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Dear Premedical Student:
The Premedical Handbook and Self-Assessment Guide reflects the insights of premedical advisors, successful medical students, medical school faculty, and Committee on Admissions members. Designed to organize your planning and preparation for medical school, it contains information and advice that the College of Human Medicine associates with a successful medical school application.
As you identify yourself as a possible future physician, you enter an exciting and busy time. Along with all the other joys and demands of life, it is a time to:
challenge your talent and satisfaction in working with the sciences;
tap into your abilities and energy as you put altruism into action;
test your tolerance of an intellectually and physically rigorous lifestyle;
explore your communication skills and leadership potential;
engage in realistic self-appraisal and self-improvement efforts.
Doing so will help confirm your career direction as you prepare for the profession. The Premedical Handbook section outlines the foundation for successful preparation. While following this guide, along with your premedical advisor’s advice, will assist you in becoming a well-rounded applicant, remember that it does not assure medical school admission. Be sure to reflect on your goals and abilities as you proceed, and consider alternatives as appropriate.
The Self-Assessment Guide section will help you assess your experiences and personal development. Ideally, you will begin your self-assessment early in your college experience to guide and record your preparation. The recorded information will be useful as you prepare your AMCAS Application, complete Supplemental Essays, and prepare for interviews. Please do not assume that the order in which topics appear reflects an order of importance. We also suggest you visit the AAMC site, Considering a Career in Medicine, for additional information to think about while preparing to apply to medical school.
We encourage you to apply to the College of Human Medicine if our mission is consistent with your career goals, and our curriculum is consistent with your learning style. Please take some time to visit the pages within our website to learn more about us.
Best wishes for your success.
Christine Shafer, MD
Assistant Dean for Admissions
College
of Human Medicine
|
Medical School Application General Recommendations
Advice for High School Students
Advice for Postbaccalaureate/Nontraditional Students
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) Application
Academic Preparation
Required Premedical Courses
Medical/Clinical Experiences
Community Service Experiences
Group and Leadership Experiences
Research Experiences
Personal Qualities/Professional Behavior Development
Letters of Evaluation
Financial Aid Information
CHM’s Review Process
Personal Record of Experiences
Sample Time Line for Premedical Preparation
Review the sections of your Self-Assessment Guide located at the end of this guide, and work hard to develop strategies to override any deficiencies you find prior to application. If you are not initially admitted, reassess and correct your deficiencies if you intend to reapply.
Obtain a copy of the AAMC’s Medical School Admissions Requirements to learn more about the medical schools you intend to apply to, including important deadlines.
While your AMCAS application can be submitted for verification in early June, the College of Human Medicine encourages you to submit your best application to AMCAS. This may mean that you will want to wait until you complete summer clinical experiences or research projects, or receive summer grades. However, be aware that other medical schools do operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Develop a career contingency plan for your future in case medical school is not a realistic goal for you at this time.
Refer to the sections of your Self-Assessment Guide that list all your activities (medical/clinical, community service, group/leadership, research, and employment) since high school. Be sure these activities are incorporated into your application.
Refer to the sections of your Self-Assessment Guide that list all the insights you gained through your experiences. Use these to enrich your personal statement and supplemental essays.
Take special care with your written applications (AMCAS and Secondary Applications); make sure there are no careless errors. Use a proofreader in addition to spell check.
Write your own responses on the AMCAS personal statement, and on secondary essays. Do not permit proofreaders to alter the content of your statements.
If you are a science major, be sure you have taken enriching courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
If you are a nonscience major, be sure that you have acquired science knowledge that will support success in the rigorous, fast-paced science curriculum of medical school. Required premedical science courses make you eligible to enroll, but may not be sufficient preparation.
Be thoughtful about medical ethics and moral problems in medicine. Take a medical ethics course if possible, or read a medical ethics textbook.
Be familiar with health care reform and issues health care professionals confront. If possible, take a sociology of health care systems course, a medical economics course, or read about these topics.
Be aware of current topics in the news regarding medical research.
