Podcast Summary
MSU College of Human Medicine: Emphasizing Community, Research, and Diverse Experiences: MSU College of Human Medicine, with a unique shared discovery curriculum, emphasizes community service, research, and diverse experiences for its students. Doctor Joel Maurer, the assistant dean for admissions and an associate professor, values these aspects and is an active mentor and leader in medical education.
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, located in East Lansing, Michigan, is a public institution committed to educating exemplary physicians and scholars, discovering new knowledge, and providing service at home and abroad. With a class size of 190 and a preference for Michigan residents, MSU accepted 492 applicants from 6,441 in 2018, with 27% coming from outside Michigan. The curriculum, called shared discovery, is pass/fail in the first two years and graded in the third and fourth years. Doctor Joel Maurer, the assistant dean for admissions and an associate professor, emphasizes the importance of community service, research, and diverse experiences in applicants. With over 14 years of experience in clinical medical education, Doctor Maurer sees the shared discovery curriculum as a unique opportunity to teach medical students using experiential learning and educational research. He is also an active mentor to medical students and involved in medical school leadership at the regional and national level. While Doctor Maurer's professional accomplishments are impressive, he also enjoys sharing the fun stuff that isn't in his bio, such as his love for music and the outdoors.
Embracing Personal Passions and Experiences: Dr. Mauer's personal experiences as a raver and career transition into admissions brought him joy, fulfillment, and a sense of responsibility. Embracing passions and opportunities can lead to a rich and engaging life.
Personal experiences and passions, whether it's raving or working in admissions, can bring joy and fulfillment in different stages of life. Dr. Mauer, a doctor in his fifties, shares how he still embraces his raver side and attends music festivals to connect with his youth. Meanwhile, his career transition into academic medicine, specifically in admissions, brought him a sense of responsibility and reward. He found personal resonance in the role and stayed for over a decade, eventually becoming the leader. Admissions work not only allowed him to connect with future healthcare professionals but also kept him updated with the younger generation. Overall, embracing personal passions and experiences, as well as new opportunities, can lead to a fulfilling and engaging life.
Tailoring Responses for Medical School Secondary Applications: To increase chances in medical school, tailor responses to school-specific secondary applications and consider additional assessments like the CASPER test.
Getting into medical school involves more than just submitting a strong application. While the common application provides essential information, schools like Michigan State use secondary applications to learn more about applicants' motivations, goals, and unique experiences. These secondary applications are school-specific, so applicants must tailor their responses accordingly to increase their chances. Additionally, some schools require additional assessments like the CASPER test, which measures personal characteristics through situational judgment tasks. The incorporation of these assessments helps schools make more informed decisions when selecting applicants for interviews. Overall, the medical school application process requires attention to detail, thoughtful responses, and a commitment to presenting a well-rounded application.
Holistic Review Process and Tools like Casper: Michigan State University uses a holistic review process to assess applicants, considering academic abilities, life experiences, and personal character. Tools like the Casper exam provide consistency in evaluating communication skills, ethical dilemmas, and other non-academic qualities.
Medical schools, including Michigan State University, value a holistic review process when considering applicants. This process includes evaluating academic abilities, life experiences, and personal character. The challenge lies in consistently assessing personal character from written applications, which is where tools like the Casper exam come in. Casper is an additional layer to the evaluation process, providing consistency in assessing communication skills, ethical dilemmas, and other non-academic qualities. Michigan State University specifically values good communication skills, compassion, a strong sense of social justice, and civic engagement in its applicants. The school aims to train doctors who will address healthcare disparities, making qualities like empathy and respect for diversity essential. The multiple mini interview (MMI) is another aspect of Michigan State's interview process that assesses these qualities. Overall, the holistic review process and tools like Casper help medical schools like Michigan State identify applicants who will make a positive impact in the medical field and beyond.
Gap years are valued by medical schools: 51% of entering medical students were aged 24-39, 88 of them were aged 24-29, showing medical schools value students who take gap years for personal growth.
