are any of you guys interviewing Feb 3-4?
Hummm, I called UMKC SOM today, and they said the notification for interview not send out till the end of the month ! This can be a hope for me. But just wondered how come somebody already has it yesterday ? Well at least I still have some hope left … This is nerve racking .
could all of you who got interviews please post stats? also @socalgirl, i think you should call and make sure that they sent everything out–from what I have heard, if you don’t get an email, then its mostly a rejection which comes by snail mail.
What programs did you all apply for? the 7 yr? the 6 yr? the Rural program?
@ Desigirl Take your advise, I called SOM 5’ ago, she told me that they sent out notification for In state, then Regional and Out of state later. I am in the OOS pool so it will be the last round . and should have it by the end of next week. Whewwww… still have hope…
Got an interview yeeaahhhh budddy.
@ beamem3 : are you in state? Regional or OOS ?
Congratulation …
@SoCalGirlNguyen: looks like beamerm3 is from New York. Read post #2793
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/multiple-degree-programs/10493-umkc-6-year-bs-md-program-187.html#post15202543[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/multiple-degree-programs/10493-umkc-6-year-bs-md-program-187.html#post15202543</a>
@ DualDegreedoc: I called umkc and talked to Victoria, she asked for my name and after few seconds, she told me my file is completed and in process of review. Since I am from OOS , she said I will be notified by the end of the month. I asked her if that means I still have hope? She seem likes smile and said she will let me know next week and just hang in there…
Well, I don’t know what she meant by that but … It seem I still have another week to hope … And wait…
@ dualdoc: just incase I don’t get in umkc, which of the following schools that I aaplied to and assume get accepted would give me a better chance to get me in med school 4 yrs later :
Ucla, Cal Berkeley , UCSD, UCI,
Pitzer college, CMC, Scripps
Pomona ( super reach)
Barnard , bryn mawr, Wellesley, trinity college, Wesleyan , and Emory
Please give me some advises if you can
Right now I feel that most of the liberal art I mentioned above would give me a better chance to succeed . And I am leaning in order of choice : Barnard , Wesleyan , Pitzer, Scripps, bryn mawr.
I had interview with Barnard director of admission when she was here for college fair, and Wesleyan alumni who is a film producer in Hollywood who told me that if he is in Wesleyan admission board he would take me in. I really like those both Barnard and Wesleyan university a lot
I know Ucla and cal Berkeley are very good but they do have an extreme cut throat pre med culture there, last yr, Ucla has only about 165 of 2012 graduates applied to med school and only 85 got accepted . That said how much weed out they have done to the original freshmen class coming in 4 yrs ago
I’ve been a doctor for 22 years now. I usually do not give my opinion unless asked. I also usually will not give a recommendation unless I’ve had the opportunity to review the patient’s entire medical record. Because, I do not know you very well, I’m hesitant to tell you what you should or should not do. When you finally become a doctor, you will understand why.
With that being said, I will share with you some observations about you and about medical school admission.
Again just from CC, I’ve noticed that you’ve demonstrated some of the qualities that will help you become a excellent, caring doctor one day: empathy and compassion (for other CC member’s situation and feelings), attention to details (regarding Victoria tone of voice), planning for alternative pathways (treatments) in case you do not get the results that you are hoping for, and many more. These are the exact qualities that school like UMKC is looking for…if you get an interview and is able to showcase such qualities during the interview, then you will be accepted for sure.
Unfortunately, to get to the interview stage, you will have to overcome the GPA, Class Ranking, Test Scores (SAT/ACT or MCAT), and Extra-curricular activity hurdles.
- A low GPA at a prestigious / competitive high school or undergrad institution will not get you over the first hurdle. A high GPA at a middle tier university will give you a better chance.
- Test scores are VERY, VERY important…a high MCAT score will overcome a low GPA. The skills needed to do well on the SAT/ACT (reading, writing, vocabulary words, and math problem solving) was best learned and practiced from 5th grade to 10th grade. Well, the skills needed to do well for the MCAT is best learned from 11th grade to 2nd year undergrad. Do not wait until the 11th grade to study for the SAT/ACT or wait until the 3rd year of college to prepare for the MCAT.
- “Serving” Experiences are better than “Observing” Experiences for Extra-curricular activities. For example, observing or shadowing a physician is not as attractive to the medical school admission committee as you volunteering to cook and clean in a soup kitchen OR maybe getting a EMT certificate and actually working as a first responder for a summer OR working in a lab drawing blood OR fundraising for a non-profit group OR forming your own non-profit and getting others to fund or support it (like beamerm3), etc.
- It is easier to be noticed if you are a big fish in a little pond rather than a small fish in a big pond.
Wow Doc… That is amazing that you pointed out all the realistic, practical things that most of the counselors out there might not able to advice. That why I asked for your opinion since I know you are knowledgeable in the field because you went thru it personally 30 yrs ago and now go thru all of these with your children applications process. I really live and appreciate your opinions …
Now I understand why my dad drills my younger brother in 10 grade hard for standardize test. He send him to classes to prepare for Biology USABO , and AMC 10 tests. I sometimes frustrated because I thought that is too much for a younger boy who haven’t take AP Bio yet. He said that that how you prepare to take MCAT eventually . He told me that if I can get in med school, I will be a good clinician, but my brother will be a good researcher. Each of us have a different mentality of study habits and he has to find the different way to prepare for each differently . But like you said, doesn’t matter what we have to overcome Mcat and eventually national boards in order to practice so there is no short cut on that
@DualDegree how early did you start studying for the MCAT (or your children)? If don’t get into a BAMD that doesn’t require the MCAT, I’m thinking about starting to study for it 1st year of college since I know how difficult of an exam it is and how big of an impact it has on premeds.
@sanguinee. Sorry for not being able to respond right away.
I did not have to take the MCAT because I was fortunate enough to graduate with BA/MD from UMKC in 1990 (was easier to get into the program in 1984 because I grew up and went to high school in Kansas City, MO). My daughter is currently in the Northwestern HPME program and will not have to take the MCAT.
I can comment on standardized test (in general) and the MCAT (in particular) based on my personal experience with taking the Part I, II, and III of the National Board and helping my kids prepare to take the SAT/ACT. It’s not the subject matters that give people problem…it’s the time pressure and duration of the entire test. Imagine taking the AP Biology Exam squeezed into a 60 minute span, followed by AP Chemistry, AP Physics, Organic Chemistry, and then throw in AP Literature type questions (reading comprehension and writing) all in one day (5 1/2 hour time period).
Most students prepare too close to the exam date. They concentrate most of their time on the subject matters. Then they take a few simulated exams. When they finally take the real exam, it’s the time pressure and duration of the entire test that gets to them and results in a low score.
The content of the test…biology, chemistry, and physics…you already know. The organic chemistry you will get in college. Try to learn the subject, the first time around, well enough so that you can explain and teach it to another person. This will force you to understand the concept and principles and retain it for a long time.
As for the skills of reading comprehension, critical thinking, problem solving, free response writing, you have been doing it ever since you took the first honors or AP classes.
Now just learn to do it in a time pressured, long duration situation. Consider getting old MCAT exams and simulating the exam every three months or so.
One of the thing that UMKC SOM did to help all of their students prepare to take Part I and II of the National Board, was to make every medical student (Year 1 to Year 6) take a simulated national board type exam every 6 months under the exact time pressure, long duration condition as the real Boards.
Can anyone give some tips for interview questions please? Is the interview hard ? It’s a multiple mini type this yeAr and I’m really freakin out!
when do you have your interview desigirl?
Thanks @Dual, very comprehensive response. I’m assuming by National Boards you mean the USMLE?