Dr. 90210 is a DO!!!

Born in Florence, Italy, and raised in Tallahassee, Florida where he graduated from Florida State University High School, Dr. Will Kirby has a degree in Biology from Emory University – College of Arts & Sciences, which he received in 1995. He graduated with a medical degree from Nova Southeastern University – College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2000 and did his first year of postgraduate medical training in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center & Miami Heart Institute in Miami Beach, Florida in 2001. His dermatology residency training took place in association with Western University/Pacific Hospital of Long Beach where he served as Chief Resident in the Department of Dermatology.

After winning the popular CBS reality show Big Brother in 2001, Dr. Kirby went on to host NBC's Love Shack, serve as a medical correspondent for Extra, and even guest star on daytime's most popular soap opera, The Young and The Restless.


Dr. Will Kirby at work in his practice.

A licensed physician in California since 2002, with Board Certification in Dermatology, Dr. Kirby's medical practice is limited to clinical and cosmetic dermatology. Dr. Kirby currently appears as a featured physician on the fifth season of the number one show on E!, Dr. 90210, where he showcases his dermatology practice with an emphasis on facial cosmetic enhancement and complexion enrichment.

Dr. Will Kirby has an official fan site at www.drwillkirby.com where he frequently gets online for live chats and posts blogs about his television appearances and speaking engagements.

New DO School opening in Washington???

Here is an interesting article...

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Yakima businessman Al DeAtley initially thought the idea of building an osteopathic medical school here was absurd.

"When they first brought it to me, I thought it was a pipe dream," DeAtley said. He had been approached by people who wanted to launch the school as part of the new Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.

But the retired millionaire and philanthropist, who made his fortune building roads, is a believer now. It helped that his wife was a nurse at the old Yakima Valley Osteopathic Hospital in the 1950s, and their children's doctors were osteopathic physicians, not the more common allopathic physicians who have M.D. after their name.

Ultimately, though, DeAtley said he was persuaded to back the effort because the founding doctors were able to attract a significant amount of money for the venture from outside Yakima. They convinced an out-of-state financier, who doesn't want to be identified, to invest $13 million in a for-profit holding company for initial construction. The school is set to receive its inaugural class of 70 in August.

DeAtley, who has held several fundraisers for the school at his Scenic Drive home, thinks Pacific Northwest University will transform Yakima's identity and greatly boost its economy.

"I think it will make us more sophisticated, which should help recruit companies to expand here," DeAtley said. "It's going to bring some high-wage faculty. I think it means Yakima is at the tipping point."

Pacific Northwest already is delivering an economic and intellectual punch. It has a $3 million-a-year operating budget and 17 employees. Local contractors are constructing the first two campus buildings. Eventually, if all goes according to the board's ambitious plan, the 42-acre campus will be home to as many as 10 other training programs for allied health professions, from pharmacy to physical therapy. When fully built, classrooms and student housing will cover 500,000 square feet.

So far, eight osteopathic and two allopathic physicians have been recruited from other parts of the country to work as instructors and practice medicine locally. By the fall, 25 professional staff and faculty members are expected to be on board. Officials said most of the faculty has been hired and is expected to start arriving in February and March.

Dr. Linda Welch was persuaded to leave private practice in San Antonio to become director of faculty development. She had taught medicine earlier in her career.

"The opportunity to get back into teaching combined with the fact that this is a brand-new university really appealed to me," said Welch, who has purchased a home.

Welch cited another plus - the nearby mountains and the fresh fruit and produce.

"My first night here I spent in a B&B and woke up in the middle of a cherry orchard," she marveled. "It was beautiful."

According to Fred Tinning, Pacific Northwest's outgoing interim president, who has had a hand in starting five other osteopathic medical schools, many of these schools have started in rural areas like the Yakima Valley because part of their mission is to train primary-care physicians for underserved regions.

The state Department of Health says 38 of 39 Washington counties are short of family and primary care physicians. But Tinning said the shortage is most acute in the agricultural regions of Eastern Washington. Only one medical school serves the entire state - the University of Washington, an allopathic college. The nearest osteopathic medical schools are in Colorado and California.

Carlos Olivares, chief executive officer of the nonprofit Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, said he currently needs at least 20 physicians to meet demand at his organization's nine clinics across the state and in Oregon. That's why, he said, the board of the Farm Workers Clinic gave a substantial loan to the university.

"We have to prepare for the future, and part of that is to grow our own people who want to be physicians," Olivares said.


Boosting the local economy



While allopathic medical schools in the United States produce far more graduates, osteopathic medical education is growing rapidly. Three new colleges, including Pacific Northwest, are opening in the 2007-08 academic year. More than 20 colleges surveyed two years ago by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine projected a 25 percent increase in first-year enrollment over the five-year period between 2007 and 2012.

Osteopathic physicians, who have D.O. after their name, meaning doctor of osteopathy, receive much the same kind of medical education and medical board certification as M.D.s, and these days practice alongside M.D.s in hospitals and clinics. They can prescribe drugs, for example, and receive post-doctoral training to practice surgery and other specialties.

But while the differences between the two types of medical educations have blurred, only osteopathic physicians are trained in the signature therapy - manipulation - that made it a breakaway profession more than 130 years ago. OMT is the use of the hands to diagnose, treat and prevent illness or injury. Manipulative techniques include moving muscles and joints with stretching, gentle pressure and resistance.

Manipulation arose from osteopathic medicine's holistic, or "whole-person," view of the body, namely that nerves, muscles, bones and organs are inter-related.

Dr. Stephen Shannon, president of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, said osteopathic schools can respond more quickly to the demand for primary-care physicians than allopathic schools because they require less infrastructure, such as a large research institution.

"We're just more agile," Shannon said.

Allopathic educators agree, to a point.

"It's less expensive because they don't develop a research enterprise," said M. Brownell Anderson, senior associate vice president of the Division of Medical Education at the Association of American Medical Colleges. "But I would submit there are more new allopathic schools in the pipeline. We have 13 or 14 in various stages of development."

Rural osteopathic schools become important economic players in their local communities. The new dean of Pacific Northwest University, Dr. William Betz, said he saw that happen in Pikeville, Ky., when he was the associate dean of the Pikeville College of Osteopathic Medicine. That school, located in the heart of Appalachia, opened 10 years ago.

Although Pikeville has a 261-bed hospital, a shortage of both primary-care physicians and specialists forced many residents to drive to cities two or three hours away for medical care.

"Our health care dollars were leaking out to those areas," said Terry Spears, vice president of advancement at Pikeville College.

In the last decade, a medical infrastructure has developed in Pikeville that includes new physicians and specialists, and $70 million worth of expansion at the hospital, including services such as open-heart surgery and neurosurgery.

The University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health found in a recent study that each new physician in a rural community in Appalachia creates a $2 million annual economic impact.

Last year, Pacific Northwest University officials hired Cascade Planning Group of Camas, Wash., to estimate the economic and fiscal benefits to the community of a new osteopathic school in Yakima. Using conservative projections of the spinoff benefits of dollars spent and jobs created, economist Paul Dennis estimated an economic benefit to Yakima County from first-phase construction of $23 million.

Dennis said the county will see the biggest long-term benefit from the arrival of faculty and students.

"That's probably one of the best impacts that comes out of it because these people are going to be spending money that's new to the economy," he said in an interview.

At projected full enrollment of 370 students in 2011, 44 staff and faculty members will generate an annual payroll of up to $6 million. By the time the school opens next summer, employees will have spent $13.6 million on housing in the Yakima area and close to $1 million on taxable retail goods and services, according to Cascade.


