Medical School Application Process Research Articles

Medical Student Mentorship for Undergraduate Students Underrepresented in Medicine Improves Confidence and Knowledge About Medical School Application.

Purpose Applying to medical school is accompanied by significant barriers to prospective applicants. Students who are underrepresented in medicine (URiM) may face additional barriers. We created a mentorship program to pair pre-medical URiM students with medical student mentors. The purpose of this study was to determine if providing mentorship and resources to URiM pre-medical students increased their knowledge and confidence regarding the medical school application process. Method A survey was emailed to mentees of the program to assess their knowledge and confidence about the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and medical school application before and after receiving mentorship. Wilcoxon-Signed-Rank tests were used for data analysis. Results A total of 28 participants completed the pilot study of which 17 gave qualitative feedback. Students reported feeling significantly more knowledgeable and confident after six months of enrollment on seven (77.8%) of the survey items.Respondents agreed that mentorship was the most valuable aspect of the program, with 13 (76.5%) respondents qualitatively endorsing the positive impact mentorship imparted to them. Conclusion Having a medical student mentor helped URiM pre-medical students feel more knowledgeable and confident about the medical school application process. By providing URiM students with additional resources, the diversity of future classes of physicians may improve and better mirror the populations they will serve.

Lessons Learned From Early Undergraduate Exposure to the Medical School Curriculum: A Qualitative Analysis.

Students considering the health profession as a career rarely have an opportunity to explore medical school experiences. Pathway programs and "mini-medical school" programs existbut rarely involve integrating participants into the medical school experience. A novelfor-credit undergraduate course was developed to embed students into a clinical skills course for medical students beginning in 2013. To better understand the impact of these experiences, this study explored former students' perceptions and career trajectories. Participants were contacted via email to participate in a virtual, semi-structured interview. Virtual interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Three investigators analyzed 17 interview transcripts independently and developed a codebook. Investigators met to discuss common themes and outcomes. Participants received early education on patient interviewing and physical examination skills, healthpolicy, and ultrasound. They noted their course experience was a productive way to gain insight into medical school and often cited it when applying for their chosen professional school. Although not a formal part of the course curriculum, many received guidance on the medical school application process, and some obtained letters of recommendation from physician facilitators. Participants emphasized the sense of belonging within the medical school community and affirmation of pursuing a health professional degree. Participants found their experience to be meaningful and cited it as an influential factor in deciding to pursue a health professional degree. The course could be adopted by other institutions to enhance the variety of pre-health experiences for future medical students or health professionstudents.

Undue Burden the Medical School Application Process Places on Low-Income Latinos

Undue Burden the Medical School Application Process Places on Low-Income Latinos

Reducing Inequality and Improving Efficacy in the Medical School Application Process Through a Free Medical Student Consulting Service.

Reducing Inequality and Improving Efficacy in the Medical School Application Process Through a Free Medical Student Consulting Service.

630 Diversifying a Surgical Workforce Starts from Creation of an Inclusive Medical School Application Process

Abstract Aim The Royal College of Surgeons from England identified 20% of their surgical leadership were from BAME communities. This underrepresentation precedes core surgical training, stemming from unique barriers to medical school admissions encountered by students from widening participation (WP) backgrounds. Recent application data states only 12% of total medical applicants identified as BAME. St George’s Medical Education Society aims to equalise the platform by supporting aspiring widening participation medics via the formal establishment of our ‘WP Zone’ in 2021. Method Over two years, we have taught these students over different elements of the medicine application through outlets such as social media, interview preparation webinars and an in-person mock multiple mini-interview (MMI). Feedback forms using 5-Point Likert Scales measured changes in student confidence before and after sessions. Results Combined engagement on social media rose by 40% upon introduction of WP posts. There was an increase of 53% observed in the subsequent month during inauguration of interview webinars and the mock MMI. The MMI webinar (n = 169) demonstrated a 20% mean increase in understanding. Furthermore, 57% of students found the support by our WP zone more helpful than individual school resources. The in-person mock MMI session (n = 68) displayed a 50% increase in students feeling more prepared for MMI interviews. Conclusions The above results demonstrate the WP zone making positive strides in creating an inclusive medicine application process. This has implications not only for increasing representation in surgery but strives to tackle structural injustices that prevent administration of optimal health care in minorities.

