Darlene: “Match day was a surreal feeling, holding that piece of paper that determines your life for the next three years. Looking back, I am so grateful to all of my research and clinical mentors who helped me get into medical school and residency. I’m thrilled to say that I matched into my first choice at UCSF- Fresno in Family Medicine, where I am excited to continue training in underserved medicine and subspecialize in HIV medicine.”
Christine: “While match day was a mix of nerves and excitement I was thrilled to match into Emergency Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. It is safe to say the last four years have had a lot of highs and lows. However, it was the connections I made with patients and the medical knowledge and procedural skills I learned from incredible mentors that made it all worth it.”
Rachel: “Match Day was incredibly nerve-wrecking, but when I opened up my envelope and saw that I matched into Internal Medicine at my #1 choice Vanderbilt, I could not have been more relieved! Earning both an M.D. and a master’s degree in four years has been challenging but exhilarating, and I could not have done it without my amazing supportive husband and family. We are so excited to move to Nashville and start this new chapter!”
Medical School Personal Statements
Since the applications for both the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) open in May, medical school hopefuls are already preparing for their applications. With medical schools becoming ever-increasingly competitive, it’s essential to have every section of your application stand out to the admissions committee, likely reading thousands of applications before yours. After all, only 41% of medical school applicants were successful in 2022.
One of the largest components of med school applications is the Personal Statement. For the AMCAS, applicants have 5,300 characters to answer why they want to attend medical school. Thankfully, our expert team of medical school counselors have not only navigated this essay successfully themselves, but they also want to help you too. You can work with one of them directly for advice on crafting a memorable personal statement, and in the meantime, check out our advice in our recent Forbes article, 5 Tips For Writing A Personal Statement For Medical School.
Diversity in Medicine
If you’ve read any advice columns in the higher education space over the past year, you’ll know that diversity among college admissions has been an enormous topic. Every expert has a different solution to share when it comes to solving how colleges can increase their outreach to students from diverse backgrounds. This is even more of a hot topic in the medical admissions world, with new direct medical pathways and partnerships formed every year for rural and underserved medical students, like Morgan State University and Xavier University.
In the scope of medical schools, the Caribbean medical schools have been making great strides to contribute to diversity among future doctors. Ross University School of Medicine partners with many Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Dillard University and Oakwood University, while the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine has a class that is almost 20% more diverse in students who identify as Black or African American alone than the average U.S. school of medicine. This follows the data released in November from the Association of American Medical Colleges: The Power of Collective Action: Assessing and Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts at AAMC Medical Schools.
To read more about how Caribbean medical schools are contributing to the diversity of our future doctors and increasing their class sizes to accommodate more applicants, read our article on Forbes, How Caribbean Medical Schools Are Increasing Diversity In Healthcare.
Interview with SUNY Polytechnic Institute
The spring semester is the slowest season for the Moon Prep counselors, as we spent time preparing our juniors for their college application season and eagerly awaited acceptance news from seniors. We also spend this downtime creating new educational resources to help streamline the application process and make sure we are up-to-date on what BS/MD program directors are looking for in applicants. In fact, we perform as many interviews with direct medical program admissions staff and medical school directors as we can accomplish each year.
Our most recent interview was with SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Watch the full video interview with SUNY Polytechnic Institute on Moon Prep’s YouTube Channel or read the transcript on our Blog.
Changes To The AMCAS App
If you are applying for the 2024 medical school admissions cycle, you should be aware of the changes that will be made to the AMCAS application, which will open May 2.
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The Activities Section will no longer be all about your clinical and research experience. There will be a new category for Social Justice/Advocacy for you to have space to outline activism involvement that has been important in shaping you.
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Instead of the previous self-reported Disadvantaged Status question, applicants will have space to detail Other Impactful Experiences, to encompass more experiences.
Read more about the details of the 2024 AMCAS application on the Association of American Medical Colleges newsroom.
Successfully Navigating Medical Applications
It’s no secret that gaining a medical school acceptance is only getting more competitive each passing year. Thankfully the medical school counseling team at Moon Prep are not only first-hand witnesses to the application process themselves, some of them are studying at the top medical schools in the country!
In a few short days, you have the opportunity to preview the advice of our expert counselors in a free webinar we are hosting, Beat The Odds – Insider Tips For Applying To Medical School. They will be covering:
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A timeline of successful medical school applicants
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Which medical schools are right for you
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Their tips to strengthen your application so you secure a seat in medical school the first time around!
Save the date for April 27, and sign up here to make sure you don’t miss the chance to ask your questions live!
Moon Prep is proud to announce a newly-designed research opportunity with Rising Researchers! Students have the opportunity to work one-on-one on a customizable research project with our expert research mentors. Students work virtually while still performing cutting-edge research under the guidance of a research mentor. Our research mentors are experienced in the direct medical and traditional medical admissions process and will guide students on how to showcase this unique research experience. The goal is to give these ambitious students an edge by adding advanced research, data analysis, and a publication to their resumes.
Here’s what you need to know:
How long is the program? 10 sessions, completed over a 4 month period.
When does it start? Projects can begin at any time, even during the school year. Students can register in advance to secure their spot with a research mentor of their choice.
Who is this program for? Our students are rising 9th graders through college students.
What is the end result? Students work with their research mentor to complete a research paper and poster, ultimately resulting in publication in the Rising Researchers Journal.
What is the curriculum? The project is fully tailored and customizable to each student, but we do have a syllabus of course objectives.
No other research experience available offers the level of close mentorship and project guidance as our research mentors. Schedule your complimentary session today to learn more about the details of adding a Rising Researchers research project to your child’s college resume.
Want one more reason to join Moon Prep? Now, our rising seniors have a direct medical college application “boot camp” included in their Moon Prep experience! This summer, our rising seniors will be attending sessions covering the intricate BS/MD application process, including strategies for the medical-focused essay questions. Over seven sessions, students will get a valuable head start on their college applications and essays in a structured, supportive environment. Students receive eBooks, templates, and sample essays to help guide them through the application process.
Application iQ is an experience like no other and will help guide students (and parents) through the complete BS/MD application process.
Here are the details:
When does the program start? Every Wednesday (7/19 – 8/30), 7:00-8:30p ET/4:00-5:30p PT. It is 7 weeks long – meeting 1x a week
What is the investment? Free (live sessions), Paid (offline editing of essays)
Free: Moon Prep students can attend the live sessions for free. Sessions are via Zoom, interactive, and will assist students in getting a head start on their applications and essays in a structured environment
Paid: After each session, students will receive homework and work independently on drafts of their essays. All students are paired with a counselor/essay coach when they sign up. The offline essay edits/feedback will be billed at the hourly rate at sign up.
What topics are covered? The course syllabus and learning objectives can be found here.
Current Moon Prep students can register here.
Not a Moon Prep student yet? Schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more about our affordable services.
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