Prof Miles Cahill Advisor Prof Jumi Hayaki Associate Advisor Information for health professional school applicants September 27 2016 What we will do today Talk about committee review process ID: 814576
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Slide1
Holy CrossHealth Professions AdvisingProf. Miles Cahill, AdvisorProf. Jumi Hayaki, Associate Advisor
Information for health professional school applicants
September 27, 2016
Slide2What we will do todayTalk about committee review processTalk about credentialsTalk about graduate school application processTalk about new MCAT and review classTalk about changes to post-
bacc
and allied health review process
Slide3Who is eligible for a review?Considering applying to med/dental/vet school in this cycle (June 2017)You do not have to decide until close to application time!
Will finish requirements by end of spring semester
Or will finish post-baccalaureate plan in spring
You do not have to take the MCAT before the review
In a post-baccalaureate program now
Alumni, juniors, seniors
Applicants may be reviewed multiple times
Slide4Application timelineSeptember 2016September 27, Smith Labs 154, 3:30pm: meeting to talk about applicationTalk about HC committee review process, med, dental and vet school application process
Introduce the personal statement and other materials
Talk about resources
October 2016
October 7
: Advisor request (online) and waiver (hard copy to Stein 129A) forms due by noon.
After fall break: advisors assigned
Meet with your advisor ASAPOctober 22: Saturday personal statement workshop, 9am-11am, SML 154November-December 2016Start working on personal statement, materials, meet with advisorAttend personal statement workshop through Writer’s Workshop (first session 11/7, 7pm Stein 217)Request recommendation lettersMCAT information meetingJanuary 2017Finish up personal statementAttend session at Writer’s Workshopcompleted first draft should be done by start of spring semesterMCAT preparation course startsFebruary 2017February 15: Committee application materials due Meeting to discuss MCAT goals, etc.
February – May 2017
Committee reviews files on a rolling basis
Applicants receive committee ratings, feedback; meet with committee advisor to discuss your review
May 2017
May 1
: deadline to submit materials for
reapplication
for 2015-17 applicants who did not gain entry
May (first week): Application services
open/
start entering application
Final meeting to discuss application process
Final ratings determined after spring grades; letters sent to all applicants
June 2017
June (first week): Application services (medical/dental) start accepting applications
Submit applications as soon as possible in cycle
DO applications open up in May, but wait until June
Submit your letter request materials to Health Professions Advising Office (see instructions sent in May)
July 2017
July 31
: last day to have your application
processed
by application service to guarantee committee letter
Special permission from Prof. Cahill needed to submit application
after
Complete
secondary applications
August 2017 – March 2018
Committee letters sent out early in August
Interviews typically start late in August/early Sept., continue
-spring
Medical school decisions start early fall, continue through year
April – August 2018
April 30
: “traffic rules day” – may not hold on to multiple
submissions
Heavy wait list activity starts after this day
May
1
: deadline to submit
for
reapplication for 2017-18 re-applicants
Offers may continue until matriculation!
August - September 2018
: start school!
Slide5Steps to takeOpen or reactivate your file – deadline Oct. 7If you are opening a file, submit signed hardcopy waiver form to office (Stein 129A, PO Box PREMED); if have file open with letters, no need to do this againYou must fill out the online form to request a committee advisor to open or reactivate your file – see “key documents” on the health professions advising web page
Meet your advisor
Start committee personal statement
Attend personal statement workshop – October 22
Attend Writing Center workshops
Start researching school requirements (MSAR)
Start asking for reference letters before winter break
3 to review file, 5+ to write a good letterMajor professor, a non-major science lab professor, a third professor/supervisor, +Avoid letters from those close to your familyTalk to your advisor before winter breakGet complete draft of statement done before you returnDue date for file materials: February 15
Slide6Committee process: MD/DO, DMD/DDS, DVMMaterials due Feb. 15Follow instructions carefullyCover sheet, list of courses, notation, annotated activities list, personal statement, transcripts
Committee meets to discuss files and rate applicants on rolling basis
You will get a letter with a preliminary rating shortly after
Meet with your advisor to get more detailed feedback
Committee reviews all files again after spring grades
Study for and take the MCAT/DAT/GRE
Goal: have application complete as close to June 1 as possible
Ideally apply early June with exam scores in handYou must have your application processed by July 31 to get a committee letter
Slide7When is a review not necessary?You are applying to allied health: PA/NP/PT/etc.You are definitely not planning on applying this yearPlanning on a gap year (or more), post-
bacc
program, research, more classes, etc.
We are happy to give you feedback and advice in person
You may request a committee advisor to get feedback, start a relationship, start collecting letters
You will be a different person in a year (or more
)!
You will not complete your requirements (or post-bacc) by the end of spring semesterWe can’t rate you without gradesMedical schools do not allow an application with courses in progress
Slide8CredentialsGPA: overall and in science coursesWe look at trajectory, individual course grades, additional courses, etc.Personal statementApprox. 7 page reflective essay
Introduce yourself to the committee: who are you? How did you get here?