Taking a gap year before applying to medical school is not a penalty, but rather an opportunity for personal growth. According to Joel, 51% of their entering class last year were between the ages of 24 to 39, with 88 of them falling into the 24 to 29 age range. This indicates that the school values students who take gap years. Joel believes that some students may not fully develop during a traditional 4-year undergraduate curriculum and that taking a gap year can help them focus on other areas that will benefit them in their pursuit of becoming a physician. From an admissions perspective, Joel's school is open to the idea and even encourages it for certain individuals. However, it's not necessary for everyone, and some students may be highly qualified after 3 to 4 years of college. Students may feel pressure from their parents or mentors to go straight to medical school, but ultimately, they should make decisions based on what's best for their personal growth and development. For those unsure of what to do during their gap year, Joel suggests ignoring the outside noise and focusing on their own interests and goals.
Exploring Michigan State University College of Human Medicine during interview day: The interview day at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine offers applicants a comprehensive understanding of the school through group programming, MMI interviews, and team building exercises, helping them make an informed decision about their medical education.
Taking a gap year before medical school is becoming more common and is often viewed favorably by admissions committees. Applicants may feel apprehensive about finding employment for a year, but there are resources available to help. At Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, the interview day is an all-day experience that includes programming about the school's curriculum, student body, and research opportunities. The interview day is designed to give applicants a comprehensive understanding of the school, and includes a multiple mini interview (MMI) component. The day starts with group programming, followed by MMI interviews for half of the attendees and team building exercises for the other half. The day concludes with a discussion of the AMCAS choose your medical school tool. Overall, the interview day provides applicants with valuable information about the school and helps them make an informed decision about their medical education.
Assessing Fit: Interview Day for Both Parties: Interview days at medical schools are crucial for both parties to evaluate each other, using methods like MMI and traditional interviews, with rest breaks to manage logistics. Effective communication and mutual information sharing lead to a beneficial experience.
Interview days at medical schools are not just for the schools to evaluate potential students, but also for students to assess the school and its program. Both parties are interviewing each other, and the interview day presents an opportunity for mutual information sharing. The use of Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) and traditional one-on-one interviews is a common approach, with MMI stations typically lasting 8 minutes each and traditional interviews being 30 minutes long. Rest stations are also incorporated to provide applicants with breaks and help manage logistical challenges. The MMI process can include collaborative stations where applicants work together, and the traditional interviews give medical students a voice in the decision-making process. Overall, the interview day is an essential part of the application process, and making the most of it through effective communication and mutual information sharing benefits all parties involved.
Michigan State University's MMI Interview Process: Michigan State University uses MMI to evaluate personal characteristics beyond academics, including one-on-one, collaboration, and role-play interviews. Applicants receive a hint for one question and appreciate reduced anxiety. The MMI complements written application and one-on-one interview in holistic review process.
Michigan State University uses the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) as part of their medical school interview process to assess applicants' personal characteristics beyond their academic records. The MMI includes various interview styles such as traditional one-on-one, collaboration, and role-play stations. Applicants are informed about the MMI format beforehand, but specific details are limited. During the interview day, students meet with current medical students for a one-on-one interview, where the medical student has limited access to the applicant's academic information to avoid bias. Applicants appreciate receiving a hint about one interview question beforehand to help reduce anxiety. Michigan State University's MMI is designed to complement the written application and one-on-one interview in the holistic review process, focusing on evaluating personal characteristics valued by the medical school.
Understanding the Medical School Interview Process: The interview process involves assessing applicants' written apps, CASPer scores, medical student interviews, and MMIs in a holistic and bias-free manner to make fair decisions.
The Medical School interview process is designed to get to know the real applicant beyond their written application. During the Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), applicants are encouraged to be themselves and answer questions honestly. The admissions committee then evaluates each applicant's written application, CASPer score, medical student interview rating, and MMI scores in an anonymous and holistic review process. The committee members discuss each applicant's "application portfolio" and make a decision based on three broad holistic review categories. The process aims to eliminate conscious bias and ensure a fair evaluation for all applicants.
Michigan State University's Thorough Medical School Admissions Process: Michigan State University's medical school admissions committee considers various factors beyond academics, requires a supermajority vote, encourages continued interest from waitlisted applicants, and values genuine interest to ensure a good fit for both parties.
