On October 15, 2011, I received a phone call from an unfamiliar phone number. I was in Baltimore, in the lab, analyzing data. I am admittedly a die-hard New Yorker (the juice of the Big Apple is in my blood) but I moved to Maryland to complete a research fellowship at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Though I could not take the phone call, I quickly typed the number into Google’s search engine. Normally I am not paranoid. However, the medical school application season had begun several months prior. I needed to make sure I didn’t miss a medical school’s call.
Before I could hit “enter” on the keyboard, a voice mail notification appeared on my phone. Unable to endure the suspense, I excused myself from the room. I quickly dialed my voice mail. That was the day I received my first acceptance to medical school! The school’s dean had called to inform me of the good news. My hard work had finally paid off!
Applying to medical school is a year-long process. There is a lot of “hurry up and wait.” You work hard to meet the primary application deadline, and wait for schools to send you their secondary applications. You devote time to crafting eloquent secondary applications and wait to be invited to interview. After weeks of interview preparation, the day finally comes and afterwards you are left to wait for the verdict.
Applying to medical school definitely has its share of drama and suspense but the process is also fun and rewarding. This may sound odd but allow me to explain. First, my desire to become a physician trumps any amount of paperwork. It should also be said that my writing improved as the result of all the essays I submitted. Interviewing was the fun part. I traveled to different cities around the country and had the opportunity to meet wonderful faculty, medical students and other applicants. Best of all, I had an opportunity to elaborate on my past experiences and allow the admissions committees to gain a better sense of who I am.
The truth is -- that for me, the medical school application process began many years ago. And the truth is that the process never ends. To be a physician is to be committed to a lifetime of inquiry and learning. There will always be more hands to hold. There will always be more information to learn and questions to ask. I will always strive to grow both personally and professionally in the interest of providing better care to my patients.
Before I could hit “enter” on the keyboard, a voice mail notification appeared on my phone. Unable to endure the suspense, I excused myself from the room. I quickly dialed my voice mail. That was the day I received my first acceptance to medical school! The school’s dean had called to inform me of the good news. My hard work had finally paid off!
Applying to medical school is a year-long process. There is a lot of “hurry up and wait.” You work hard to meet the primary application deadline, and wait for schools to send you their secondary applications. You devote time to crafting eloquent secondary applications and wait to be invited to interview. After weeks of interview preparation, the day finally comes and afterwards you are left to wait for the verdict.
Applying to medical school definitely has its share of drama and suspense but the process is also fun and rewarding. This may sound odd but allow me to explain. First, my desire to become a physician trumps any amount of paperwork. It should also be said that my writing improved as the result of all the essays I submitted. Interviewing was the fun part. I traveled to different cities around the country and had the opportunity to meet wonderful faculty, medical students and other applicants. Best of all, I had an opportunity to elaborate on my past experiences and allow the admissions committees to gain a better sense of who I am.
The truth is -- that for me, the medical school application process began many years ago. And the truth is that the process never ends. To be a physician is to be committed to a lifetime of inquiry and learning. There will always be more hands to hold. There will always be more information to learn and questions to ask. I will always strive to grow both personally and professionally in the interest of providing better care to my patients.
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