Here’s a quick reminder that the National Resident Matching Program’s (NRMP®’s) registration opens on September 15 at 12pm EST. This means that you can start assigning your application to training programs at that time. Getting your application in early is helpful, but having strong written materials is critical.
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Medical School and Residency Personal Statements
It’s time to get moving on your medical school or residency personal statement. (It’s actually late to start on your medical school essay; if you don’t already have a good draft, I’d recommend starting immediately.)
The goal of the personal statement is to distinguish yourself from everyone else and demonstrate your worthiness as a candidate. Here’s a piece I wrote for Student Doctor Network (I did not choose the title ;)) that will guide you.
Taking the Fifth
If there were one reason not to accept you, what would it be?
When a faculty member asks you this tough question in an interview, her motivation might be to determine whether there is a weakness in your application that she is missing. Or she may be assessing how you manage stressful situations by posing a question that is unpleasant.
While you need to be honest throughout the entire application process, you do not need to volunteer information that might harm you.
You can say, “While every candidacy has room to improve, I think I have a strong application.” Then you can use the question as an opportunity to mention the strengths of your candidacy.
Contact me for Mock Interviews. I still have January slots open as of this writing.
What is a letter of intent?
A letter of intent (LOI) is a supplemental note applicants write to medical schools, residencies, and other medical programs to let faculty know of their interest in an institution and the distinctiveness of their candidacies. Letters of intent can be written early in an effort to obtain an interview, after the interview to show enthusiasm and remind the faculty of the candidate’s worthiness, or after a wait list notification (for medical and dental students who don’t participate in the Match).
The letter should be written in a timely fashion. In other words, there’s no reason for a residency applicant to write a letter of intent in late February. The letter should avoid restating the strengths of the institution. Instead the applicant should express his/her interest and then move onto his/her strengths. An LOI should be a page or less.
For help writing a professional, expert LOI, contact me.
Thank You Notes – So Easy for You to Do
I’ve gotten a lot of questions recently about thank you notes. Remember that thank you notes are low-hanging fruit in the admissions process. They are easy to write and can make a big impression.
Make sure to write handwritten notes; email thank you notes can look a bit lazy and can be easily deleted.
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
