AMCAS

Your Premed Priorities: Non-Clinical Experiences that Medical Schools Love

For a strong W&A section, you’ll want to highlight both clinical and non-clinical experiences. Your non-clinical experiences are an excellent way to demonstrate some of the traits and characteristics that will lead to your success in medical school, while also showing some personality. Here are a few of the non-clinical experiences that medical schools love to see.

Research and/or Lab Work: AMCAS matriculation data for the 2018 entering class at Johns Hopkins stated that 96% had research or lab experience. If you want to attend a school famous for its research, you need more than one of these gigs. Even schools that aren't explicitly known for research love seeing multiple research positions in your W&A.

There's so much critical thinking involved in research. And there's the opportunity to be published—a slam dunk. In research work, you will collaborate with a team to accomplish a measurable and valuable task. The cooperation and diligence you need to be a part of such projects are exactly the qualities you want to highlight in your W&A and Personal Statement. Even being a small part of something can make a huge impact. We had a client who essentially did data entry for a research project, but her careful work caught two mistakes that would have ruined the data set. Her team credited her on a scientific paper for her contributions, an unexpected peacock-sized feather in her cap.

Non-Clinical Volunteering: Service is a huge part of medicine—but not all your service has to be medical. Schools like Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine that emphasize caring for the whole person will especially value roles in which you interacted with your community. Volunteering shows compassion and often builds communication and collaboration skills. Share a story where you connected with another person or collaborated with a team of other volunteers.

Such a position can also prove ingenuity. One of our clients volunteered at a non-profit that helped families register for SNAP benefits. After a couple of weeks on the job, she suggested changes to the organization's method for approaching people at family court hearings. She was able to connect with more caregivers who needed help as a result.

Big Academic Wins: To include awards and accolades in the W&A, you must go beyond listing them. Give some background about what you had to achieve to be recognized. If you did a thesis as part of your school's Honors College program, share the process, skills you learned, and how you felt upon accomplishing this goal. If you had any help reaching your goal, say so. Did a mentor work with you during office hours? Did a librarian help you track down a rare manuscript? Medical schools love it when a candidate seeks, accepts, and appreciates help.

Science-Related Anything: A science-related club or volunteering experience will be attractive to schools because it shows a passion for scientific study. Tutoring and mentoring looks especially good because teaching is a big part of medicine. We had a client who spent a year's worth of Tuesday afternoons helping high school students learn about physiology. It improved his ability to break down information. You'll be teaching med students as a resident, residents as a fellow, fellows as an attending, and you'll be translating complexities for a layman patient daily. 

Conferences: Attending a conference is typically only a one-day time commitment, but it shows an interest in learning about the current state and future of medicine. Conferences can be very inspiring. These speakers were selected for a reason. Networking with doctors is great, and talking to any patients in attendance is even better. When you're writing this entry, don't just list what you did or heard at the conference, tell us how it affected you after that one day. 

Outside of the W&A, having attended a conference can come in handy during an interview. You might be asked if there are any new developments in healthcare that you find riveting. If you attended a conference and subsequently read more about the topics discussed, you're going to have a lot of thoughts to share.

Campus Organizations: If you've dedicated years to the same organization, highlight your biggest accomplishments. What did you change as part of this organization, or what important tradition did you carry on? Did you bring anything medical into the mix? For example, when your sorority did charity work, was it for a medicine-related cause? If you have some control over your organization's next event, see if you can swing things in that direction. Incidentally, if your school has a pre-med club and you're not in it, join it now.

Hobbies: Hobbies are not superficial. Yes, your medical experiences, volunteer work, noteworthy club positions, and academic accolades are going to outrank this in the W&A. But you have fifteen unique entries to fill, and you want to show different dimensions of yourself. We believe a hobby is a must in a W&A. Read our blog post dedicated to hobbies. 

Related: 

Your Pre-Med Priorities: Clinical Experiences that Medical Schools Love

Your Work & Activities Section Series

Your Work & Activities Section: Two Problems You Don't Really Have

"Help, I have too many experiences!" 

We've heard it before: "How am I going to keep this at 15 entries? I have 20 options." Here's the thing, you probably don't. You can and should bundle certain activities. Doing so reduces repetition and allows you to include a wider variety of experiences. Say, you were secretary of your student council for one year and vice president for two—that's material for one entry. Even if one of those roles produced one of your Most Meaningful experiences, you can likely cover both in one write-up.

"Help, I Don't Have Enough Experiences!" 

You may insist: "I have had three clinical experiences, two volunteer posts, and was in one club in college. I don't have 15 options!" 

Here's the thing, you probably do. Did you take a weekend long improv class with some friends? It might have teased out a braver you or helped you to think on your feet. Do or did you have a non-medical job? Obviously, you're going to include all medical work or volunteering experiences as well as impressive internships or jobs in any industry. But even working as an office temp, swiping cards at the college food court, and ringing up retail at the local bookstore exemplifies your work ethic and commitment. It also implies that you're not spoiled. Facts are facts: A lot of med school applicants are privileged. Earning your own money can set you apart because it shows personal responsibility and that you know how to balance work and studying. 

Hobbies count too. It is not a waste of space to share that you're an artist or love to garden. You can angle these activities to be more relevant to your application by explaining what transferable qualities—creativity, dedication, patience—you can apply to medicine. Your hobby write-ups also can highlight different strengths than your other entries, have a passionate delivery, and show some personality. 

"No, I really don't have enough experiences."

If you don't have enough experiences, now is the time to get them. Put together a group to clean up tree pits in your neighborhood to practice leadership. Take a hip-hop dance class to become less stiff and stern. If you're interested in mental health, volunteer for a crisis hotline. Exercising empathy and learning to talk to people on the worst days of their lives is useful for a future physician. Last-minute shadowing experiences are an option, too. They in no way should replace clinical experiences, but, if you are light on clinical experience or want to get some career goal-related shadowing experiences in, this is the ticket. Attending a conference or volunteering at a community health fair are one-day events that can lead to impactful encounters. Pursuing and sharing education is very valuable to medical schools.

Your Work & Activities Section: Where to Begin

To improve your W&A writing experience and the quality of your entries, try this: 

Raid your brainstorm. As we’ve frequently mentioned, your brainstorm serves every part of your application process. If you're having a hard time with W&A entries, copy and paste info directly from a brainstorm bucket or two and cut and sew together the first draft of an entry from that material.

