News and Upcoming Pre-Med Event!

MSM First Look Event open to undergraduate and post bacc students!!!!

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Check out my Interview with Accepted.com!!!!

Accepted.Com Interview!!

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Interview Season has officially begun!!! Check out the following webinar hosted by Accepted.com

How to Nail Your Med School Interviews!

Your future medical career depends on your med school interviews!

Learn how to ace them with Accepted’s live webinar happening on Wednesday, September 7th at 5pm PT/8pm ET.

They’re sharing expert tips on the entire med school interview process during this webinar! You don’t want to miss this! Register for: How to Nail Your Med School Interviews

Are you ready to Apply!!

Happy Spring Everyone!!

This time of year is marked by "Springing Forward" our clocks, crazy pollen (southern states at least), flowers blossoming, graduations and so many more wonderful things. Well it is also a reminder the AMCAS and AACOMAS application will open in a few weeks.

                                                  AMCAS                                        AACOMAS
Application Opens                    May 1, 2016                                 May 5, 2016
Submissions Begins                  June 1, 2016                                 June 15, 2016


Speaking from someone who has applied more than once and both early and late in the cycle, interviewed during more than one cycle and will official begin school this summer: when your advisors, fellow premeds and medical students tell you to apply early, listen and APPLY EARLY!!!

Ideally Early application = Early Secondaries = Early Interviews =  Early Acceptances

Hopefully everyone that plans to apply this year has already taken there MCAT or will take it now in April or Early May test dates. (By no means should you rush to test if you are not ready, test when you a comfortable with where you stand on content, practice test scores, and confidence)

Below is a timeline I have modified by including additional dates and important factors to consider. The original pre-med AMCAS application timeline.

Jan-June--- You are here right now ;-)

• Save as much as you can for primary applications, secondary applications, interview cost, seat deposit fees and so on. 
• If you are eligible Apply for FAP through AMCAS and Fee assistance through AACOMAS.
• Reflect on your interest, core values and desires in a medical programs (locations, specialty interest, extracurricular activities, research opportunities, additional funding available at the school, school/city demographics etc).
• Check out MSAR to learn more about schools and/or also go to the schools direct website. 
• Narrow your list of schools you would like to apply to based on your preferences and based on if you have or will all of the required pre-med prereq before school starts (for instance one school may required 2 semester of math but your school only required you take 1 semester of math). 
• ***Important***Once you have selected your schools pre-write your writing prompts so that you can submit your secondary as soon as you receive them. Check out this website for a list  or visit SDN, or contact people know that attend or have recently applied to the school. Set a goal to have the writing prompts completed no later than mid June, leaving a few weeks to make last minute changes before July 1 when secondary applications open.
• Also it is never to early to look for scholarships, check out the financial aid website of you prospective schools, google, scholarship websites and create a spreadsheet with listing deadlines and other important information.

April-June 

• Prepare for and take the MCAT if you have not already taken the test or need to retake. Take the MCAT in the spring if possible, but no later than early summer in order to have scores submitted to the schools early in the cycle.
• Request copies of your transcripts and check to ensure that there are no errors on them.
• Begin working on primary applications. AACOMAS opens in  early May. AMCAS application is available online in May for applicants to begin filling out, but cannot be submitted until early June.
• TMDSAS opens in early May.

July-September 

• Take/retake the MCAT if needed.
• Continue submitting secondaries that you did not get a chance to complete in earlier.
• Some will come within days of submitting the primary application, others will take a bit longer. Return these to the schools within one to two weeks of receiving.
• Interview at medical schools.
• Some schools notify applicants of acceptances October 15. Notifications continue until the class is full. 
• By April 30, applicants to AMCAS schools should only be holding a spot at one school. They may remain on waitlists for other schools. (Not sure if these rule also applies to D.O schools)

Spring-summer 

• Update schools you are waitlisted at about new activities and accomplishments.

Summer- Fall 

• Take a short lived breather once you're accepted before Medical School starts :-)

Check back for periodic updates as additional tips come to mind!