Antiracism in Action: Development and Outcomes of a Mentorship Program for Premedical Students Who Are Underrepresented or Historically Excluded in Medicine.

Black, Latinx, and Native American and Alaska Native people are underrepresented in medicine. The increasingly competitive medical school application process poses challenges for students who are underrepresented in medicine or historically excluded from medicine (UIM/HEM). The University of California, San Francisco-University of California, Berkeley (UCSF-UCB) White Coats for Black Lives Mentorship Program provides a novel and antiracist approach to mentorship for these premedical students. The program recruited UIM/HEM premedical and medical students through a survey advertised by email, on the program's website, social media, and by word of mouth. The program paired students primarily with race-concordant mentors, all of whom were UCSF medical students. From October 2020 to June 2021, program mentees engaged in skills-building seminars based on an antiracism framework and received support for preparing medical school applications. The program administered preprogram and postprogram surveys to mentees, which were analyzed via quantitative and qualitative methods. Sixty-five premedical mentees and 56 medical student mentors participated in the program. The preprogram survey received 60 responses (92.3% response rate), and the postprogram survey received 48 responses (73.8% response rate). In the preprogram survey, 85.0% of mentees indicated that MCAT scores served as a barrier "a great deal" or "a lot," 80.0% indicated lack of faculty mentorship, and 76.7% indicated financial considerations. Factors that improved most from preprogram to postprogram were personal statement writing (33.8 percentage-point improvement, P < .001), peer mentorship (24.2 percentage-point improvement, P = .01), and knowledge of medical school application timeline (23.3% percentage-point improvement, P = .01). The mentorship program improved student confidence in various factors influencing the preparation of medical school applications and offered access to skills-building resources that mitigated existing structural barriers.

The University of Chicago Clinical Excellence Scholars Track: Aligning Dynamic Students With Innovative Programming in Early Medical Education at the Undergraduate Level.

The Clinical Excellence Scholars Track was developed in 2012 as a shared initiative between the Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence, the University of Chicago (UChicago) Careers in Healthcare office, and the UChicago Medicine Office of Community and External Affairs. The goal of the Clinical Excellence Scholars Track is to foster an understanding of the physician career and the doctor-patient relationship for a select group of undergraduate students. The Clinical Excellence Scholars Track achieves this goal through carefully tailored curricular requirements and direct mentoring experiences between Bucksbaum Institute Faculty Scholars and the student scholars. After participating in the Clinical Excellence Scholars Track program, student scholars report that their career understanding and preparation have benefitted as a result and that they meet with success in the medical school application process as well.

Student-Led Webinar to Support LGBTQ+ Students Applying to Medical School During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, non-binary, two-spirit, and other (LGBTQ+) students are a diverse group with unique and frequently overlooked needs in medical training. The present study was designed to understand the concerns of LGBTQ+ applicants to medical school and examine the effectiveness of a webinar in alleviating concerns. Sixty participants joined webinars discussing the medical school application process with particular attention to concerns pertinent to the LGBTQ+ population. Pre and post surveys were administered to examine webinar effectiveness and participant concerns. Results were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Pre-medical students reported that the webinar format was helpful for their application process. Specifically, pre- and post-test analyses revealed that the webinar increased both students’ preparedness as well as their confidence in disclosing their LGBTQ+ identity or being “out” when applying to medical school. Student-led, online webinars increase LGBTQ+ students’ confidence and help address SGM students’ concerns about applying to medical school.

Enhancing American Indians'/Alaska Natives' Knowledge, Confidence, and Community During the Medical School Application Process: Findings From the Northwest Native American Center of Excellence.