One client began a W&A entry on her time as an EMT by briefly sharing salient details about things she did and skills she acquired while working on an ambulance. She then copied (literally control-C) a poignant story from her brainstorm's ah-ha bucket wherein she showed compassion for a patient who had miscarried. She pasted it directly into her W&A draft document. She proceeded to trim unnecessary parts of the story (what day it was, what her partner was doing), and add a takeaway about seeing the importance of caring for a patient's mental health.

Start with the easy ones. Do you know what your takeaway was from shadowing a pediatrician? Did working on a poster presentation with a group help you learn to manage conflict? Have you been swimming competitively since you were a guppy? Instead of writing W&A entries in the order of their occurrence or importance, start with whatever comes naturally.

Do a dirty draft—and re-read it later. You don't have to refine your first draft text right away. In fact, we’d recommend that you write all 15 first drafts (that doesn't have to happen in one sitting) and then go back to the entries with fresh eyes later. Sometimes when you're reading one entry repeatedly back-to-back, you see what's in your head and not what is on the page. So, you might think a description makes perfect sense. But later, you'll read it, discover issues, and revise it accordingly.

Craft your stories. You'll always share some basic duties and details; and they can be pretty cut and dry. For example, "At the free clinic, I checked in patients and learned how to take vitals. I interacted with approximately 20 patients during every four-hour shift." But you must also include what you got out of this experience, preferably using an engaging anecdote. "One patient, Linda…" If you don't think you have a specific story to tell, schedule time with an Apply Point consultant and we'll talk things over and find one. You'll be surprised at how much of a story you can fit into 700 characters. But don't worry about going over the word count in your first draft. We're here to help you pare down, if necessary.

Your Work & Activities Section: Before You Start

Before we make a case for the kinds of experiences you should include in your W&A and get into the deep details you should be sharing, we're going to give you three super-basic tips for writing these entries. Bookmark this page and keep it accessible because you are going to want to check that you're doing these three things in each entry that you write.

  1. Use complete sentences. This is not a resume. You might have done an activity log when presenting your candidacy to your pre-med committee. That will be an excellent resource, but it's probably not polished, and these entries must be.

  2. Go beyond the "what." Don't just describe a job you did. Share details about how this experience challenged, changed, or motivated you. Through anecdotes, show the qualities that medical schools are looking for, which include leadership and critical thinking abilities, empathy, strong communication skills, resilience, intellectual curiosity, and maturity.

  3. Utilize your space well. For general entries, you'll have 700 characters with spaces to tell your story. Aim to max out that character count. Each experience should warrant it—700 is not that many characters. For the Most Meaningful entries, you'll have 700 characters with spaces, followed by an additional 1,325 with spaces. If you come up short on either section of the Most Meaningful entries, don't worry about it, so long as you have something compelling in each section.

AMCAS 2025 Application Opens Next Week

On May 1, 2024, AMCAS will open for prospective medical students. Here’s everything you need to know.

Key Reminders:

  • Medical schools will receive your text responses as plain text (formatting such as bullets, bold, and italics will be removed). 

  • While in AMCAS, save your work frequently as the application times out after thirty minutes and you will be logged out of the system.  

  • Ensure that you have edited and reviewed your application thoroughly prior to submitting. Once submitted, your ability to make updates to your application is limited. 

  • Add aamc.org as a “safe” domain for your email and/or check your spam box frequently to ensure that you receive any messages from AMCAS and medical schools. 

  • Your application will only enter the verification queue once you have submitted your application and your official transcripts are received by AMCAS. Letters of Recommendation are not required for verification. 

  • During peak periods, June to September, the verification process will take longer due to high volume. You should check your application status online to confirm that all of your application components have been received, your application is verified and processed, and medical schools have received your application. To confirm your AMCAS status, select “View Application Status History” on the Main Menu. 

There are minimal updates to AMCAS for 2025:

  • Mandatory sections will now be marked with a red asterisk (not just mandatory fields). 

  • There is an updated list of schools that participate in the PREview exam; schools not participating will not receive PREview scores.

  • “Self-Identification” has been added to the race and ethnicity categories and subcategories, and there is a new section for specifying Tribal affiliation.

What You Should Be Doing Now:

  • Develop your school list. You want a hearty list of "I could go here" schools and you’ll ultimately want to apply to between 25 and 35 allopathic schools. 

  • Finalize your Personal Statement and Work and Activities sections. This is going to take a while. If you blast it all out in one week, you haven't done it right. Give yourself time for revisions. 

  • Request your transcripts—and this includes those from schools abroad. 

  • Start entering your responses. Next week, when you can access the AMCAS application, enter your app info and follow up with your recommenders and/or your pre-health advisor/committee to ensure your Letters of Recommendation are on their way. AMCAS begins sending these materials out to schools in June. So, why are you checking on this stuff in May? "Because AMCAS must verify your application prior to its transmission, the wait typically is shortest in May, when it is just a few days," according to U.S. News & World Report. "By the end of July, the delay may be several weeks long." A delay in verification can hold up your getting Secondary applications (some schools send them as soon as they have your app; others read the app first and send them later). It can also mess with your getting optimal interview dates. 

  • Submit your primary application through AMCAS by mid-June. 

  • Start working on your Secondary Essays. "But I don't have the questions for the Secondaries yet!" you might say. That's true. Still, certain themes always come up, and if you have some stuff thought-out or, better yet, drafted, you can quickly tailor your answers to various schools' questions once they send them to you.

Preparing for the MCAT: Tips and Advice from an Expert

In the tutoring world, Dr. Stuart Donnelly is known as “Dr. MCAT.” With 24 years of teaching experience, a unique take on MCAT prep, and a great sense of humor, he has become a favorite tutor of Apply Point clients (and consultants). 

We asked him to answer some of our clients’ most frequently asked questions. 

When should I begin studying for the MCAT? “I would say six months before you take it—though, some students leave it until a little later, say, five months before the test. It depends on how strong your background knowledge is in chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. If you’re not feeling confident in these areas, start six months before because it will take three months just to get through the material.” 

What’s the biggest mistake I could make when prepping for the MCAT? “A major mistake students make: They wait to take the practice test until they get through all the material. And because it takes three months to read the material the first time, by the time they take a practice test, their score is nowhere near where they want to be, and they freak out. So, they go back to reading the material again for another month or two. They’re putting off that next practice test often until the week before the real thing. And their score is still terrible. I think students can begin taking practice tests as soon as two weeks into the studying process. When you’re taking a practice test for the first time, you don’t know how to take the test yet. The first two or three practice tests are going to be just awful. So, get used to it and get it out of the way quickly.”  

