Secrets of Medical School Admissions

1. Secrets of Medical School Admissions Julia Landry Director The Princeton Review JuliaL@review.com 850.574.8378 • www.PrincetonReview.com

2. Agenda • Welcome • Research • Finding the Right Med School • Applying and Getting In • Factors of Admission • The Princeton Review • Questions and Answers TIP: Strategies for Making Yourself a Competitive Applicant

3. Research Where Do I Start? • School websites and materials/publications/media • PrincetonReview.com • TIP: Advanced Med School Search - list of schools that match your needs and preferences- www.princetonreview.com/medical/research/advsearch/match.asp • The Princeton Review's Med School Recruiter • The Tuition Cost Calculator • Talk to professors, colleagues… • Call schools/admissions staff FSU Pre- Health Advising (850) 644-7678 • Talk to current students & alum • Go to fairs and conferences Dean’s Day- October 2010 • US News and World Report Rankings

4. Finding the Right Med School • TIP: Don’t Fall for the Brand Name Hype • Choosing a Med School – 3 Factors • Academic quality • Chances of getting in • Practical considerations • The Academic Fit • Well-suited • Specializations

5. Finding the Right Med School • What Else to Consider • Rankings • Social atmosphere • Family factor • Career/job offers • Cost • Alumni influence/network • Environment • Size • Dr. Who? • Talk to the students • Research facilities • School curriculum

6. A v O • Allopathic Medicine • most widely available and recognized • two years of basic science followed by clinical rotations • Osteopathic Medicine • curriculum is similar - four years long • clinical training • spend more time rotating in primary care areas, rather than medical subspecialties • most do not have an affiliated teaching hospital; therefore, schools usually partner with a number of med facilities and doctor's offices • More similarities than differences

7. FSU • Florida State University • Early Decision Deadline: August 1 *Extra Required Courses: Biochemistry Recommended Courses: Psychology, Social Science, Spanish Classes begin May 24 (Summer)

8. UM • University of Miami • Early Decision: NONE • Recommended Courses: • Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, Physiology, Immunology, Computer Science, Neuroscience, Developmental Biology

9. USF • University of South Florida • Early Decision Deadline: August 1 • Recommended Courses: • Genetics, Cell & Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Embryology, Comparative Anatomy, Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biological Chemistry, Statistics, Histology

10. UCF • University of Central Florida • Early Decision Deadline: August 1 • Recommended Courses: • Biochemistry, Genetics, Cell & Molecular Biology, Embryology, Comparative Anatomy

11. UF • University of Florida • Early Decision Deadline: NONE • Extra Required Courses: Biochemistry • Recommended Courses: • Genetics, Physiology, Microbiology, Embryology, Comparative Anatomy

12. Applying and Getting In • The Application Process • State of Affairs • Roughly 67,828 test takers • First-year enrollees total almost 17,800 students, a 2.3% increase over 2006 • 42,300+ applied, an increase of 8.2 percent over 2006 • 32,000 were first-time applicants, the highest number on AAMC record • Commonalities • TIP: Apply Early • Secondaries

13. Factors of Admission • Objective Factors: • GPA • MCAT • The Numbers • Students focus on the numbers first • The numbers don’t get you in but ________ • GPA (science) x 10 + MCAT > 65 (admissions index) • GPA and MCAT are between 30 % and 50 % of the admissions decision • Consider the #’s a baseline requirement • Go to Demo.PrincetonReview.com to take a free practice test and to sample one of our lessons. • Call 800-2Review or visit PrincetonReview.com for more info about The Princeton Review test prep options.

14. What Does it Take To Get In? Source: The Princeton Review’s Best 168 Medical Schools

15. What Does it Take To Get In?

16. Factors of Admission • Subjective Factors: • Recommendations • Essays • Experience • Activities • Interview • Resume The other 50 percent of admissions is based on motivation, passion, and sense of purpose. Stand out from the rest of the crowd.

17. Letters of Recommendation • Choose Wisely • Academic • 2 science, 1 non-science - min 3, max 5 • 5 areas of commentary • Classroom contributions • Interest in the subject • Level of achievement • Personal anecdotes • Likeability

18. The Essay • What Makes a Good Essay • Do’s & Don’ts • TIP: Give Yourself At Least 2 Months To Develop Your Personal Statement • It should… • Be a sales pitch for yourself • Show committee something about yourself that they could never learn from your application • Demonstrate that you are a mature, intelligent and focused person • Show that you’re different from the rest of the pack • Be the most powerful, positive element of your application • Answer the question!

19. The Rest of The Package • Experience • Beyond shadowing, volunteering  goal is to make a connection • Exposure to the Medical Field • Genuine commitment to helping and serving others • Clinical • Research • Leadership/community service • Volunteer work • TIP:Don’t try to “beef-up” your application by joining every activity • Resumes • Highlight your professional achievements • FSU Career Center- Juliette McDonald jmcdonald@admin.fsu.edu 850.644.9774 • TIP: Take Courses of Interest (but don’t forget requirements) • Is major important?

20. Putting It All Together • Choosing Targets • Make a list • Eliminate - not academically strong enough or unacceptable due to practical considerations. • Divide the remaining schools into three groups: 1-2-1 • 100% sure/shoe-ins • good “match” • schools you'll get into only if touched by the hand of God

21. Application Timeline • TIP: Make a Plan-of-Action Calendar & Stick to It. Don’t Miss Deadlines! • College Year 1-2 • Successfully complete required premed coursework • Investigate available volunteer/paid medically related clinical or research activities • College Year 3 – Junior Year, Fall Semester • Begin prep and register for desired MCAT administration • Successfully complete first-semester required premed coursework – physics and/or chemistry • Spring Semester (January-April) • Prepare, register for, and take desired MCAT administration; best for timing on applications • Start researching schools • Contact potential recommenders • Spring Semester (May-June) • Finalize school list • Complete AMCAS application • College Year 4 – Senior Year • September • Complete and send supplemental applications • October - November • Send thank you notes to recommenders • Interview

22. Admissions Timeline 2009-2010 MAY 1: Primary Application available to complete through AMCAS JUNE 1: Primary Application available to submit through AMCAS AUG 1: Most Florida Med Schools Early Decision Deadline AUG 15: Most Florida Med Schools EDP Secondary's Deadline OCT 1: Most Florida Med Schools EDP Admissions Notification DEC 1: Most Florida Med Schools Regular Decision Deadline

23. Questions? Thank You Julia Landry Director- Tallahassee & NW Florida JuliaL@Review.com