The Scope

The opportunity to network with medical school admissions officers is worthwhile for any pre-medical student. The Pre-Medical Student Diversity Forum, hosted by AMSA’s Pre-Medical Diversity Committee, gave students exactly that opportunity. On Sunday morning, students registered and were assigned to four out of the nine medical schools present. These schools were Florida State University, George Washington University, Hofstra North Shore, Jefferson Medical College, Mount Sinai, University of Florida, University of South Florida and Wright State University.

"The Pre-Medical Student Diversity Forum is going to be an eye-opening and robust event,” said Ryan Alderman, premedical diversity committee director. “It will give pre-med students a rare opportunity to directly interact with the astounding officers of medical schools, who are pivotal in the path to medical school."

Indeed, the forum was very informative for all of the attendees. The morning began in the Grand Ballroom of the J. Wayne Reitz Union with a welcome meeting led by Colby Skinner, director of the premedical diversity committee. Afterwards, students were given five minutes to locate their first workshop.

The workshops were led by medical school admissions representatives who gave useful information about their schools- admissions requirements, interview process, programs that are offered, and the kinds of students they are looking for. Most schools stressed diversity. Medical schools want students with different perspectives and meaningful experiences. They want students who are passionate about patient care and have experience interacting with others. One thing all of the representatives stressed is that you are more than your numbers. It is important to have a good GPA and MCAT score, but it is also important to stand out in terms of extra-curriculars and letters of recommendation.

Shirley Smith, the representative of University of South Florida college of medicine, stressed that your personal statement and letters of recommendation should express something that is unique about you.

The forum revealed a plethora of information for any student seeking to learn about the application process or the unique programs offered at the school. The medical school officers even encouraged students to ask additional questions.
“I thought it was very insightful,” said Daniela Sanchez, sophomore. “I felt like I got a lot of information that I could not have gotten elsewhere.” Sanchez and Annie Horneland, sophomores, wait for the opening meeting to begin in the Grand Ballroom in the picture to the left.

Not only did the representatives talk about applying, they also told students about the unique qualities of their schools. George Washington University for example, is located in Washington D.C. and is only a few blocks from the White House. The classes are small, so the community is very close and each incoming freshman is assigned a junior or senior mentor. The Jefferson University representative told students of its prestigious MD/PhD program. She also mentioned the urban location and the fall and winter climates. She tried to appeal to the Floridians who see summer practically year-round.

Overall, the event truly helped students get a sense of the application process and the nature of the different schools. To the right Patricia de la Cabada and Leon Chen, sophomores, pose with their PSDF bags filled with brochures and take-aways from the schools. It is safe to say that the Pre-Medical Diversity Forum was a success and that people are already looking forward to the next forum. AMSA will sponsor another forum in February.