Category: Pre-med/Pre-health Advice

Ready, Set, Apply – What Schools Should You Choose?

By: Alessandra Santiago Where you will apply for medical school? Do you know where you fall within the matriculation metrics of your target schools? Want to figure out what your target schools should be, but unsure of where to start? Compiling your list of target schools is a key component in the admissions process, and it is […]

Ready, Set, Apply – Selecting Your MCAT Test Date

By: Alessandra Santiago While it is still too early to sign up for the 2020 MCAT dates according to the AAMC, now is the time to consider when you will take the MCAT,  in addition to taking a look at the budgetary obligations associated with taking the exam. Your first step is to head over […]

Ready, Set, Apply – How to Study for the MCAT

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: Alessandra Santiago The MCAT. The Great Academic Equalizer. No matter how well you perform in your undergraduate or post-bacc program, there is no replacing a poor MCAT score. As you embark upon the testing odyssey, bring along your finest time management and retention skills on the journey. You’ll need them. So, when is the best time […]

Ready, Set, Apply – Letters of Recommendation

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: Alessandra Santiago This fall semester begins the year-long countdown to submitting medical school applications. For many students, this is an academic year of unique stressors, both academic and personal. Now more than ever, time management is crucial to stay on top of the growing list of to-do items for submitting applications. At the start […]

Ready, Set, Apply – Welcome & Orientation

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: Alessandra Santiago Welcome to the inaugural article for our 2021 Med School Application Guide! Over the next ten months, we will walk you through the timelines, deadlines, and requirements on the American Medical College Application System (AMCAS). We will offer insight into each component of the AMCAS application, from when to sign up for the MCAT to when (and […]

Before You Hit Submit: 4 Last-Minute Tips for the AMCAS Application

Over the next eight days, many pre-meds will find themselves in one last push of proofreading in a dash to May 30th. Why? May 30th is the date that the AMCAS application is finally open for submission. This date marks the culmination of years of academic, clinical, research, and volunteer experiences for many pre-meds. Since the […]

The Top 4 Pre-Med Clinical Experiences

Along the path to medical school, many students choose to pursue clinical experiences to complement their pre-medical schoolwork. From scribing to becoming a volunteer EMT, clinical experiences can come in all shapes and sizes, and finding the right experience can be as challenging as it is personally enriching.  In this article, we will explore the […]

Does Pre-Med Research Experience Really Matter?

This is one of the most frequently-asked questions we hear from prospective applicants. Much emphasis is placed on this component of the med school application, so we think it is worthwhile to dispel some of the myths around obtaining ‘mandatory’ research experience before applying. So, does research experience really matter to Admissions Officers reading your […]

Gaining the “Patient Perspective”

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: Alessandra Santiago As future healthcare professionals, we recommend that pre-med students put a premium on gaining experiences that confer a lens into the patient perspective (of which there are many). At CU Denver, we seek students who have applied what they’ve learned in the classroom to outside experiences, especially those that expose them to […]

Out of the Classroom, Into the Ward: Valuable Experiences for Pre-Meds

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: Alessandra Santiago At the CU Denver Admissions Board, one of the most frequently-asked questions we hear from pre-meds is: “What extracurricular experiences make applicants stand out?” Our answer to this question is rarely as prescriptive as: “Do three years of wet lab research, volunteer for five years on the Pediatrics Ward, and make sure […]

Making the Grade: Your Academics for Med School

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: Alessandra Santiago The foundation for a pre-med undergraduate comes in the effort you put in to your time in the classroom. Doing well in challenging classes, electing to enroll in upper-division biology and chemistry courses, and successfully connecting the many academic disciplines that comprise medicine through your extracurricular work can demonstrate to an Admissions […]

How do physicians and nurses avoid burnout?

In this series we asked undergraduate students what questions they had for physicians and nurses. Check out the answers below!  If you are a pre-health student we suggest that you check out our Ready, Set, Apply series! This series is to help guide Pre-Med students through the medical school application process. To subscribe to this […]

Getting into Med School: Tips and Tricks

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: Alessandra Santiago With fewer than 3% of all applicants accepted in most of the nation’s top-tier medical schools, the competitiveness of the pool of medical school applicants cannot be understated. Compare the number of applications during the 2017-2018 cycle to the number of matriculations, and you see just how competitive the process can be: […]