High school students interested in health careers are invited to apply to Michigan State University. Michigan State University is an internationally renowned land grant institution committed to excellence in teaching, research, and community outreach. Academic and premedical advisors will assist you in developing an academic schedule to meet premedical requirements. Premedical groups, service organizations, and the MSU Service-Learning Center will assist you in your nonacademic preparation. For a tour of MSU, call the MSU Office of Admissions at (517) 355-8332. To obtain a MSU online undergraduate application, visit their website. To learn more about premedical education and advising, call the MSU College of Natural Science at (517) 355-4470 or visit their website.
Each year, 10 outstanding Michigan State University entering freshmen are selected as College of Human Medicine MD Medical Scholars. CHM recognizes exceptional high school achievement and early dedication to medicine by offering conditional College of Human Medicine admission to each MD Medical Scholar. MD Medical Scholars fulfill the medical school admission requirements through Michigan State University’s nationally respected premedical program. Since MD Medical Scholars can plan on attending the College of Human Medicine, they can more fully engage in enriching and challenging undergraduate experiences and devote more time on community service, research, and medical/clinical activities. For detailed information, visit the College of Human Medicine MD Medical Scholars Program web page.
Enhance your college prep courses with physics, advanced sciences, four years of mathematics, speech or debate, psychology or sociology, and computer studies. CHM will recognize AP credit to meet premedical course requirements only if this credit is posted on your official college transcript. You may be asked to demonstrate additional laboratory work at the college level.
Foster professional development and maturity through volunteer work, employment in a medically relevant area, and community service. These activities will help focus your commitment to integrity, excellence, self-respect, respect for others who are different from you, and developing compassionate relationships.
Investigate college and university websites, request college and university catalogs, and visit those institutions that interest you. A list of Michigan college and university home pages can be viewed at the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) website. When applying to colleges/universities, consider what you can afford, where you feel at home, and which schools offer excellent premedical preparation. As true with many medical schools, CHM does not prefer one major over another. Select the major that best links your academic interests and your academic talents. Your academic advisor will be able to help you with this important decision.
Learn more about the MD Medical Scholars Program at CHM. Apply by November 15 of your senior year of high school if you can picture yourself in this program.
Nontraditional medical students are those who have completed a baccalaureate program (BA, BS or equivalent) from an accredited college or university. Some nontraditional applicants may have earned advanced degrees and pursued a variety of medical or non-medical careers. Nontraditional students should review the suggestions offered to traditional applicants, including the sections on professional development and investigation of medical schools. Your time frame will be different, but the recommendations are the same.
All students must complete the premedical requirements. These courses may have been taken at any time during your post-high school education. They may be taken at any accredited US or Canadian traditional college or university or at any community college or junior college that is accredited. However, courses completed at a community or junior college must be accepted at an accredited US or Canadian four-year college or university as transfer credit. To verify if a particular course is accepted at MSU, visit MSU’s Transfer Admission site and view Transfer MSU, Michigan State's searchable transfer credit equivalency system.
Nontraditional students who were not science majors, or who have taken science courses more than three years prior to the beginning of medical school, will benefit from taking additional upper-level science courses such as biochemistry, genetics, or physiology. If your undergraduate science GPA is a weakness of your application, complete additional science course work through a postbaccalaureate or graduate program. Complete at least 16 additional undergraduate or graduate science semester credits by the time you submit your AMCAS Application.
A premedical or academic advisor at your local college or university can assist you in planning the timing of your course work and in choosing when to take the MCAT. You will want to have material fresh in your mind for the MCAT. This can be accomplished through recent courses and/or thoughtful, intense review. Consider using the MCAT preparatory materials. Visit the MCAT Practice Test website for more information.
MCAT scores are important as a uniform measure of all applicants. They may predict how well applicants may perform in certain medical school courses and on the required medical board examination series for licensure. Your scores on the MCAT represent only one important component of your medical school application.
If your MCAT scores are lower than you hoped for, discover the cause of your low scores before you retake the MCAT. Strive for scores at or above the national mean of accepted applicants: Verbal Reasoning =10; Physical Science = 11; Writing Sample = Q; Biological Science = 11.
The MCAT exam is delivered as a computerized exam only. Thomson Prometric delivers the computerized MCAT on behalf of the AAMC multiple times per year, at hundreds of testing sites in North America and select sites in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. The MCAT Program Office will inform you of testing locations, MCAT fees and fee waivers, MCAT registration deadline dates, and MCAT test dates.