Is there a "best way" to take a practice test? “When you’re taking a practice test, take it at the same time in the morning as when the tests are; have your routine be the same as it will be on test day.

The MCAT is such a long exam—the “seat time,” including breaks, is about seven and a half hours. How can I build my stamina? “By doing lots and lots of practice tests. Seriously, that is the only way to do it. Early into practice, students don't have the stamina yet and lose concentration. They don’t have any time management skills yet either. It's only when you've taken three, four, or five practice tests that your score starts to improve. And when you’ve taken seven or eight of them, you get closer to your target figure. I would say nine or 10 tests into it, you start to score in the ballpark you're looking for. And then you want to do that at least two or three times more to make sure that it wasn't a fluke. Then you're ready to take the test. We’re talking about 20 weeks—at least—of preparation. You could take the test every other week.”

Any advice for test day? “Keep your schedule the same as it normally is. If you’d normally have a cup of coffee in the morning, make sure you get your cup of coffee. You'll also want to be familiar with the testing center. Go the day or week before just to make sure you know what train to catch or where to park, and which room the test is in. On the day of the exam, you want to get there as calm and relaxed as you can be.”

Related: Thinking of Retaking the MCAT? Here’s What You Need to Know.

The 2024-2025 Allopathic Medical School Application: An Overview with Suggested Timing

If you’re looking to start medical school in the Fall of 2025, now is the time to get started with the application process! Applying to medical school is arduous, but proper planning can reduce your stress and help you to maintain a manageable task load.

The four components of the medical school application include:

  • Standardized tests: MCAT and Situational Judgment Exams

  • AMCAS application 

  • Secondary Applications

  • Interviews

Standardized Tests

MCAT: Your MCAT scores are typically valid for three years prior to matriculation, and you can take the exam up to three times.

  • Register: Select your preferred date, as well as a few alternative dates that would work. You can register for the test here. The ten-day deadline prior to the test is your last opportunity to schedule, reschedule, or cancel.

  • Prep: Start preparing for the MCAT at least six months prior to your planned test date. And sit for the exam no later than May 24, 2024 (scores released June 25th): This will avoid application delays. Keep in mind that we recommend that you take your exam by mid-April so that you can re-direct your attention to preparing the AMCAS application. 

Review our blog posts on the MCAT:

Situational Judgment Exams: There are two exams (CASPer and AAMC’s PREview) that fall under this umbrella. Depending upon the specific application requirements at the schools where you apply, you may need to take one, or possibly both. Currently, CASPer is the most commonly required of the two. 

CASPer: This test gauges your ability to critically evaluate complex scenarios and employ sound judgment and communication skills. Not all medical schools require applicants to take the CASPer, however, a growing number of allopathic programs do, currently over 40. Your CASPer score is generally only valid for one application cycle. 

The CASPer score is often requested alongside your secondary application or prior to an invitation to interview. Opting to take the test earlier in the cycle, rather than later, will allow you to have your scores readily available when requested, meaning that you can dedicate that time to preparing your secondary application materials or for mock interviews. It will also ensure that your application is not delayed as you wait for your scores.

Review our blog post on CASPer.

AAMC’s PREview Exam: Similar to the CASPer, the Preview exam gauges professional readiness by assessing your judgment in nine competency areas identified as critical for medical school success. It is unique in that it was created specifically for use in medical school admissions. Currently, only six allopathic schools require the Preview exam, while an additional seven allopathic schools and one DO program recommend it.

  • Register: Find instructions for registering for the test here. You are able to reschedule your test up to 24 hours prior to your scheduled test time. Be sure to sit for the exam during the spring or summer of 2024.

  • Prep: Familiarize yourself with the test format and content before you take the exam. Once you have registered for the test, you will gain access to an exam tutorial. 

Review our blog post on the AAMC PREview Exam.

AMCAS Application: 

Submit no later than mid-June.

  • The AMCAS application opens and will be available here on May 1, 2024.

  • The first date to submit the AMCAS application is May 28, 2024.

  • The first date that processed applications will be released to medical schools is June 28, 2024.

We recommend that you submit your application in early to mid-June because your application will go through a verification process prior to the data being released to medical schools. This can take anywhere from a couple of weeks early in the process, to over a month during peak application submission periods. Note, in order to complete verification, your application must contain your official transcript, so request this document as well as your letters of recommendation a month or two before your planned submission date (by March 28, 2024). You also want to submit your AMCAS application early because this step triggers schools to send out secondary application materials, either automatically, or after a pre-screen of your application. 

Review our blog posts on the AMCAS application:

Secondary Applications:

Submit within two weeks of receipt. 

Secondary applications are typically sent between June and August, although they can come later depending upon the timing of your AMCAS submission. Many schools will not review your application file until you have submitted your secondary application. And, because most schools review applications on a rolling basis, and invite applicants to interview accordingly, it is important to send in your secondary application materials promptly, which we define as within two weeks of receipt. 

Additionally, because many of the schools will use at least some of the same prompts, you can start preparing responses to the most commonly asked questions as soon as you’ve submitted your AMCAS application. 

Review our blog post on common secondary application questions. 

Medical School Interviews: 

Fall through Spring 2025 (by invitation only)

Many applicants receive invitations to interview following their submission of secondary applications and/or CASPer or Preview Exam scores. Schedule yours as early as possible. And before solidifying your travel plans, you should contact nearby schools to which you’ve applied and let them know you have an interview in the area in case they have availability. This serves the dual purpose of letting the other school know that you are “in demand,” while also showcasing your strong interest in their program.

Review our blog posts on medical school interviews:

Other Related Blog Posts:

The Medical School Application: Key Tips to Consider Before you Begin Drafting the Work and Activities Section

The AMCAS application allows for a total of 15 entries. For each entry, you will provide a description of the activity (700-characters including spaces), experience dates, and completed/anticipated hours. You will then designate three of these entries as your “most meaningful,” which will give you an additional 1,325 characters (including spaces) to provide depth on the perspective you gained during the involvement.

