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The University of Chicago UChicago Careers in Health Professions
§ Who: SASS and potential health professions applicants
§ What: Free Thai Food Dinner
§ When: Monday, February 11th at 7:00
§ Where: BSLC 240
¡ Why: Come ask us questions you have about applying this
year! We just went through the process and we want to share
our wisdom with you! (Also, free dinner is the best).
¡ Please RSVP in the Survey Monkey link in the email invitation
we sent on February 3rd!
¡ The Herd Mentality § Choosing schools based on prestige, top 10 lists § Applying to the same schools as all your peers § Consequence: competing against one another
¡ Strategic Thinking § Knowing yourself—numbers and personality § Selecting schools based on goodness of fit § Thinking outside the box
¡ National allopathic acceptance rate for 2012:
45 % of applicants
§ Nationally, students apply to an average of 14 schools, receive an average of 1.8 interviews
¡ National osteopathic matriculation rate for 2011: 36% of applicants
¡ Howard ¡ Creighton ¡ Morehouse ¡ Temple ¡ Dartmouth ¡ NYU ¡ Brown
¡ Mayo ¡ MCW ¡ SLU ¡ Tulane ¡ Rochester ¡ Wake Forest ¡ Vanderbilt
Don’t base your school selection on top ten lists!
¡ Numbers: Schools want to have diverse classes § Any given school will only have so many students from U of C
¡ Fit: How will you contribute to that diverse class? § Academic interests and accomplishments § Experiences and commitments § Personality and personal history
§ Honest self-‐assessment § Grades and test scores § Authenticity, motivation, commitment to medicine
§ Interpersonal skills § Exposure to diversity
§ What is your mission? Your vision? § Being strategic—finding YOUR range
¡ What is your hierarchy of needs? ¡ Nothing in life is perfect—don’t let the idea of perfect be the enemy of the good
¡ Consider the order of your priorities: § Are you willing to trade location for opportunity? § Are you willing to give up a year of clinical for a year of research?
§ Are you willing to take on huge debt to live in an expensive city?
§ Will you to go to a “less prestigious” school if it’s in a setting you love?
¡ What are your deal-‐breakers?
§ Location § Mission and vision § Curriculum § Support systems § Finances Ask: How do I rank these in importance?
§ Setting: Urban, suburban, rural § Communities the location will allow you to serve § Lifestyle you can lead in each setting
§ Size and diversity of patient base § Housing: costs; proximity to school § Transportation
§ Cost to travel home § Airport nearby?
§ Climate
¡ What is the school’s mission? How do you contribute to it?
¡ Review MSAR and school websites to find mission statements.
¡ Check out the current students section of schools websites
¡ “With a mantra of ‘Learn. Discover. Share.’, the school’s educational mission is to create a supportive and collaborative environment which empowers students to develop skills, knowledge and attitudes to become tomorrow’s leaders in patient care, public service, research and education.”
¡ As opposed to… § “[School] seeks to admit a diverse body of students who are interested in the intellectual substance of medicine and are committed to advancing the field of medicine, broadly defined (i.e. clinical medicine, biomedical sciences, health policy, medical education, and community health.”
§ Quality grades or pass/fail § Lecture/lab or small group § Block or classic course load § Systems-‐, organ-‐, problem-‐based § Clinical integration § Interaction with surrounding community
§ Research opportunities
§ Personal § Proximity to family and close friends § Your ability to find/build support networks
§ Institutional § Office of Medical Education
§ Advising § Societies § Academic Resources
§ Student wellness resources (counseling, etc.)
¡ Not just tuition, but cost of living § Housing, food, transportation, entertainment, etc.