The timing of application and admissions cycles is such that the latest you may take the MCAT for the 2008 application cycle is September 16, 2007. The College of Human Medicine will accept only MCAT scores that are no older than four years old (i.e., 2004 scores for 2008 application cycle).
Prepare NOW!! There is no substitute for long-term preparation for the MCAT. It begins with your first college course. Attend every class; take good notes and review them thoughtfully. Understand the material, do all your assignments, and attend office hours. Get excited about learning!
Pay special attention to the basic science concepts that unite the sciences. Begin to see science as an integrated whole, rather than separate and distinct content areas.
Take advantage of office hours or make appointments with your science professors to discuss the unity of the biological and physical sciences. Become able to discuss science and science concepts.
Take courses that will develop your critical reading and writing skills. If these are weaker areas for you, get additional help now!
Use the AAMC MCAT Practice Tests. They are available online or at college bookstores.
Use the AAMC materials or your choice of MCAT guidebooks in conjunction with your basic science courses. Using the guidebooks and practice tests as you complete course work may enhance both your learning and test taking abilities. This may help you earn higher grades while you prepare long-term for the MCAT.
One full year before you take the MCAT, prepare a calendar to guide your final preparation. A sample plan may include two months review of each of the following courses: biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Begin the review with the course that was most difficult, or was taken the longest ago. Progress a course at a time, finishing with the course that was least difficult, or taken most recently. Spend some extra time studying biochemistry, genetics, and physiology. Reserve at least a month before the MCAT for a comprehensive review.
Take a mock MCAT. MSU students may call the College of Natural Science at (517) 355-4470 to request a premed tracking code in order to receive a February mock MCAT notice by email.
The AMCAS Application provides an opportunity to write a personal statement, list and describe activities, and report a disadvantaged background when applicable. Visit the AMCAS website to carefully complete the electronic AMCAS Application, as directed. Transcripts for all academic work must be sent to AMCAS as directed. AMCAS will automatically forward a copy of your application and your released MCAT scores to CHM.
While your AMCAS application can be submitted for verification in early June, the College of Human Medicine encourages you to submit your best application to AMCAS. This may mean that you will want to wait until you complete summer clinical experiences or research projects, or receive summer grades. However, be aware that other medical schools do operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon receipt of your AMCAS Application, the College of Human Medicine will contact you by email with instructions on how to obtain a Secondary Application.
All students admitted to the College of Human Medicine must successfully complete premedical requirements prior to beginning medical school. The courses listed in this guide are minimum requirements. The College recommends taking courses beyond the standard premedical requirements, including biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience, embryology, statistics, physiology, and cellular/molecular biology. Applicants are also encouraged to enroll in courses that promote understanding of the arts, humanities, ethics, social sciences, and cultural differences.
The CHM Committee on Admissions reviews applicants’ science and nonscience grades with attention to difficulty of course work, number of credits attempted and completed each semester, trend in grades, and overall averages. Your grades represent only one important component of your medical school application.
Any college major is acceptable. You are encouraged to pick one that will be stimulating and personally satisfying. Premedical requirements may be within your major, taken as electives, or added to your course of study. As you study, remember that the national mean grade point averages for applicants accepted to medical school are 3.6 for science courses, 3.7 for nonscience courses, and a 3.6 overall grade point average.
Undergraduate:
To have an optimal academic experience it is essential that you select the best possible academic major. Since CHM does not prefer one major over another, you are free to select the major that best links your academic interests and your academic talents. Your academic advisor will be able to help you with this important decision.
You will need to stay academically focused to do your best in your course work. Attend class regularly. Take advantage of office hours and tutorial sessions. Discover how you learn and remember.
In addition to your course work, be sure to consider the following suggestions:
Meet with your academic advisor on a regular basis;
Explore research opportunities. Seek an understanding of basic research methodology. Become involved in a research setting or project when possible.
Postbaccalaureate Program:
It is always important to develop a contingency plan for your future in case you are not accepted to medical school. This is especially important for applicants whose grades are at the lower range. If your undergraduate GPA is a weakness of your application, that contingency plan should include additional academic course work, usually through a postbaccalaureate program:
Complete at least 16 additional undergraduate science semester credits between the time you graduate from college and the time you reapply to CHM.
