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Happiness: Be All That You Can Be

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Medical school and residency training usually decrease one’s happiness for several reasons. Happiness researchers have demonstrated that a feeling of control and the amount of spare time one has both correlate with happiness. Both of those factors are limited during med school and residency. Relationships are also correlated with happiness, and those can be squashed during medical training as well.

I’m not trying to be a downer here! I want to encourage applicants to consider this happiness quotient when selecting an institution and training program. If you are able, maximizing your contentment by choosing an institution that fosters your greatest happiness is key. Geography; proximity to family, friends and community; and a location that provides an opportunity to enjoy hobbies during limited free time is significant.

Excellent training is important, but, in the end, many programs turn out equally qualified clinicians. At least consider your well-being as a factor in selecting where you might be for the next three plus years of your life.

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Acceptances

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It’s early in the season, but some of my clients have already been accepted to

UCSD
University of Chicago
Vanderbilt
Case Western
USC (Keck)
Mayo
UCI
Rosalind Franklin and
Wake Forest!

Most medical school applicants are still early in the interview process. Consider hiring me for mock interviews to improve your chances of success.

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Thank You Notes: A Plug for the US Postal Service

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I was recently asked by a client about the best way to send post-interview thank you notes – email versus snail mail. This client said he had read conflicting advice online.

As a former Harvard admissions decision-maker who used to receive thank you notes, I can tell you that I strongly advise sending your thank you notes by good old USPS. The reasons are twofold:

1) Email may be viewed as lazy. Hand-written thank you notes take more time, which shows.
2) To put an email thank you note in your file, the receiver needs to take the time to print out your email. You don’t want any barriers between you and your good impression.

I do recommend getting those handwritten thank you notes in quickly. The night after you’ve completed your interview or the next day is a good time to write and send.

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You Never Get a Second Chance to Blow a First Impression

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I receive a lot of questions about interview attire; I have two rules to guide applicants:

1. Do not be noticed for your clothes. You want to be remembered for your accomplishments, not your attire. Years later, I still remember the applicant who arrived in a Bugs Bunny tie. (This might fly for a pediatrics interview, but even then, I wouldn’t recommend it.) I also recall the applicant who arrived in jeans. (He packed his interview clothes, checked his luggage, his bags were lost, and he had nothing else to wear for his early morning interview.)

2. Be comfortable. No heels that are so high you are in too much pain to take the tour. No coat so light – but stylish 😉 – that you can’t walk out of the building.

What you wear is really much less important than how you present yourself in interviews. For help, contact me. I’ve recently added some mock interview slots to my online calendar because of high demand.

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Medical School Admissions: Apply Early

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Because getting into medical school continues to get harder each year, the submission of a strong medical school application is critical. Following a timeline and getting your materials in early can assist you in improving your candidacy and thus, your chances of success.

Some medical schools use a rolling admissions process. These institutions will let applicants know about admissions decisions fairly soon after interviewing. Others – like Harvard Medical School – make final admissions decisions at the conclusion of interviews. Read more ›

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About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more

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