Deadlines, Decisions, & FAITH

Just when you think you have a moment to relax then you're met with additional "surprises". This has been a very fruitful application season for me. I have had the opportunity to interview with several schools and I have even been accepted into a program. 

With most acceptances there are deadlines for committing to a particular school. I received my first acceptance mid-january and this week I have to decide if I will attend the school. While, I am overjoyed and excited  to be  one step closer to my dreams. I have a lot of things to consider before deciding if I want to relocate to a different state with my son and embark on this tremendous yet demanding voyage of medical school. 

In addition to having a deadline there's also a non-refundable seat deposit required that is around $2,000. This has been one of the biggest strains because I cannot easily come up with that kind of money even within a 30 day deadline. On top of my current acceptance and I was waitlisted at one school and I am still waiting to hear back from another school. All of the schools that I interviewed with have qualities and characteristics that meet my needs and expectations. Yet, I have been in the state of panic and unease for some time now because I would hate to make a rash decisions based on my eagerness to enroll in medical school and live out my dreams. My son on the other hand is very saddened at the possibility of having to leave all his family and start a new life in a new state.

As a single mother there are a lot of things I must consider. Negating the fact that I may not be in a financial position to submit the deposit. My son's happiness, emotional state and education are very important to me. Today marks a day of transition for our lives as I must make an important decision regarding our future. Whatever decision I come it must be one that I can live with tomorrow and beyond.

There will be times in life when you will reach a deadline, a fork in the road of sorts, you will have to make a decision on which path to take. Whether or not both paths are equally/less desirable, or if one path appears more attractive. At that time have faith, pray with a open heart and mind and trust in him!

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

** Disclaimer: Originally written Feb 24, 2016 however I forget to post it :-(

Interview Season : Travel & Lodging

Applying to medical school is a joyous and sometimes stressful occasion. But once you receive your first interview invitation euphoria sets in!

If you are like the thousands of student that apply every year, you may find yourself traveling outside of you home state or city. I, personally tried to stay within my comfort zone and applied to schools in my home state of Georgia and the surrounding states but being a bit bold, I also applied to schools in Ohio, D.C, Maryland, and North Carolina. Which presented me with a few things to think about in the event that I needed to travel out state for an interview: drive, fly, take a bus or train and then deciding where to stay. Here are a few tips ....

Transportation:

• If money is a determining factor, deciding to drive to your prospective interview may be the best option if they interview is within 3+ hour drive from your current residence. I have taken multiple roads trips so I am accustomed to driving 6-7 hours at a times. When you drive your main cost factor is gas and depending on the car, a full tank of gas can range from 275-325 miles (roughly a 3-4 hour trip). I would not recommend driving to cross country interviews, unless that is the only option you have and even then I would suggest being accompanied by someone to share the driving duties. Whether you rent a car or use your own, make sure the car has received recent maintenance work (oil change, tire rotation, passed a multi-check inspection)
• Another option is the MEGA BUS, Greyhound or train if you prefer not drive, the only precaution would be insuring proper storage of your interview wardrobe. Depending on how far you have to travel this may be cheaper or more expensive than a full tank of gas, and will leave you with limited mobility if you stay in your respective destination before/after you interview has concluded.
• Flying will by far be one of the most expensive options, unless you catch a good deal or use a buddy pass. The convenience of flying is that it can reduce your travel time tremendously especially if you have a direct flight, it may offer more comfort than driving, and it requires little work on your part. It offers the same disadvantages of taking the bus or train, such as limited mobility (without opting to pay for a cab etc) and properly storing your interview wardrobe.

Now on the exciting part, Hotel Accommodations: This will vary based on the city, with some destinations having a plethora of options, while others may have very limited options.

