Health Essay

Prehealth Essay and

Activities Section Workshop:

Understanding how your experiences

led you here, and how your activities

prepared you to be successful there.

Prehealth Advising

12-185, (617) 715-5328

http://gecd.mit.edu/grad_school/health

What schools are looking for:

Proof that you are prepared for the academic rigor of medical

school (Grades, GPA, MCAT)

Evidence that youve gained sufficient exposure in the field of

medicine to have a realistic sense of what youre getting into.

Demonstrated involvement in activities that call on and/or have

fostered the skills, traits and qualities which are integral to the

role of a physician.

Indication that youve reflected on your experiences and

understand how your life and activities have shaped who you are

and have influenced your career choices.

How do they measure these things?

Academics: Grades/GPA MCAT

Beyond Academics:

Letters of Recommendation Essays Activities Section

What is the Primary Essay?

A brief narrative that discusses the

experiences that have drawn you to medicine

It should: Make a positive, lasting first impression Reflect on how your experiences relate to

your desire to become a physician

Distinguish you from other applicants

AMCAS Personal Statement

AMCAS Essay:

Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school. 5300 characters or less (approx. 1 page)

2 additional essays required for MD-PhD

M.D.-Ph.D. Essay: The M.D./Ph.D essay should discuss your interest in

science, and how this aligns with your medical interests. This is your

opportunity to express why you want both degrees and provide evidence

to back up your assertions

Significant Research Experience Essay: In addition to the M.D.-Ph.D.

essay, you are also required to provide an essay that describes your

significant research experiences

What is the Suggested Essay Structure?

Opening paragraph (thesis included)

Supporting paragraphs (~3)

Closing paragraph (summarizing key points)

Possible Topics

Life events and changes

Achievements

Obstacles overcome

Significant people in your life

Health-related exposure/experience

Influential books or quotes

Extracurricular activities

Employment experiences

Service experiences

Travel experiences

Steps To Essay Writing

Reflect on key experiences

Begin working on the AMCAS activity section

Determine your theme/topic/supporting points

Prepare an outline or diagram of your ideas

Write an initial draft

Edit as needed

At various points throughout this process, engage in

conversation with family, friends, advisors, etc.

AMCAS Activity Section Enter any work experience, extracurricular activities, awards,

honors, or publications that you would like to bring to the

attention of your medical schools.

MIT and beyond

Consider ALL activities-even those which may initially appear

unrelated to medicine

Think about the value gained from each experience and how

it may have some relevance or transferability in medicine

What have you gained/learned from the experience that has

made you more prepared for a career as a physician

What impact did you make?

AMCAS Activity Section (cont.)

15 spaces

Think quality over quantity!

700 character descriptions

Select up to 3 most meaningful

1325 character description for the

most meaningful experience

Group topics together if necessary

(i.e. Shadowing)

Writing Tips

Keep it simple Dont focus on too many

experiences

Make it logical and cohesive Identify themes Transitions, transitions, transitions!

Show instead of telling the reader: Use examples and stories to reveal how you have used

desirable skills or traits in the past

Balance story-telling with reflecting on what you have learned from your experiences and how it relates to medicine

Writing Tips (cont.)

Dont spend the essay talking about the inspiration point, instead focus on what you did in reaction or response Explain weaknesses in a positive way (grades, exam scores, lack of experience, etc.) Be brief Dont make excuses Focus on what you learned from the experience Is this the best place/means to address the issue?

Distinguish yourself Focus on the aspects of your candidacy that make your

application unique

Common Pitfalls Using highly technical language

Trying to be too creative (e.g., writing poetry)

Discussing why you didnt think medicine, dentistry, or another health profession was for you

Claiming that youve wanted to be a doctor or other health professional since birth

Starting your essay with I want to be a doctor because

Overusing I

Using I think, I feel, I believe. Unnecessary. Its your essay! It contains your thoughts, feelings, & beliefs!

Be Cautious Of Providing more information about someone else than about yourself ex. Sick family member, someone who inspired you

in life, etc.

