Phone a Friend

Well folks, to say I feel your pain is probably an understatement. Applying to residency is exhausting and excruciating.
 
But, my application is finished! Letters of recommendation – mailed; transcripts – submitted; USMLE scores – sent; personal statement – written, rewritten, edited, trashed, written again, and finalized.
 
It will take me another week or so to dig out from the “life” things I have been putting off. However, I have missed blogging, and I have received tremendous feedback from readers about the blog, so I wanted to say, “Howdy, I’ve missed you!”
 
One of the biggest lessons I learned in the final week of obsessing over my application is the significance of another set of eyes. Allowing other people to read your application – personal statement, Secondaries, activities lists, whatever – may make you feel extremely vulnerable, and admittedly, it’s scary. But, it’s one of the single best things you can do to improve the quality of your work.
 
Don’t go nuts. I think it’s important to select only a handful of people with certain purposes in mind. If too many people make suggestions and edit, you will lose your voice. Here are my suggestions:  

• One person with a quasi-medical or health background who can confirm that you’re saying things about medicine that make sense. We all understand that “medicine” is another language, so using it properly is important.
  

• A person who knows you really, really well and can bring out your accomplishments, strengths, etc. and also enhance your ability to use important anecdotes about personal experiences.

• Someone with a gift for the English language. Proofread, proofread, proofread. This person can make sure you aren’t missing something just because you’ve read your whole application 10,000 times.

Of course, you’ll have to make adjustments if you don’t know people who meet these categories. Also, it can’t help to have your advisor take a look if you have that kind of relationship.

Sunday Funny

I'm taking a brief hiatus from my blog this week to finish up my own residency applications, but I want to leave you with an amazing distraction for when you're procrastinating and hiding from your Secondaries.  This photo brought back so many memories from my obstetrics and gynecology clerkship, and the remaining non-medical photos will keep you laughing in pain for hours.

Enjoy!

Couch Surfing

Continuing from yesterday, more cost saving strategies:

Where to Stay

If you want to stay in hotels while traveling for interviews and have the means to do so, that’s fantastic.  For most applicants, however, such an endeavor is prohibitive.

--Their Network

Most schools will help you to find a current student with whom to stay on the night preceding your interview.  Some schools widely advertise this opportunity in their interview invitations and confirmations.  However, most schools will help you find housing if you just ask.  The trick is knowing to ask!  If you don’t find information about housing opportunities in the interview materials, I suggest calling the Admissions Office and simply asking.   

Although it may sound awkward to stay in the same room as a complete stranger, this is an incredible “insider” view into the lives of medical students at each institution, and you will find the information you gather by observing and chatting with your host (and often his or her friends) to be extraordinarily beneficial when you begin to decide where to attend.

--Your Network

If you strike out with the Admissions Office, look at your network!  Search Facebook for friends in the city to which you’ll be traveling.  Ask your parents whether they have friends in the neighborhood (you’ll be shocked to find how willing people are to support your endeavor to become a physician).  Finally, consider contacting your alma mater to see whether alums who might be willing to host you attend the school you’ll be visiting.

--Say Thank You

A sincere, handwritten note is a “must.”  Keep blank cards with you so that you can jot down a few brief thoughts before rushing out the door en route to your interview.  If you’re feeling particularly generous, you can never go wrong leaving a small gift card ($5-$10 for Starbucks, Dunkin, etc.) or an item from your home state (a small container of maple syrup if you’re from Vermont, for example).  But regardless, leave a Thank You note!

Full Disclosure: "Couch surfing" the night before your interview is a little risky.  You want a good night of sleep and a shower!

"Carpooling"

Between your AMCAS fee, Secondaries, and perhaps a new suit purchase, you are already feeling the financial pressure of applying to medical school.  And, for most applicants, interviews have not even started!

Even the most savvy applicants will likely find interviews to be an expensive endeavor.  That said, there are definitely a few ways to cut back. 

When Traveling

Transportation expenses add up quickly.  Frequently, you will find no way to avoid an expensive flight, and you simply have to eat those costs. Of course, shop around for your tickets, and buy early when you can.

