have gone through this path and it should be strongly considered by students with less competitive applications.
The most popular Caribbean medical schools currently are:
1. St. George Medical School
2. AUC Medical School
3. Saba Medical School
4. Ross Medical School
Requirements to apply are the same as for the medical schools based in the United States. Amongst these schools, St. George is regarded by most people familiar with Caribbean medical schools as offering the easiest path to becoming a licensed physician in the United States due to its lower attrition rates and better access to clinical rotations.
Showing posts with label Medical School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medical School. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Friday, June 21, 2013
The Medical School Admissions Essay
Writing the personal statement is one of the most challenging parts of the medical school application. Students spend weeks or even months planning, writing, rewriting, and editing their essay, and having gone through the process myself, I know it's no easy task. From my own experience, as well as having edited a number of other applicant essays, I will outline a few tips below to help you construct the best essay possible.
What your essay should address:
- Who you are.
- Your career plans.
- Where you hope to have an impact.
- When did your interest in medicine develop?
- How have you demonstrated your interest and commitment to a career in medicine?
- What makes you a unique candidate?
Another common mistake is to stray off topic. It is nice to include examples and stories, but don't let these be the main point of the essay. Remember, the essay is about you, and how you came to where you stand now, and why you want to do what it is you plan to do.
After reading your essay, does the reader want to meet you and know more about you, the kind of person you are? Can the reader get a sense of a future doctor, one who is smart, driven, and compassionate? If so, then that is a successful essay.
I won't belabor too much about pertinent topics and being professional in your writing, but do allow time to edit your essay, and do so rigorously. It is your writing, and so you will understandably have emotional attachment to your words, but be ruthless. If the sentence can do without the word, take it out. If the paragraph can do without the sentence, take it out. Even entire paragraphs can and should be taken out, or reduced to a line or two. The editing process should not begin however until you finish your rough draft, otherwise you can develop a case of writersous blockus.
Allow plenty of time to map out your essay and think it through. What helped me was to write specific examples I want to include and the kinds of attributes I wanted to demonstrate about myself. Use this to construct a rough essay. At this point don't care about grammar or mechanics, just write. Once completed, then you start the revision process. Sometimes letting time pass in between edits will help you approach your essay from a different perspective. Writing multiple drafts or essays is not uncommon, so do so if you must. And finally, have a few trusted friends edit your essay once you are near the completion stage. One important advice I would say is do not give rough drafts for review. It is irritating to an editor to have to purge and clean rough drafts, so make sure the essay is near completion and you have gone through multiple edits yourself. Also, if you think there is questionable content, it's probably a better idea not to include it in your essay.
Overall, an effective essay is honest, clear, and gives the reader a sense of who you are. Good luck!
Friday, July 27, 2012
How to ace the medical school interview
Interview season is coming up, so those looking for some quick tips should find this article useful. It will be a summary of suggestions based on my personal experiences interviewing at multiple medical schools as well as books and advice I have garnered from other resources. This is not a list of common interview questions; those you can find elsewhere on the web. What I present is a comprehensive overview to help guide you through your interview.
We are going to break down the interview into a few key parts:
0. The Prep
1. The Look
2. The Act
3. The Talk
0. The Prep
Preparation. This is the most important part of an interview. Not the first five minutes in, or the last five minutes out. Your interview begins even before you get in your car or plane. How so? The interview lasts typically 30 minutes to 1 hour, and the interview day usually consists of 1 to 2 separate interviews. When you are invited for an interview, they have already considered you to be an acceptable and interesting candidate. From now on your GPA, MCAT score, and essays are no longer in your hands, but the interview is still something that you very much can control. So spend some time, the more the better, looking over your application, reviewing common interview questions, looking over the school's website, and talking to other medical students at the school if possible. You should know your application inside out; there really is no excuse not to, and it is poor form if the interviewer knows your application better than yourself. Try to conduct a mock interview with a friend, relative, or professional and get feedback on where and how you can improve. Reciting answers in your head is a useful exercise, but it cannot replace being held on the spot and telling your story to another person. Some have also found it helpful to record themselves, which my reveal unknown tics or distracting habits.