Key tips to consider before you begin drafting:

  • Take advantage of all 15 entries. What have been your most meaningful experiences that influenced your decision to apply to medical school? To start, brainstorm and write them all down in chronological order, limiting yourself to college or postgraduate experiences. This section is purposely broad and can include activities from a multitude of categories. (Read about the newly established social justice/advocacy category here.) If you can’t find 15, think about that one-day community service event that had a particular impact on you, that tutoring involvement where you worked with middle school students, or how playing the piano helps you to de-stress. While not all experiences will be equally meaningful, several are probably still worth sharing if they influenced your path in some way.

  • You may also include anticipated experiences—past experience(s) that you have participated in and expect to continue with after you submit your application or an entirely new experience you have yet to start, but have a good idea what your work will involve. Just keep in mind that you may not enter anticipated activities in the following categories: Honors/Awards, Conference, Publications, Presentation.  

  • After brainstorming all of your potential activities, take note of the 15 most relevant, some of which should fall into clinical work, research experience, community service, and social justice/advocacy, though make sure to span a diverse array of categories.

  • When selecting your three most meaningful experiences, highlight first those that will show the reader your commitment to medicine. Then think about those that will show the reader your abilities in critical thinking and problem solving and/or leadership, as these qualities set physicians apart from other members of a healthcare team. What did you think, feel, see, and do in each involvement? What did you learn? How did you grow? 

  • After writing each of your descriptions, read them aloud, and edit. Confirm that you are within the allotted number of characters. Such a stringent character limitation emphasizes the importance of clear language and perfect grammar. Treat these descriptions with as much care as you would your personal statement.

  • Note that medical schools receive entries in plain text. If you write your descriptions and paste them into AMCAS, do not use formatted text (such as bullets) as it may not come across as you intend and you cannot edit the section after submission. 

The Work and Activities section gives the medical school admissions committee a summary of your meaningful involvements since the start of your college career experiences, which reinforced your interest in the study and practice of medicine. Thus, it is vital to ensure each word moves your candidacy forward in a compelling way.

Related:

AMCAS Work & Activities Section: Hobbies

2024 AMCAS Work & Activities Section Will Include New Experience Category: Social Justice/Advocacy

2024 AMCAS Work & Activities Section Will Include New Experience Category: Social Justice/Advocacy

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) just announced that the 2024 application will include a new experience category in the Work and Activities section: Social Justice/Advocacy.  

AMCAS defines a social justice/advocacy experience as “one in which the applicant worked to advance the rights, privileges, or opportunities of a person, a group of people, or a cause.” It is specifically noted that experiences in this category do not need to be tied to any particular ideology, and that the category is “not intended to solicit experiences campaigning for a particular political candidate or party.” Rather, it is based on the applicant’s understanding of social justice/advocacy.

AMCAS provides examples of social justice/advocacy activities, which include: Registering people to vote, advocating for civil rights, decreasing health inequities, addressing food deserts, building awareness for a particular cause or health condition, advocating for vulnerable populations (children, homeless, etc.), and assisting with policy change or development. Previously, some applicants might have included advocacy work and social justice-related volunteering in other categories.

It's likely that you’ve already had experiences that will fall into this category. If so, we recommend that you include them. More schools are emphasizing social justice in their mission statements—and they’re looking for students whose values align with theirs.

As you consider this new category, remember these tips:

  • Provide specific information about your social justice/advocacy experiences instead of making broad or generalized statements. For what specific issues did you advocate? What vulnerable population did you intend to benefit? What actions did you take on behalf of this issue/population? What did you learn that will make you a more effective member of the medical community?

  • Avoid using overly-political or inflammatory language in your description. You want to resonate with a broad audience. Keep your description centered on the issues or population for which you worked and explore how it prepared you for medical school and your future career.

  • While showing dedication to social justice and advocacy is important to admissions committees, ensure that you come across as well-rounded and include experiences across many different categories. If you have many social justice/advocacy experiences, select the strongest few to share or group them together. Consider the efforts where you played a meaningful leadership role, issues that you have a particular passion for, or experiences that relate directly to the mission of a school where you are applying.

  • Conversely, if you don’t have any of these experiences, first think carefully about your volunteer activities and if there are components of those activities that may fit into this category. A good deal of volunteer work advocates for vulnerable populations or seeks to change an issue. However, if you are unsure or uncomfortable, don’t try to stretch an experience to make it fit. While this is a meaningful category for the medical community, there are many other experiences that will also prove your readiness for medical school.

AMCAS 2024: “Disadvantaged Applicant” Question Revised to Broader Adversity Question

The AMCAS “disadvantaged applicant” question is no more. This year’s AMCAS application has introduced a new question in its place that asks more broadly about an applicant’s “impactful experiences.” 

The 2024 AMCAS application will now include the following question and guidance: 

Other Impactful Experiences 

To provide some additional context around each individual’s application, admissions committees are interested in learning more about the challenges applicants may have overcome in life. The following question is designed to give you the opportunity to provide additional information about yourself that is not easily captured in the rest of the application. 

Please consider whether this question applies to you. Medical schools do not expect all applicants to answer “yes” to this question. This question is intended for applicants who have overcome major challenges or obstacles. Some applicants may not have experiences that are relevant to this question.  Other applicants may not feel comfortable sharing personal information in their application.  

o Yes o No 

Please use the space below to describe why you selected “yes.” [This text and the textbox only appear if “yes” is selected for this question.] 

In a pop-up box, AMCAS provides some helpful examples. It reads:

The following examples can help you decide whether you should respond “yes” to the question, and if so, what kinds of experiences you could share. Please keep in mind that this is not a fully inclusive list and any experiences you choose to write about should be ones that directly impacted your life opportunities. 

Example Experiences 

  • Family background: serving as a caretaker of a family member (e.g., siblings, parent/guardian), first generation to college 

  • Community setting: rural area, food scarcity, high poverty or crime rate, lack of access to regular health care (e.g., primarily used urgent care clinics or emergency room, no primary care physician) 

  • Financial background: low-income family, worked to support family growing up, work-study to pay for college, federal or state financial support 

  • Educational experience: limited educational opportunities, limited access to advisors or counselors who were knowledgeable/supportive of higher education requirements 

  • Other general life circumstances that were beyond your control and impacted your life and/or presented barriers (e.g., religion) 

Why the change?

The AAMC made the revision in response to “limitations” identified with the previous question, which asked a candidate if they wished to identify themself as a “disadvantaged applicant.” Research into the text found that applicants found the question ambiguous, and that many had a negative reaction to the use of the term “disadvantaged applicant.” 

However, AAMC’s research also found that both applicants and admissions officers found value in the intent of the question, which was “to provide rich contextual information about an applicant’s journey and how their lived experiences align with schools’ missions and/or the communities they serve.” 

