Helpful Information
The admissions process to medical school can seem complicated and overwhelming. These resources, borrowed from UWSOM admissions, should help you to answer any questions you have regarding admissions and help you to improve your application.
Preparing to apply to Med School?
1. Volunteer: find something you are passionate about in your community, health care related or not and get involved.
2. Shadow a doctor: Many students are intimidated by this point — where do you find a doctor you can shadow? How do you approach them? Fortunately, this is actually one of the easiest experiences to set up! Most doctors in the community are interested and even excited to mentor and teach pre-medical students. Start by asking your own doctor, or look up providers in the internet from other specialities that you might be interested in. When you find a doctor, email or call their office explaining who you are, and asking if they would be available for you to shadow them for a couple of days. Remember to take note while you are shadowing of questions you might have, challenging scenarios you observed, things you enjoyed, things you didn't enjoy - this stuff will come up in your medical interview, so it is important to reflect after each shadowing experience.
3. Check out summer medical and dental programs
New York Times, Health section
New England Journal of Medicine
Atul Gawande’s writings (many of which can be accessed for free here).
Search the internet for “health care news”
Books and Biographies of famous scientists and health professionals.
Currently Applying?
- Check out the UWSOM Applicant Checklist
- If you are in Seattle in the spring, attend a UWSOM information session (these fill up early so snag a spot now! Info sessions from previous years are also accessible online here).
Interview Prep
Communication Skills- Listening Skills: Fact sheet on how to be ‘a good listener’ and an ‘active listener’.
- Toastmasters International: Become the speaker and leader you want to be. If you search this website, you will find three Toastmasters groups affiliated with UW, and more within the U-District, near UW Campus.
- Witt Communications: Communication Tips – how to improve your communication skills.
- Dale Carnegie: Secrets to Success, learn how to communicate with diplomacy and tact.“How to Win Friends and Influence People”
- Bioethics Department at University of Washington, School of Medicine – list of Bioethics Topics
- Jonsen, Siegler, Winslade. “Clinical Ethics” (6th edition now, but any are fine). Excellent case/core issue book.
- Center for Practical Bioethics, a nonprofit, free-standing and independent organization nationally recognized for its work in practical bioethics.
- Thomasma, Kushner. “Ward Ethics: Dilemmas for Medical Students and Doctors in Training.” Focuses on student issues.
- Atul Gawande, “Complications.” More contemporary and subtle issues, relevant for understanding challenges within the practice of medicine.
- Greg Pence. “Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics.” Many people like this book. More ‘topical’ than issue focused, like the Jonsen et al.
Get connected with AFERM
Mentorship
AFERM offers mentorship to students at the University of Washington who are interested in a future in medicine - if you are interested in being paired with a medical student mentor, please follow this link to fill out a survey so that we can best match you to a medical student mentor.
Mock Interviews
AFERM offers mock interviews to students who have been offered an interview at the UW School of Medicine and are underrepresented or disadvantaged based on their AMCAS application. Eligible students will receive an email from admissions on behalf of AFERM.
Please contact us using the below message box with any additional questions.
Resources for Applicants Invited to Interview
- This website has great resources about how to prepare for your interview, straight from UW Admissions:
http://www.uwmedicine.org/education/md-program/admissions/applicants/advice