Before getting on your flight or car, make sure you have all your essentials with you, including spare clothes and hygienic supplies. Gum in the pocket and Clear Eyes in the bag for the morning before you head out. Shoes polished, suit pressed, and be ready to look your absolute best on game day, leading us into the next part.
1. The Look
No matter what anyone tells you, you should expect to look your absolute best. When in doubt, go for conservative, clean, and professional. A simple black or navy suit with a white or light blue shirt goes a long way. Ties are an absolute must for guys, though a vest is usually overdoing it. Conceal any tattoos or inappropriate piercings. For those with longer trips, a lint roller can become very useful. It is probably best to leave all jewelry items at home save for a simple watch or wedding ring. Ditch the perfume/cologne. Do not forget to pack essentials such as lotion, deodorant, hair product, and comb. How you present yourself says a lot about you and it will definitely reflect on the interviewer. Whether you like it or not, appearances play a definite role in the impression you give and evaluation you receive. Recent studies have shown taller, charismatic, and fitter individuals to receive a significantly better result in receiving jobs, promotions, and raises.
2. The Act
This is what you do, what you say, what kind of facial expression you make, where you stand, how you move, all of it. It starts the moment you step onto the medical school campus. Do not count anyone out - try to give your best impression to everyone you meet, whether it is the janitor you see on your way in or the secretary taking down your name. Cheerful, excited, with a bit of nervous energy is expected, but do not overdo it either. You do not want to look like a weirdo who cannot grasp common decorum. Smile a lot, and remember that talking to fellow interviewers is okay! It will help engage your mind and even ease some tension.
3. The Talk
This is when you step into the interviewer's room and start you actual interview. It incorporates all of the above, so keep that in mind. "The Prep" should give you the knowledge base and confidence to properly answer questions. "The Look" should add to that confidence, and begin to project an image of yourself to the interviewer. "The Act" is a prologue to this final stage, the main performance. As trite as this may sound, the best advice here is to be yourself. Do not regurgitate memorized answers or try to mold yourself into someone that you are not. Giving unique, well-thought answers that demonstrate a clear passion for medicine is the best way to impress your interviewer. It is okay to express opinions that deviate slightly from the norm, but always be professional and do not appear too rigid in your thinking. Also remember that interviewers vary widely in how they approach the interview and what kind of questions they ask. There are some that are friendly and try to have more or less of a conversation, whereas others keep it strictly to a question-answer format. Do not be distracted by what the interviewer does or says; oftentimes they do this intentionally to throw you off. Focus on presenting yourself in the best light possible - in the end, this is all you can do. End the interview with a firm handshake and a smile.
For further tips, check out this book: The Medical School Interview: Secrets and a System for Success. Personally, I found a lot of helpful advice from this book while preparing for the interview.
We are going to break down the interview into a few key parts:
0. The Prep
1. The Look
2. The Act
3. The Talk
0. The Prep
Preparation. This is the most important part of an interview. Not the first five minutes in, or the last five minutes out. Your interview begins even before you get in your car or plane. How so? The interview lasts typically 30 minutes to 1 hour, and the interview day usually consists of 1 to 2 separate interviews. When you are invited for an interview, they have already considered you to be an acceptable and interesting candidate. From now on your GPA, MCAT score, and essays are no longer in your hands, but the interview is still something that you very much can control. So spend some time, the more the better, looking over your application, reviewing common interview questions, looking over the school's website, and talking to other medical students at the school if possible. You should know your application inside out; there really is no excuse not to, and it is poor form if the interviewer knows your application better than yourself. Try to conduct a mock interview with a friend, relative, or professional and get feedback on where and how you can improve. Reciting answers in your head is a useful exercise, but it cannot replace being held on the spot and telling your story to another person. Some have also found it helpful to record themselves, which my reveal unknown tics or distracting habits.
Before getting on your flight or car, make sure you have all your essentials with you, including spare clothes and hygienic supplies. Gum in the pocket and Clear Eyes in the bag for the morning before you head out. Shoes polished, suit pressed, and be ready to look your absolute best on game day, leading us into the next part.