The revised question and associated guidance was piloted using the Summer Health Professions Education Program and the supplemental Electronic Residency Application Service. And both the question and guidance received “generally positive feedback” from administrators and applicants. 

Should I respond to this question?

As with the question that preceded it, this question text states that not all candidates are expected to respond. Rather, it is intended for those who have had “major challenges or obstacles.” 

That being said, this updated question provides applicants with a broader scope for responses. So, we urge you to consider any significant challenges that you have faced, using the following questions:

  1. Did this experience impact my life in such a way that it provides meaningful context to my application? 

Examples of such adversity include: Facing a significant health challenge such as cancer or a disability; serving as the guardian to your younger siblings, while also attending classes (likely, negatively impacting your resume); living in an underserved medical community that made it difficult to gain shadowing or clinical experiences, but also inspired your interest in rural medicine. 

Alternatively, more typical experiences that likely do not represent significant adversity (but potentially belong in your personal statement or secondary essays) include: Breaking a bone during high school athletics and going through a difficult recuperation process; facing a life-impacting food allergy, the dissolution of a romantic relationship, a domestic move, and/or your parents’ divorce. While these experiences likely impacted you greatly, they may not belong in this response. 

2. What did I learn from the experience? 

Your essay response should detail the adversity, but should center on what you learned from going through the experience. Did this experience provide you with an “ah-ha!” moment that changed your perspective and impacted your life? If the take-aways from the adversity do not feel relevant to your application (i.e., your learnings do not clearly make you a stronger candidate for a medical school), you should reconsider the take-aways or including the experience.

3. Have I already spoken to this experience in my personal statement? 

You will want to avoid redundancy by sharing different stories and anecdotes in this essay and your personal statement. If you fully explored the experience in your personal statement, do not feel compelled to re-write about the experience here. Not all applicants are expected to have responses to this question. 

Your writing approach:

Overcoming adversity makes for a stronger medical school candidate and this is what you will want to emphasize in your response: Provide the reader background on the situation in the first 20 percent of the response. But the remaining 80 percent should be devoted to what you learned from the adversity.

How will your future classmates and patients benefit from the lessons you gained from the adversity? Keep in mind the qualities that medical schools are looking for in prospective students and show the reader how your experience improved your dedication to medicine and resilience and/or your abilities in leadership, teamwork, empathy, and critical and creative thinking.

Five Qualities Medical School Admissions Committees are Looking for in Applicants

Throughout your medical school primary and secondary applications, you will want to highlight the following skills and qualities. 

Leadership. This is a key quality that separates physicians from other members of a healthcare provider team. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to lead a team in order to accomplish a common goal. Consider the role you play within a group and how you help bring out the best in other team members. You don’t need to be the captain of a sports team or a club president to be a highly-effective and persuasive leader. Rather, you need to be able to articulate how your influence and openness promote the best outcome(s) in a collaborative environment. 

In what meaningful experiences did you show your leadership abilities? Did leadership come naturally to you, or did you work to get to this place? (Both things are great!) How did you support your team? Did you encourage collaboration or independence? Did you feel supported by your team? Did you experience any pushback, and how did you handle that if you did? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? What did you learn that you will incorporate into your leadership style in the future?

Teamwork:  Medical school and the practice of medicine are often team endeavors. While we’ve encouraged you to showcase your ability to lead a team, you will also want to show your ability to work collaboratively and productively with others. Highlight instances where you have shown humility and elevated the voices of others. Think about your most effective team experiences and what you learned about yourself from working with those teammates. 

During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others successfully? Were you working with people unlike yourself? Was there a struggle for balance in the beginning? Any confusion? What did you appreciate about your team members? How did they influence and impact you and your actions? Did one or two team members step up in a way you admired? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? Have you had experiences with teams that were unsuccessful? What did you learn (remember: failures can provide great insight too!)?

Critical and creative thinking. The practice of medicine requires constant engagement with problem solving, from interacting with patients to coming to a diagnosis and treatment plan to driving research and innovation agendas. You will need to ask good questions and consider the interplay of multiple variables. Showcase the critical thinking skills you’ve already developed, as well as your ability to stay calm when faced with complicated issues.

In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? What did you learn? How did you feel?

Intellectual curiosity. Medical school is academically rigorous, and schools want students who can not only handle the workload, but will elevate the classroom discourse by engaging deeply with the material. And, beyond school, medicine is an ever-evolving field. Throughout your career, you will be asked to take on new challenges and employ innovative thinking. Just demonstrating a record of academic success is not enough. Rather, you will want to show the admissions committee examples of situations where you went beyond what was required to better comprehend a topic. Keep in mind that you can demonstrate intellectual curiosity in an academic environment but also beyond it—at work or in your participation with a charity or hobby. 

In what meaningful experiences did you demonstrate intellectual curiosity? How have you gone above and beyond the expected to better understand a topic? In what ways have you pursued additional knowledge or sought out learning opportunities? How have you taken your interest to the next level? How did it make you feel? 

Empathy and the ability to connect with others: Medical schools are highly-attuned to the interpersonal capabilities of applicants. Share experiences where you demonstrate empathy, listening skills, and the ability to form connections. Showcase situations in your life where you overcame obvious differences with others to form a respectful relationship. Make it clear that you always treat others with humility and respect and that you will see your patients as full people, rather than as a set of symptoms or a puzzle to be solved. 

In what meaningful experiences did you empathize and connect with others? What effect did you have on others? What effect did they have on you? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? What have you learned about how to find common ground with those who are different from you? Do you have any examples of times that forming a good relationship with someone else led you both to a better outcome?

The 2023-2024 Allopathic Medical School Application: An Overview with Suggested Timing

If you’re looking to start medical school in the Fall of 2024, now is the time to get started with the application process! Applying to medical school is arduous, but with proper planning, you can reduce your stress and maintain a manageable task load.

The four components of the medical school application include:

  1. Standardized tests: MCAT and CASPer

  2. AMCAS application 

  3. Secondary Applications

  4. Interviews

Standardized Tests: 

MCAT: Your MCAT scores are typically valid for three years prior to matriculation, and you can take the exam up to three times.

  • Register: Select your preferred date, as well as a few alternative dates that would work. You can register for the test here. The ten day deadline prior to the test is your last opportunity to schedule, reschedule, or cancel. 

  • Prep: Start preparing for the MCAT at least six months prior to your planned test date.