To describe a Medical School Applicant Workshop (MSAW); present lessons learned about its impact on American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) participants' knowledge, confidence, and sense of community; and report on participants' medical school application progress 1 year after workshop completion. The Northwest Native American Center of Excellence at Oregon Health & Science University developed and implemented an annual 1-day AIAN MSAW in 2018. The main objectives of the workshop are for participants to gain insights into the medical school application process; learn strategies to competitively apply; receive feedback on their personal statement and mock interviews; and discuss the medical school application process with AIAN faculty, admissions deans, and peer-mentors. Recruitment of AIAN participants occurred via email; social media; text messaging; medical association contacts; and AIAN and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics organizations. Two surveys were administered: one immediately after and another 1-year after the workshop. Forty AIAN MSAW participants were accepted in 2018-2020. Findings indicate statistically significant increases in participants' self-reported knowledge of the medical school application process and in their self-reported confidence. Participants reported meeting other AIAN students was highly beneficial and feeling connected to a community of AIAN health professionals after attending the workshop. Among the 25 participants who completed the 1-year follow-up survey, 12 (48.0%) indicated applying to medical school; all 12 of these participants were invited to interview, and 11 were offered acceptance to at least one medical school. Completing the MSAW increased participants' knowledge, confidence, and sense of community. If other programs and institutions were to consider using the MSAW model to reduce barriers and provide supports specifically designed for AIANs before and during the medical school application process, medical schools may stand to further increase AIAN representation in the physician workforce and ultimately to decrease health inequities among AIANs.

Mental Health Symptoms Among US Medical School Applicants During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the measures taken to contain it, has complicated the already stressful medical school application process. To evaluate its impact on depression and anxiety, a survey was disseminated to applicants using social media platforms.

Mental Health Symptoms Among US Medical School Applicants During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the measures taken to contain it, has complicated the already stressful medical school application process. To evaluate its impact on depression and anxiety, a survey was disseminated to applicants using social media platforms.

Improving Access to Medical Education for Underrepresented and Low-Income Students.

To the Editor: A growing body of literature reports improved patient outcomes with more diverse health care teams. 1 However, medical school matriculants from ethnic and racial minority backgrounds have grown by less than 2% since 1980, a rate disproportionate to their growth in the U.S. population and to the 47% overall increase in medical school applications. 2 Similarly, only 5% of students hail from the lowest quintile of household income. 3 Barrier analyses show that insufficient information about health careers and the lack of close mentors in health care are obstacles to students pursuing health careers. 4 To address these gaps in information and social capital, we and other students attending the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania designed The UpLIFT Guide to Medical School Admissions, 5 a free, comprehensive guide that encompasses the entire medical school application process, including (1) preparing an application, (2) applying and interviewing, and (3) navigating financial aid and school selection processes. The guide provides targeted support to underrepresented, low-income, and first-time students, hence the name UpLIFT. For example, initial users have noted that our guide addresses topics such as how to frame disadvantaged identities, which is particularly important in their applications. To our knowledge, this is the first such free and comprehensive resource that specifically aims to improve access to and help reduce disparities within medical education. The guide was launched online on August 27, 2020. Over 13 weeks, the resource has been viewed 7,223 times by 3,373 unique users at 34 undergraduate institutions. Future possibilities for this guide include its use as an official premedical mentorship text for peer premedical mentorship programs and its adaptation to multiple companion media platforms, such as video and podcasts. We hope this guide—and other similar resources such as pipeline programs and targeted mentorship groups—can equip underrepresented students to matriculate to medical school and enter the physician workforce. We urge other medical students and medical schools to pioneer similar initiatives that engage and help uplift medical school applicants and students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds.

The Potential Impact of COVID-19 on the Medical School Application

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the medical community. It is suspected that the pandemic will impact the medical school application process due to effects on standardized testing, performance measures, financial burdens, and interview strategies. It is important to consider these issues early to optimize success of future strategies and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the application cycle.

#MeToo in Pediatrics.

