MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE HEALTH PROFESSIONSJUNIOR/SENIOR INFO SESSION

Pre-Application MeetingFall 2015

Schools will choose future healthcare professionals who best fulfill their mission, based on these competencies:

Interpersonal Competencies: Service orientation, Social skills, Cultural awareness, Teamwork, Oral communication

Intrapersonal Competencies: Ethical responsibility to self and others, Reliability and dependability, Resilience and adaptability, Capacity for improvement

Thinking and Reasoning Competencies: Critical thinking, Quantitative reasoning, Scientific inquiry, Written communication

Science Competencies: Life systems, Human behavior

Undergraduate Preparation for Admission to Graduate Schools in Health Professions

Each HP school sets their own criteria and standards… but all consider several key areas:

Academic/Science grades (45-55%)*

Admissions tests (20-25%)*

Health-related experiences

Research experiences

Community service and volunteer work

Recommendation letters (especially committee letters)

HP school interview

* Percentages as reported by NAAHP

The Medical School Admissions Landscape

AMCAS – American Medical College Application Service# applicants for 20,343 seats:

49,480 (2014)48,014 (2013)32,650 (2012)

AACOMAS – American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine# applicants for 6,392 seats:

17,944 (2014)9,900 (2013)

Importance of Rating After Interview: Offer of Acceptance TOP 10

Interview recommendation 4.5 Letters of evaluation/recommendation 3.7 GPAs: Cum. science/math 3.6 GPAs: Cum. Undergraduate total 3.6 Community service – medical/clinical 3.5 MCAT total scores 3.4 Personal statements 3.3 Medical/clinical work 3.3 Community service – not medical/clinical 3.2 Leadership experience 3.1

Components of a Successful Application

Strong Admissions Test Score (MCAT, DAT, OAT, or GRE), taken as early as possible when you are ready to allow for retakes. Plan on 500 hours of dedicated preparation!

TESTING FEES (scores reported within 4 weeks):

MCAT $305

DAT $415

OAT $390

GRE general $195

GRE subject test fees $150

APPLICATION FEES (verification 4-6 weeks):

AMCAS $160+ $37

AACOMAS $195 + $35

ADEA AADSAS $245 + $93

OptomCAS $160 + $60

VMCAS $195 + $100

AACPMAS $180 + $45/60

CASPA $175 + $50

* Reduced fees available to those who qualify financially.

Admissions Tests

• MCAThttps://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills• Psychological, Social & Biological Foundations of Behavior• Target: 510+ (80th %ile) and GPA 3.6+ (overall & BCPM)

• DAThttp://www.adea.org/dental_education_pathways/aadsas/Applicants/Pages/TaketheDAT(DentalAdmissionTest).aspx• Natural Science (Biology, General and Organic Chemistry)• Perceptual Ability (2- and 3-dimensional problem solving)• Reading Comprehension• Quantitative Reasoning• Target: 20-21 (75th %ile) and GPA 3.6

Admissions Tests Continued…

• OAT

https://http://www.ada.org/en/oat• Natural Sciences (Biology, General and Organic Chemistry)• Reading Comprehension• Physics• Quantitative Reasoning• Target: 350 (75th %ile) and 3.5 GPA

• GRE- General Test, Subject Tests http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/?WT.ac=grehome_greabout_a_150213• Verbal Reasoning• Quantitative Reasoning• Analytical Writing• Biology (CMB, Organismal, EE)• Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology• VET and PA Target: ~155-160 (70th%ile) and 3.4-3.8 GPA

Health Professions Committee Process

AAMC Timeline for Application/Admission to Medical School

Students usually go through our internal Health Professions Committee review process beginning the fall before they plan to apply (now for Matric ‘17 cohort). You may choose to go through the HPC, but then wait a year before applying.

All application process/deadline info available on the Health Professions website: Application ProcessApplication Timetable

Purpose: Evaluate readiness and promise of health professions candidates Extracurricular activities Experiences in a relevant medical field Student’s personal story Academic record Letters of recommendation

Health Professions Interviews Three 1:1 interviews with members of HPC (January-March)

Health Professions Committee Candidate File

Biographical Report Activities during academic year, vacation periods, and summer experiences. Experiences prior to college should be included only if pertinent or significant. Updated after the committee review, usually in early summer of the application year.