§ How will you finance your life outside of school? ¡ Available financial aid ¡ State school vs. private school
§ Carefully review your state’s requirements for residency
§ Residency requirements are often school-‐specific
§ Think of your list of schools as being in a normal distribution (bell curve) § Reaches (tail) § Strong possibilities (middle) § Safety (tail)
§ While numbers may be a major factor in choosing reaches and safeties, remember the importance of a good fit in all school choices
Reaches Safeties
§ A chance for schools to gauge goodness of fit
§ School-‐specific information (biographical, essays, legacy, mission statement) § Review school’s website
§ It is essential that secondaries are in your own voice § Secondaries allow schools to learn more about you as an individual, behind the numbers
§ Your qualities, passions, and commitments are more important than any formula
¡ While UCIHP would love to be helpful here, we have agreed that coaching students on secondaries isn't really helpful to you or to medical schools.
¡ The purpose of secondaries is to find the right fit between student and school.
¡ Consequently, it is essential that your secondaries be in your own voice.
¡ On paper, the school believes you may be a good match (they see something that interests them and they want to meet you). Be excited.
¡ An opportunity to: § Bring your application to life § Update with new accomplishments § Contextualize any extenuating circumstances (if necessary)
¡ Explore the fit—yours and theirs § Interviewing is a two way street § Why should we accept you? § How will this school support my career goals?
¡ A great interview takes research, advanced prep and practice. (and more practice)
¡ The BIG question: Would I trust this applicant to care/advocate for my loved ones or possibly even myself one day?
¡ Those that are…. § Respectful and collaborative § Engaged, passionate, and committed § Humble and confident § Mature and honest § Informed and curious ▪ The profession ▪ Current events (e.g., health care reform)
¡ Why this profession/school? § In what ways do the mission, vision, values and goals of the school align with yours?
§ How does this specific school support your career goals? ▪ Population served
▪ Culture
▪ Priorities/initiatives
¡ Success is more than simply possessing the skills and experiences that make for a good fit—you must be able to communicate this
¡ Update contact information if needed ¡ Check email for invitations—accept earliest slot ¡ Review application materials
§ Identify common themes § Know yourself —strengths and weaknesses
¡ Review school-‐specific research ¡ Prepare thoughtful questions of interest to you and specific to school
¡ Anticipate questions—anticipate your audience ¡ Practice presenting yourself
§ Aesthetics: from how you dress to how you carry yourself § Content: speaking—articulating your narrative
Anything in your application is fair game for a question. If you are not prepared to talk professionally, confidently, and objectively about a situation, subject, or personal matter, do not include it in your application. NOTE: This is not the same as being devoid of emotion, but rather how to manage it.
Items missing from your application may also be fair game for questions. What’s out of bounds? ¡ Race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, handicaps, age, ancestry, marital status, plans for family, height, weight, credit history, military service outside of the US, mother tongue, and arrests without convictions
¡ What is/are your: § Vision: a future-‐oriented, detailed description of outcomes you want to accomplish
§ Mission: who you want to become—your purpose, your approach to life
§ Values: what is important to you § Goals: big steps along the way to accomplishing your mission and vision—aligned with values, and when complete, bring you closer to your vision
• Creating your narrative • Be prepared to tell a story about each entry in your activities list. Why? • You’ll feel comfortable articulating how your past experiences have prepared you (e.g., skills, abilities)
• You’ll be better prepared to answer questions you may not anticipate
• Practice articulating with different audiences: • Peers • Mentors • Informational interviews • HMC interview
¡ Guiding principles: § avoid anything that may distract the interviewer
§ demonstrate self-‐care—if you demonstrate that you are not capable of taking care of yourself, you won’t be trusted to care for others
¡ Not a fashion show—be yourself, but don’t overdo it