Do your best to achieve grades in the range of 3.5-4.0 in all of your science courses.
Recommended courses: Enroll in the premedical science course requirements. If you recently have taken the premedical science courses and have done well in them, consider taking additional undergraduate science courses such as anatomy, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, embryology, genetics, neuroscience, microbiology, physiology, or statistics.
To the greatest extent possible, make sure the courses are interesting or meaningful to you and/or will be helpful in following through with your contingency plan.
Graduate Program:
Many physicians also have an advanced science degree, a business degree, or an advanced degree in public health, epidemiology, or medical ethics. Select the advanced degree program for which you have talent and research interest. An advanced degree may open an alternate career path or make you a more highly sought-after physician. It is important to time your medical school application so you will be admitted only after you have completed the requirements for your advanced degree program. Deferred matriculation may be available for accepted applicants. Please discuss your plans with your advisors.
Do your best to achieve grades in the range of 3.5-4.0 in all of your graduate courses.
Remember that many graduate degree programs require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE is administered electronically throughout the year. The group exams are given in April, October and December, the year preceding the fall you plan to enter graduate school. For more information, visit the GRE website.
Graduate school application deadlines vary, but applying early is essential if you hope to secure a graduate assistantship.
Investigate other universities and medical centers to discover programs that interest you.
Required premedical courses may be taken at a U.S. or Canadian accredited community college, junior college, or traditional college or university. Courses completed at a community or junior college must be accepted at an accredited traditional college or university as transfer credit. To verify if a particular course is accepted at MSU, visit MSU’s Transfer Admission site and view Transfer MSU, Michigan State's searchable transfer credit equivalency system. CHM will recognize AP credit to meet premedical course requirements only if this credit is posted on your official college transcript. You may be asked to demonstrate additional laboratory work at the college level. Your premedical or academic advisor can assist you in planning the timing of your course work and in choosing when to take the MCAT.
Premedical course requirements are minimum requirements that must be fulfilled prior to matriculation at CHM. Requirements are:
Completion of a baccalaureate degree at an accredited US or Canadian undergraduate institution.
Completion of one year of course work in each of the following areas, with no final grade below a 2.0:
General/Inorganic Chemistry sequence, including at least one laboratory;
General Biology sequence, including at least one laboratory;
Organic Chemistry sequence, including at least one laboratory;
General Physics sequence, including at least one laboratory;
Writing or Composition, may include "Writing in the Major" classes;
Humanities/Social Science courses that focus on psychological and social theory, individual and/or group behaviors, or comparative cultures. Recommended courses include anthropology, cultural studies, economics, ethics, psychology, sociology, women's studies, and philosophy.
Mathematics through college algebra or statistics and probability. The mathematics requirement may be waived with Advanced Placement [AP] credit for Statistics and Probability, Calculus 1, or freshman mathematics placement above college algebra.
Completion of one upper-level (junior- or senior-level) biological science course from within the following areas: biochemistry, cell biology, embryology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, or physiology. Additional courses in these areas are advised.
It is important that your goal to become a physician is based upon experience. Long-term, in-depth, medical/clinical work or volunteer experiences will help you understand yourself and the medical profession while you are in service to others.
If you are a Michigan State University student, visit the MSU Service-Learning Center website or call (517) 353-4400. This office may be able to help you identify medical/clinical volunteer experiences in the Lansing area.
Train and serve as a Hospice volunteer (see the Yellow Pages).
Contact volunteer coordinators at your local American Red Cross, hospitals, geriatric centers, or clinics.
Secure a position providing home health care services.
Work as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA), an EMT, or at a camp for disabled or chronically ill children.
Secure a physician mentor. Contact your physician, or physicians who practice in the medical career areas that interest you most.
Write an “Insight Journal” about the insights you have gained from your medical/clinical experiences.
Physicians serve people from a variety of economic and educational backgrounds, and from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Become more culturally competent while offering your time and talents to others.
If you are a Michigan State University student, visit the MSU Service-Learning Center website or call (517) 353-4400. This office may be able to help you identify community service experiences in the Lansing area.