  • Sit for the exam no later than May 26, 2023 (scores released June 27): This will avoid application delays. Keep in mind that we actually recommend that you take your final exam by mid-April so that you can re-direct your attention to preparing the AMCAS application. 

Review our blog post on Retaking the MCAT.

CASPer: This test gauges your ability to critically evaluate complex scenarios and employ sound judgment and communication skills. Not all medical schools require applicants to take the CASPer, however, a growing number of allopathic programs do, currently over 40. Your CASPer score is generally only valid for one application cycle. 

The CASPer score is often requested alongside your secondary application or prior to an invitation to interview. Opting to take the test earlier in the cycle, rather than later, will allow you to have your scores readily available when requested, meaning that you can dedicate that time to preparing your secondary application materials or for mock interviews. It will also ensure that your application is not delayed as you wait for your scores. 

Review our blog post on CASPer.

AMCAS Application: Submit no later than mid-June.

  • AMCAS application opens and will be available here on May 2, 2023.

  • First date to submit AMCAS application: May 30, 2023

  • First date that processed applications will be released to medical schools: June 30, 2023

We recommend that you submit your application in early to mid-June because your application will go through a verification process prior to the data being released to medical schools. This can take anywhere from a couple of weeks early in the process, to over a month during peak application submission periods. Note, in order to complete verification, your application must contain your official transcript, so request this document as well as your letters of recommendation a month or two before your planned submission date (by March 30, 2023). 

You also want to submit your AMCAS application early because this step triggers schools to send out secondary application materials, either automatically, or after a pre-screen of your application. 

Review our blog posts on the AMCAS application:

How to Get High-Quality Letters of Recommendation

Set Yourself Apart with a Compelling Medical School Personal Statement

The Medical School Application: Key Tips to Consider Before you Begin Drafting the Work and Activities Section

AMCAS Work & Activities Section: Hobbies

2024 AMCAS Work & Activities Section Will Include New Experience Category: Social Justice/Advocacy

AMCAS 2024: “Disadvantaged Applicant” Question Revised to Broader Adversity Question

Secondary Applications: Submit within two weeks of receipt.

Secondary applications are typically sent between June and August, although they can come later depending upon the timing of your AMCAS submission. Many schools will not review your application file until you have submitted your secondary application. And, because most schools review applications on a rolling basis, and invite applicants to interview accordingly, it is important to send in your secondary application materials promptly. 

Additionally, because many of the schools will use at least some of the same prompts, you can start preparing responses to the most commonly asked questions as soon as you’ve submitted your AMCAS application. 

Review our blog post on common secondary application questions. 

Medical School Interviews: Fall through Spring (invitation only)

Many applicants receive invitations to interview following their submission of secondary applications and/or CASPer test scores. Schedule yours as early as possible. And before solidifying your travel plans, you should contact nearby schools to which you’ve applied and let them know you have an interview in the area in case they have availability. This serves the dual purpose of letting the other school know that you are “in demand,” while also showcasing your strong interest in their program.

Review our blog posts on this topic:

The Medical School Interview

The Medical School Interview: Preparing for the Traditional One-on-One Interview

The Medical School Interview: Preparing for the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

The Medical School Post-Interview Thank You Note


Study Finds Perseverance the Most Common Theme of the AMCAS W&A Entries of Highly Successful Medical Students

Earlier this year, researchers Joseph M. Maciuba, Yating Teng, Matthew Pflipsen, Mary A. Andrews, and Steven J. Durning published findings from early research into the qualitative differences in the AMCAS applications of medical students identified as high performing (via entry into a medical school honor society) and low performing (referred for administrative action). The study’s scope included 61 students who graduated from the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD from 2017 to 2019. 

The researchers found significant differences in the AMCAS Work and Activities submissions: 

  • Among the high performing students, seven themes emerged frequently in their Work and Activities submissions: teamwork, altruism, success in a practiced activity, wisdom, passion, entrepreneurship, and perseverance. High performers, on average, referenced the themes 7.86 times per application as compared to the low performers’ 3.81 times. 

  • High performers also showcased a more diverse array of themes within their applications than low performers. On average high performers referenced 4.5 different themes in their applications, while low performers averaged 2.5.

  • The most notable differences between high and low performers occurred in use of “perseverance.” Fifty five percent of high performers referenced the trait (19 percent of low performers). 

  • 73 percent of high performers included a reference to their success in a practiced activity (38 percent of low performers). 

  • Among low performing students, common themes emerged as well: Witnessing teamwork (taking a passive versus an active role in a team environment), describing a future event (event that has not yet occurred), and embellishing an achievement.

AMCAS Work & Activities Section: Hobbies

Hobbies. They are not a make or break component of the medical school (and later, residency) application, but they are an opportunity to provide the admissions committee with a view of the person beyond the test scores. Hobbies are also an effective way to demonstrate how you will add to the diversity of the incoming class, showcase qualities you will need as a medical student/physician, and/or provide insight into how you may relieve stress during medical school. 

Within the AMCAS application, hobbies belong in the Work & Activities section under the extracurriculars category. Applicants can provide up to four experiences under each category type, with a 700 character (with spaces) count, unless the experience is designated “most meaningful” (requires an additional 1,325 characters with spaces). 

Below are our guidelines for adding hobbies to your AMCAS application:

  • Be current. If you played the trumpet in the high school band, but haven’t picked it up since then, consider what hobbies are more relevant to your life now. What do you turn to for fun, and what do you see yourself doing for stress relief in medical school?

  • Be specific in your description. Provide a sense of how often, and how long you have been pursuing the hobby, as well as what the hobby entails. It’s great that you love to read, do yoga, and travel, but so do many others. In what unique ways have you engaged with your interests? Did you launch a monthly book club for discussing the NYT best sellers? Write book reviews for the school paper? Did you gain a yoga teaching certification or take part in a unique yoga retreat? Do you travel to particular destinations or participate in medical experiences abroad?

  • State how your hobby has impacted your personal growth. Did an experience within your hobby contribute to a change in your perspective or influence your decision to apply to medical school? What attributes have you developed through your hobby that will benefit you as a medical student and physician (resilience, effective communication and collaboration skills, empathy, the ability to thrive in a diverse environment, etc.)? 