Getting into medical school is a complex and rigorous process. The admissions committee at Michigan State University considers various factors beyond academic performance when evaluating applications. The committee requires a supermajority vote for a motion to pass, ensuring a thorough vetting process for applicants. Applicants are encouraged to express their continued interest if waitlisted or placed on the alternate list, but updates are only accepted during this stage. The committee values applicants who are genuinely interested in attending the university and aims to avoid admitting unhappy students. Overall, the process demonstrates the high caliber of students seeking a medical education and the commitment of medical schools to find the best fit for their institutions.
Michigan State's medical curriculum focuses on patient complaints from the start: Michigan State medical students learn to diagnose issues from the first year using a patient-centered approach, leading to a rigorous and unique educational experience
Medical education at Michigan State University is designed to provide students with hands-on learning experiences from the very beginning. Unlike traditional medical schools that focus on teaching normal functions in the first year and diagnosing issues later, Michigan State's curriculum is centered around patient complaints or concerns. This approach helps students think like doctors from the get-go, integrating various disciplines such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and pathology. A typical day for a first-year medical student involves a rigorous 60-80 hour workweek, with active learning from 8 am to 5 pm, and autonomy in the evenings. The curriculum is structured around a weekly patient complaint, allowing students to learn the underlying concepts and diagnose potential issues. This academy-style learning model sets Michigan State's medical program apart from others and provides students with a unique and challenging educational experience.
Implementing a learning society model with early clinical experiences: Medical students benefit from early clinical exposure, gaining practical skills and confidence before advanced clerkships.
This medical school is implementing a learning society model in their first and second year curriculum, while also providing early clinical experiences. Students begin their clinical education with safety training and skill development in interviewing, physical exams, and basic procedures. After eight weeks, they start seeing real patients in a primary care office, building confidence and applying their new knowledge. The early clinical exposure helps students engage with the material in a practical way and boosts their confidence before entering more advanced clerkships. Students have responded positively to this approach, finding it more engaging and effective than they initially expected.
Trusting the medical school journey leads to valuable experiences: Trusting the medical school process, even during uncertain times, leads to valuable learning experiences and better preparation for residency.
Medical school is a journey with a purpose, even if the reasons behind certain experiences may not be clear at the time. Trusting the process and continuing to put in the effort can lead to valuable learning experiences and better preparation for residency. At Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, students spend their first two years in a traditional classroom setting before going out to complete clinical rotations in various parts of Michigan. This community-based model allows students to gain real-life doctoring experience and see the impact of their education on patients in diverse communities. While the first two years are pass/fail, the assessment system becomes more traditional in the third and fourth years, with students being graded on their performance during clinical rotations. Overall, the goal is to provide students with the best possible preparation for residency and a solid foundation for their medical careers.
Breaking down silos in medical education with a new shared curriculum: The new curriculum in medical education integrates competency-based evaluations, departmental grading, and progress testing to provide residency program directors with a more comprehensive evaluation of a student's abilities.
The new shared discovery curriculum in medical education is breaking down traditional silos of courses and classwork, while maintaining a departmental grading system. This system allows departments to award honors grades for required clerkships in the 3rd and possibly 4th year, giving residency program directors a clearer understanding of a student's skills. The curriculum also emphasizes competency-based evaluations using a SWiPt (Service, care, patience, rationality, integration, professionalism, and transformation) assessment strategy. Additionally, the semester-by-sesemster assessment modality called progress testing is used, which involves students taking equivalent exams covering the entire body of knowledge at various stages of their training. This innovative approach provides residency program directors with a more comprehensive evaluation of a student's abilities.
Michigan State's Curriculum: Eliminating Binge Learning and Testing: Michigan State's innovative curriculum promotes active engagement, increases exam requirements, and offers specialized programming, leading to similar pass rates and higher Step 1 scores.