The explosive litany of complaints about men behaving badly that has surfaced in the past year has resonated deeply for me. I alternated between being glued to the news in fascination and refusing to watch in disgust. What am I to make of the current #MeToo movement? How should I think about Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Garrison Keillor, and the circus surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination? I have been practicing pediatrics for >30 years, a woman in a man’s field. I was a young student during the years of Gloria Steinem and the Equal Rights Movement. I was 1 of 22 women in my medical school class of 96 students, the largest number of women who had ever been accepted to my school. I did not think much of it. My parents had always told me that anyone could accomplish anything with hard work, and my wanting to be a doctor had never seemed exceptional in my home environment. Forget the fact that in kindergarten through sixth grade, when I said, “I want to be a doctor,” someone (usually a teacher) said, “Oh, you mean a nurse, don’t you?” During the medical school application process, I interviewed at a high-profile, prestigious school (which shall remain nameless). The interview format was 7 (exactly) minutes in front of a panel of 3 physicians, not much time to make an impression. When my turn came, I faced the 3 male doctors across the table as they looked at my application. I could feel the clock ticking while I anxiously tried to make an impression. The first doctor said, in a condescending tone, “Young lady, don’t you think you’re going to have trouble being a wife …

Widening participation to medicine: a student-led workshop for medical school applicants.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Context Widening participation to medicine aims to remove barriers to medical education for under-represented groups. This study examined the impact of a widening participation workshop for medical school applicants. The intervention was delivered by a team of medical student volunteers operating in the North West of England: Manchester Outreach Medics. Methods 39 pupils, typically aged 16-17, attended the workshop at Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire. Activities included a variety of lectures and interactive group sessions. Using questionnaires, participants highlighted their understanding in areas relating to the medical school application process on a scale of zero to ten. This was performed before and after the intervention to allow for comparison. The results were evaluated using a one-tailed paired t-test and Cohen's d effect size. Results There was a significant improvement ( p <0.001, Cohen's d >0.8) in the understanding of all topics assessed. The largest improvements were seen in topics that the participants had little understanding in prior to attending the workshop. Conclusions This student-led activity improved participant understanding in areas pertaining to the medical school application process. The study also showed the effectiveness of pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, which could be used by all post-16 medical widening participation activities in the UK.

Impromptu Response to Adverse Weather: One School's Successful Application of Digital Interviewing for Medical School Admissions.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. In-person interviewing is the norm during the medical school application process, but it is not always possible due to reasons such as exorbitant cost of travel, work or residence outside the country and adverse travel conditions. In January 2016 during Winter Storm Jonas in the eastern United States of America, officials at the West Virginia University School of Medicine (WVU SOM) mandated a closure of the campus resulting in the cancellation of twenty on-site medical school interviews. The impromptu solution to overcoming this obstacle to in-person interviewing is described here as a case study. The successful use of digital interviewing has already been described at the residency and fellowship level; we believe this is the first reported case study about the successful use of FaceTime interviewing at the medical school level, and it may encourage admissions officials to expand the use of this modality in medical student recruitment.

Early Innovative Immersion

In preparing for medical school admissions, premedical students seek opportunities to expand their medical knowledge. Knowing what students seek and what point-of-care ultrasound offers, we created a novel educational experience using point-of-care ultrasound. The innovation has 3 goals: (1) to use point-of-care ultrasound to highlight educational concepts such as the flipped classroom, simulation, hands-on interaction, and medical exposure; (2) to work collaboratively with peers; and (3) to expose premedical students to mentoring for the medical school application process. We believe that this course could be used to encourage immersive innovation with point-of-care ultrasound, progressive education concepts, and preparation for medical admissions.

Medical school applicants' attitudes about social media use in the admissions process

Objective: Given the widespread popularity of social media and the increasing number of medical school admissions committees who research applicants using social media, the objective of this study is to determine how medical school applicants feel about the use of their posted social media information by medical school admissions committees to aid in admissions decisions and what changes they had made or considered making to their social media presence in preparation for the medical school application process. Methods: With the assistance of 6 different institutions, we recruited individuals applying to medical school during the 2014-2015 academic year with intent to enroll in Fall 2015 to respond to a 43-item web-based survey. Potential participants received electronic communications from their university’s pre-medical advisor and/or pre-medical student group with a link to the survey. Results: Seventy-one completed surveys were returned. Only 25% (18/71) of participants had made changes to their social media in preparation for the application process; another 9% (5/53) planned to do likewise. While many felt it was acceptable for admissions committees to review applicants’ social media pages (52/71, 73%) and use that information to inform admissions decisions (45/71, 63%), a large majority wished admissions programs would clearly inform applicants whether it might review and use information gained from an applicant’s’ social media profile (55/71, 78%). While many participants understood they may be evaluated by admissions committees based on perceptions of their professionalism on social media, there is still a need for education by undergraduate programs on the matter. Conclusions: Medical school admissions offices can use these results of this study to decide whether and how much to communicate with applicants about how online professionalism may be factored into the admissions process.

