Medical School Admission Analysis

Studying to be a physician requires lots of effort and time. To an immigrant like me, I tried to manage my studies, volunteer work, and adjusting to a new culture at the same time. I like to stick with my plans, and it has always been my plan to enter medical school on 2018. However, my road to entering medical school didn’t come as easy to me. After transferring to University, two of my close family passed away.

It has been twenty-three years since the English professor knocked on my door to personally invite me back to class. I was attending a small college, where students and staff were friendly, supportive, and willing to help. I had always done well academically, but things had changed and now I was a 19-year-old single mother struggling to attend my classes. Perplexed by my numerous absences, the professor had come over to encourage me and to convey that she thought I had tremendous potential. I closed the door after our brief conversation and allowed disappointment to sink in. I wanted to go to school, but the logistical challenges of being a single mother with an infant child, no car, and minimal access to childcare made the task insurmountable. As a child, I had always dreamed of studying medicine and now I questioned how I had arrived at this point.

Succeeding in medical school will require a tremendous amount of perseverance and passion. No one gets into medical school without demonstrating perseverance and overcoming the challenges that occur throughout the journey. I have persevered through being denied admission during a previous application cycle and throughout difficult coursework while pursuing a master’s degree. Not only did I overcome the challenges that I faced, but excelled academically, at my job, and in extracurricular activities. By continuing to pursue my dream I was exposed to numerous experiences and underwent significant personal development. I understand that medical school will present very difficult material and more frequent challenges, but my goal is to be a physician

I decided to pursue a career in medicine when I was an adolescent. I scheduled a science-heavy course load in high school. Pursued a degree in Honours Biological Sciences. Shadowed a physician for two months. Graduated with distinction. Applied to medical schools and received my acceptance. My academic and professional career was already planned at the ripe age of fourteen. As the years progressed, my passion and interest in medicine waned. I was left feeling deeply unfulfilled. The career I was pursuing had ceased to be reflective of my interests. I struggled to procure the enthusiasm to apply to medical school, putting it off until I was in my final year of university. Every time I broached

Dr. Winner received her undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree from Stanford University in 2001, and then took an astounding three year break before even beginning medical school. Interestingly, she decided to enter onto the pre med track later in college and so she applied later as well, which accounted for one year of her break. However, being from Alaska, one of her desires was to go to the University of Washington in Seattle, as it was considered a state medical school because Alaska did not have one. She applied there, but was rejected. Columbia University, however, did accept her, but she did not want to go there, as she viewed it as being “halfway across the country from her.” So she asked to defer her enrollment and surprisingly, they allowed it. So, in that year

My grandfather, a pediatrician for forty years, was the first college graduate in his family. His home office was my daycare. From my earliest memories, education and medicine was often a topic of discussion when my family gathered. I heard the conversations about college applications and essays and saw the anticipation awaiting acceptance. I saw the excitement of “getting in” multiple times throughout my life. As professionals, passionate about their careers, I hear conversations of patients and students. The UCONN graduates in my family are a testament not only to the high quality of education UCONN offers, but the quality of people it forms and the contagious, positive experiences they want to share from college and

When planning my pre-medical schedule at the University of Iowa, I found a first year seminar titled “Journey to Medical School.” All of the fears, ambitions, and everything I could think of regarding my journey to medical school was covered in the seminar. I left the class feeling terrified, but more than that, excited and prepared for what was to come within my next 8 years. One of the class periods was filled with the intellect of students who currently attend Carver Medical School. During that class period, I was mesmerized by the way the students carried themselves. They talked with poise and grace. Listening to them talk about how their journey was going made my heart putter – I was terrified, yet excited to continue on my own

“Don’t worry, you’re still important too,” my aunt facetiously proclaimed as she then went on to admiring my brother’s acceptance into medical school. This was an astonishing accomplishment, causing my relatives to view my brother in awe. They bombarded him with praise and respect once they discovered the news at the Thanksgiving reunion. I too, was immensely proud of him; however, I was constantly belittled by my family due to his growing success. It was then up to me to prove them wrong and show them what I was capable of.

For a split second I caught myself reconsidering my future that I have thought for so long I had all figured out. As the President of the Ole Miss chapter of AMSA began the meeting, I found myself starting to relax a little. I listened to all the things that most medical school reviewers look for on a transcript and application, and all the things she talked about were offered through this organization or were made much simpler with the aid that it provides. The speaker went on to say that AMSA was not simply a “medical school prep”, but it was heavily involved in community service. Following the speech by the President, Dr. Gray got on stage to tell us about his experience as a member of the review board at the University of Arkansas Medical School, and he shared some of the things that he, as a reviewer, found as positives and negatives in an application. When the meeting was coming to an end, we were encouraged to join the national chapter of AMSA as well as the Ole Miss

Last Saturday, November 18th, I attended the Region IX Student National Medical Conference at the City College of New York. This was my first medical conference so I did not know what to expect going in. Upon arrival, I was amazed at the sight of doctors, medical students, research presenters, pre-med students, and even high school students gathered together to gain and share knowledge and make connections. The conference consisted of a host of enriching events, of which I attended six: “Unique Journeys to Medicine”, “Demystifying Medical School Admission”, “How to Become An Excellent Applicant”, “Standardized Patient Encounter”, “New MCAT Test-takers Panel”, and “Embodying Black Female Physician Excellence: Panel Discussion”. While I am

If there was anything I learned last year as a freshman is that the path towards medical school can be mentally deprecating. The classes I took last year challenged my intelligence and mostly challenged my confidence. It is easy to give in to pressure and your own insecurities, especially as an African American entering a career field that is underrepresented by people who reflect you and your struggles. It is trying and a constant battle to empower yourself.

I am what would be considered a non-traditional applicant for medical school. As an undergraduate I did not know I wanted to be a physician, and I chose to major in electrical engineering. I have spent several years out of school employed in a professional environment working as a team member and utilizing my critical thinking skills. I have had experiences both professionally and personally beyond what the typical medical school applicant may have had. Therefore, if admitted, I would be able to contribute a unique perspective as someone who has walked an atypical path to a career in medicine.

The special admissions programs purports to serve the purpose of: (i) reducing the historic deficit of traditionally disfavored minorities in medical schools and in the medical profession; (ii) countering the effects of societal discrimination; (iii) increase the number of physicians who will practice in communities currently undeserved; and (iv) obtaining the educational benefits that flow from an ethnically diverse student body (266). The reasons for having these special admissions are to increase the number of minorities and to have them represent their community.

I made myself available to prospective students. I believe people are more likely to carry out a plan when it is written down and with expected timeline for completion. My motto is that actions speaks louder than words, and when a young person approached me about a career guidance, usually I give out an empty binder with sheet protectors. They need to write down their goals with timeline of when to accomplish that goals. They are required to bring the binder to our future meetings. Some appreciate my style, others are intimidated. My goal is to continue to reach out and mentor young minorities and help develop their interest in medicine. When I tell my stories of relocating to the US, being a medical student, a wife and a mother of two and everything that I have had the privilege of doing, I do not want to impress anyone but rather for them to see that anything is possible with determination and planning. As a DO physician, I will be in a better position to continue my passion which is to give voices to the mute and allow the minority student once told that he/she can’t to say “I actually did” and I hope that the person can then move on to impact the next person – a chain

There are several methods of getting into medicine, however some methods are ideal whilst some aren’t. Thousands of students apply for medicine every year, making it a very a difficulty and competitive course to get into. Therefore, this makes medicine a significantly controversial topic in modern society, thus encouraging me to investigate this topic.