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AMCAS tips

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On June 7, you can submit your AMCAS. In preparation for that rapidly upcoming date, here are a few quick tips for writing your AMCAS activities:

1. Use full sentences. It’s a formal application, and you want to make your written materials as readable as possible.
2. Avoid abbreviations. Again, you want to be formal, and abbreviations you think are common might not be familiar to the reader.
3. Make sure you spell out your accomplishments clearly. If your reader doesn’t understand an activity, you will not get “full credit” for what you’ve done.
4. Choose “most meaningful” activities that show a breadth of experience, e.g. one that is related to research, another that is clinical, and a final that is volunteer.
5. Write about yourself and your role – not an organization. For example, don’t use the space to discuss Habitat for Humanity. Use it to discuss the specifics of your role at Habitat for Humanity.
6. Use numbers to be persuasive. Saying that the conference you organized had 300 participants says it all.
7. Get help. Do not submit your application without having it reviewed. Don’t submit suboptimal materials for a process that is this important and competitive.

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Get a Better Letter

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After over a decade of reading medical school and residency letters of recommendation (LOR), I can tell you that the biggest error I see in the LOR process occurs when applicants settle for mediocre letters. In other words, they know that a supervisor/faculty member/attending isn’t going to write them a strong letter, but they fill the LOR slot with the middling endorsement anyway.

Please take a look at my most recent Student Doctor Network article, “Get a Better Letter” for concrete ideas on how to approach the letter of recommendation process.

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Don’t Just Do It

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Many medical school applicants ask me if they have to do things they don’t want – like bench research – to get into med school. While having reasonable academic numbers and some clinical experience is critical, candidates can succeed while lacking traditional aspects of the application, like research.

Now, having a strong research project (especially a publication) under one’s belt will almost invariably help propel an applicant’s candidacy forward, but finding very strong alternatives is a reasonable option.

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Physician Heal Thyself By Getting Help

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I wrote recently about burnout, which affects 37.9% of doctors, as compared to 27.8% of the general population, according to an Archives of Internal Medicine study.

Beyond burnout, suicidality is a major problem for doctors. Physicians have much higher suicide rates than the general population with male doctors at 70% higher and female physicians at 250-400% higher, according to a JAMA piece.

For the younger cohort in the profession, things are also rough: Fifteen to 30% of medical students and residents screen positively for depression, according to Medscape, and suicide is the number one cause of death among medical residents.

Excessive work burdens and expectations, lack of a perceived internal locus of control, and isolation from friends and family can all lead to clinical depression among medical students and trainees. It’s critical to take note if you see symptoms in yourself or colleagues, including hopelessness, withdrawal, anger, recklessness, anxiety, substance abuse, excessive feelings of guilt, and inability to concentrate. Realizing that many others are in the same boat and that most institutions have psychological counseling options can be a relief. Additionally, a national resource is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 800 273 TALK.

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Improve Your Medical School Candidacy: Prove you can Handle the Heat

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Getting into medical school has gotten so competitive that it’s important to have a strong candidacy with excellent grades and robust extracurricular activities starting early in your college career.

One mistake I see pre-meds make is that they are so focused on leadership and research that they forget a critical component – clinical experience. No one wants to hire a cook who hasn’t worked in the kitchen. If you want to prove that you want to be a doctor, it’s essential that you obtain clinical experience for a significant period of time – not just a health fair or two. Good grades will not make up for a lack of clinical experience.

Working as an EMT, in a good clinical care extender program, or in a low-income clinic are just some ideas for obtaining excellent clinical exposure. Although you might think free clinics would be thrilled to have a pre-med volunteer, many understandably require one-year commitments.

To create a plan for your medical school candidacy, secure a Strategy Session with me here.

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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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