Contact organizations providing service and become an active participant. Consider the American Red Cross, Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity, community recreational facilities, faith-based organizations, homeless shelters, food banks, domestic assault centers, public schools, etc.
Contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (or equivalent) at your college.
Contact the community organizers of Special Olympics or Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
Volunteer at a summer camp for disabled or chronically ill children.
Participate in Alternative Spring Break.
Consider Peace Corps or AmeriCorps service.
Become involved only in activities in which you are interested,
and then become a contributing member. Eventually assume leadership roles
in some of your activities and organizations. Leadership can be demonstrated
through formal positions in organizations such as your premedical society,
cultural or religious groups, or a cooperative living setting. Informal leadership
is also recognized. Reliable participation and thoughtful contribution to
the community in positions such as a Big Brother/Sister or a tutor is also
valued.
Leadership skills can be developed and recognized on the job as a shift leader
or in a management position. Pay careful attention to your role in each setting.
Are you able to accept the responsibilities of a leadership position and inspire
the support of your colleagues? Are you also able to serve as an enthusiastic,
cooperative team member for another leader? What are your teaching and learning
roles within each setting? What are you giving and gaining from your associations
with other group members? How is what you are learning relevant to working
in teams as a physician?
Spend time thinking about the topics or courses in which you are most excited and curious. Seriously consider becoming involved in research. Remember, research is not limited to science and medicine. There are multiple research opportunities in nonscience areas. Speak to your professors and advisors about research. Contact the academic department(s) you are most interested in and explore their websites. Make a list of professors with active research projects. Carefully read about their research studies. Decide on the two or three studies in which you are most interested, and make appointments to talk with these research study directors. Provide them with a copy of your résumé and a letter stating your interest in their project. Undergraduate students who have proven their talents, dependability, and interest in a research project by volunteering may eventually be paid for their work in research settings.
The College of Human Medicine strives to admit applicants who will become ethical physicians. The Committee on Admissions carefully evaluates applicants for their commitment to standards that are associated with exemplary professional behavior. Think about the behaviors expected of professionals and speak to your mentors about these expectations. Examine your current behavior in light of these expectations.
Seek enriching and challenging life experiences.
Perform ongoing self-reflection to learn from your experiences as you develop.
Take a medical ethics course, if possible, or read a medical ethics textbook.
Letters of Evaluation
Letters of evaluation from individuals who know you well assist the CHM Committee on Admissions in developing an overall portrait of you as an applicant to the medical school. CHM requires a minimum of three letters, though as many as five letters are accepted. Letters should come from a variety of individuals who have known you in different settings. Letters must be written on letterhead stationery, or provided with detailed contact information for the author. They should be written by professionals who know you well and can attest to your abilities. At least one letter should be from a professor who can evaluate your science reasoning and performance. One letter should address your interpersonal experience and behavior. If your college writes a committee letter, please ask the committee to send the College of Human Medicine the letters from each of your faculty evaluators, if available.
Contact only individuals who know you well. Consider securing letters from professors, physicians, research supervisors, employers, professional coworkers, and volunteer supervisors.
When you have identified an individual you feel could write an excellent letter of evaluation for you, meet with him or her immediately, even if you are a freshman. Let him or her know when you will apply to medical school. Ask them to be candid in letting you know if there is something you may have overlooked that might make them hesitant in giving you their unreserved support. If they are satisfied that you have adequately prepared yourself, thank them for their willingness to write a letter. If your evaluators indicate areas that need improvement, develop a plan to meet their expectations, and then keep them updated on your progress toward meeting those expectations. Ask for suggestions on how you can stay in touch with them in the meantime to update them on your progress toward becoming a qualified medical school applicant. Make a follow-up appointment to meet with your evaluators a few months before you apply to medical school.
Be prepared to provide your evaluators with your résumé, and a letter that states your career goals and other relevant information that does not appear on your résumé. Their personal experience with you, rather than an assessment of these materials, will be most meaningful. However, many evaluators will wish to be refreshed on your credentials and background.
Letters written by a graduate assistant or teaching assistant should be cosigned by the professor.
Ideally, letters should be dated within one year of your application.
Earning a medical degree is a financial struggle for most students. Students who are familiar with the offerings and services of the MSU Health Professions Financial Aid Office will be in the best position to meet their financial responsibilities at CHM. View their website for detailed information.