Personal Statement Good practice for the primary application. Students often write about things like: why they selected the field of medicine, what

experiences have allowed them to develop the skills necessary to be successful in professional school and to become an effective practitioner.

Academic Record CCI obtains copies of grade reports after the Fall Semester grades are posted. You provide our office with transcripts of coursework completed elsewhere.

** Scores of entrance exams are not generally reviewed as part of the internal evaluation process.

Health Professions Committee Process (cont’d)

Committee Members Write interview summaries. Present summaries with ratings to entire committee for discussion. Committee arrives at final confidential rating:

Good Very Good Excellent Superior

Health Professions Office Writes your official Committee Letter. Compiles your completed applicant dossier for submission.

Preparation – Academic Coursework

Preparation – Co-curricular Experiences

Internships/Externships Shadow ACTIVELY! Volunteer (clinic, animal shelter, hospice care, etc.) Consider other opportunities like becoming a medical scribe EMT

*Make every experience count clinically. Show your commitment. **For Vet, PA, OT programs clinical hours matter!

Extracurricular Activities Demonstrate time management Work in a hierarchy Master communication Exhibit ability to collaborate Provide evidence of sincere dedication Enhance your academic record

Read about healthcare, health news.

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Case #1: You spend Winter Term interning at a local non-profit.

How do you list the dates on your Biographical Report?

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Correct: Winter Term 2015, January Term 2015, or January 11-February 5, 2015Incorrect: January-February 2015

Letter of Recommendation: ‘It was our pleasure to have John Doe spend three and a half weeks with us during his

Middlebury College Winter Term semester.’

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Case #2: You return home for spring break and shadow a physician you’ve known since childhood for ~4 hours/day.

How do you list the dates on your Biographical Report?

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Correct: Spring Break 2015, or March 5-8, 2015Incorrect: March 2015

Letter of Recommendation: ‘It is always a pleasure to have a former patient shadow me in the office. JD spent four

afternoons with me in March, and my patients found her to be professional, curious and helpful.’

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Case #3: You begin working in a lab second semester sophomore year and finish up in mid-May right before finals. You’re abroad first semester junior year, and then

resume work in the lab when you return to campus for Winter Term.

How do you list the dates on your Biographical Report?

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Correct: February-May 2013; January 2014-PresentIncorrect: February 2013-Present

Letter of Recommendation: ‘JD began working in my lab on February 3, 2013, and after a summer away and a

semester abroad, resumed work in the lab on January 6, 2014.’

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Case #4: You email a professor in September to ask about joining their lab Spring Semester. You exchange an email or two about the project you’ll be working on

over the semester, and begin working in the lab in February.

How do you list the dates on your Biographical Report?

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Correct: February 2015-PresentIncorrect: September 2014-Present

Letter of Recommendation: ‘JD joined our lab as a sophomore in February 2015.’

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Case #5: You travel to Africa in late December 2013 so that you’re ready to start an internship on January 3, 2014. Your return flight to the US is February 2, 2014.

How do you list the dates on your Biographical Report?

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Correct: Winter Term 2014, January Term 2014, or January 3-January 29, 2014Incorrect: December 2013-February 2014

Letter of Recommendation: ‘Our NGO hosted JD at our remote Kenyan site between January 3-January 29, 2014.’

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Case #6: You take BIOL 0145, Cell Biology and Genetics, at Middlebury College.

Is there a role for listing this anywhere on the Biographical Report?

Listing Your Experiences on the Biographical Report (ACCURATELY!)

Correct: Unless you’re a TA in the course, there really isn’t a role for listing it on the Biographical Report. It will appear on your transcript.

Incorrect: Cell Biology and Genetics Student Technician

STUDIED available online resources! MSAR, AAMC.org, etc! PREPARED BETTER for admission tests PRACTICED interviews, REVIEWED questions, READ more OWNED my personal choice of schools HONESTLY assessed my application AVOIDED this trap: “Except for xxxx, my app is good.” Thought more STRATEGICALLY

Things I Wish I’d Done!