Fundraising momentum



One key player in getting Pacific Northwest University this far has been Tinning, 72, who has been interim president of Pacific Northwest for more than a year. He said there's no single blueprint for success, but the effort has to start with the founding trustees writing their own checks before they approach the local business elite.

"You get to know people and you tell them your story," Tinning said. "People are a little hesitant at the beginning. They want to see progress. At the beginning, we weren't getting big checks."

The first significant donors were relatives of Dr. Lloyd Butler, the new university's board chairman. Butler, a now-retired family doctor in Sunnyside, began meeting in 2004 with other local osteopathic physicians about creating a health sciences university.

In June 2005, Butler's brother-in-law, Robert Haney, and Haney's wife, Charlotte, who are now retired and spend part of the year in Yakima, stepped up with a $1 million gift. That set the stage for the Temple family - owners of Columbia Basin railroad - to donate 19.6 acres of land in Terrace Heights valued at $7.2 million.

With $5.6 million it had in the bank, the nonprofit university bought another 23 acres. The university sold the combined 42.6 acres to Yakima Medical School Holdings for $12.9 million.

Yakima Medical School Holdings, which is leasing the land back to the university, is a for-profit company created by the unidentified out-of-state businessman who bought the land. New president Dr. Stan Flemming, who recently was named to succeed Tinning, said the deal was structured this way to free up cash so the university could start building and recruiting students and faculty. The university reserved the option to buy the lease.

Tinning said the groundbreaking ceremony in May, which drew 600 people, helped attract additional donors. The university recently honored Helen Jewett, a leading Yakima philanthropist, for making a significant contribution, although it's not publicizing the amount. Pat and Marvin Sundquist also will be recognized for their contribution.

Butler said most contributors want to remain anonymous to protect their privacy.

The fundraising effort hasn't all gone smoothly. The university had a sizable commitment lined up from a large corporation in Alaska but it was withdrawn. Officials say they don't know if that was related to the problematic credentials of Dr. Greg Mick, the founding chairman of the board. Mick resigned in October 2006 after officials learned he had surrendered his Alabama medical license. The state had filed charges against him related to patient complaints.

Butler said the trustees were determined not to let the episode with Mick hurt the new school. A major turning point, he said, came last March. After months of due diligence, the board of Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital voted unanimously to donate $1 million to the university. The hospital would benefit from having more primary care doctors in the community.

The university has more than 30 grant applications or letters of inquiry out to corporations such as Wal-Mart. It's also seeking funding from tribal foundations in the Northwest, including the Yakama Nation.


Competing with UW



Fundraising will continue to be a big job for new president Flemming. He said the school is on target to raise $20 million to finish and equip the 60,000-square-foot, two-story college and hire faculty and staff for the August opening.

The second phase of the development, to begin in 2012, will cost an estimated $100 million. 2012 is when the first class is set to graduate.

As far as recruiting quality faculty and staff, Flemming said that's been easier than expected. Most of the 25 positions are already filled. Flemming is also steering the university through the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation process. Last April, the school received pre-accreditation approval. After a site visit in July, provisional accreditation was granted. Full accreditation doesn't occur until the first class graduates.

Flemming said his other major priority is to attract top students - which he defines as only those who can survive a multi-layer screening process that begins with grades and medical admissions aptitude tests and ends with a personal interview.

So far, more than 1,200 students have applied for the 70 seats.

"There are only a certain number of seats totally, so when you're looking at the candidates, they are already running in the top 3 to 5 percent of their class," he said. "Then you narrow that pool down even further."

At UW, where 3,500 students apply for fewer than 200 positions, Dr. John Coombs, vice dean of rural health and graduate medical education, has a similar assessment.

"There are far more people interested in becoming physicians than (there are) slots," he said. All UW resident training programs accept osteopathic physicians, he said.

Flemming rejects the idea that his new school can't compete with the University of Washington medical school for the best students - even though the state school charges $17,400 a year tuition compared with $30,000 at his school.

"I have no concerns about losing the best students to UW," he said.

(Associated Press)

Mini-Med School

You wanna know what med school is REALLY like?! Check out Mini-Med School hosted by the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Course Topics & Dates
Lectures start at 7 p.m. and run to 8:30 p.m.

(Feb. 12) Now you see it - CT, MRI & the Visible Human
How technology assists medical students and physicians to visualize the human body
Cal Hisley, Ph.D.

(Feb. 19) The bones know all - New directions for osteopathic medicine
Understanding the body's structure as a basis for wellness
Brad Klock, D.O.

(Feb. 26) Almost human - Technology and simulations in medical education
Computer-driven models aid in clinical learning
Greg Kolbinger, M.S., PA-C

(March 4) Our invisible self - The Human Genome and promises for future treatment
How we benefit from understanding the incredible complexity of life.
Tom Breithaupt, Ph.D.

(March 11) Our search for wellness - Chronic disease and new strategies for wellness
What is being done to address the issues faced by an aging population
Bill Appelgate, Ph.D.


$10 Fee for students (elementary through grad school) $25 otherwise covers all sessions. Deadline for registering: first night of class

Osteopathic Medical Schools MCAT scores

Osteopathic Medical Schools listed in descending order by total MCAT


1.) Western University of Health Sciences / College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (Pomona, CA) MCAT: 10.00, 9.00, P, 9.00 total= 28

2.) University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey UMDNJ - School of Osteopathic Medicine (Strattford, NJ) MCAT: 9.24, 9.00, Q, 8.54 total= 26.78

3.) Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University; MCAT: 9.01, 9.00, O, 8.76 total= 26.77

4.) University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (Fort Worth, TX) MCAT: 9.20, 8.72, O, 8.49 total= 26.41

5.) Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine (San Francisco, CA) MCAT: 9.07, 8.99, NR, 8.19 total=26.25

6.) Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State Univ. College of Osteopathic Medicine (Tulsa, OK) MCAT: 9.0, 8.0, O, 9.0 total= 26

7.) Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine MCAT: 9.05, 8.34, O, 8.45 total=25.84

8.) Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (Des Moines, Iowa) Average MCAT: 8.7, 8.3, O, 8.2 total= 25.2

9.) A.T. Still University of Health Sciences/Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (Kirksville, MO) Average MCAT: 8.8, 8.2, O, 8.03 total= 25.03

10.)University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (Maine) Average MCAT: 8.64, 7.81, Q, 8.52 total= 24.97

11.)Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine MCAT: 8.7, 8.0, O, 8.2 total=24.9

12.)Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (Kansas City, MO) Average MCAT: 8.64, 8.13, Q, 8.09 total=24.86

13.)Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Philadelphia, PA) Average MCAT: 8.31, 8.04, P, 8.20 total= 24.55

14.)Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine MCAT: 8.0, 8.0, P, 8.0 total= 24

15.)Ohio University Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (Athens, OH) Average MCAT: 8.32, 7.61, P, 8.03 total= 23.96

16.)Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (FLA) MCAT: 8.26, 7.76, N, 7.87 total= 23.89

17.)West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (Lewisburg, WV) Average MCAT: 7.3, 6.8, N, 7.8 total= 21.9

18.)Pikesville College School of Osteopathic Medicine (Kentucky) MCAT: 7.50, 6.90, O, 7.30 total=21.70

19.)New York Institute of Technology New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (Old Westbury, NY) Did NOT report

20.)Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (Erie, PA) Did NOT report

21.)Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine- (Bradenton, Florida campus)- Did NOT report

22.)Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - (Duluth, Georgia campus)- Did NOT report

23.)Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine- (Las Vegas, Nevada campus)-Did NOT report

-Courtesy Kirksville COM.