Supports and Obstacles in the Medical School Application Process for American Indians and Alaska Natives

This study examines how a wide range of supports and obstacles are associated with the medical school admissions process of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs), an under-studied population. All AI/AN applicants to the University of Washington School of Medicine during the 2002-2004 admissions cycles were sent a mail-in survey with numerical and open-ended items. We analyzed admissions data for all 107 applicants and data on supports and obstacles for 34 survey respondents. Compared with respondents accepted by at least one medical school, rejected respondents were older, more often were parents, submitted fewer applications, and reported receiving less support for the medical school application process. Obstacles included difficulty with the Medical College Admission Test, insufficient finances, and poor information about the process. A conceptual framework that considers both supports and obstacles in the medical school application process will improve our understanding of the needs of AI/AN applicants.

Medical Education in Post-Katrina New Orleans

THE MOST COSTLY NATIONAL DISASTER IN US HISTORY occurred on August 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf coasts, and the ensuing breaches in the New Orleans levee system resulted in flooding of approximately 80% of the city. The survival of Tulane University School of Medicine and Louisiana State University School of Medicine at New Orleans (LSU), both located in downtown New Orleans, was severely jeopardized as every major educational and teaching facility flooded following the storm, closing both undergraduate and graduate medical training programs. However, both schools quickly moved their educational programs to new locations and reestablished training for students and residents 1 month later. Tulane and LSU have now returned their educational programs to New Orleans despite faculty losses, closure of some traditional training hospitals, and a diminished population of greater New Orleans. The ability of both schools to survive and thrive has significant long-term implications for the delivery of health care in the region and the ability to train future physicians for the state of Louisiana. Tulane and LSU are situated almost adjacent to each other in downtown New Orleans, but because of the differences in the private and public nature of the 2 schools, the impact of Katrina and the solutions to recovery differed. The effects of Katrina on the educational programs of both schools are summarized in the TABLE. Immediately following Katrina, Tulane moved its medical student programs to Houston, Texas, using facilities at Baylor College of Medicine while LSU moved its preclinical classes to LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center near the main campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Both schools resumed classes within 4 weeks. Communication was one of the earliest challenges. For 6 weeks, Tulane’s electronic communications were unavailable, so students telephoned school administrators and provided notification of a student-created listserv. Baylor College of Medicine subsequently provided a Web site for Tulane to use to disseminate information. LSU installed a new data center with preexisting backup tapes. Housing was another immediate concern. Tulane used an online housing registration system created by Baylor College of Medicine, primarily with housing donated from the Houston community. In Baton Rouge, many LSU students were able to make living arrangements, but others had no access to affordable housing. With support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a Baltic ferry at the Port of Baton Rouge served as home to hundreds of LSU students, residents, staff, and faculty. The emotional and financial toll had a significant effect on all students, but none experienced significant physical harm. Tulane students received mental health support from Baylor College of Medicine mental health personnel, while LSU provided counseling to its students and residents, prioritizing those who remained in hospitals during the evacuation. The DeBakey Foundation, private donors, and students from other medical schools provided more than $200 000 to Tulane students for property losses. Even so, financial losses were a factor in the transfer of 7 students. Similarly, the LSU Alumni Association established an emergency fund to help students and residents with major financial losses. Despite these issues, retention of students was excellent at both schools (Table). Maintaining the admissions process was also challenging. For the first academic year following Katrina, Tulane had no change in applicant numbers and continued its medical school application process by interviewing applicants in Houston. The class of 2010 represented 32 states; however, Louisiana matriculants increased from 28% to 36%. At LSU, application records were lost in New Orleans and the process had to be restarted with an extended deadline; however, the size of the applicant pool, all of whom were Louisiana residents, did not change. There was no change in the quality of incoming matriculants at either school based on mean scores of Medical College Admission Tests and grade point averages (Table). Both schools quickly resumed medical student education without compromising quality. Student performance,