how to get into medical school & what it is like the 1 st year

How to get into Medical School &

What it is like the 1st Year

Zayde A. RadwanEmail: 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 Process1st & 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 Process3rd year

• MCAT– 3 sections (15 pts each)

• Physical Science (70 min.)• Verbal (60 min.)• Biological Sciences (70 min.)

– Start early– Take in the spring (March-May)

of your junior year– Preparation

• Classes• Course

– Kaplan – Examkrackers– Princeton Review

• Take as many practice MCAT as you can

• Applying – 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. Request committee letter from pre-med advisor

2. Request letters of recommendations from professors

3. Turn in transcript request to the registrar

4. Personal Statement

Medical School Application Process4th 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 InformationUndergrad 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?

Zayde.A.Radwan@uth.tmc.edu

UT-Med School