• Check with the school to see if they offer any discounts at local hotel, motels, B&Bs, etc. This may be a great money saver.
• Check with the school to see if they offer shuttle service to and from the interview, this may also help you decide if you even need your own transportation for the interview.
• Check with family and friends, etc. to see if they have any memberships or can offer a discount on any of the brand hotels near the school.
• Check with each hotel to see this they offer discounts to students coming in town to interview, this definitely would be a good idea in a small town, where the medical school is a major component of their infrastructure. 
• Reach out to family, friends, alumni from undergrad or current students at the medical school to see if they can offer you any free/discounted lodging.
• See if the school offers travel reimbursement for students experiencing financial obstacles.
• If you go with hotel lodging it may be a good idea to pick a place that offers breakfast, It may not be a fancy spread but your goal is not to be stuffed before your interview but to have something on your stomach to hold you over till lunch and keep your stomach quite during the interview.
• Stay within a reasonable commute from campus, whether you got lost, stuck in traffic or some other excuse, being late to an interview is never a good sign.

Deciding which means of transportation to use and your lodging are important and costly decisions. You must factor the amount of time off you will have away from school, work or whatever your daily responsibilities are, what is financially feasible, and strain/stress involved in your commute/stay. Utilize your resources such as your family, friends, undergraduate community, and the prospective school, you never know what help they may be able to provide to reduce the cost of your travel expenses.

Safe Travels

Interview Season : Mental Prep!!

Outside of finding the perfect outfit, dressing to impress and reviewing interview questions, you have to prepare your mind and spirit for the interview process. Being confident and free of anxiety is very important because if you're anything like me, you may find interviews to be a bit overwhelming and a definite source of stress.

Here are some bible verses that I have used in the past and will use this year to ease my mind and address thoughts of inadequacy and fear. Whether you are religious/spiritual or not; hopefully the words will resonate with you and are able to help you as much as they have helped me!

Interview Season: Dress to Impress!

Interview season is well underway. And, here are some of the ways I am preparing: participating in mock interviews (formal and informal), self practice with questions I have found online, and shopping for interview attire.

I have a few suits at home, but they have been worn quite often, not so much the blazers but I use the pants for work, church and any other outing, and the blazers do have signs of wear also. With that being said I opted to purchase a new suit.

A good business suit is definitely an investment and of course you want look very professional during your interview(s). I tend to sway more towards black in general, so I chose to purchase a black suit as well. In general most people recommend that women wear a black suit, but I have seen interviewees in Navy and Gray suits as well. However, your interview day is not the time to be overly fashionable or to stand out (for the wrong reasons), so safe is better than edgy or "Vogue".

In 2014 I was frantic, very very low on funds and the thrift stores in my area did not have any nice gently used suits (yes I said thrift store, some of them are very nice and have items that people have not even worn, if you don't have the funds for one reason or another and no one can provide you with financial assistance, this is an option.) So I purchased my suit from JCPenny it was Worthington brand. I believe I paid $75-85. Over all it was a nice suit, however I felt the material collected more lent than I would have liked. I would say though, the pants I purchased from them were great I went back and purchased 2 more, they were very clean looking and durable. I also wore the suit in the spring, it was a black pant suit with a lavender button down with a collar.

This year after doing a few online searches for something I could pick up locally at a retail store and then visiting a few stores, I decided on Macy's. I purchased a black (one button) Calvin Klein pant suit (Pants $60, Blazer $90 :-/) I originally purchased a two button version of the suit however after taking it home I was not comfortable with the length of the blazer (it was too short) so I exchanged it for a longer one button blazer in black as well (pictured immediately below). I purchased a pair of 2 inch heels because I knew I would be doing a lot of walking. A very comfortable brand was Corso Cosmo (1st choice but they were higher than I wanted to pay, luckily they didn't have my size lol) and INC (the shoes I purchased) I still have blouse shopping to do and this year I plan to go with a cream or white blouse, no color and I may get a different pair of shoes, if I can find a better deal.

                   

Here are a few images I came across online of Do's and Dont's 

Soft Gray tones, stay away from shiny/metallic grays

                   

Dont- No open toe shoes, loud colored accessories, or  mix match suit separates :-(

Dont- No open toe shoes,. Stick with black, navy or gray suits, and skirts should be a modest professional length  :-(

Dont- No open toe shoes, no stilettos, and no big showy accessories :-(