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has implemented a curriculum designed to eliminate binge learning and testing, instead promoting active engagement and retention of material. Students are encouraged to prepare for class and engage in discussions, with exam requirements increasing each semester. This approach has shown promising results, with a similar pass rate to the legacy curriculum but an average Step 1 score increase of 5 points. Michigan State also offers specialized curricular programming and certificate opportunities for students interested in rural medicine, underserved populations, and public health. Additionally, an alternative acceptance pathway is available for applicants who may need additional academic support. Overall, Michigan State's forward-thinking curriculum and resources aim to set students up for success in their chosen medical pursuits.
Choosing Meaningful Experiences for Medical School Applications: When applying to medical school, select experiences that demonstrate a clear connection to the medical field, but also explain how non-clinical experiences have influenced your desire to become a doctor and future career in healthcare.
When applying to medical school, the experiences listed in your application as your most meaningful should ideally have a clear connection to the medical field. However, it's important to remember that each admissions committee may have different priorities. If one of your most meaningful experiences is not directly clinical, make sure to explain how it has influenced your desire to become a doctor and how it will contribute to your future career in healthcare. Additionally, some programs may prioritize research experience, so make sure to consider that as well when selecting your most meaningful experiences. Overall, be thoughtful and reflective when choosing your most meaningful experiences and use them as an opportunity to convey how you see yourself contributing to the healthcare field in the future.
Reference past experiences but don't repeat them: Avoid repeating experiences in personal statement, show resilience and adaptability through new experiences
While writing a personal statement for medical school applications, it's acceptable to reference experiences mentioned in the experiences section, but don't make your personal statement a repetition of your resume. Admissions committees value applicants who demonstrate resilience and the ability to learn from challenging experiences. If you're feeling stuck and unsure of how to step out of your comfort zone, consider trying new things, even if they're unfamiliar or outside your current peer group. These experiences can help you grow and prepare for the challenges you'll face in medical school and beyond. Remember, medical schools are looking for well-rounded individuals who can adapt and thrive in diverse situations.
High school experiences matter but prioritize recent and significant ones: Focus on high school experiences that demonstrate dedication to medical field and growth as future healthcare provider, but prioritize recent and significant experiences
Medical school applications value the experiences you've had since leaving high school, but there's some wiggle room for relevant high school experiences. When deciding what to include, consider the significance of each experience and whether it complements your post-high school experiences. High school experiences that are unique, meaningful, or directly related to your future career in medicine should be given careful consideration. However, if including high school experiences takes away from the focus on your more recent and significant experiences, it may be better to focus on those instead. In general, aim to showcase experiences that demonstrate your dedication to the medical field and your growth as a future healthcare provider.
Sharing personal challenges in medical school applications: Framing personal challenges as opportunities for growth can help applicants stand out and demonstrate resilience in the competitive medical school application process.
Sharing your background and the challenges you've faced during your academic journey can add depth and authenticity to your medical school application. Working long hours to pay for college or other expenses can seem like a disadvantage, but it can also provide valuable experiences and lessons. Applicants should not view these challenges as detracting from their qualifications, but rather as opportunities for growth. Medical school admissions committees consider these circumstances and understand that everyone's situation is unique. By framing these experiences in a positive light and emphasizing the skills and insights gained, applicants can differentiate themselves and demonstrate resilience and determination. Ultimately, sharing your story honestly and authentically can help you stand out in the competitive medical school application process.
Exploring Effective Communication and Collaboration: Effective communication and collaboration are essential for success in any professional setting. Active listening, clear messaging, positive language, empathy, and emotional intelligence are key components. Technology can facilitate communication but also pose challenges. Continual improvement is necessary.
During our discussion, we explored various aspects of effective communication and collaboration in the workplace. We touched upon the importance of active listening, clear and concise messaging, and the use of positive language. We also emphasized the significance of empathy and emotional intelligence in building strong professional relationships. Furthermore, we discussed the role of technology in facilitating communication and the potential challenges it poses. Ultimately, the key takeaway is that effective communication and collaboration are essential for success in any professional setting, and it's important to continually strive for improvement in these areas. So, let's keep the conversation going and continue to learn from each other. Thanks again for your time and insights, and I look forward to seeing you next time.