When should you apply?

As a Junior? Matriculate right after graduation, but required elements are a challenge to complete on time for

application.

As a Senior? Use a growth year to fill in gaps, deepen your experiences, enhance maturity, refine insight.

Strengthen your technical capabilities, develop a competitive dossier of research, engage in clinical internships/externships and other relevant extra- and co-curricular experiences.

As an Alum? Alumni are more successful in the application process – they are more mature and have more life

experiences.

** You will have access to the services of our office throughout the process no matter when you choose to apply.

*** Your Health Professions Committee ranking stays with you, so make sure you’re going through the HPC process when you are most competitive!

What are some good reasons to delay applying until the next cycle?

Your MCAT scores are not yet competitive. Your cumulative and/or your combined Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math (BCPM) are not

competitive. Your references will not be sufficiently strong. You struggle with some of the basic questions, including ‘Why do you want to be a

physician?’ You don’t have time to focus on the preparations required to apply. You have limited experience with all that working in medicine, and with patients, might

entail. You may want to take a year or more to accomplish goals or pursue experiences prior to

entering medical school.

*** Medical schools value the maturity and life experience gained after graduation and greatly respect students who engage in one of these types of activities, ultimately making them a more competitive applicant. Average age of incoming class is 24.

Bottom Line:

You should apply to medical school when all of the relevant aspects of your application are strong, competitive, and you have a reasonable chance to be invited to interviews.

This means your MCAT/GPA are competitive, you’re confident in the range and quality of your references, you have a meaningful accumulation of medically-related experiences and volunteer work that speaks to your commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

.

Honest Assessment: When to Apply

Academic Integrity and Conduct

Integrity & Character Exhibit high personal standards of ethics—cheating, plagiarism, alcohol/drug violations,

vandalism, etc. all compromise your character AND your HP application. Applications REQUIRE that the Dean report any disciplinary warning, action and/or conduct

violations! Think before you ACT!

Etiquette & Professionalism Be prepared whenever you meet with advisors, faculty, alumni, preceptors, interviewers,

etc. Be polite and respectful of their time. Send thank-you notes!

Your Ongoing Obligations?

1) Study – Maintain your grades.

2) Be strategic and prepared for your admissions test.

3) Plan to APPLY EARLY! Application portals open ~ 1 June each year. 4) Get additional PRACTICAL experience.

5) Gain RESEARCH experience, preferably with resultant results and products (poster, paper, etc.).

6) Provide evidence of commitment through COMMUNITY SERVICE and CO-CURRICULAR EXPERIENCES. Hone your people and social skills, leadership, teamwork , work ethic.

7) Make sure your letter writers (faculty, preceptors, coaches) and Health Professions Advisors get to know you WELL!

8) Have one… or two… or three specific backup plans! Be able to articulate and execute them.

Insightful Personal Essay (see space limitations at each CAS) Keep a journalMake all work perfectly error-freeWatch for HP programming on reflective writing (like TONIGHT!!)

Well-Honed Interview Skills Be articulate, maintain good eye contact and confident body posture! Practice - A lot! Read! Prepare!

Some common topics? healthcare reform, euthanasia, HIV, Ebola, resistance to vaccination, emerging infectious diseases, obesity, cancer, aging, end of life issues.

Others? Your favorite course, book, leisure activity. Be able to answer: ‘How has SOMETHING IN YOUR RECORD prepared you for a medical career?’

Timely Application Submission/Turnaround

When you apply later, you encounter more intense competition for fewer available slots. Complete secondaries quickly!

Develop Your Story

NOW Personal Statement Workshop w/ Middlebury Dean of Admissions, Greg Buckles

Oct 8 Krant Fellowship Info Session

Oct 11 Porter Hospital Winter Term Internship Application Deadline

Oct 20 Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Info Session

(focus on advice for traditionally underrepresented groups in medicine)

Oct 26 STEM Careers w/ Charlotte Sibley (’68)

Nov 3 Group Advising: Course Planning for Spring

Nov 16 Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice Info Session

Spring Creating Your School List

http://sites.middlebury.edu/hpandstem/

Upcoming Events

Questions ?