Description of Workshops/ Lectures ABASM:
Afternoon Session November 6th 3-5pm
 MCAT CARS Workshop: This session is
designed to learn more about the Critical Analysis
and Reasoning Skills passages administered
during the CARS Section of the MCAT. During
this session you will learn tips on how to
approach these passages and work on several passages with a Princeton
Review MCAT CARS Instructor. CARS is one of the most difficult sections
of the MCAT to prepare students for. Why? Because it’s not science! You
can’t just study a few terms, learn some techniques and hope to improve.
You need to approach this section strategically. Critical Analysis and
Reasoning Skills passages are relatively short, typically between 500 and
600 words, but they are complex, often thought-provoking pieces of writing
with sophisticated vocabulary and, at times, intricate writing styles. You will
also receive an MCAT CARS Workbook to take home. (Note: students can
attend but preference will be given to faculty first)
 Do’s and Don’ts of Graduate School Interviews: This session is
designed for students. If you have been asked to come in for an
admissions interview, congratulations! You're one step closer to being
accepted into graduate school. The interview is the final evaluation stage
in the graduate school application process. Come prepared and you are
more likely to leave a lasting positive impression on the interviewers.
Remember that the purpose of the interview is to get to know the applicant
beyond his or her paper application. Come to this workshop for a Top 10
list of what you should and shouldn’t do while in an interview.
ASM Distinguished Lecture: Genes without Borders: Towards a
Mechanistic Understanding of Bacterial DNA Uptake. Dr. Briana M. Burton
Natural competence, or the ability to take up DNA from the environment, has
been known since the days of Avery’s experiments. Yet only very recently has a
description of the physical process involved in DNA import begun to take shape
at the molecular level. This talk will focus on key mechanistic questions
associated with DNA import and the experimental evidence revealing the inner
workings of this process.
Evening Session November 6th 7:45-9:15 pm
 MCAT Biology Workshop: This session is designed to learn more about
the biology passages administered during the MCAT. During this session
you will learn tips on how to approach these passages and work through
several passages with a Princeton Review MCAT Biology Instructor. You
will also receive an MCAT Biology Workbook to take home. (Note:
students can attend but preference will be given to faculty first)
 Personal Statement Workshop: This session is designed for students to
learn how to craft an expert personal statement. Learn what to do and
what not to do in this highly interactive session. Students will receive a
copy of Med School Essays that Make a Difference.
Morning Session November 7th 8:30-9:30 am
 A 100+ Person Conversation: Active Learning in the Introductory
Lecture Classroom. Research demonstrating the importance and
effectiveness of active learning has risen to the fore in the last several
years, yet implementation of such practices remains daunting, especially in
large lecture settings. This discussion will illustrate examples of active
learning strategies for large introductory biology courses. Lead by Dr.
Briana M. Burton.