Nephrology here I come!

Greetings once again! I just wanted to drop a quick post stating that I have chosen Nephrology as my final career choice. In fact, it sounds like I have a job offer already for AFTER fellowship! I am so pumped! Anyways, I just want this to be inspirational for those of you out there trying to get into medical school. I definately was not the BEST applicant by far! I was an academic reject coming out of high school. I think I had a 2.2 or 2.4 GPA. Either way, my GPA sucked! I went to a local community college because a.) I was poor and b.) I needed to prove it to myself that I could handle the "college workload". I did well at the CC and transfer to a "real college" where I continued to do well. I took the MCATs, which I won't brag about here, but they weren't good at all! I worked hard, persevered. Thankfully, I was one of the lucky ones! I got into a DO school here in the states and will be pursuing a career as an interventional nephrologist! Pretty cool, huh? I just want all of you out there to keep my story in mind. I had no connections, no help. I basically did it from nothing and now I'm in residency! It truly is an unbelievable feeling!! I wish you all out there similar success. I'd love to hear your success stories or if this blog has helped you in any way!

Sincerely,

DOClass2007

American University of the Caribbean

Greetings again,
I am on vacation this week and I thought I would provide an new up-date to this blog. I've been busy with internship and all and I've been trying to decide which avenue I should go - private practice (hospitalist) or fellowship (nephrology). Regardless of my decision, you on the other hand are probably reading this because you WANT TO GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL. I can't blame you! Now is a good time to be a doctor (relatively speaking of course) because the DEMAND is there. In the next 15+ years, the number of physicians needed will be astronomical - likely anywhere from 4-10x the current need! It's all those damn senior citizens! lol. Just kidding. Anyways, if you were anything like me, you were looking to get in SOMEWHERE! Luckily for me, I got in to my top choice medical school in the US and on the first try to boot! Others, not as fortunate as me to earn a spot at a US medical school, either never fulfilled their dream or pursued a foreign medical school. The American University of Caribbean School of Medicine has been around for years. They have produced many physicians in the US and around the world. I've had the pleasure of working with some of their students on different rotations and they've all done well. The school will get you where you want to be - a physician in the United States. The facilities are top notch and the island (St. Maarten) is the most "Americanized" of the Caribbean islands. That means that the island has many of the same amenities that can be enjoyed in the states. I love Caribbean schools because they give you a chance! I know people with subpar (<3.0) GPA's and MCAT's (<20) getting in to these schools without difficulty. There are three entering classes per year, which is also nice. They typically allow you to pursue third year rotations at a variety of U.S. hospitals and they also have pretty decent residency placements for their graduates! The school has been producing physicians in the U.S. since 1978 and they have a good track record. They are considered to be part of the "Big Three" Caribbean medical schools - SGU, ROSS, and AUC. I recommend that you check out AUC's website for further details!


Here is the 2007 Match list for the American University of the Caribbean SOM:
Anesthesiology - (4)

Detroit Medical Center - Wayne State University, MI
Hershey Medical Center at Penn State, PA
NYU Medical Center, NY
University of Toledo College of Medicine, OH


Emergency Medicine - (8)

Earl K Long Medical Center, LA
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, LA - 2
LSU- New Orleans, LA
University of Mississippi Medical Center, MS - 2
St. John Hospital and Medical Center, MI
St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, OH



Family Medicine - (52)

AHEC Northwest -University of Arkansas, AR
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, CA - 2
Barberton Citizens Hospital, OH - 2
Beth Israel Medical Center, NY
Case Western-Metro Health Medical Center, OH
Central Washington Family Medicine Residency, WA
Deaconess Hospital, IN
East Tennessee State University, Welmont-Holston Valley Medical Center, TN - 2
Family Medicine of Southwest Washington, WA
Flower Hospital, OH
Glendale Adventist Medical Center, CA
Hazard KY (Appalachian Regional Hospital), KY
Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills – UCLA, CA
LSU HSC - Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, LA -2
LSU-Shreveport Health Science Center, LA - 2
Lynchburg Central Health, VA
Mayo Clinic, FL
Medical Center of Columbus, GA
Miami Valley Hospital, OH
Mount Carmel, OH
Munson Medical Center, MI
Oakwood Hospital, MI
Ohio State University Medical Center, OH
Palmetto Health/Richland, SC
Providence Hospital and Medical Center, MI - 2
Research Medical Center, MO
San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, TX
San Joaquin General Hospital, CA
Somerset Medical Center, NJ
St. Francis Hospital Center, IN
St. Vincent Hospital, IN
U Oklahoma COM, OK
Underwood Memorial Hospital
Univ. of Arkansas Medical Sciences Area Health Education Center Southwest, AR
University at Buffalo, NY
University of California San Francisco, CA
University of Maryland Medical Center, MD
University of Nevada School of Medicine, NV
University of South Alabama, AL
University of South Dakota Center for Family Medicine, SD
University of Virginia, VA
University of Wyoming, WY
USC/California Hospital, CA
Valley Medical Center, WA
West Jersey-Memorial Hospital, NJ
West Res Care/NEOUCOM, OH


Internal Medicine - (29)

Aultman Hospital, OH
Brooklyn Caritas (Mary Immaculate) & St. Johns, NY
Cleveland Clinic, OH
Drexel (MCP Hahnemann) U COM, PA
Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, CO
Franklin Square Hospital, MD
Kaiser Permanente, CA – 2
Maricopa Medical Center, AZ
Memorial Health University Medical Center, GA - 3
Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, NJ
Ochsner Clinic Foundation, LA – 2
Oklahoma University, Tulsa College of Medicine, OK
Orlando Regional Medical Center, FL
Pitt County Memorial Hospital/East Carolina University, NC
Providence Hospital, MI
St. John Hospital, MI - 2
St. Vincents Hospital, NY
Staten Island University Hospital, NY - 3
Univ. Oklahoma - St. John Hospital, OK
University of Texas, TX
West Virginia University, WV
William Beaumont Hospital, MI


Internal Medicine/Psych - (1)

Charleston Area Medical Center, WV


Internal Medicine/Pediatrics - (2)

Albany Medical Center, NY
University of South Florida, FL


Neurosurgery - (1)

University of Virginia, VA

OB/GYN - (14)

New York Medical College-St.Vincents Catholic Medical Center, NY
Oakwood Hospital, MI - 2
UT-Chattanooga (Erlanger Hospital), TN
Atlanta Medical Center, GA
Bayfront Medical Center, FL - 2
Louisiana State University Health Science Center, LA
Medical College of Georgia, GA
Providence Hospital, MI
St. John Hospital, MI
Staten Island University Hospital, NY
York Hospital/Wellspan Health, PA
Palmetto Health Richland, SC


Pathology - (5)

Baylor College of Medicine, TX
Indiana University, IN
LSU-Shreveport Health Science Center, LA
New York Medical College at St. Vincent's Hospital, NY
University of Louisville, KY


Pediatrics - (12)

Albany Medical Center, NY
Blank Children's Hospital, IA
Devos Children's Hospital (GRMERC/MSU), MI
Goryeb Children's Hospital, NJ
Johns Hopkins/Children’s Hospital at Sinai, MD
LSU SOM-New Orleans, LA
Michigan State University-Kalamazoo Center, MI
St. John Hospital and Medical Center, MI
SUNY Upstate Medical University, NY
T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital, TN
University of South Florida COM, FL
Winthrop University Hospital, NY


Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - (1)

LSU-New Orleans, LA


Preliminary/General Surgery - (2)

Monmouth Medical Center, NJ
UConn, CT


Preliminary/Internal Medicine - (4)

Brookdale Hospital, NY
Oakwood Hospital, MI
Staten Island University Hospital, NY - 2


Preliminary Surgery - (3)

Cabell Huntington Hospital a/w Marshall University, WV
Jewish Hospital, OH
Maricopa Medical Center, AZ


Psychiatry - (5)

Creighton University/ University of Nebraska, NE
Morehouse School of Medicine, GA
Pitt County Memorial Hospital, NC - 2
Temple University, PA


Radiology/Diagnostic - Transitional - (1)

Providence Hospital, MI


Surgery/General - (5)

Maricopa Medical Center, AZ
Northwestern Memorial Hospital, IL
Union Memorial Hospital, MD
University of Texas, TX
York Hospital, PA

UAG Medical School - Mexico

So, it's been a little while since I've posted to this blog. I hope people are still visiting and exploring their options for medical school. As you know, if you've been reading this blog's previous posts, I'm a recent graduate of an osteopathic medical school here in the US. But, I want this blog to be more than just about DO schools. I want to share your options with you as you explore medical schools. One "off-shore" school that has been around probably the longest is the UAG medical school. UAG stands for the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico. It had been the medical school of choice for many aspiring doctors in the 1970's because admissions to US school was just too darn difficult. UAG accepts US students as well as students from native Mexico. You can become fully licensed in the US and the school has many connections with US hospitals for you rotations. The school offers two entering classes per year, which is nice. They also have a rolling admissions process. According to their website, you must have the "usual" pre-reqs in addition to a 3.0 GPA. Granted, that is what they say, but I know of people with less than a 3.0 GPA and they got accepted. The school also requires that you at least SIT for the MCAT. So, it's definately an option if you did poorly on the MCAT. The admissions committee will look at each applicant in terms of their past experiences and they maintain "the broadest range of evaluation criteria". The only downside to this school is that it is five years instead of the usual four, but I'm pretty sure that includes the fifth pathway year. On their website, you can find a complete listing of residency matches. Please take a look at UAG medical school as an option for your medical education.

Caribbean medical school review - American University of the Caribbean

Greetings! It's been a while since I've posted on this blog for a variety of reasons. First, even though I'm finishing up medical school and graduating in a week and a half, I'm busier than ever. I'm trying to tidy up loose ends with school, bills, the wife, etc. Let's just say I'm a busy guy! Anyways, I think all good things need a new direction once in a while. That why, for the next few posts (or more) I'll be reviewing most of the Caribbean medical schools out there. I don't know what it is about them, but I'm fascinated with them. I'd like to start one someday, in fact! Just kidding...but I'm not if it would go through because these schools make their owners large amount of cash! I'm talking hand-over-fist kinda cash! They probably make more in one year than I would my whole career as an internist! Anyways, The first school I want to review will be AUC - American University of the Caribbean. This school has been around like 30 years! It has catered to Americans who were unsuccessful in getting into the United States programs. It's a fairly descent school. I rotated with a girl who went there and she did alright I guess. I also know a couple practicing physicians in the area that went to AUC and are doing well for themselves. I know one is an OBGYN and the other is anesthesia. I think the bottom line with AUC like all the others is that you need to go where you will succeed. I mean, if you are gonna dump a load of money on medical school, do it where you know you will succeed, pass your tests, study for boards, etc. Luckily for the students at AUC, they are on the island of St. Maarten, which is a beautiful touristy island with similar amenities of the U.S. The student I rotated with loved it! She wanted to move back after her residency she loved it THAT MUCH! Anyways, because this is a review I have to bring the good with the bad. The bad - you are in the Caribbean and not in the States (which can be viewed as a good thing). But, for your education, it's best to try to stay in the United States. However, because they offer the below-average student a chance to attend medical school and they've been doing it for more than 30 years, I'd say you have to give them a chance! Their average admission stats look something like this: 2.8-3.3 GPA (roughly) and a 19-24 Avg. MCAT score. Granted, some people will have higher and lower values just because these are rough averages. I'd say if you had good letters of recommendation and some solid extra-curriculars, you'd be in good shape. AUC's website says "American University of the Caribbean attracts students with diverse backgrounds and high aptitudes for academic success". There are three entering classes per year.

90% are U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
4% are Canadians
6% are International

40% are Female students
60% are Male students

98% have Bachelor's degree or pending degree
7% have Master's degree
0% have Doctorate degree

Average Cumulative GPA: 3.2
Average Science GPA: 3.1
Average MCAT: 23

Tuition rates are:

Tuition Per Semester

Basic Sciences:

Semesters 1-4: $12,000/semester
Semester 5: $13,000

Clinical Sciences:

Semesters 6-9: $13,250/semester
Semester 9.5: $6,625

You can get FFELP loans through the University. Their residency appointments are really pretty good too. Their website says they have someone who match neurosurgery! That's not too shabby for a Caribbean School. If you went here, however, I'd plan on matching in one of the primary care disciplines such as FP, IM, Peds, (maybe) OBGYN - it's getting competitive again. Don't worry, if you did an IM or peds residency after your graduate from AUC, you can still be a cardiologist or a pediatric endocrinologist. What matters more for fellowships is where you did your residency and not as much where you went to medical school. AUC's alumni are listed on their website, so you can take a look for yourself. I hope you go and visit their website to learn more. I'll be back later on to review another Caribbean medical school.

Just weeks till graduation...

So I'm almost a doctor. Wow! It's kinda scary to be honest with you. I mean the transition from student to resident to not smooth. In fact, it's jagged and rough because one moment you can get away with not knowing something to having to know everything all the time. Granted, I am looking forward to my long white coat and those initials after my name. It feels pretty cool to be honest with you. I know this is a pre-medical blog, but I wanted to take a minute to reflect on my final days as a medical student. I've been a student for so long it'll be nice to collect a paycheck. Many of you are far from this stage. Don't worry. I'll try my best to help you get there. Medical school is a long road with many difficult twists and turns. However, I am proof that if you work hard and stay focused on your goal of becoming a physician, anyone can do it! Best of luck!

Paying homage to my advertisers...

I am a little perturbed that St. George's University, arguably the top Caribbean medical school, isn't displaying ads on my website. I don't even have Ross, the close number 2! I've had some love from UAG in Mexico and ASUM in Aruba. So, I'd like to thank my advertisers for their support. I can add a little credibility to UAG. It has been around for nearly 70 years and has been home to many American students studying medicine abroad. It provided many Americans who were unable to gain admission to medical school in the United States an opportunity to pursue their dreams. In fact, one of the OBGYNs in my hometown went to UAG back in the 1980's. I think the 1980's was a particularly difficult time to get into medicine because it paid well and was a well-respected profession. It still is to some degree, but not like in the 1980's!

I'd take a look their site. I like to use this forum to expose you to all of your potential options. UAG is a reputable medical school. Admissions are that you must take the pre-reqs, obtain a 3.0 GPA, and you need to take the MCAT. That's pretty much it! They offer 2 entering classes per year - August and January - and they accept a lot of students. So, your chances are pretty good. Please take a look for yourself and see if UAG is the school for you. Again, I'd like to add that if you can get into an American medical school (osteopathic included), I'd go that route. However, if you fail to gain acceptance after three tries, please consider foreign schools if you still want to be a doctor. That's all I have for now. Check back soon.

