Blog Archives

Letters of Intent

Medical school letters of intent (or what some applicants jokingly call “love letters”) can be used for several types of applicants:

1) Those who have been wait listed
2) Those who have been interviewed but have not yet been accepted or rejected
3) Those who have not yet been invited to interview

When writing your letters of intent (LOIs), you should have the following principal goals:

1) Restating your interest in the institution
2) Positioning yourself as a distinctive candidate

The biggest error I see in LOIs is too much content about a specific institution’s advantages. There is no reason to spend a paragraph or more telling medical school admissions members what makes their institution special. They already know! Using your precious space this way is an opportunity cost, keeping you from fully showcasing what makes you a compelling applicant.

For those of you interested in LOI assistance, please contact me. I do offer a popular LOI editing service.

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Optimizing your Medical School Application: AMCAS

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS®) is a centralized application processing program for medical school candidates. AMCAS’ application has multiple sections, including demographics, academic record, experience and personal statement. The experience, or activities, section is where applicants describe their accomplishments – research, clinical, volunteer, teaching, paid work. The AMCAS experience section allows the applicant to demonstrate his or her distinctiveness as a candidate. Read more ›

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Medical School Admissions

Medical school admissions are becoming increasingly competitive, in part, because of the failing U.S. economy. Bright applicants who used to target business school or law degrees are finding those fields unstable and are turning their interest toward medicine. Consequently, stronger candidates are now pursuing a medical career, making professional medical school admissions consulting increasingly important in optimizing medical school applications.

Medical school admissions consulting companies come in a variety of forms. Some are larger companies that focus on admissions to several types of graduate programs – not just medicine. Others are smaller companies that provide a medical focus, but have a pool of consultants of varying quality. Finally, elite companies offer both the medical focus and a highly experienced consultant who works one-on-one with clients. These professionals are ex-admissions officers from respected medical institutions. They have the inside knowledge of how medical admissions work, providing personalized guidance to optimize candidates’ written materials and interview skills. Read more ›

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Medical School Admissions: Apply Early

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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Getting Into Medical School: Medical School Interview Advice

Getting into medical school has become increasingly difficult, in part, because of the poor economy: Competitive candidates who used to target other graduate schools are turning toward medicine, a less volatile field. Consequently, stronger candidates are now pursuing a medical career, making the medical school interview critical.

But what are medical schools looking for during the interview process?

First, they are seeking someone distinctive. Your goal is to distinguish yourself from all of the other applicants by showcasing your accomplishments. Anyone can say s/he wants to help people or is hard working. Fewer candidates can prove it. 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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