Pre-Medical Studies Guidance at California State University, Fresno
Get valuable insights on the journey towards a medical career, additional requirements for California State University, Fresno's Biology Department application, highlighting work and activity experiences, keeping good notes, extracurricular activities, and the importance of clinical experience for aspiring medical professionals.
- Pre-Med Studies
- Application Requirements
- Work Experiences
- Extracurricular Activities
- Clinical Experience
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Pre Pre- -medical Studies medical Studies at at Fresno State Fresno State Larry G. Riley, MSc, PhD Professor Comparative Endocrinology Pre-Med Advisor Biology Department California State University, Fresno Science 1, room 212 lriley@csufresno.edu Appointments are made with the Biology department @ 278-2001 California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
The Journey Towards a Medical Doctor (MD) & Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) Additional Requirements California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Additional Requirements You are able to highlight up to 15 separate Work and Activity Experiences on you application including: Extracurricular Activities Medically-Related Experiences & Exposure Employment Volunteer Work Internships and/or Research Letters of Evaluation Personal Statement **You may also identify up to three of these Work and Activity experiences that you consider to be the most meaningful. This designation will allow you an additional 1,325 characters to explain why this experience was particularly meaningful to you. California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Keep Good Notes Keep track of all your work and activity experiences and the hours you devote. Consider keeping a journal of clinical experience, volunteer service, research, etc to record your experiences and maturation: its good material for your personal statement. Working a service job could provide you with leadership opportunities (i.e. shift-manager), patience, compassion. Don t disregard your job experiences. California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Extracurricular Activities Activities that you like to do Hobbies Reading Exercise Playing music Etc Describe any personal growth that these activities may have had on you and shaped the person you are. California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Clinical Experience Admissions committees look to see that your application conveys evidence of empathy, service orientation, ethical responsibility to self and others, an awareness of what a career as a practicing physician entails, as well as other characteristics and strengths. www.aamc.org California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Clinical Experience Shadowing a physician may offer you exposure to the patient care environment, BUTit s not the only way to demonstrate these skills and attributes. Shadowing may not be a possibility for you due to Balancing a rigorous academic schedule Extracurricular activities Personal responsibilities Etc How do you can gain such experiences? www.aamc.org California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Alternatives to Shadowing A recent survey of medical school admissions officers conducted by the AAMC found that 87% of respondents indicated that they accept an alternative activity, such as 1. Hospice Volunteer 2. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) 3. Volunteer EMT 4. Hospital Scribe 5. Caretaker (outside the home or for an ill family member) www.aamc.org California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Alternatives to Shadowing No matter how you choose to gain clinical experience, it s important to remember quality is more important than quantity. Admission officers want you to not only show depth of experience and a longitudinal commitment to the work you choose, but also to be able to articulate how your medical exposure has informed your motivation for a career in medicine www.aamc.org California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Work & Volunteering Medical school admissions understand that many students need to work out side of going to school. You can still demonstrate leadership skills, compassion, ethical responsibility, etc Your job Volunteering Great way to further demonstrate those qualities Shows that you are a well-rounded individual Best if this activity has nothing to do with health-care Do something that you like Great source for a letter of evaluation California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Letters of Evaluation Suggested: Two science faculty, maybe one non- science faculty, and one or two others Doing research with a professor helps him/her get to know you and write a more credible, personal letter Doctor or supervisor in charge of your clinical experience, volunteer, or job are good people for letters of evaluation AVOID letters from family members, friends of family, doctors that are friends, and clergy www.usnews.com California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Letters of Evaluation How many letters should I get? Varies across medical schools Boston University: min. 0; max. 6 UC Davis: min. 3; max. 6 Chicago Medical School: min. 3; max. 3 www. aamc.org/msar California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Letters of Evaluation Tips for getting the best letters of evaluation Choose wisely a. Come from someone who can objectively comment on your potential as a medical student b. Someone who knows you well c. Ask if they are willing to write a positive letter of evaluation d. Be prepared to give them your C.V. and/or personal statement Request your letters earlier rather than later a. Give them at a minimum 4 weeks time to write their letter Visit your professors (present and past) a. Go to office hours: this allows them to get to know you better b. The more you share about yourself, the more personal the letter will be c. Sit up front in class (students that sit in the back are noticed less) d. Reach out to past professors, make an appointment to stop by and say hi, or call e. Remember you are asking for a favor, be respectful, humble, and sincere 1. 2. 3. www.usnews.com California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Letters of Evaluation Tips for getting the best letters of evaluation cont. Follow the application instructions Nurture your relationships a. We do not like to write letters to those students that have never come to our office b. Avoid asking a professor with whom you have never talked with to write a letter of evaluation Express your gratitude a. After they have agreed to write you a letter b. Send a thank-you note (not an email & not a verbal thank you), a small gift, or some other token c. As in many aspects of life, relationships matter. Paying attention to them can bring rewards. 4. 5. 6. www.usnews.com California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Research Research teaches you a lot of skills you can t get in a classroom Independence, working as a team, problem solving skills, oral & written presentation, how to communicate in laymen s terms, etc It expands your knowledge Research experience is a critical component to your application packet. California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Percent of Students Accepted with Different Experiences % of Students with Different Experience Community service/volunteer Medical/clinical volunteering Scribe/medical employed Medical School Shadowing Research Boston Univ. USC Keck School of Medicine 80% 75% 85% 40% 95% 75% 80% 85% 40% 95% Mayo Clinic 85% 85% 90% 40% 95% Case Western 80% 85% 90% 35% 95% UC Davis 75% 65% 90% 50% 90% UC Irvine 75% 75% 95% 45% 95% UCLA 80% 75% 90% 40% 95% UC Riverside 80% 65% 90% 40% 90% UC San Francisco 80% 75% 90% 35% 95% California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Personal Statement 5300 characters or about 1 page single spaced at 12-point font. It takes a lot of reflection and introspection to prepare, edit, and polish a strong statement. Don t rehash your resume or other parts of your application in your essay. Be creative, think outside the box and review certain aspects of your life. California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Personal Statement: Suggestions Start early, minimum 6 months. I suggest to start now by writing a mini-autobiography about your life experiences that have resulted in you wanting to apply to medical school. This does not need to be perfect, just thoughts that you can use in your personal statement. Write, re-write, let it sit, and write again. After you spend time writing set it aside for a minimum of 24 hours before you review and re-write. Stay focused: highlight interesting aspects of your journey not your entire life story. Choose a theme and stick to it, and support it with specific examples www.princetonreview.com California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Personal Statement: Suggestions Back off the clich s. Be personal and specific Find your unique angle What can you say about yourself that no one else can. Every one has trials in life What s important and unique is how you reacted to those incidents. Be interesting Create intrigue before launching into the story of who you are. Show don t tell Don t tell them about your unique qualities (ie. I m compassionate) show them through the stories you tell about yourself www.princetonreview.com California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
Personal Statement: Suggestions Be thoughtful about transitions Vary sentence structure You don t want your essay to be boring Stick to the guidelines Stay on topic Don t ramble, it uses up precious space, it also can cause confusion Don t overdo it Beware of being to self-congratulatory or too self-deprecating Ask for feedback before you submit www.princetonreview.com Two med school essays that admission officers loved https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-medical- schools/articles/2017-06-12/2-medical-school-essays-that-admissions-officers-loved California State University, Fresno Department of Biology