What is the secret to getting into a DO school?

I am a graduating osteopathic physician. Tomorrow is my last day! Yeah! It hasn't been that hard, really - especially in the fourth year. I've basically been on cruise control since September. He He. I'm on Allergy right now and I'm loving it! The hours are hard to beat. So, anyways, I figured you guys were missing me so I thought I was write a piece on getting into a DO school. Of course, good grades and MCATs are pre-reqs for getting an interview. Once you get an interview, your chances for admission go from 1-in-10 to 1-in-3, roughly. So, getting the interview is the hardest part. And, let's extrapolate from my ratios and say comfortably that if you get 3-4 interviews (especially at DO schools), your chances of getting into one of them is pretty good. I'd say the intangibles to getting into medical school rest in your interview and your experiences. Obviously, if you get an interview, you've done well up to this point! Congratulations! That usually means that your "numbers" are competitive enough for admission. Now, they want to get to know you better. Here is where you have to step it up because now the competition gets fierce. You and the other interviewees are basically on an even playing field at this point. The interview is clutch. You must nail it. Dress appropriately and clean and bathe yourself! he he. Next, make sure you think about those Oh-so-important questions such as "Why do you want to go to an osteopathic medical school?", "Where do you see yourself in ten years?", etc. Be prepared to answer why you didn't shadow a DO if you haven't done so. This leads me to my other recommendation. Your experiences are important as well. They lend for good conversation pieces in the interview. Most DO school interviews are laid back, so you'll end up talking about yourself and all the amazing golf outings, camping trips, and ballroom dancing classes you've taken, etc. You get the idea. But, I'd highly recommend you get to know a DO. Get to know them well. They can easily make a call to their Alma mater, which can get you that interview! That is SO HUGE! Plus, you need to see for yourself what a DO looks like. Yeah, we all have three heads and a magnetic force around us that glows! Just kidding. You can say that you've been looking into osteopathy and agree with their principles. You can honestly tell your interviewer that you know what the field is about and more importantly that you know what you are getting into as a physician. A lot of people want to be doctors without ever realizing what it takes to do this job. That is separate from getting in or actually going to medical school. I'm talking about life after school. Do you REALLY want to do this? It's not really a "job" per se. You can't screw up. A plumber can screw up. An accountant can screw up. All they have to say is "I'm sorry. I'll make it right for you." We don't have that luxury. Remember that. It can be difficult on your life and relationships. So be prepared for a shock if you do get in. Medical school, especially the first year, is hard. No doubt. It's meant to be difficult. It's meant to scare the heebie-jeebies outta ya! That's how you learn and grow as a physician. So, keep these thoughts in mind as you go about your days contemplating medical school. Find a DO to shadow or work for in a clinic setting. And finally, make sure your interview skills are polished and up-to-date. Good luck.

My top pick for caribbean schools

Say you don't get into an American school after a few attempts. That sucks, man. I'm sorry to hear that. However, your dream isn't dead yet. There are alternatives - Caribbean schools. Caribbean schools are for-profit institutions that accept a large number of students every year on a rolling basis. There are good, reputable ones and there are some that I would avoid. One school, my pick of the Caribbean medical schools would have to be....drum roll please....St. George's University in Grenada. The last time you heard of Grenada was probably in the 1980's when the United States military had to invade in order to rescue American students studying at SGU. Well, this for profit school has made quite a reputation for itself over the last 25+ years. Their admission standards are on-par (or above) some US medical schools. But don't get too discouraged because they are FOR PROFIT. They will give people a chance that didn't hack it in the US. Their average student has a 3.4 GPA and 25 or so on the MCAT. Don't worry if you don't measure up. I know a guy that is a fourth year at SGU who wasn't even close to those averages. The beauty of Caribbean schools is that they give you a chance to realize your dream while you can study in paradise! You can click on the links on this page to visit their site. Check out their residency match list. It's quite impressive. So, to conclude, I highly recommend SGU as an alternative to American schools if you can't seem to make it in the states. As always, I will give you my best with accurate information in order to help you achieve success. Don't forget to visit SGU's website! Adios!

New MCAT products

I know I've discussed MCAT preparation in the past, but now I will discuss specific books that I feel are necessary to doing well on the exam. Below, on the right hand said on this page, you'll find links to Kaplan products. Please take a look at them. I hand selected them because I feel they are most important in your preparation. I thumbed through the MCAT 45 book at the bookstore the other day and I really think many of you could find it helpful. It is packed full of useful information and the toughest questions that should get you the highest score possible. I wouldn't mess around with the MCAT. It's a HUGE part of your medical school application. Don't miss out on this opportunity to do well on the exam.

The other thing I'd highly recommend would be Kaplan's MCAT prep course. You can sign up for it from this site by clicking on its icon. It's easy and fast. Anyways, I think that for the money, this is your best bang for the buck! This program basically guarantees you a competitive score! How can you beat that!!?? Anyways, I just want to put a plug out there for some of my favorite products that Kaplan has to offer. I'd stick with the leader in test preparation for the MCAT - Kaplan.

A New Medical School in Michigan is formed

Officials from Oakland University and Beaumont Hospitals announced last week they will create a privately funded medical school on Oakland’s campus.

Beaumont and Oakland jointly filed a letter of intent with the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) to begin the process of establishing an allopathic medical school.

“Studies show that there is a looming shortage of physicians, nationally and especially in Michigan,” said Ananias Diokno, M.D., Beaumont’s Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. “This new medical school will help fill the gap.”

In addition to addressing the doctor shortage, the new medical school will have a significant economic impact on southeast Michigan. According to the AAMC, the economic impact of medical schools and teaching hospitals is $451 billion nationwide, $18 billion alone in Michigan.

“Beaumont is the largest, private-staff model teaching hospital and academic medical center in the country,” said Kenneth J. Matzick, President and CEO, Beaumont Hospitals. “Becoming the primary teaching hospital and equal partner of a medical school is the logical next step.”

Officials said the first two years of the four-year curriculum will consist of basic medical science in classrooms and labs on Oakland’s campus. Students are placed in hospitals for clinical rotations in years three and four at Beaumont’s two hospitals in Royal Oak and Troy, Michigan. The medical school will be funded by foundations, individual and corporate donations. Plans to erect a new building to house the medical school on Oakland’s campus have already been discussed.

The charter class is expected to be admitted in 2010.

US NEWS TOP MEDICAL SCHOOLS

The US NEWS and World Report published their rankings of top (MD) medical schools in the country. Here is a short sample:

1.) Harvard University: 3.81 GPA, 11.7 Avg. MCAT, 4.7% acceptance
2.) Johns Hopkins: 3.85 GPA, 11.6 Avg. MCAT, 6.2% acceptance
3.) University of Pennsylvania
4.) Washington University - St. Louis
5.) University of California - San Francisco
6.) University of Washington
7.) Stanford University
8.) Duke University
10.) Baylor University (tie)
10.) Columbia University - NY (tie)

There is a list of the top ten. I thought many of you would find it interesting. Enjoy!