  • When possible, provide an experience or milestone that differentiates your involvement in the hobby. Many people play an instrument, but fewer start a quartet or play in the university band. Many people enjoy running or fitness, fewer run the NY marathon to support a favorite cause/organization or start a running club. Providing the specific way(s) that you’ve engaged with your hobby will demonstrate to the admissions committee what you may offer to your incoming class. 

Allopathic Medical School Applicant Guide to Secondary Essays

After you submit your AMCAS application, you will begin to receive secondary essay prompts. Some schools send the prompts automatically, while others are the result of a pre-screening process. It may seem overwhelming at first, but many of the schools will use at least some of the same prompts and you can start preparing now for some of the most common question types (listed below). 

But first, some advice:

Get organized. With a number of different schools, prompts, and a quick turnaround time, we cannot overemphasize the importance of setting up a system that will work for you. Pick what you like, a Word or Excel file, calendar reminders, file folders, a legal pad. But make sure you keep an overarching list that includes the name of each school you’ve applied to, secondary essay prompts, submission dates, and status. 

You’ll also want a way to organize your essay responses so that you can efficiently retrieve and recycle content when possible. Once you have final drafts, we recommend that you keep copies organized in folders by school and by question type, e.g., a Harvard Medical School folder, and a diversity essay folder. Name the files in a consistent convention that uses the school name, prompt type, and word count, e.g. “HarvardMed_Diversity_500”. This way if you receive a similar diversity prompt from another school, you will easily be able to access the final version you used for Harvard, make any necessary updates (e.g., wordcount, school name, etc.), and then save it with an updated name.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Don’t hesitate to re-use content. You will—and should—recycle your secondary answers for different prompts and use aspects of your secondary drafts for your super-short answers too. 

Submit your essays promptly. Submit your responses no later than two weeks after receipt of the prompts.

Common Secondary Essay Prompts

Use these common prompts to get a head start on brainstorming and drafting your responses.

How will you add diversity to our student population?

This answer doesn't have to be about race, sexuality, or religion. What unique experiences and perspectives do you have to offer, which will show the reader your ability to thrive in a diverse environment? 

Tell us about a time you faced adversity.  

This one can be a trap because it tempts you to be very negative. While you don’t need to be all sunshine in your essay about facing adversity, be careful not to overly criticize others or paint yourself as pitiable. Instead, focus on how facing adversity gave you a formative experience that you learned from and grew or persevered through. 

Tell us about a time you failed.  

Talking about a failure or weakness can make you feel vulnerable—good. Vulnerability leads to bravery. When you share a failure, you want to spend about 20% of your answer explaining what happened and 80% on what you learned and you've done since to improve. Lastly, how are you feeling now? Hit these beats: Situation. Action. Result. You don't need to seem ever-resilient and impervious to future failure, just like you've grown.

How do qualities you have relate to our mission statement?  

Mission alignment matters to schools. They want to know that you share their values and goals. Will you be a valuable member of their community? Schools often hit similar themes: innovation, collaboration, servant leadership, and health equity and social justice. Even if you're not drafting this answer yet, think about experiences you've had that involve those things and jot down some notes. 

If this question isn't in the secondaries mix, you should be looking to reflect the mission statement back to the school in your other secondaries. For example, if a school especially values collegiality, you might include a story about how you collaborated on a class project in one of your answers. (This is another example of show don't tell.)

While you 100% should be researching schools individually to learn other specifics, AAMC has a convenient document that rounds up all allopathic schools' mission statements in one place. https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/6966/download

What will you be doing until matriculation or what have you done since graduating from college?  

You may have mentioned some of this elsewhere in the application. While you don't have to max out the word or character count, it is important (and fun!) to account for all your time, even if some of it won't be spent prepping for medical school. Check out this example: "Since graduating from Large Private University, I became a clinical research assistant at Near-My-Hometown Children's Hospital, coordinating 10 studies. I collected and analyzed study data for an academic paper on pediatric asthma and was asked to draft a section of it. It will be published this fall in Impressive Kiddo Journal, and I will be credited as a co-author. I will continue my work at Near-My-Hometown Children's Hospital until matriculation. On Saturdays this summer, I'll be volunteering at an organic farm. Nutrition matters to me, and I love to spend time outdoors. In August, I'll take a two-week trip to Europe (my first time abroad!), visiting relatives in Denmark and Sweden."

Why our school?  

Obviously, this is a place to mention courses you're excited to take, potential mentors you'd seek out, clubs you'd join, what the school's hospital affiliations and research opportunities mean to you, etc. You also might share how the school's location will set you up for the kind of career you want—say, for example, you want to work in an urban area. Mentioning that you love other aspects of the town or city or that it is located near friends and relatives is also relevant here. Schools love to hear that you'd have a local support system.

Have you applied to our program before? If, so how has your candidacy improved since your last application?

This one is self-explanatory. Even if you have no idea why you were rejected last time, you do know that you've gained more clinical experience, maybe some overall workplace experience, earned a Master's, and have matured since your last application. If none of those things are true, then perhaps you should be applying next year instead.

Frequently Asked Questions Related to the Secondary Essay Prompts:

What if I don’t have a hardship?

A "hardship" prompt is different from an adversity prompt. We've all faced adversity in our own way. But there might also be an optional essay asking about any hardships you've experienced. If you have had health, family, or financial issues, or any significant interruptions to your education, share them here. But if you don't have hardships, don't exaggerate a small hurdle, or massage any facts. 

Read our blog post on the Disadvantaged Applicant status here. 

When should I use the “is there anything else we should know” prompt? 

If you have no issues to address, you could use a secondary essay from another school here just to bolster your application. But this is also the school's nice way of saying: "What not-so-great thing did you do? Explain why we shouldn't be concerned about it." 

So, did you tank a class your freshman year? Does your lowish MCAT score not reflect your ability to thrive in a challenging academic environment? Did you get a citation for underage drinking at a campus music festival two years ago? You want to keep this answer concise no matter what your topic is, but for things like the latter, keep it very brief. Do not make excuses, simply address the situation, placing the emphasis on what you learned. Remember, everyone makes mistakes, taking accountability and moving forward demonstrates maturity. You do not have to max out this wordcount.

Related Blogs:

The Medical School Admissions Process is Long and Stressful. How are you Coping?

When to Use the AMCAS Disadvantaged Applicant Status

When to Use the AMCAS Disadvantaged Applicant Status

Applicants to medical school may apply as a disadvantaged candidate through the AMCAS portal. If they opt in, they are allotted 1,325 characters to respond to an additional essay prompt: "Do you wish to be considered a disadvantaged applicant by any of your designated medical schools that may consider such factors (social, economic or educational)?" 

