Middlebury college health professions Junior/senior/Alumni info session Pre-Application Meeting Fall 2017

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 Admissions tests * Health-related experiences Research experiences Community service and volunteer work Recommendation letters (especially committee letters) HP school interview * Includes MCAT, DAT, GRE, etc. depending on the field of medicine you wish to pursue.

Academic Integrity and Conduct, ALWAYS! 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. Etiquette & Professionalism Be prepared whenever you meet with advisors, faculty, alumni, preceptors, interviewers, administrative staff, etc. Be polite and respectful of their time. Send thank-you notes!

Preparation – Co-curricular Experiences Internships/Externships Shadow ACTIVELY! Volunteer (clinic, animal shelter, hospice care, etc.) Consider other opportunities for exposure to the field 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 and in teams Master communication Exhibit ability to collaborate Provide evidence of sincere dedication Enhance your academic record Read about healthcare, health news. Not all activities need to be medically related! Let your individual strengths and passions come through.

Health Professions Committee Process AAMC Timeline for Application/Admission to Medical School Middlebury’s Internal Health Professions Committee Review Process begins the fall before you plan to apply (now for Matric ‘19 cohort). You may also choose to go through the HPC, but then wait to applying. Timeline on next slide, and all deadlines available here: Application Timeline 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) AAMC = Association of American Colleges

HPC Application Timeline http://sites.middlebury.edu/cci/health-professions-application-timeline/

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. Your opportunity to highlight something that’s less prominent in the rest of your application materials. Should be something unique to you that no one else could have written. 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) Candidates will be rated by their interviewers based on the following categories: Overall GPA Science GPA Academic Rigor/Strength of Schedule Leadership Community Service Extracurriculars Clinical Shadowing Letters of Recommendation Maturity/Readiness Interview * See the Health Professions Committee Interview Rubric for detailed descriptions Designed to mirror the competencies evaluated by professional school admissions and support the unbiased evaluation of each pre-health candidate, we developed an electronic system for the review of each HPC candidate. AAMC Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students See interview rubric (appendix in HP Handbook)

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 for each candidate: Good Very Good Excellent Superior Health Professions Office Writes your official Committee Letter. Compiles your completed applicant dossier for submission.

Sample Candidate Summary

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 Alumnus? Alumni tend to be more successful in the application process – they are typically 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/DAT/GRE 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. SCORES: Consult Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) to determine what ‘competitive’ means for allopathic medical programs. REFERENCES: Absolutely critical that you feel that your references are strong and are going to be an asset to your overall application. If you don’t have solid relationships with at least a few faculty members, this is a sign that you should delay at least a year. Classes your senior year, for example, tend to be smaller and give your faculty a chance to get to know you better. WHY MEDICINE: If you think you want to go into medicine because you "love science and the study of the human body," and/or "want to help people," that is fine but it is far from the level of introspection and depth that medical schools require in individuals about to enter such a dynamic field.  Struggling with this question most often means that the student has not had sufficient exposure to work in the “helping professions” and has reflected upon his/her experiences. EXPLORATION: Without having participated in some activities that allow you to serve the community, and build the skills you need to be a physician, it will be hard to convince schools that you have a realistic understanding of what you’re about to undertake.  If you are concerned that you lack significant clinical and/or volunteer experiences, it is important that you speak with a premed advisor in the Office.

Things I Wish I’d Done! 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 Sound advice from those who came before you…

Honest Assessment: When to Apply 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/DAT/GRE and 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. .

Continue to Develop and Hone Your Story Insightful Personal Essay (see space limitations at each CAS) Practice reflective writing 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! ** Accurately represent yourself in all aspects of your application!!! *** ADVICE FROM ALUM who made note cards of common essay prompts to carry around – added ideas that related as they popped into their mind.

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 ~ June 1st 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. ** Read our emails, blog posts, and newsletters *** Read the HPC Handbook!!!

Questions ?