MCAT prep - Part II

Here is my analysis of what resources you should use according to previous experience, discussing with friends who have 35 and 36 MCATs, and my overall impression of what is good and what is not. First of all, I think a Kaplan MCAT question book is essential. I'd start working through these questions about a month before your exam. Gradually advance your testing by timing your exams as you get further into the book. Next, use the Exam Krackers series. I used the verbal reasoning and I thought it seemed to help me prepare, even though I didn't do as well as my friends. They, too, however, used this resource and found it helpful. There is a complete set of books, which is nice. If you have the means, I'd get the whole set. If you had to pick just one, I'd get the verbal reasoning. I also like the Kaplan MCAT book. I think it is pretty complete and offers you tons of information in one nice location. I'd like to recommend that you take a review class. Kaplan offer a nice class. I didn't do it, but I know people who did and found it helpful. It can be pricey - like $2,000. But if you REALLY want to get into medical school, it's worth it! I hope this concise list of references will be helpful for you. It should serve as a guide to help you decide which resources are worth the money and which ones aren't. Take care.

MCAT preparation

Please stay tuned as I am refining my MCAT prep blog entry as we speak! I want to provide you with the MOST up-to-date information I can about preparing for the MCAT. It's no doubt that this test is very important to gaining acceptance to medical school. You must do your best. Even I got in with a 20!!! Don't let people sway you if you do poorly on the exam. Prepare, work hard, pick up a good work book and go to town! I will research some texts and tell you my top picks! Granted, I have no monetary gain from this. I just want you to beat my measly score! If you can do that - you stand a chance! Please keep me up-to-date on topics that you'd like to discuss. Until next time...take care and best of luck! I'll be back soon!

Osteopathic Medicine

Osteopathic Medicine was founded by Andrew Taylor Still, a M.D. surgeon who fought in the civil war. He thought there had to be a "better way" to care for his patients. Through his investigations and study, he found that the body is a system of inter-related organs and incorporated this philosophy as the foundation of osteopathy today. Osteopathic schools differ from their allopathic (M.D.) counterparts in two distinct ways. One, they view the body as a whole - a system of inter-related systems that reside in a harmonious balance with one another. Two, through their knowledge of the musculoskeletal system, osteopathic physicians are masters at using osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). This is similar to chiropractic, but don't tell a DO that they are a chiropractor. We believe that when then body is misaligned and "somatic dysfunction" is present, the body doesn't function optimally and vice versa.

D.O.'s are fully licensed physicians and surgeons and are represented in nearly every medical specialty. They CAN incorporate OMM as a part of the therapy. It is taught in D.O. medical schools that OMM is used along with conventional therapies such as drugs and surgery. It is a common misconception that manipulation is all that they know how to do. That is false. It is sad, but many pre-med students are unfamiliar with Osteopathic Medicine. In the United States, the D.O. degree is considered to be equal and equivalent to the MD degree. There are osteopathic medical schools all of the country and more are popping up almost yearly. And like I said before, they practice in every medical specialty - anesthesiology, radiology, orthopedic surgery, etc. Their level of compensation is exactly that of their M.D. counterparts, so they are in no way "inferior" to M.D.'s. The average accepted student has a 3.5 gpa and a 25-26 MCAT - on par with most M.D. "state" schools!

Here is a listing of the osteopathic schools in this country courtesy of the AACOM:
1.)A.T. Still University - Mesa
2.)A.T. Still University - Kirksville (the founding school)
3.)Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
4.)Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
5.)Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
6.)Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine
7.)Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
8.)Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine - Bradenton
9.)Lincoln Memorial University College of Osteopathic Medicine
10.)Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
11.)Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine
12.)New York College of Osteopathic Medicine - NYIT
13.)Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
14.)Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
15.)Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
16.)Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Georgia campus
17.)Pikeville College of Osteopathic Medicine - Kentucky
18.)Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - New York
19.)Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - California
20.)Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Nevada
21.)UMDNJ - New Jersey College of Osteopathic Medicine
22.)University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
23.)University of North Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
24.)Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Tech
25.)Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine - COM of the Pacific
26.)West Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Please visit the AACOM website here for more information!

Considering I'm graduating from a D.O. school this year, I am available to answer questions about the type of education I received. I am really thankful to have had the opportunity to attend a D.O. School. Looking back, I'm glad I went to osteopathic medical school instead of the allopathic route. I wouldn't ever trade those experiences for the title "M.D." over my "D.O." I'm proud to be a D.O. So, please feel free to ask questions. I am here to help.

What is the deal with Caribbean Medical Schools?

When I was applying to medical school, I investigated the Caribbean schools as my possible back-up plan. I was afraid my low MCAT scores would keep me out of an American medical school. These are for-profit schools set up by wealthy business men and women that will grant the M.D. degree upon completion of their rigorous training. There are many to choose from and their admissions criteria vary greatly. There are some reputable ones - namely the BIG 3: St. George's (Grenada), Ross (Dominica), and the American University of the Caribbean ("AUC" in St. Maarten). There are others obviously, but these are the big schools that have a long reputation of placing graduates into US residency training programs. Before the Caribbean rage, there was Mexico. Many of our parent's generation of physicians that could not get accepted in the U.S. went to Mexico to get their M.D. The Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara is the big one that comes to mind. The UAG is a major international player in the medical school game. More on this later.

You might be asking "Why don't I just go to a Caribbean school?". Well, the answer is this...you will be a FMG (Foreign Medical Grad). There are more hoops to jump through as a foreign grad than any other. There are sometimes visa issues and often times they do not get top programs - although this is changing because I know some Caribbean grads that have done quite well for themselves. But, the stereotype is there. The usually land Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Peds, Psych, etc. residencies - the non-competitive ones. You can see a listing of their match lists on their websites to see where their graduates are going.

The best thing you can do is to try to get in somewhere in the U.S. You can't beat home cookin'! There used to be licensing issues with Caribbean grads - not so much anymore, especially from the bigger, more reputable schools.

The admissions standards are generally lower for Caribbean schools. They are for-profit so they used to let anyone in that could pay the bill. Now, in order to develop their reputations, they do have requirements. You must take all the necessary pre-reqs and even sit for the MCAT. Although, there is no "set" number for MCATs and gpa's that guarantees success. Let's just say they'll give you a chance when no one else will and if you're ready to pay the price for your dream! They do offer you that chance to pursue your dream, which thousands of physicians in the US have taken advantage of fully! I'd venture to say for SGU (St. George's), I'd shoot for a 3.3+ gpa and a 24 MCAT (higher numbers to be on the safe side). For Ross, a 3.1+ and a 22 MCAT would suffice. I'd say similar numbers go for AUC as well. UAG (Mexico) as mentioned above requires a 3.0 GPA. The MCAT story with them is suspect. You probably just need to take it and apply. These schools, I must mention, do accept a large number of students (600 students), usually two to three times a year!! This could be good for you OR bad for you depending on how you look at it. It's good for you in the sense that you will probably get in. But, it's bad in that they accept a lot of students and a lot of those students DO NOT MAKE IT through the program, fail out, and go home poorer. BEWARE.

I don't know the rigors of medical school outside this country. I would venture to say that it is more difficult than at a US school for the simple fact of being away from home. Med school is hard enough! But, then again, you can't beat the view and the beach!! I like Caribbean schools. I do. But you must realize that they have pros and cons. You must be fully prepared for the complete undertaking should you pursue them. I would investigate them thoroughly. Check out forums such as Student Doctor Network as well as Value MD. I'd only believe some of what is said, but you can learn more about these schools from such websites. Just take the info with a grain of salt and of course - listen to me and read my blog! :-)

I would advise you to consider foreign schools ONLY if being a physician is the only way for you and you cannot get into school in the US after three attempts. That's right...I'd try...try again...and then try again - of course only after improving your application each time. Oh yeah...don't try to play the cycles. You have no idea where the cycle is and you'll get burned. Improve your application and then re-apply. If you fail to get in after three tries and being a doctor is the only thing you could ever do - then I'd recommend Caribbean schools. Please feel free to visit the websites of St. Georges, Ross, and AUC. Visit other Caribbean schools to see what they are all about. You can click on any of the schools listed on the top, right, and bottom of this page to go directly to their site. If you have any specific questions about Caribbean schools, please feel free to ask. I know them pretty well. I hope this answers some questions and alleviates some anxiety. Please, young doctors, don't sweat this med school thing too much! Remember that you can always fulfill your dreams of going to medical school...and you can do that on the beach in the middle of paradise!