For additional information and an outlined medical student budget, view the CHM financial aid information online.
Apply for financial aid as soon after January 1 as possible by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Pick up your FAFSA at any College or University Financial Aid Office or apply online.
Initial Review Process
All applicants to CHM have an opportunity to complete a Secondary Application upon payment of a $60 nonrefundable Secondary Application Fee (or acknowledgment of an AMCAS fee waiver). Upon receipt of an applicant’s verified AMCAS application, an email message will be sent to the applicant with instructions on how to pay the fee and set up a CHM Applicant Information System account for viewing their application status.
Once the Secondary Application Fee is received (or an AMCAS fee waiver is acknowledged), the applicant will be sent instructions on how to access the Secondary Application.
After CHM has received the applicant's Secondary Application and their final MCAT scores for 2007, the CHM Admissions Review Committee will carefully evaluate the applicant’s AMCAS and Secondary applications. If the Committee wants to learn more about the applicant, an invitation to interview (on a specified date) will be sent by email.
While applications are individually reviewed as they are received, they are often held for comparison to the larger applicant pool that evolves over the year. This may significantly delay a decision to extend an invitation to interview or reject the application.
INTERVIEW DAY
During Interview Day, applicants will learn about the CHM mission, curriculum, extracurricular activities, academic and student support services, and other opportunities. A CHM student will conduct a tour of the local medical school facilities. Applicants will have two 30-minute interviews. CHM interviews are designed to create a nonthreatening environment for applicants to respond to questions and present themselves in an optimal manner.
FINAL DECISION
Following your interview, your entire application will be reviewed by the Committee on Admissions. The Committee strives to admit well-qualified applicants who best fit the CHM mission, and who demonstrate a high probability of being successful within the curriculum.
The Committee on Admissions will inform you that you have been accepted to the entering class, placed on the alternate list to be reconsidered at a later date, or denied admission for the coming year.*
If you are an applicant from a disadvantaged background, your application may be forwarded to the Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience (ABLE) selection committee. Information about this program can be viewed online.
Alternates may be reviewed multiple times and offered admission at any time up until the beginning of orientation (late August). Alternates may send a letter or email expressing continued interest in CHM. Alternates may also augment their file with an update of grades, activities, or an additional letter of recommendation showing attributes that may not be described in the letters currently on file.
Applicants who have been unsuccessful at all medical schools, and intend to apply to CHM again, should be ready to discuss each aspect of the Self- Assessment Guide if an advising appointment is requested. Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to review the Self-Assessment Guide and initiate improvement strategies immediately.
If you are accepted to CHM and have paid your advanced enrollment deposit, you must contact the Admissions Office in writing (mail, fax, or email) should you decide to withdraw your application from the College of Human Medicine. The deposit is refundable until May 15. As a courtesy to other applicants, please notify CHM as soon as possible if you decide to withdraw.
*Please note that your application may be held for further consideration at any stage of the process.
| Click here to download a print version of this publication. |
The Self-Assessment Guide will help you assess your experiences and personal development. Ideally, you will begin your Self-Assessment Guide early in your college experience to guide and record your preparation. The recorded information will be useful as you prepare your AMCAS Application, complete supplemental essays, prepare for interviews, and consider reapplication, if necessary. Where appropriate, insert a number from the rating scale in the space prior to each comment.
Rating Scale:
0 = Can’t Rate
1 = Not Satisfied
2 = Somewhat Satisfied
3 = Satisfied
4 = Very Satisfied
| ________ | I am satisfied that my grades are at or above the national mean of accepted medical students (Science GPA = 3.6, Non-Science GPA = 3.7, Overall GPA = 3.6). |
| ________ | I am satisfied that my science courses have prepared me for the rigorous medical school science curriculum. |
| ________ | I am consistently making improvements in my critical reading and |
| ________ | I am satisfied that my nonscience courses have improved my |
What insights have you gained from review of your academic preparation?
What is your plan to improve or maintain your readiness to be successful within the rigorous medical school curriculum?