1. The Look
No matter what anyone tells you, you should expect to look your absolute best. When in doubt, go for conservative, clean, and professional. A simple black or navy suit with a white or light blue shirt goes a long way. Ties are an absolute must for guys, though a vest is usually overdoing it. Conceal any tattoos or inappropriate piercings. For those with longer trips, a lint roller can become very useful. It is probably best to leave all jewelry items at home save for a simple watch or wedding ring. Ditch the perfume/cologne. Do not forget to pack essentials such as lotion, deodorant, hair product, and comb. How you present yourself says a lot about you and it will definitely reflect on the interviewer. Whether you like it or not, appearances play a definite role in the impression you give and evaluation you receive. Recent studies have shown taller, charismatic, and fitter individuals to receive a significantly better result in receiving jobs, promotions, and raises.
2. The Act
This is what you do, what you say, what kind of facial expression you make, where you stand, how you move, all of it. It starts the moment you step onto the medical school campus. Do not count anyone out - try to give your best impression to everyone you meet, whether it is the janitor you see on your way in or the secretary taking down your name. Cheerful, excited, with a bit of nervous energy is expected, but do not overdo it either. You do not want to look like a weirdo who cannot grasp common decorum. Smile a lot, and remember that talking to fellow interviewers is okay! It will help engage your mind and even ease some tension.
3. The Talk
This is when you step into the interviewer's room and start you actual interview. It incorporates all of the above, so keep that in mind. "The Prep" should give you the knowledge base and confidence to properly answer questions. "The Look" should add to that confidence, and begin to project an image of yourself to the interviewer. "The Act" is a prologue to this final stage, the main performance. As trite as this may sound, the best advice here is to be yourself. Do not regurgitate memorized answers or try to mold yourself into someone that you are not. Giving unique, well-thought answers that demonstrate a clear passion for medicine is the best way to impress your interviewer. It is okay to express opinions that deviate slightly from the norm, but always be professional and do not appear too rigid in your thinking. Also remember that interviewers vary widely in how they approach the interview and what kind of questions they ask. There are some that are friendly and try to have more or less of a conversation, whereas others keep it strictly to a question-answer format. Do not be distracted by what the interviewer does or says; oftentimes they do this intentionally to throw you off. Focus on presenting yourself in the best light possible - in the end, this is all you can do. End the interview with a firm handshake and a smile.
For further tips, check out this book: The Medical School Interview: Secrets and a System for Success. Personally, I found a lot of helpful advice from this book while preparing for the interview.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
What does my MCAT score mean?
This question is also commonly phrased as, "What is a good MCAT score?"
According to the AAMC [1], the mean score (from a possible 45) was 25.1 for all 2011 administrations. The standard deviation was 6.4 for the same year. Below you can see a graph that depicts the score distribution versus the percentage of test takers achieving that score. Note that the scores below is a total sum of three individual scores representing the whole of the test. For this post, the writing sample will not be discussed as it usually has only minimal or circumstantial bearing on admissions.
From the table below, we can see where each score stands. For a score of 25, this puts the applicant in the 43.7-49.7th percentile of all test takers. The score is scaled such that very few test takers are able to achieve the upper range of scores: a score of 30 is in the 73.9-79.1th percentile, a 35 in the 93.9-95.8th percentile, and a 40 in the 99.6-99.8th percentile. The percentile rank assigned for each score has slight variations from year to year, but for the most part they change very little due to the way the MCAT is scaled.
So what kind of MCAT score should you aim for? This is highly dependent on your individual application, GPA, and the schools you are applying to. You can read a previous discussion on acceptance rates given a certain GPA and MCAT score here at How important is the MCAT? Still, we can assess general admissions trends from data provided by the AAMC [2]. For 2011, medical school applicants had a mean test score of 28.2, with a standard deviation of 5.5. However, the mean score for matriculants was 31.1, with a standard deviation of 4.4. Thus students accepted to at least one medical school had an average MCAT score of 31, representative of being in the 79.2-83.8th percentile of all test takers. This figure is mostly unchanged year to year, though a small increase has been noted in more recent years. Generally, admissions committee members at most medical schools consider a score of 30 or above to be competitive. A score of 35 and above is considered to be in the competitive range for the highest ranked schools.