P.S. If you apply broadly, YOU WILL GET IN SOMEWHERE. No worries friends!
Just be ready to work HARD if you go this route!

P.S.S. You can search for these schools using the search box at the top of this page. Just type in SGU, Ross, AUC, etc. and off you go!!!!

Let's break down some numbers...my analysis.

By all means, please feel free to make comments as you see fit so long as they are productive in nature. I'd like to hear what people out there think or what they would like to hear more of from this blog. Today, however, I'd like to offer my analysis of the current situation in the application process to medical school. Granted, using old numbers to predict the future does not guarantee similar results; however, looking at patterns can help you tremendously. It's funny. You'll see that medicine is all about "trends" and "patterns". Soon, you'll become concerned with a patients' blood sugar patterns or their cholesterol trends. So the same goes for applications to medical school. They are "cyclical" if you will. There are up years and down years for applications. Sometime in the not so distant past, applications were as high as 45,000 for roughly 16,000 spots. That number doesn't include DO schools mind you. Forty five divided by sixteen gives you 2.8. So, roughly one-in-three applicants actually enrolled. Now, the numbers are slightly down. In 2005, that number declined to 37,000 applicants for the same number of spots (roughly). That is almost one-out-of-two. Not too bad. But why?? Why did the numbers drop? Part of the reason is the cyclical nature of the application process. Other factors include the current malpractice climate, decreasing salaries of physicians, a broken system, whatever. Now is a good time to apply to medical school - the numbers are in your favor. Also, I'd like to add that DO schools (and Caribbean schools as well) are cyclical in nature too. I've seem to have lost track of how many DO spots a year there are now because I can't keep up with the tremendous growth of osteopathic schools in this country! They are growing like weeds! No matter - your chances for admission are probably at its peak right now. Looking at recent past trends and depending on what happens to health care in the next 4 years will ultimately determine whether the number of applicants goes up or down. You tend to see a reverse cyclical trend with business schools. What I mean is that when medical school applications are down, business school apps are increasing. Again, there are factors involved that I won't go into, but the point I'm trying to make has been made. Follow the cycles, but don't necessarily let them dictate when you apply. If you are a strong candidate, it doesn't matter so much whether you apply in an up year or a down year. You'll probably get in somewhere either way.

Take a look in the mirror, young doctor.

I've recently been taking a long hard look at myself in the mirror lately. As I end my medical school career and begin my new life as a fresh young doctor in this really crazy time in medicine, I've had to re-evaluate why I chose to go to medical school. I started off wanting to be a nephrologist. Then I wanted to be a radiologist, an ophthalmologist, an ENT, a general surgeon, a cardiologist, an allergist...you get the picture. I had to re-calibrate my thoughts and think about why I chose the path I'm presently on. During college, I was so focused on my goal - medical school - that I neglected many other areas of my life. At the time, I couldn't possibly believe there was anything else out there for me. I still feel that way today, but with some reservation now knowing what I know! I often wonder if I should have chosen another path such as business or computer science when I was in college trying to decide what to do with the rest of my life! Computer science is now a dying science in my opinion because all the "good" jobs are going overseas. Business offered no guarantees except the possibility of becoming a manager at a Steak-n-Shake, one of the largest on-campus recruiters at my school. None of those options appealed to me. However, I had always wanted to be a doctor. Ever since my mom's kidney transplant in 1993 I was inspired by the physicians that saved her to become one of them. It was my mission. It was my way to change the world! My how things have changed - even since 1993!! The way medicine is practiced today is even different from when I started medical school four years ago. The reason why I chose internal medicine was because I enjoyed my clinical medicine rotation and the possibility of pursing a variety fellowships - such as nephrology. But even more importantly, I chose it because I enjoyed physiology and pharmacology as a med student. I felt that those were my strengths. I believe it takes the same amount of thought when deciding upon a medical specialty as it does in deciding whether or not to go to medical school. All things aside (such as huge debt burden), you really must think carefully BEFORE you embark on medical school. It is the BIG LEAGUES if you will. One of the best pieces of advice I can give to you is to think about WHY you want to go to medical school. A little thought can save you time, money, and sanity! I'd love to hear what your thoughts are. Please feel free to share your thoughts on why you are thinking about applying to medical school. Also, don't forget to bookmark this site and come back often because I'm constantly updating!

How can I make myself more competitive?

There are several things you can do in order to help improve your chances of getting accepted into medical school. First, observation is key. It is important to become familiar with what the profession is about. So, shadowing is a great way to meet physicians, develop a rapport with them, and see what goes on in their practice on a daily basis. Most attendings would enjoy having someone around. All you have to do is ask! Medical school admissions committees also like to see that you know what you are getting into!

Research is an important component to any application. If you don't have an active research department at your college, seek out larger universities in your area or local medical schools. Contact the lead investigator either through phone or email and express your interest in their project. They would be more than happy I'm sure to have some free labor, even if it is just cleaning test tubes. The potential to move up with greater responsibility is high, especially when it doesn't cost them anything! Keep in mind, if you can manage to earn a little cash from it, by all means - take it!

Volunteering is another avenue that is highly regarding in the medical community. It shows excellence to service of others as well as the ability to multitask your life, school, and working for the community. You can volunteer in many different settings. First, you can volunteer in the hospital or a lab. There is also the America Red Cross and don't forget about church-related community events. Those occur weekly in my area! It is always good to be a little unique when it comes to volunteering, so make it your own and enjoy it! Do it because you want to - not because it helps get you from point A to point B. There are many sites about volunteering. You can Google search for them at the top of this page! As always...there is more to come! Please stay tuned.

What kinda numbers are we looking at?

I know many pre-meds are concerned with their competitiveness for medical school. I know I was one of them! In order to help alleviate some of your anxiety (or possibly add to it) let me dispel the common myth that you need a 4.0 GPA in order to get into medical school. Granted, a high GPA will help your application, but it is not necessarily required. Medical schools look at a variety of factors in order to determine competitiveness for admission. GPA is only one piece of the puzzle. So, generally, in order to be competitive at a US medical school, I would say you NEED a GPA of 3.0 or greater. I would say that if your GPA is less than this, I would take additional coursework to raise it above a 3.0. Now, your chances are better the higher your GPA. In reality, a GPA of 3.5 to 3.6 is more like what you should shoot for in order to be competitive to MOST med schools. Here's a breakdown from what I remember when I was applying:

Harvard Medical School 3.8
Washington University 3.8
Georgetown University 3.6
Saint Louis University 3.6

Most state schools 3.5 (University of Illinois, Missouri, etc.)

Osteopathic Schools 3.3 - 3.5 (Des Moines, OUCOM, NSUCOM, CCOM, etc.)

Caribbean Schools 3.0-3.2 (St. George's, ROSS, AUC, SABA, etc.)

This is to give you some idea of what different schools had for AVERAGE GPAs on admission.