¡ No backpacks § Carry a portfolio instead § If necessary, carry a professional briefcase or messenger bag or women may carry a small purse
¡ Hair § Avoid the “just cut” look § Avoid: wild colors, outlandish styling, hair in your face, flipping
gestures ¡ Nails should be clean and neatly trimmed ¡ Avoid perfumes, colognes, scented lotions, etc. ¡ Avoid body odor and bad breath
§ Shower the morning of the interview § Wear deodorant/antiperspirant § Brush and floss your teeth § Carry toothbrush/toothpaste to the interview § Don’t smell like cigarette smoke or just don’t smoke the day of your
interview ¡ Piercings should be tasteful
¡ Sit in a skirt suit prior to purchase to be sure it is not too short
¡ Practice sitting and crossing your legs
¡ Be certain blouse is not too low—cleavage is never appropriate in an interview
¡ Blouses should be fairly simple and basic
¡ Pantyhose must be worn with a skirt
¡ Heels are OK, but be certain you can wear them confidently (and comfortably) for an entire day § Flats are okay! § Heels under 2 inches § Wear before the big day
¡ Neck line
¡ Sleeves ¡ Hair & Makeup
§ Less is more with makeup, natural is best
¡ Skirt is definitely too short
¡ Avoid flashy shirts or ties
¡ Suits should be tailored to fit well § Do not button the
bottom button of suit jacket
¡ Shoes: polished and broken in § Shoe color should match
belt § Blue or gray suit=black
or brown belt and shoes § Black suit=black belt and
shoes § No white belts
¡ No white socks! ¡ Wear knee-‐length dress socks
¡ Socks should match the color of the suit
A Case Study: Pritzker Schedule: orientation, interviews, lunch, campus tour,
exit survey Interviews: three 30-‐minute interviews: 1. Administrative Staff: admissions committee member 2. Faculty: clinical, research, or teaching faculty member 3. Student: current fourth-‐year medical student Note: Some schools also include community members or alumni
¡ Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) ¡ Aims to test
§ Ethics, professionalism, interpersonal relationships, ability to manage, communication, collaboration, and ability to perform a task
¡ The set-‐up § There are 8 to 10 stations with scenarios on the doors. § There is one applicant at each station and they are given a couple of minutes
to read the scenario § They enter into a room with the interviewer and have usually about 8 minutes § The applicant finishes and moves to the next station § Total time is about 90 minutes
¡ You can’t prepare for these interviews in the same way that you would for a standard interview
¡ MMIs began at McMaster University
§ http://ns.mcmaster.ca/mdprog/interviews.html Check out their website for an MMI training manual
A few of the schools that conducted MMIs last year: Duke, Stanford, UCLA, Tufts, RWJ, Virginia Tech, and University of Cincinnati
¡ Timing: arrive early and stay the entire duration
¡ Be professional and polite to EVERYONE
¡ Enthusiasm is ESSENTIAL! It demonstrates your interest in the interviewer, school, and the profession.
¡ Pay attention to your environment—how does it feel? Is it the right atmosphere?
¡ Look into host programs at schools and see if you can stay with a current student before your interview (saves money and is fun)
¡ Review table manners and formal dining etiquette—practice! http://www.etiquettescholar.com/
¡ Have a sense of humor—smile and enjoy your day J
¡ Avoid § um…err…you know…like...kinda…sort of… § up talking § Ending sentences with “right?” or “You know what I mean?”
¡ How to prevent the “likes” and “ums” § Prepare and practice before the interview § After a question, pause briefly so you have a chance to think before beginning your answer
§ It’s okay to have silence in the interview ¡ Enunciate carefully and clearly—speak slowly and at an even pace (do not rush some phrases while stalling others)
¡ Listen carefully to the question and do n0t interrupt the interviewer
¡ It is okay to ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you need to hear it again
¡ Answer the question that is asked ¡ Keep answers brief—some silence is okay ¡ Do not lead the interview ¡ Avoid the obvious: crying, excuses, cursing, bias, complaining, confessions, anger, confrontation
¡ Focus on the positive—never talk badly about others (e.g., schools, faculty, former employers, faculty, peers)
¡ Better to admit you do not know something (humility) than to pretend that you do
¡ Possible response: That’s an interesting question. I’ve never thought of it from that perspective. I would need to look into this more before I form an opinion.