What are your contingency plans should you not be accepted to medical school?
| My ACT Score ________ | My SAT Score ________ |
| ________ | I am satisfied with myself as a competent standardized test taker. |
| If you do not see yourself as a competent test taker, what do you think is/are the cause(s)? | |||
| Reading Comprehension | Learning Problems | ||
| Reading Speed | Problem Solving/Reasoning Problems | ||
| Vision Problems | Easily Distracted/ Concentration | ||
| Fatigue | Unfamiliar with Multiple Choice Tests | ||
| Language Problems | Unfamiliar with Essay Examinations | ||
| Test Taking Anxiety | Other | ||
| ________ | I am satisfied with the way my course work is preparing me for the MCAT. |
| My additional preparation for the MCAT includes the following methods: | |
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| ________ | I am satisfied with the way I am preparing for the MCAT. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that I can earn MCAT scores that are consistent with the national mean scores of accepted applicants (VR = 9.6, PS = 10, WS = P, BS = 10.3). |
What insights have you gained from review of your MCAT preparation?
What is your plan to perform well on the MCAT? If you listed causes that may be preventing you from living up to your potential on standardized tests, be sure your plan includes a strategy to address them.
| ________ | I am satisfied that my medical/clinical experiences clearly reinforced my motivation for a career in medicine. | |||
| ________ | I am satisfied that I understand the demands of a career in medicine. | |||
| ________ | I am satisfied that I have the interest and ability to meet these demands. | |||
| I have reviewed CHM’s technical standards document online and I meet each of the standards. | ||||
________ |
Yes | ________ |
No | |
What insights have you gained from your medical/clinical experiences?
What is your plan to continue to explore your goal to become a physician through medical/clinical work or volunteer experiences?
| ________ | I am satisfied that my community volunteer or work experiences have put me more in touch with diverse groups of people. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that I have a growing understanding of individuals who are different from me. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that my community service or work experiences have reinforced my motivation to “give something back” to my community. |
What insights have you gained from your community service experience?
What is your plan to continue to gain experience that demonstrates your understanding of the diverse patient population, your growing cultural competency, and your commitment to ongoing involvement in the community?
| ________ | I am satisfied that my leadership experiences demonstrate my ability to lead or mentor less experienced, disadvantaged, or younger individuals. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that my group experiences demonstrate my ability to be a good team member and team builder. |
What insights have you gained from your experience?
What is your plan to continue to develop your group and leadership skills?
| ________ | I am satisfied that my research experiences expanded my
understanding of scientific method. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that I can describe my role in the research projects in which I have participated. |
| ________ | I am consistently making improvements in my critical reading and writing skills. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that I can describe and discuss the research projects in which I have participated. |
What insights have you gained from your research experiences?
What is your plan to continue to gain valuable research experience?
| ________ | I am satisfied that I understand the concept of professional behavior. |
| ________ | I am satisfied with my personal growth and development. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that my maturity is evident. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that I am living my life in a way that develops and demonstrates the exemplary behavior I expect from a physician. |
| ________ | I am satisfied that I am a worthy mentor and role model for individuals who are younger or less experienced than I. |
What are your strongest personal attributes?
What personal attributes have you identified for development?
What insights have you gained as you consider professional behavior?
What is your plan to understand and develop professional behaviors and maturity?
What is your plan to secure meaningful letters of evaluation?
| Who will write your letters of evaluation (minimum of 3 letters)? |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
What is your plan to continue to improve your general application
for medical
school?
What are the three things you hope the College of Human Medicine Committee on Admissions members will remember about you when they make their final decision on your application?
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
How will you convey these things to the Committee?
What do you want to consider including in your AMCAS Personal Statement?
| Name of Organization | Dates | Hours/Week | |
| A. | Supervisor:
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FALL |
SPRING |
SUMMER |
| Year 1 |
Chemistry w/ Lab |
Chemistry Alternative Spring Break |
Summer Job |
| Year 2 |
Organic Chemistry |
Organic Chemistry w/ Lab Alternative Spring Break |
Summer Job or International Experience |
| Year 3 |
Physics w/Lab |
Physics/Physiology Appt. for Ltrs. of Eval. Prepare AMCAS Application:submit after June 1 |
Summer Job or International Experience Consider August MCAT |
| Year 4 |
Upper Level Science Course |
Upper Level Science Course |