Because GPAs only make up roughly 33% of your application, you want it as high as possible, but don't fret if yours isn't stellar. Your MCATs can save you if your GPA is on the lower side. For most private MD schools, a MCAT of 30 or greater is usually necessary to get an interview. Most state MD schools like to see MCAT scores in the 26-30+ range. Osteopathic schools, known for accepting more non-traditional students, will accept a wider range - 24-30+. And finally, the Caribbean school have the widest variation. These school are "for profit". That means they'll give you a chance if your marks aren't high enough for a US MD or DO school. St. George's in Grenada (www.sgu.edu) has the highest reported MCATs, averaging around 25 (but again there is a WIDE range). Ross and others require the MCAT but typically they will accept students with lower MCAT scores as long as they've proven they can handle the work.

Other important parts of your application is your personal statement. I won't go into that here. I may save that for another time. And finally, letters of recommendation are key. I'd get letters from physicians, professors, state representatives, basically anybody with any kind of clout! Trust me...it helps. If you are applying to DO schools, I'd make sure you have a letter from a DO and shadow them a couple times just to see for yourself - they aren't all about voodoo magic and wizardry! I promise. Please make sure you've shadowed or gained some clinical exposure with the attending physician BEFORE you ask for a LOR. Just a friendly reminder.

The challenge...

Depending on your current situation in life, the application process to medical school will vary. Assuming you go straight from high school to college, you will have a completely different path from those pre-med students who are non-traditional - those who choose to pursue a career before deciding on a medical school education. Assuming you are a high school student looking to go to medical school after college, please consider this advice. Do the best you can in school in order to get into the best college you can! (Obviously!) However, this plays an important and undervalued role in the admissions process that you may or may not yet realize. Going to a reputable college or university CAN help in some instances; however, this is not a universal point. I attended a community college for my first two years of college and then transferred to a private liberal arts school. Granted, I did well throughout college, but along the way, especially once I was in medical school, I realized that many of my peers had gone to outstanding colleges and universities located all over the country! This was very intimidating at first. Although, once I settled in and got to work, all that undergrad reputation went out the door! Anyways, back to my point. It does serve some function in your favor if you attend a more difficult undergraduate college, but it's not a requirement. I've been told by the director of admissions at my medical school that the "preferred" applicant comes from a liberal arts college and is a non-science major! Hmmm...How about that?!!!

So, let's say you graduate from high school, you get good grades and SAT/ACT scores, and you're off to a good college (or maybe a community college if that's the case). What do you do next?! I'd recommend majoring in whatever interests you most. Here's why - I believe that you will excel at what you find most interesting. You will want to study and learn as much as humanly possible about that subject! You CAN have any major when you apply to medical school. It's a common misconception that you must major in "pre-med" or "biology" or some other science or "-ology". Please major in your passion or at least what you like best. Enjoy school and most of all - enjoy life as a college student! You will have plenty of time to study once you are actually in medical school.

Once you are in college and pursuing your bachelor's degree, you will need to take the required courses for entrance into medical school. These include one year of biology, one year of general chemistry, one year of organic chemistry and one year of physics (which doesn't need to be calculus-based). Also, one year of English is generally required and a semester of statistics is highly recommended by some medical schools. It is best to find out what each school you are interested in is requiring and try to take all of those courses. I don't recommend stacking these courses on top of each other all at once. It is wise to show medical schools that you can handle a balance of tough coursework, which means that you can handle multiple difficult classes at once. I would not try to cram all of the pre-req's in a year. You want to shoot for A's and B's in these courses and you don't want to mess around with your pre-req's. Medical schools look at these courses very seriously. Generally, if you pace yourself over your first few years with your pre-req's, this takes you through your Junior year of college. It is at this point where you can sit for the MCAT.

The MCAT is the dreaded medical school entrance exam. It is composed of three sections: a biological sciences, a physical sciences, and a verbal reasoning component. They no longer (to my knowledge) require a written section of the exam. Each section is scored out of 15 although it is speculated that the verbal reasoning section is scored out of 13. Either way, a 43 would be the highest possible score. I have never met anyone with a 43 and as far as I know it is humanly impossible to score a 43 (or a 45 for that matter), so don't worry about shooting for that score. You don't need to ace the exam to get into medical school, although that would be nice if you did do so well! A good score is anything from a 30 and above. That is considered competitive for most American medical schools. Getting a 30 is easier said than done, however. There are prep courses offered by companies such as Kaplan and test books available for you to use in preparation for the exam. I must say that the MCAT is a difficult exam to study for. The questions were absurd and I thought it was nearly impossible to accurately answer the questions with limited info! In fact, I thought it was harder than either my Step I or Step II boards!! The MCAT is basically the "weeder" test for med school and you should know this coming in. Now, that's not to say that anything less than a 30 won't hack it! I'd say anything above a 20 (seriously) can get you in SOMEWHERE! My MCAT score was close to 20. That may seem low to many, but either way I'll be graduating in June! :)

So...to summarize, we discussed the big stuff - the required courses and the entrance exam. I'd say that is all pretty important information. If you are a non-traditional student, much if not all of the same applies - you have to take the MCAT and the required courses. It's HIGHLY recommended that you have a Bachelor's these days. If you don't have one, I'd suggest getting one. It'll help your chances of admission tremendously. Also, might I add that your work experience could be a tremendous asset, especially if you worked in a health-related field such as an EMT, Radiology Tech, or ICU nurse. I had fellow students in my medical school class that worked in these fields prior to med school and they were better for it. Should you forgo your college education as a chemistry major to improve your chances of admission by working as an EMT or Rad Tech, I don't know that's up to you. However, if you really want to get your degree in chemistry, don't change your major to nursing just because you think it will help! That's not smart. Do what you love first! That's the best advice I can give. I'd also like to add that being from an osteopathic school, I know for a fact that non-traditional students are highly encouraged to apply. I had a PhD, a Veterinarian, two Pharmacists, a few PT's, a lawyer, EMT's, and nurses in my class. You may want to consider osteopathic schools as a non-traditional applicant. You'd be pleasantly surprised with how well received you'd be!

Introduction to pre-med students

Greetings! I am graduating from a D.O. medical school this June and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to help educate pre-med students on the tactics needed for admission to medical school. There is much to discuss on this topic and I'd like to open it up to others who may be interested or thinking about medical school. I have spent countless hours online and reading various books on medical school admissions and I'd like to share my cumulative knowledge with you through this blog. There are many misconceptions regarding admission to medical school and I'd like to dispel as many of those as I can as well as open your eyes to other avenues for your future medical education.

Medical School admission is a difficult process - no doubt about it! Nobody said becoming a doctor was easy. I must preface this blog with if you are thinking about medical school for the glitz and glamour and high paying pizazz, you'd betting look elsewhere! Might I suggest Law school or better yet Business School where you can command six figures to start and then some. Let's face it, being a doctor today is not what it was 10, 20, or 30 years ago. Heck, even going back 4 years, you can see the changes (e.g. Medicare National Identification numbers, etc.). So, in the field of medicine with ever-increasing malpractice, overhead costs, and decreasing reimbursement payments, you need to make sure this is something you really WANT. You had better love it!

Before I begin my "free medical school admission consultation", let me tell you a little about myself. I am a 26 year old fourth year osteopathic medical student who will be starting an internal medicine residency in July. I love talking to pre-meds, such as yourself, about getting accepted to medical school and I will try to offer what I can in order to help you succeed. I find it very satisfying and somewhat entertaining hearing what many pre-meds have said or had questions about. What I want to discuss through this blog is not "classified" information although maybe it should be because I will discuss what "really" happens and not what is traditionally found through the various array of internet forums.