Choosing a Health Choosing a Health Professions School Professions School – Finding the Best – Finding the Best

MatchMatchHealth Professions Advising Health Professions Advising

ProgramProgram

Informational Seminar Informational Seminar SeriesSeries

Trinity CollegeTrinity College

Developed by Bill Church – Spring 2009Developed by Bill Church – Spring 2009

Health Profession Schools Health Profession Schools Attended by Trinity College Attended by Trinity College

GraduatesGraduates ConnecticutConnecticut

University of ConnecticutUniversity of Connecticut MassachusettsMassachusetts

Boston UniversityBoston University TuftsTufts University of University of

MassachusettesMassachusettes New JerseyNew Jersey

UMDNJ-RWJUMDNJ-RWJ VermontVermont

University of VermontUniversity of Vermont ArizonaArizona

University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona Arizona College of Arizona College of

Osteopathic MedicineOsteopathic Medicine

New YorkNew York AlbanyAlbany Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein ColumbiaColumbia Mt. SinaiMt. Sinai NY Medical CollegeNY Medical College New York UniversityNew York University SUNY DownstateSUNY Downstate University of RochesterUniversity of Rochester

Washington DCWashington DC GeorgetownGeorgetown

International SchoolsInternational Schools St. Georges/GrenadaSt. Georges/Grenada

Sources of InformationSources of Information

Medical School Admissions Medical School Admissions RequirementRequirement

Individual School WebpagesIndividual School Webpages HPAC FacultyHPAC Faculty

University of Massachusetts School of Medicine

From AAMC WebPageFrom AAMC WebPage

It's a process similar to choosing an undergraduate school (only much more intense)Ask yourself these questions:Do I prefer a small or large school? Do I like a large class or a small class? Am I interested in a career in research, in clinical practice in academic medicine? While every school offers opportunities to prepare for careers in all areas, the variety of curricular experience varies from school to school. Try to select schools that fit best your career goals. Which schools have a learning approach that emphasizes primary care, patient education, prevention, and preparation for community practice? What schools have a teaching approach that will work well for me? What kind of financial resources will I need to attend medical school? What are the costs? What types of financial aid are available at the schools I am considering? Are the schools in a location that meets my needs? Are the schools connected to a university or are they free-standing institutions?

•Area of Service•Location of School of Medicine – Urban, Suburban, Rural•Type of physician you want to become – Academic or Practicing•Student Organizations•Level of Community Engagement – Optional or Required•Living Amenities – On-campus dorms, apartments/condos, subsidized rents•Initiation of clinical exposure•Lecture vs. Problem-Based Learning•International service learning – Optional or Required•Science Course Curriculum – Organ-based vs. Departmental-based

Factors for Factors for ConsiderationConsideration

CommitmentCommitment

Track record reflecting a desire to serve the Track record reflecting a desire to serve the public through:public through:

Community involvement.Community involvement. Volunteer service.Volunteer service. Tutoring.Tutoring. Cultural activities.Cultural activities. Scholarly pursuits.Scholarly pursuits.

Committee DecisionCommittee Decision

Leave quantitative variables out of Leave quantitative variables out of the final decision as individual the final decision as individual items of great importance, and items of great importance, and answer simple questions:answer simple questions:

How will this candidate How will this candidate contribute to and benefit from contribute to and benefit from the learning climate at your the learning climate at your institution?institution?

Will accepting this candidate be Will accepting this candidate be in line with the mission and the in line with the mission and the values of the school?values of the school?

Scoring the ApplicationScoring the Application Scholarly activitiesScholarly activities

Depth of involvement, independence, Depth of involvement, independence, productivityproductivity

Leadership and Honors in Service RolesLeadership and Honors in Service Roles Student government, ethnic centers, Student government, ethnic centers,

Peace Corps, teacherPeace Corps, teacher Originality and creativityOriginality and creativity

Academic, service or artistic Academic, service or artistic accomplishments: innovation, legacyaccomplishments: innovation, legacy

Non-academic accomplishments or Non-academic accomplishments or required workrequired work Sports, arts, business or other Sports, arts, business or other

organizationsorganizations

Barometer for Barometer for Participation in Any Participation in Any

Extracurricular Extracurricular ActivityActivity Showing upShowing up

Showing up for a long timeShowing up for a long time

Leadership Leadership

AdvocacyAdvocacy

InnovationInnovation

LegacyLegacy

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Money Clinical Research Location Personal

Why did you Choose Another School?

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Why Did You Choose Another School? (URM)

Explicit Educational Explicit Educational GoalsGoals

1.1. To assure excellence in clinical medicine.To assure excellence in clinical medicine.2.2. To develop effective communication To develop effective communication

skills with patients, colleagues, and the skills with patients, colleagues, and the public. public.

3.3. To promote leadership training in the To promote leadership training in the various branches of medicine. various branches of medicine.

4.4. To promote ethical and moral behavior, To promote ethical and moral behavior, the humane and caring practice of the humane and caring practice of medicine, and a sense of obligation to medicine, and a sense of obligation to improve the health of the public. improve the health of the public.

5.5. To promote cultural competency in the To promote cultural competency in the science and practice of medicine. science and practice of medicine.

6.6. To teach the skills necessary to sustain a To teach the skills necessary to sustain a lifetime of learning. lifetime of learning.

Advice and ResourcesAdvice and Resources

Consult the Medical School Admissions Consult the Medical School Admissions requirements (MSAR)requirements (MSAR)

AAMC Curriculum Directory Evaluate emphasis on research, clinical Evaluate emphasis on research, clinical

experience, grades, student initiatives, experience, grades, student initiatives, flexibility…flexibility…

Individual Medical School Websites and Individual Medical School Websites and CatalogsCatalogs

Network with current and former Network with current and former studentsstudents