¡ After this, do your research, and write about it in your thank-‐you note
¡ Do not get defensive
Body language is a form of communication—what is yours saying? ¡ Start with a firm handshake—practice! ¡ Practice active listening
§ Eye contact § Facial expressions—conscious and unconscious, be aware of these
throughout your day § Posture ▪ Shoulders straight, lean slightly forward ▪ Feet on floor, or, for women, legs crossed
¡ Be mindful of your hands § Avoid: fidgeting (playing with a pen) or gesturing too much § To keep your hands in control, have paper ready and pen in hand, as if you
are about to take notes ¡ Ask your family and friends about what you specifically tend to do, they may be aware of things that you are not
¡ Buckets § Background and personality ▪ Describe a time when you found it necessary to say something others did not want to hear.
§ Education and experience ▪ What exposure have you had to other cultures? What did you learn?
§ Familiarity with health care/the profession/ethics ▪ What role should primary care play in healthcare?
§ You as an applicant ▪ If you are given multiple offers, what criteria will you use to select one school?
§ Seemingly unrelated or personal § What is your favorite book and why?
¡ At the conclusion of the interview, thank the interviewer for their time. Ask for the timeline regarding the process and if possible, get a business card or contact information.
¡ Never underestimate the power of gratitude. Send a personalized thank-‐you note via email within 24 hours to all interviewers § Reiterate your interest in the school § Include something personal—a reference to the conversation you had with the interviewer
§ Often added to your file
When interacting… ¡ Play nice! They may be your peers and future colleagues—think: small world ¡ Goodness of fit: would you want to go to this school with these people? ¡ Find common ground, make friends
§ try not to think of them as “the competition” ¡ Remember, everyone is watching
§ Support staff will take note of your behavior § How you interact with other interviewees demonstrates your interpersonal and collaborative skills
§ Remember the purpose of the day—it’s not to find a date or drinking buddy
¡ Be a helper—if you know something, share it
¡ Interviews with staff from a variety of disciplines and fields
¡ Begin Feb. 8 and conclude by March 29 ¡ Scheduled by Cindy Domecki once your AQ-‐14 is submitted
¡ 30-‐minute interview ¡ Review AG-‐14 for more information about interviewing
§ Know the true cost § APPLICATION PROCESS! (Dress, Primary,
Secondary, Interviews) § Tuition; Books; Fees § Cost of living § Interest on loans
§ Understand your financial aid options § Manage your money wisely
§ Use credit carefully—not all credit is created equal § Create (and keep to) a budget (www.mint.com)
¡ Grants and scholarships—need and merit based § Dedicated scholarships (Rotary, Optimists, etc.) § Scholarships for your demographics
¡ Federal student loans § Subsidized § Unsubsidized
¡ Service-‐based aid § Aid in return for a service commitment
¡ Other sources of aid § Family § Personal savings
¡ Like admissions, financial aid is rolling—the sooner you apply, the better
¡ Begin by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa. ed.gov
¡ Discuss options with the school’s Financial Aid Office (they, not us, are your experts)
¡ Keep abreast of deadlines ¡ Keep careful records of all your tax filings ¡ Visit the AAMC at https://www.aamc.org/services/first/
¡ When you’re living on loans and credit, compounded interest makes things astronomically expensive
¡ Credit card example: § A $2 cup of coffee bought with credit will cost, on average, $8 (if the account is paid off in 10 years), or $64.74 (if the account is paid off in 25 years)… and that’s with a good interest rate (13.99%)!
¡ Budgeting and frugality are your best friends!
¡ Review your credit reports from all three agencies (Transunion, Experian, Equifax) § Each credit agency is required to provide you with one free credit report per year
§ www.annualcreditreport.com, or each company’s website
¡ Ensure existing loans are in good standing § www.nslds.ed.gov
¡ Pay all of your bills on time
Questions?