When determining if this designation is appropriate you will want to consider the following: 

  • Does my disadvantage fall into one of these categories: economic, social, or educational? For example, did you attend an underfunded/underperforming high school that left you struggling to adjust to college (with associated impacts on your GPA)? Or were your individual or family assets below specified thresholds, which qualified you for state or federal assistance programs?  

  • Did my disadvantage change my application to medical school in a way that necessitates additional context for the admissions committee? For example, did you grow up in a rural area that is medically underserved, which impacted your ability to obtain clinical experiences? 

If you feel that you’ve experienced a situation that merits the disadvantaged designation, use this essay to provide the admissions committee necessary context as they review your application. We recommend that you spend about 20 percent of your writing on the situation itself, using fact-based (rather than emotional) language. You want to clearly convey the reality of the situation and the direct impacts of your experience on your medical school application. The remaining 80 percent of your essay should focus on the actions that you’ve taken to combat the adversity you’ve faced, and what you’ve learned from it. And be sure to explain how your learnings will impact you as a medical student and physician. Are you more resourceful, hardworking, empathic, and adaptable as a result? 

The Medical School Application’s Work and Activities Section: Key Tips to Consider Before You Begin Drafting

Crafting a compelling Work and Activities Section is an important priority for any medical school applicant. It will allow you to provide depth on your most meaningful experiences and communicate how a particular research position, teaching opportunity, or clinical exposure inspired your interest in the study of medicine. It will also give you the chance to show through anecdotes such characteristics as intellectual curiosity, adaptability, empathy, as well as your aptitude in critical and creative thinking, or your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment.   

The AMCAS application allows for a total of 15 entries, with three designated as “most meaningful.”  While all of the entries allow for a 700-character (including spaces) description of the activity, the three most meaningful entries include an additional requirement of 1,325 characters (including spaces) where you can provide further context on the perspective you gained and lessons you learned.

Key tips to consider before you begin drafting:

  • Take advantage of all 15 entries, considering the various experiences you have had that influenced your decision to apply to medical school. To start, brainstorm and write them all down in chronological order, limiting yourself to college or post-graduate experiences. This section is purposely broad and can include activities from a multitude of categories (listed below). If you find that you do not have 15, carefully consider even one-day community service events that had a particular impact on you. Keep in mind that while not all experiences will be equally meaningful, several experiences are probably still worth sharing if they influenced your path in some way.

  • After brainstorming all the potential activities, make note of the 15 most relevant, making sure to span a diverse array of categories. Pay particular attention, however, to clinical activities, research, and community service.

  • When selecting your three most meaningful experiences, highlight first those that demonstrate a commitment to medicine and service to others. After that, consider work/activities that are unique and, therefore, will help differentiate you to the admissions committee.

  • When you describe your work/activities, be sure to clearly articulate what you did and what the outcome(s) of your participation included. In your descriptions, highlight also the qualities that you used or developed through your involvement, noting your academic/intellectual growth, maturity, sound judgment, and compassion, as well as ability to interact well with others. It is also important to include, where possible, the impact of the activity on your decision to apply to medical school.

  • After writing your descriptions, read them aloud, and edit. Confirm that you are within the allotted number of characters. Such a stringent character limitation emphasizes the importance of tight, clear language and perfect grammar.

The Work and Activities section gives the medical school admissions committee a summary of all those experiences that ultimately inspired your interest in and commitment to a rigorous, yet rewarding career path. Thus, it is vital to ensure each word moves your candidacy forward in a compelling way.

Set Yourself Apart with a Compelling Medical School Personal Statement

The medical school personal statement presents a critical opportunity for you to bring your voice to the admissions committee and provide them with deeper insight into how your most meaningful experiences have inspired your commitment to the study of medicine. Part memoir and part strategic communication, the brainstorming and drafting aspects of the personal statement process can be as personally fulfilling as they are productive. We can’t wait to help you get started.

Brainstorming

  • Start with a white board or a blank notepad and think about your key experiences to date. Don’t limit yourself to strictly “medically related” experiences. Consider all those parts of your life that have been formative to your personality and development -- college courses, meaningful conversations with professors or mentors, sports, clubs, books or research are all great topics at this juncture. Write them down including any details that may eventually bring complexity, sophistication, and nuance to your story.

  • In looking at your list, highlight your top two or three formative experiences. Keep in mind that, ideally, these experiences should be both recent and unique. You want to demonstrate maturity as you elaborate on your decision to apply to medical school. While a childhood dream is sweet, the perspective you’ve gained as an adult is far more meaningful to the admissions committee.

  • Finally, write down your personal mission statement. Why are you interested in pursuing medical school? What draws you to this career? Make this as specific as possible and avoid clichés. Ask yourself, is it clear from my mission statement how medical school, rather than another graduate program is necessary for me to achieve my goal?  

Organize and write

  • Think through the best structure for organizing your formative experiences and future goals and create an outline. In looking through your most formative experiences, what are the common threads? Are there qualities that clearly come across in each of the stories? How are these linked to your future as a medical school student? Once you go through this exercise, it will be easier to identify the key themes and stories you will use to ‘anchor’ the narrative. You want to be sure to keep your statement cohesive and focused throughout.

  • Create the first draft by filling in your outline, which will entail showing the reader through specific anecdotes and stories why you want to go to medical school as well the skills and traits you possess that will allow you to succeed there. Remember, you want to avoid making general statements and claims about your skills and abilities. Don’t tell them, show them.

Read, revise, step-away and repeat

  • Read your personal statement aloud. How does it sound? Where did you find yourself stumbling on the words? Smooth those sections out so they read clearly. Give yourself a break, and then follow this practice again. We also suggest seeking out seasoned editors who can review your work.  

  • Does your statement present the best version of you? Is “your voice” present? Would a reader be able to pick up on the fact that you’re intellectually curious…a critical and creative thinker…an individual who can thrive in collaborative environments and meaningfully connect and empathize with those around you, who can think under pressure, who has an ability and eventual desire to innovate and lead in an ever-evolving field? If not, refine your personal stories to shine light on at least some of those aspects of your personality that will be relevant to medical school.

Clean up and finalize

  • Do a final review of your essay for grammatical or spelling errors.

  • For AMCAS submissions, you are given only 5300 characters (including spaces) to tell your story. Be aware of this restriction as you embark on the editing process.

Your story set apart.