Delicate/emotional experiences in your life (ex. Death, personal illness or disabilities, etc.) Whatever is in your essay has potential to be

discussed in the interview.

Religious or political convictions How important is it to you that schools have this

information about you? Make sure you can back up your claims or position

Additional Suggestions: Use text-only software if you plan to cut and paste

Use correct, formal grammar. Check for

capitalization, spelling, and punctuation errors.

Proofread carefully! Changes cannot be made once

you have submitted your AMCAS

Suggested Essay Writing Timeline

for the Primary Application

June 30 Jan/Feb Feb

Select 3-4 ideas/topics

for essay

Start writing early draft(s)

Feb/Mar

Have early drafts

critiqued by family/friends

Feb/Mar/Apr

Request essay critique by Prehealth Advising (Limit 2 reviews)

Enter your final essay(s) into your

Prehealth Credential Service Account by

May 30

Expect to write at least 6 drafts before submitting a final version for your application.

May/June

Solicit Feedback Review your essay with the Prehealth Advising staff

Ask for feedback from someone who knows you well

Does this essay sound like you?

Ask for feedback from someone who does not know you well What did the person learn about you through the

essay? Does their image of you match what you were

hoping to portray in the essay?

MIT Writing Center: http://writing.mit.edu/wcc BE Writing Lab: http://bewritinglab.mit.edu/

Prehealth Advising

Essay Critique Options: Option #1: Appointments

Call 617-715-5328 to make an in-person or phone appointment. Send your essay via email as a word document 24 hours prior to

your appointment.

Option #2: Email Critiques

Email [email protected] with a Word copy of your essay. (Please, no PDFs)

Essay Critique Policy

Expect to receive your critique within 3-4 business days of requesting an email critique, especially during peak busy times (February through May)

Number of critiques may be limited depending on volume of requests. (Submit your essay early for the most attention!)

Secondary Application Essays Sent directly from the medical school

Asked to respond to a specific prompt

Should differ from AMCAS essay

Should relate to the school asking the question Secondary applications are sent approximately immediately to 6 weeks after your primary application (ex. AMCAS) has been verified and processed.

Sample Secondary Application Essays

Albany Medical School: If selected for an interview, what one life experience would you most like to talk about? (160 char limit) Albert Einstein: Imagine that it is the year 2030. What would you like to have accomplished thus far in your life, and how did Albert Einstein Medical School help you achieve these goals? (max 6500 characters) Columbia: What satisfactions do you expect to receive from your activities as a physician?(2475 characters) Wash. U.: Do you have unique experiences or obstacles that you have overcome that were not covered in your application about which you would like to inform our Admissions Committee? (maximum 3000 characters including spaces)

Yale: Write an essay in which you discuss your interest in the Yale University School of Medicine. (limit 500 words) Additional sample secondary essays can be found on www.studentdoctor.net

Activities to help you get started

Whats your story? What led you here?

Where were you born?

Where did you grow up?

What was your k-12 experience like?

How did you spend your time outside of school?

Who was important or influential in your life as you grew up?

Were there any significant events that shaped your life?

What are you proud of?

What challenges have you overcome?

Why do you think you got into MIT?

What have you been up to? How have your activities prepared you for whats next?

What have you done during IAP?

How about over the summer?

Spring break?

How you do you spend your time outside of class?

Do you have hobbies?

What student clubs or organizations are you a part of?

Did you work (while MIT or after)?

What have you done to explore medicine?

Did you participate in any special programs?

Reflecting on your life and experiencesIdentifying Themes

Are there certain activities that relate to one another?

Developmental (one experience prepared you for others)

Inspiring (something motivated you to do something else)

Comparative (you were able to see both sides of something)

Chronological (one experience led to the next)

Big picture (the combination of things gave you perspective)

Thank you for your attention.

Questions?

Prehealth Advising

12-185, (617) 715-5328

http://gecd.mit.edu/grad_school/health February 2014