The expense that is often more difficult to predict and surprisingly expensive is transportation to and from the airport, train station, etc. and medical school.  When I was interviewing, I often arrived at my destination on the night before interview day.  Usually, this meant I wasn’t too pressured for time which enabled me to avoid cabs and take advantage of public transportation, which is a slower option in most US cities.  Use websites like hopstop.com to plan your route.   

Following the interview, you may be more pressured for time because of flight, train, or bus departure times.  Don’t hesitate to coordinate over lunch with your fellow interviewees.  Many of the applicants will be headed where you’re headed, and the Admissions office is often happy to call or hail a cab for you.  Be sure to bring cash so everyone can split fairly.  I did this at almost every interview and loved the combination of efficiency and savings!

The Walls Can Talk

Many Admissions Committees are reviewing applications and starting to send out interview invitations.  You may be wondering what to expect on an interview day. 

Although every school’s interview day will proceed a little differently, the general ingredients are

• 1-2 interviews,
• an information session regarding the school, facilities, curriculum, and “special highlights” such as dual degree programs, study abroad opportunities, and research highlights,
• a tour of the educational facilities, hospital, and housing, if applicable,
• and a lunch (varies tremendously in quality and variety!) with current students.

Applicants frequently make the mistake of being on their best behavior during the interview(s) and then relaxing somewhat for the rest of the day.  This is a mistake.  You are being evaluated throughout the entire day.  Although particularly pleasant interactions with administrative assistants, students, etc., are unlikely to significantly enhance you chance at acceptance, missteps will almost certainly ruin your opportunity.  In fact, my medical school sends an email to current students each year reminding them that offensive remarks, disrespectful behavior, or anything else that detracts from an interviewee's application should be noted and reported to the Admissions Committee.  Do not say or do anything you would not do in the presence of your interviewer.  That said, relax and try to have fun.  Medical schools want to accept fun individuals who will deal with the pressures of medicine in stride. 

Sunday Funny

I was on call yesterday, and during my review of systems with a patient, he explained his recent struggles with incontinence:

"I had been having some trouble with my urination. Incontinence, I think. I kept finding yellow stains in my white underwear, and I was pretty concerned. But I switched to black underwear a couple of weeks ago, and it doesn't seem to be a problem anymore."

Love Letter

Conquering the “Why This School” essay may feel like writing a love letter to the Admissions Committee. It's tough, particularly because it is easy to become bogged down as you craft and adjust the essay for each school.

Be Brief. Most schools ask that you limit this response to about 200 words, and they’re serious. Keep yourself to two paragraphs. The first should focus on ONE (and only one) aspect of the school that makes it a good fit for you. You can tastefully tie in other points, but be judicious. The second paragraph is for special circumstances, discussed below.

Focus on You. Do not be fooled into thinking this is an essay about how fabulous the school is or how much you want to go there. Admissions Committees already know their school is terrific; do not waste words telling them (see “Be Brief”). At heart, this is an essay about you!

Don’t be a Broken Record. Secondaries are a place to tell Admissions Committee things they do not already know about you after having read your AMCAS. Try not to reiterate too many things you have already driven home elsewhere.

Demonstrate Commitment. Often, applications make applicants appear a little lost – a bit of community service here, some laboratory research there, a brief tutoring experience, etc. This essay is a place to demonstrate commitment, an attribute schools seek in applicants. For example, if you wrote for the school paper, you might explain, “During undergrad, I demonstrated my interest in journalism by taking relevant coursework, serving as a writer on the university paper, and ultimately being selected as Chief Editor. I look forward to attending ___ because of the unique opportunity to write for and help publish the medical student literary journal.” You get the point. 

Special Circumstances. The second paragraph is where you can mention that every person in your family has attended this medical school since before DaVinci, and you cannot imagine the shame of coming home for Thanksgiving if you do not get it. Not all special circumstances need to be “special.” You might mention your interest in practicing rural or urban medicine and thus wanting to train in that type of environment. My caution is to be careful about geography. Schools do not want to hear that you are interested in their program because you want to be in New York City, for example. Admissions Committees prefer to think that their curriculum and facilities are so wonderful that you would apply even if they were in Antarctica.

Say my Name. Everyone likes to hear his or her own name. Include each school's name in the essay. But, be sure to proofread and change the name before sending the "Harvard" essay to "Yale." I hear that's bad for business.