1. How to get into Medical School & What it is like the 1st Year
Zayde A. Radwan

2. Who am I? Hometown- Deer Park, Tx
SE Houston
Graduated from Deer Park High School 2004
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor ( )
Graduated with a Bachelor of Science
Majors: Cell Biology & Psychology
Minor: Biochemistry
University of Texas Medical School ( )
Located in Houston, Tx at the Texas Medical Center

3. Medical School Application Process
Takes a full year to complete, BUT takes all 4 yrs to PREPARE
1st & 2nd year
Take prerequisite classes
Build application
3rd year
Take Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) (spring)
Begin writing Personal Statement & Application (spring/early summer)
4th year
Interviews (fall)
Acceptance (spring)

4. Medical School Application Process 1st & 2nd year
Prerequisites
Vary between schools
Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR)
School’s Websites
Building your application
#1 Good Grades
#2 Get to know your Professors & Premed Advisor
#3 Shadowing
#4 Volunteering
#5 Research (Summer Research Programs)

5. Medical School Application Process 3rd year
MCAT
3 sections (15 pts each)
Physical Science (70 min.)
Verbal (60 min.)
Biological Sciences (70 min.)
Start early
Take in the spring (March-May) of your junior year
Preparation
Classes
Course
Kaplan
Examkrackers
Princeton Review
Take as many practice MCAT as you can
Applying
TMDSAS for Texas schools
AMCAS for out of state schools
Opens May 1st
Closes Oct 1st
APPLY EARLY!!!
Have everything in no later the Aug 1st
Request committee letter from pre-med advisor
Request letters of recommendations from professors
Turn in transcript request to the registrar
Personal Statement

6. Medical School Application Process 4th year
Interviews
Most schools Aug 1st to Jan 31st
Look good on paper, now they just want to meet you
Mock interviews (Student Doctor Network)
Research schools before you interview at them
Acceptance
Feb. 1st Match day
Rolling Admissions
Begin to attain funds for med school & living expenses
If you don’t get in
Don’t give up
It is very competitive
Strengthen weaknesses

7. My Bumpy Road to Medical School
UMHB 2004
Took MCAT June 2007
Applied in September 2007 for Fall 2008
No interviews
Deferred graduation till Spring 2009
Retook MCAT June 2008
Reapplied July 2008 for Fall 2009
Interviewed Fall 2008
Matched Feb 1, 2009
Started Medical School Aug, 2009

8. Now the Work/Play Begins
Medical School 4 yrs.
Residency 2-7 yrs.
Fellowship 2-3 yrs. (Optional)

9. Overview of Medical School
Basic Sciences Years
1st yr learn about how everything is suppose to work
2nd yr learn about how everything can go wrong
Clinical Years
3rd & 4th Rotations
Learn how to apply/use everything you learned 1st & 2nd yr.

10. Before Starting Medical School

11. After Starting Medical School
What makes medical school hard, is handling the volume and rate in which the material is presented to you.

12. What comes out of the hose @UTHSC-MS

13. Coping the Flow of Information
Undergrad Classes that reduce the flow
Anatomy &
Physiology (3)
Biochemistry (1)
Cell Biology (4)
Developmental
Biology (1)
General Chemistry (2)
Genetics (2)
Immunology (1)
Microbiology (3)
Organic Chemistry (3)
Physics (2)

14. Coping the Flow of Information
Perception changes
Become more efficient
Study, outline, & learn the material the day it is presented in class
Review outlines on the weekends

15. Classes 1st Year Monday-Friday Majority of classes are not mandatory
Usually 8 am to 1 or 4 pm
Majority of classes are not
mandatory
Lectures on demand streaming
Make your own schedule
Syllabi
pages long
Has everything you need to
know for the test

16. Blocks Divides the semesters up into test sections 1st yr. 2nd yr.
Fall 3 blocks
4-5 wks each
Spring 4 blocks
3-4 wks each
2nd yr.
4 blocks for the entire year
8-9 wks each

17. 2nd Block for the MS1’s

18. Tests All are in the same week Multiple choice/guess 70-150 questions
Timed (2-3 hrs)
Some have practicals
Anatomy (fill in the blank)
Histology (multiple choice)
Neuroscience (multiple choice)
Pathology (multiple choice)

19. Daily Life As A Medical Student
Varies tremendously from day to day
Depends on classes & how close test are
8 am- Start classes
12-1 pm- Lunch
1-4 pm- Class and/or lab
4-9 pm
Read and study/outline class material from that day

20. Where is the fun, with all the studying?
Material is much more interesting
You are only studying the human body
Block parties
Shadowing
Community projects
Classmates
ICM
And whatever else you like to do in your free time

21. Highlights of my 1st year
White Coat Ceremony
Signing the Hippocratic Oath
Retreat
Meeting and Interacting with my classmates from around the world
Anatomy lab
Shadowing
Summer Research Program

22. Highlights of my 1st year

23. In Summary Yes it takes a lot of work to get to Medical School
But it is well worth it
Take it one step/semester at a time at a time
Yes you have to do a lot more work/play when you get there
However, the work is very, very rewarding and fun
If I had to do it all over again, would I?
With out a doubt!

24. My #1 Piece of Advice Find what it is that interests you Study it
Work in it
If you study and do something you like, you will never work a day in your life
Your passion will drive your success

25. Questions?
UT-Med School