Reflect on experiences that lead you to pursue a career of caring for others
This is a key part of our rating!
Reference letters
Academic ability and work ethic, engagement
Character, working with others, compassion, maturity
Clinical, research, volunteer, professional experiencesVolunteer experienceLonger/deeper engagement valued – show leadershipShow compassion for othersMay substitute for (some) clinical experience
Slide9CredentialsClinical experienceWork/volunteer/internship in hospital/nursing home/office/etc. settingShadowing less desirable as it is “passive” Volunteer or work caring for others in a non-medical setting
This may substitute for (most) clinical experience
Key is experience caring for others in a stressful situation, learning to communicate with people with different backgrounds
Research experience
Not essential, but helpful
Professional experience
Not essential, but
helpfulOther experiencesAthletics, clubs, etc.We don’t use MCAT/DAT/GRE for rating, but will for advisory purposesTest scores very important for med/dental/vet schools
Slide10What are we (and medical schools) looking for?Can the applicant handle the rigorous academics of medical school and medical license exams?Has the applicant demonstrated maturity? Working well with others? Leadership? Engagement?
Has the applicant demonstrated a commitment to helping others in need?
Does the applicant have experience working with people from different socio/economic backgrounds, in stressful situations?
Is the applicant familiar with the job health care providers do? The training involved?
Slide11Committee ratingsVery highly recommendOutstanding in every category. No flaws.Highly recommendStrong in every category, but not top in all categories
May have a flaw that is offset by other excellent credentials
Recommend
We think you are capable of medical/dental/etc. school, but in reality you will be unlikely to gain entry
Wait to apply
You are not yet a competitive applicant
We will give you advice on how you can become more competitive
We are trying to show you how medical/dental/vet schools will view your application, not act as gatekeepers!It is expensive to apply to schools and much hander to get into medical school as a re-applicant
Slide12Cost of medical schoolCost of applying to medical school: $3,000-4,000Application fees, exams, travel to interviews, etc.Typical private medical schoolTufts: $90,000+/year (tuition, feels, living, etc.)
Avg. med school student graduates with $200,000 in debt
Typical public medical school
UMass: $55,000/year (tuition, feels, living, etc.)
Avg. student graduates with $108,811 in debt
Slide13National applicationsMedical school is becoming more highly competitive51,019 applications to MD for fall 2015 start20,346 started medical school in fall 2015; 40% of applicants
Typical MD medical school
Tufts: 11,000 applicants, 900 interviews for class of 204
UMass: 1,031 in-state, 157 out, 596 interviews for class of 125
Nationally, students apply to 18-22 schools, 40% get in to MD
Holy Cross: admission rate
approx
double, after advising20,447 applications to DO (2015)<7,000 first year studentsTypical DO schoolCCOM-MWU: 5,712 applications for a class of 208UNE-COM: 3,635 applications for a class of 127
Slide14Consider DO90% of training the samePass equivalent license examTrain in same residencies – same accreditation!MUCH better chance at residency than overseas
A little easier to get into quantitatively
Less concerned with quantitative scores
Old MCAT:
avg
: 27 for DO vs. 31 for MD
GPA (overall/science) slightly lower (3.5/3.4 for DO vs 3.7/3.6 for MD)
Need a letter from a DO: your responsibilityResourcesSee www.AACOM.orgThe DOs by Norman GervitzJune 2009 issue of Academic Medicine
Slide15Consider NP/PA, allied healthThink about your goalsWhat do you want to do every dayNot what initials do you want on your name tag
Do you want to work with patients?
Diagnose, treat, prescribe?
Think about NP/PA, other allied health
Other careers may allow more independence
Podiatry (very similar to med school)
Optometry
Physical therapy, etc.
Slide16Other professional programsDental schoolSame committee process, timeline as MDGPA a little lower than MDUsually competitive above
3
.0 GPA (overall & science)
Need a letter from a dentist
DAT important: want > 17 on each section
DVM school
Same committee process
Deadline Oct. 2. – but check!Usually take GREExperience with large and small animals essentialRequirements vary between schools
Slide17PA, NP, PT, OD, etc. and post-baccsImportant differencesHave June, Aug., Jan., etc. start dates
Deadlines vary – year round, including before committee meets!
Requirements vary widely between schools
Schools do not accept committee letters, committee ratings
We will help you gather your credentials, choose reference letters, choose schools, write personal statement, etc. Come see us!
Slide18General adviceWork with your advisor earlyWaiting until last minute is asking for troubleBe professionalBe formal in all correspondence – e-mails, phone calls, etc.
Use correct grammar, spelling in all communication
Always use titles, never first names
Be polite and friendly to everyone
Use a professional-sounding e-mail address
Be engaged in what you do
Classes, activities, etc.
Watch your public profile and behave wellMed schools may Google you, look at your Facebook page, etc. Don’t let a foolish mistake jeopardize your chancesSerious disciplinary action may be the end of your application