Some schools have separate “Why us?” and “Why medicine?” essays. How to keep them personalized on the school yet different at the same time?
My kid went through this process and I would highly recommend you to look up podcasts and youtube videos from The College Essay Guy. He has the whole process laid out for each type of essays. The “why us” type of essays does not look for what they offer that you like; it looks for how you would a good fit. The College Essay Guy does a wonderful explaination of how to approach this kind of essays that I cannot match… The way my son approached his personal statement was to start with “why medicine” then transition to how that particular program fits with his goals and how he plans to use his undergraduate years there to achieve his goals. His writing wasn’t the best of the best that secured him a dozen interviews, but it got him two interviews and a #1 slot on a waitlist which ended up as a spot in a program.
I have already written the “why medicine” portion and even though I do mention a research experience and the science behind medicine, the majority of my essay centers around relationships with patients. I did not know whether I should change that for schools that are more research based.
Do you have any publications or poster presentation as a research experience ? If so include it in your essays. Otherwise, high school research experience is fine but it will not make any waves.
Personalize the essay to highlight strengths of the program and your past experiences that might align with the program and your possible future contributions to the program as a whole.
Thank you @Vicky2019 and @NoviceDad!
Don’t forget to remind them any unique distinctions/experiences/discussions or even frank arguments you may have had in their class or in general or impressions created with them. Don’t assume teachers to remember all the details no matter how close you may think you are to them, they deal with many smart students of different grades simultaneously and difficult for them to remember the specifics of everyone, especially if you are not in their current senior year class.
You may want to write up few things and hand it over to them as a reference for them about yourself as it relates to the above, the class and subject and overall personality for them to relate to (don’t be shy). That is the proper approach to get more personalized recommendations than cookie cutters. Cookie cutters are not helpful and may be even hurtful.
My impression is that VCU gives weightage for clinical setting, shadowing and similar experiences.
Though Penn State is a research power house and it is good to have research exposure, but not too big a factor. One can always get into it once selected into the program.
Thank you!
Thank you!
It is really important to talk about your own personal experiences, any challenges you faced and how you overcame these challenges. Share anecdotes from your medically related experience (research or volunteering or shadowing). The colleges want to know why you want to become a Doctor or what drives you or how you react during situations.
Interviewers will grill you on what you share in your essays and form their own opinion on you.
My DD has completed a 30 page experimental research paper as part of her AP Research requirements on the topic of biology using live animals and microorganisms. This was an extensive project (took several months to complete) that involved help from a researcher at a local university, however it was conducted on her high school grounds and was never formally presented in a poster format. She wants to know how to label this research on her applications/resume, as she is unsure if it should just be referred to as high school research. I appreciate any insight and feedback. Thank you!
@rara-avis, I have a similar question. My D also completed a long research paper for AP Seminar subject. She will be taking AP Research in senior year. Her school offers AP Seminar in 11th and AP Research in 12th. Does your D’s school offers AP Research in 11th?
@rk1235rk
She did it in 10th grade( Seminar) and 11th (research). That’s how our high school structured it.
Does anyone know if getting a supplemental letter of recommendation from a doctor you shadowed will benefit your chances for admission for any BSMD? (btw the doctor in question is the associate chief director of a huge department at one of the best children’s hospitals in the country)
NJMS offers BS/MD admissions to around 100-120 students. NJMS has 6-7 feeder schools. Same student can be forwarded by multiple feeders. Rutgers Newark, Stevens, Drew only have 5-10 seats. Remaining seats are from TCNJ and NJIT.
Each feeder conducts UG interviews. It is possible for you to be rejected by one feeder and accepted by other feeders to forward to NJMS - depending on what type of students they are looking for?
NJMS conducts interviews only once even if you were forwarded by multiple schools.
IMO, applying thru multiple schools is beneficial
@avoshmados - Definitely! it is if you have really worked hard for them and their recommendation puts you in good light. Keep in mind that the Doctor’s designation or how important they are should not be the focus here but the quality of the recommendation they write for you and how much they know you!
Some programs specifically ask for a recommendation from your medical experience. So, in such a case, this type of recommendation is mandatory.
It will not necessarily increase your chances as you put it but surely can help with your motivation and exposure to medicine. Please include a letter from some one you shadow or did clinical volunteering. Some medical schools may seek such input from medical professionals for regular MD applicants.
IMO, Looking at NJIT/NJMS data, it seems only 13 students matriculated to NJMS in one particular year. So offering admission to 100-120 bsmds may be on higher side. There may be limit on number of candidates forwarded to NJMS from each high school. So there is a stiff competition within a high school among applicants. Devise a strategy so that one’s chances for being forwarded to NJMS is maximized. IMO, both NJIT and TCNJ seem to prefer high stats applicants.
Poster is usually done at a conference where information is presented to public and other experts. IMO, AP Seminar/Research/Capstone courses should be included as a high school experience. Research usually involves a hypothesis and subsequent efforts to prove or disprove it.