1. Percentages of MCAT Examinees Achieving Scaled Score Levels and Associated Percentile Rank Ranges by Area of Assessment
2. MCAT Scores and GPAs for Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools by Race and Ethnicity, 2011
According to the AAMC [1], the mean score (from a possible 45) was 25.1 for all 2011 administrations. The standard deviation was 6.4 for the same year. Below you can see a graph that depicts the score distribution versus the percentage of test takers achieving that score. Note that the scores below is a total sum of three individual scores representing the whole of the test. For this post, the writing sample will not be discussed as it usually has only minimal or circumstantial bearing on admissions.
From the table below, we can see where each score stands. For a score of 25, this puts the applicant in the 43.7-49.7th percentile of all test takers. The score is scaled such that very few test takers are able to achieve the upper range of scores: a score of 30 is in the 73.9-79.1th percentile, a 35 in the 93.9-95.8th percentile, and a 40 in the 99.6-99.8th percentile. The percentile rank assigned for each score has slight variations from year to year, but for the most part they change very little due to the way the MCAT is scaled.
| Scaled Score | Percentile | Scaled Score | Percentile | Scaled Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 99.9–99.9 | 30 | 73.9–79.1 | 15 | 6.3–8.1 |
| 44 | 99.9–99.9 | 29 | 68.1–73.8 | 14 | 4.8–6.2 |
| 43 | 99.9–99.9 | 28 | 62.2–68.0 | 13 | 3.6–4.7 |
| 42 | 99.9–99.9 | 27 | 55.9–62.1 | 12 | 2.6–3.5 |
| 41 | 99.9–99.9 | 26 | 49.8–55.8 | 11 | 1.9–2.5 |
| 40 | 99.6–99.8 | 25 | 43.7–49.7 | 10 | 1.2–1.8 |
| 39 | 99.2–99.5 | 24 | 38.0–43.6 | 9 | 0.8–1.1 |
| 38 | 98.5–99.1 | 23 | 32.6–37.9 | 8 | 0.5–0.7 |
| 37 | 97.4–98.4 | 22 | 27.7–32.5 | 7 | 0.3–0.4 |
| 36 | 95.9–97.3 | 21 | 23.1–27.6 | 6 | 0.2–0.2 |
| 35 | 93.9–95.8 | 20 | 19.2–23.0 | 5 | 0.0–0.1 |
| 34 | 91.2–93.8 | 19 | 15.8–19.1 | 4 | 0.0–0.0 |
| 33 | 88.0–91.1 | 18 | 12.8–15.7 | 3 | 0.0–0.0 |
| 32 | 83.9–87.9 | 17 | 10.2–12.7 | ||
| 31 | 79.2–83.8 | 16 | 8.2–10.1 |
So what kind of MCAT score should you aim for? This is highly dependent on your individual application, GPA, and the schools you are applying to. You can read a previous discussion on acceptance rates given a certain GPA and MCAT score here at How important is the MCAT? Still, we can assess general admissions trends from data provided by the AAMC [2]. For 2011, medical school applicants had a mean test score of 28.2, with a standard deviation of 5.5. However, the mean score for matriculants was 31.1, with a standard deviation of 4.4. Thus students accepted to at least one medical school had an average MCAT score of 31, representative of being in the 79.2-83.8th percentile of all test takers. This figure is mostly unchanged year to year, though a small increase has been noted in more recent years. Generally, admissions committee members at most medical schools consider a score of 30 or above to be competitive. A score of 35 and above is considered to be in the competitive range for the highest ranked schools.
1. Percentages of MCAT Examinees Achieving Scaled Score Levels and Associated Percentile Rank Ranges by Area of Assessment
2. MCAT Scores and GPAs for Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools by Race and Ethnicity, 2011
Thursday, May 3, 2012
What are the top ranked medical schools?
