Jessica Freedman, MD

By Jessica Freedman, MD
President of MedEdits

Your son or daughter wants to get into medical school. Of course, you want to help, but how? Many parents, including those who are physicians themselves, are overwhelmed by the medical school application process. They want to guide their young adult children but also want to allow their “kids” to work independently and don’t want to do too much hand holding.

So, what do you, as parents, need to know about the medical school admissions process to help your premedical student to succeed? This article reviews some basic material to help parents and their children make wise choices that will help them to gain acceptance to medical school.

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By Jessica Freedman, MD
President, MedEdits : Medical Admissions

With medical students starting to think about the upcoming residency match season, it’s a good time to review what residency applicants can do to improve their chances of matching. Many students think that how they write their residency personal statement is all that matters, but this simply is not true. As September looms, I want to focus on factors that are still (for the most part) within the residency applicant’s control.  This article should also be useful for anyone who may be entering the match in the future.

1. Do away electives
   These “audition electives” can really help your chances of matching at a program. Some applicants with whom I speak are often fearful of doing away electives because they believe a less than perfect performance may actually hurt their chances of matching at the program where they rotate. Indeed, this is often not the case. As the associate director of a program, I often found that applicants who demonstrated a solid (or even mediocre) performance when rotating with us were ranked higher than other applicants with slightly better stats. Most program directors would rather take a student whom they know will be a solid, “no-problem” resident than take a risk on someone with whom they have not worked.
2. Read the full story

By Jessica Freedman, MD
President of MedEdits: Medical Admissions

Because the competition for admission to medical schools in the United States is extremely strong, many applicants consider attending medical school in the Caribbean. In fact, a great many bright and talented applicants are now opting to obtain their medical education in the Caribbean.

How can you decide what is the best choice for you? What must you consider in evaluating these schools? And will you be able to obtain a residency in the United States after you graduate? To help you decide if attending a Caribbean medical school is a good choice, this article provides a framework for evaluating these schools and the success of their graduates.

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By Jessica Freedman, MD
President of MedEdits: Medical Admissions

AMCAS 2010 opens in early May and the next wave of applicants is preparing to submit applications, so it seems apropos to summarize some key observations I have made while privately advising medical school applicants. Here is my list of some essentials for medical school applicants to improve their chances of acceptance.

1. Submit an early application
   Everything you read tells you that the #1 rule of medical school admissions is to apply early. But, I find that many applicants still ignore this advice. You should not only submit your application as early as possible but also make sure that your transcripts and letters of reference are sent in promptly.
2. Take your MCAT exam early
   Again, the key word here is “early.” Your application will not be reviewed until your pending MCAT scores are in so, if you have worked hard to submit your AMCAS application in June, don’t negate this effort by taking an August MCAT.
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By Jessica Freedman, MD
President of MedEdits: Medical Admissions

The scramble. Just these words make applicants and program directors anxious. So, what exactly is the scramble, why is it so competitive, and how is it likely to be changed?

The annual “Match Week” is March 16th – 19th 2009, and though I hope no one reading this article will ever need to put the information below to practical use, it seems an ideal time for a brief overview of the scramble — just in case.

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by Jessica Freedman, MD
President of MedEdits: Medical Admissions

As the current residency application cycle is winding down, the next wave of applicants is getting ready to apply for the 2009/2010 season.  As you begin thinking about your residency application, you should consider who will be writing your letters of recommendation (LORs), how you will talk about your path to residency at your interview, and how you should contact programs and follow up with them (and if this really makes a difference in outcome).

This article serves as a follow-up to the article, “Getting Into Residency: Part 1,” which was published on the Student Doctor Network in October 2008. Read the full story

by Jessica Freedman, MD

What are the latest trends in medical admissions? At the annual meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), 3,800 medical education professionals from around the country addressed changes in the MCAT, criteria for evaluating applicants, predictors of success in medical school, what elements of the residency application are most important, and a wide variety of other subjects that may interest premedical and medical students and residents. Here are some of the meeting’s highlights.

MCAT Update

Quick facts:

• In 2009, there will be 28 test administrations and 18 score release dates.
• A March date for the MCAT was added to assist students who are on quarter systems with scheduling.
• Scores are delivered 30-35 days after the test is taken.
• A change for this year: since applicants can be registered for only one test date at a single time, they will be allowed to cancel their test after the deadline (and forfeit the fee), enabling them to register for a future test date.
• The MCAT administration plans to review and modify policies regarding testing accommodations in the near future.
• A new publication, The Official Guide to the MCAT Exam, which will include testing tips and strategies, is to be released shortly.

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You were able to get into medical school so you think it will be the same process all over again when you apply for residency. But every application process has nuances and the criteria for selection and how you will be evaluated during interviews is different for residency than it was for medical school.

This two part series discusses the essential ingredients for success, including rotations, written documents, letters of reference, interviews and follow up.

While this article focuses on residency admissions, portions of this piece might also be useful for medical school and fellowship applicants.

Away Rotations and Structuring Your Fourth Year of Medical School

As soon as you have chosen your specialty, you should schedule your away rotations since these slots fill up quickly, especially at top residencies. For programs in which you are especially interested, try to schedule rotations in the summer and early fall of your fourth year to make a good impression before interview season begins. Read the full story