How to get into Medical School
&
What it is like the 1st Year
Zayde A. Radwan
Email: Zayde.A.Radwan@uth.tmc.edu
Who am I?
• Hometown- Deer Park, Tx
– SE Houston
– Graduated from Deer Park High School 2004
• University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (2004-2009)
– Graduated with a Bachelor of Science
• Majors: Cell Biology & Psychology
• Minor: Biochemistry
• University of Texas Medical School (2009-2013)
– Located in Houston, Tx at the Texas Medical Center
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)
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)
Medical School Application Process
3rd year
• MCAT
• Applying
– 3 sections (15 pts each)
• Physical Science (70 min.)
• Verbal (60 min.)
• Biological Sciences (70 min.)
– Start early
– Take in the spring (MarchMay) of your junior year
– Preparation
• Classes
• Course
– Kaplan
– Examkrackers
– Princeton Review
• Take as many practice MCAT
as you can
– 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
1.
2.
3.
4.
Request committee letter
from pre-med advisor
Request letters of
recommendations from
professors
Turn in transcript request to
the registrar
Personal Statement
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
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
Now the Work/Play Begins
• Medical School 4 yrs.
• Residency 2-7 yrs.
• Fellowship 2-3 yrs. (Optional)
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.
Before Starting Medical School
After Starting Medical School
What makes medical school hard, is handling the volume
and rate in which the material is presented to you.
What comes out of the hose
@UTHSC-MS
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)
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
Classes 1st Year
• Monday-Friday
– Usually 8 am to 1 or 4 pm
• Majority of classes are not
mandatory
• Lectures on demand streaming
– Make your own schedule
• Syllabi
– 100-300 pages long
– Has everything you need to
know for the test
Blocks
• Divides the semesters up into test sections
• 1st 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
2nd Block for the MS1’s
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)
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
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
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
Highlights of my 1st year
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!
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
Questions?
UT-Med School
Zayde.A.Radwan@uth.tmc.edu