According to US News [1], the following lists the top 20 medical schools for 2012:
1. Harvard University
2. Johns Hopkins University
2. University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)
4. Stanford University
5. University of California--San Francisco
6. Washington University in St. Louis
7. Yale University
8. Columbia University
9. Duke University
10. University of Chicago (Pritzker)
10. University of Washington
13. University of California--Los Angeles (Geffen)
14. Vanderbilt University
15. University of Pittsburgh
16. Cornell University (Weill)
16. University of California--San Diego
18. Mount Sinai School of Medicine
18. Northwestern University (Feinberg)
20. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
What can we take from this list? Let us first look at their methodology, or what factors they use to score the schools [2]. As of 2011, there were 126 medical schools fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education; of these, 114 schools provided data needed to calculate rankings based on their model.
Each school is given a score based on a weighted average of the following factors: peer assessment score (weighted by 0.20), assessment score by residency directors (0.20), research activity (0.30), total research activity (0.15), average research activity per faculty member (0.15), student selectivity (0.20), mean MCAT score (0.13), mean undergraduate GPA (0.06), acceptance rate (0.01), faculty resources (0.10).
Indicators were standardized according to their means, which were then weighted, totaled, and rescaled so that the highest ranking school received a score of 100. Each school thereafter received their percentage of the highest score. Schools with equivalent scores are given the same rank as can be seen in the above list.
Thus we can see that research activity plays the largest role in determining rankings, with student selectivity and outside assessment scores following closely behind. So roughly, a school's ranking reflects the quality of the student body, the school's involvement in research, and the general reputation of the school by peers and residency directors.
Rankings are also important for residency admissions, networking opportunities, and finding a position in academic medicine later on. However, applicants should not neglect other factors that are commonly overlooked by ranking systems, such as quality of clinical training, academic resources, opportunities for students, the school's hospital network, and individual fit to the school's vision and philosophy. These factors may sometimes outweigh the benefits that may be conferred by a higher ranked school.
1. Best Medical Schools
2. Methodology: Medical Schools
1. Harvard University
2. Johns Hopkins University
2. University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)
4. Stanford University
5. University of California--San Francisco
6. Washington University in St. Louis
7. Yale University
8. Columbia University
9. Duke University
10. University of Chicago (Pritzker)
10. University of Washington
13. University of California--Los Angeles (Geffen)
14. Vanderbilt University
15. University of Pittsburgh
16. Cornell University (Weill)
16. University of California--San Diego
18. Mount Sinai School of Medicine
18. Northwestern University (Feinberg)
20. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
What can we take from this list? Let us first look at their methodology, or what factors they use to score the schools [2]. As of 2011, there were 126 medical schools fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education; of these, 114 schools provided data needed to calculate rankings based on their model.
Each school is given a score based on a weighted average of the following factors: peer assessment score (weighted by 0.20), assessment score by residency directors (0.20), research activity (0.30), total research activity (0.15), average research activity per faculty member (0.15), student selectivity (0.20), mean MCAT score (0.13), mean undergraduate GPA (0.06), acceptance rate (0.01), faculty resources (0.10).
Indicators were standardized according to their means, which were then weighted, totaled, and rescaled so that the highest ranking school received a score of 100. Each school thereafter received their percentage of the highest score. Schools with equivalent scores are given the same rank as can be seen in the above list.
Thus we can see that research activity plays the largest role in determining rankings, with student selectivity and outside assessment scores following closely behind. So roughly, a school's ranking reflects the quality of the student body, the school's involvement in research, and the general reputation of the school by peers and residency directors.
Rankings are also important for residency admissions, networking opportunities, and finding a position in academic medicine later on. However, applicants should not neglect other factors that are commonly overlooked by ranking systems, such as quality of clinical training, academic resources, opportunities for students, the school's hospital network, and individual fit to the school's vision and philosophy. These factors may sometimes outweigh the benefits that may be conferred by a higher ranked school.
1. Best Medical Schools
2. Methodology: Medical Schools
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)