Session 155

In this episode, Ryan talks with Jayme, a junior in college who already has her acceptance to medical school. This is actually a year earlier than the typical since you would usually apply after your junior year, then get the acceptance during your senior year. What Jayme did is that she applied to an Early Acceptance Program at the A.T.Still University’s Osteopathic School in Kirksville, Missouri.  Jamie applied to this special program after her sophomore year and what’s interesting is that she didn’t have to go through the rigors of taking the MCAT. How so? Listen in and find out.

Here are the highlights of the conversation:

Jayme’s thought process in applying for an early acceptance program:

• Learning about the program from a student ambassador for the school
• Visiting the school and meeting up with the admissions people
• They only accept a maximum of 15 people.
• Committing to the school’s condition not to apply to anywhere else

How is the application like?

• Similar to the standard medical school application, although more condensed
• 4 essays with outline of activities
• Work experience and extracurricular
• 3 reference letters

What did the admissions look into if they’re not looking at the MCAT scores?

• ACT score and GPA
• Research internship at a heart institute

When Jayme decided that she wanted to be a physician:

• Her earliest exposure to medicine was when her grandma had cancer when she was young and saw the power of medicine in her life and the connection her doctors had with her

During her interview day:

• They did a tour around the school
• 3 interviews

1. MD/PhD
2. Admissions person (Classic interview style)
3. Doctor of Health Education

The domino effect of her acceptance on the rest of her undergrad career:

• Schedule is more free without having to take some of the classes she would have taken for the MCAT
• Now able to take more classes she would love to take other than the sciences

Conditions for her acceptance:

• Getting grades B’s and above
• Shadowing and volunteering experience

Some pieces of advice for premed students:

• Know that it’s the school for you because any medical school is going to give you good education but it’s looking at where you’re going to fit best and what type of community and environment you grow the most in.

• Connect with the MSHQ podcast and the community as well as meet with other premeds who have the same ideal of collaboration.

• Stay away from people who stress you about competing with them.

• Start early with all of the premed things you need to get and put yourself in the right environment.

Links and Other Resources

• MSHQ 074 : 1st Year of Medical School For A Non-Traditional Premed
• Free MCAT Gift: Free 30+ page guide with tips to help you maximize your MCAT score and which includes discount codes for MCAT prep as well.
• Hang out with us over at medicalschoolhq.net/group. Click join and we’ll add you up to our private Facebook group. Share your successes and miseries with the rest of us.
• Check out our partner magazine, www.premedlife.com to learn more about awesome premed information.
• Listen to our podcast for free at iTunes: medicalschoolhq.net/itunes and leave us a review there!
• Email me at ryan@medicalschoolhq.net or connect with me on Twitter @medicalschoolhq

Transcript