Download pdf - PreMedLife Magazine - July/August 2012 Issue

PREMEDLIFEΤΜ

JULY/AUGUST 2012THE MAGAZINE FOR PREMEDICAL STUDENTS

New med school begins recruitment p.10|AAMC offers new MCAT tool p.10|Space medicine anyone?p.11

How to Retake theMCAT the Smart Way

Tips From a Student Who Mastered the MCAT the Second Time Around

Life After Medical School in the Caribbean

A Closer Look at WhatHappens Post Graduation

The Medical SchoolAdmissions Guide

An Excerpt from a Harvard MD’s Week-by-Week Handbook

+FAST-GROWING CAREERS FORMEDICAL SCHOOLGRADUATESPLUS...WHAT THE HECK DO I SAY?Advice on Tackling the Personal Statement

ESPECIALLY THIS SPECIALITY: A CLOSER LOOK INTO THE CAREER OF AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON

6Several non-clinical career options arebecoming more popular among doctors

exclusive content, contests & giveaways, reader polls, & more...‘LIKE US’ on Facebook atfacebook.com/premedlife

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July/August 2012 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3

FEATURES 6 Fast-Growing (Non-Clinical) CareersFor Medical School Graduates | 14An increasing number of medical school graduatesare choosing an alternate to traditional medicine

What the Heck Do I Say?| 36Tips and advice for tackling the personal statement

Life After Attending Medical School in the Caribbean| 40Ever wonder what life is like after attending and graduating from medical school in the Caribbean?

DEPARTMENTSSchool Spotlight| 35The University of Illinois at Chicago offers a uniqueprogram for students interested in urban medicine

Especially This Specialty | 45Find out what being an Orthopaedic Surgeon is all about and what it will take to become one

IN EVERY ISSUENewsbites| 8Relevant news & information for students applying to medical school

The Goods| 46Gadgets & gizmos to keep you entertained.Check out our picks for this issue

In The Stacks| 49Books to inspire you or provide you with advice along your journey to medical school

Better Life, Better You| 50Advice & tips for taking care of yourself tomake it through your hectic pre-med life

IN THIS ISSUEMedical School: The Third Year| 26What to expect in the third year of medical schooland how to excel during this time

Book Excerpt: The Medical SchoolAdmissions Guide | 30A Harvard MD’s week-by-week admission’s handbookfor preparing and getting into medical school

Retaking the MCAT the Smart Way | 39A student who retook the MCAT shares strategies foracing the MCAT the second time around

CONTENTS14 10

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July/August 2012www.premedlife.com

‘LIKE’ USPreMedLife magazine provides a host offeatures, everything from getting intomedical school to tips for acing theMCAT. Visit our facebook page often toget online exclusive articles covering top-ics that pre-med students care about most.

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BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - Check outThe Goods where you’ll find Warm orCool Face Mugs and more!p.45

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PreMedLife magazine is published six times per year by KishoMedia, LLC. and copies are provided to select colleges and uni-versities free of charge. The information in PreMedLife maga-zine is believed to be accurate, but in some instances, may rep-resent opinion or judgment. Consult your pre-med advisorwith any questions you may have about the medical schooladmissions process and related topics. Unless otherwise noted,all photographs, artwork, and images may not be duplicated orreprinted without express written permission from KishoMedia, LLC. PreMedLife magazine and Kisho Media, LLC. arenot liable for typographical or production errors or the accura-cy of information provided by advertisers. PreMedLifeMagazine reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Allinquires may be sent to: Kisho Media, LLC. P.O. Box 7049,New York, NY 10116. To reach us by phone call (347) 231-6429 or email us at [email protected].

4 | PreMedLife Magazine | July/August 2012

from the

One of the most satisfying aspects of working as the publisher of PreMedLife magazine is hearing from premeds about what they’re doing to fulfill their dreams ofbecoming a doctor. The determination and passion in their voices when they speakabout wanting to practice medicine makes me at times want go to medical school. Thepoint is - in the name of becoming a doctor, these premeds are making the choice tobe successful.

It is always a choice to be successful or not and not everyone will reach theirgoals.The ones that do make it though are the ones who will reap the rewards of theirhard labor. The road to getting into medical school is not easy, but the decisions youmake along the way can make the journey a little easier. From the decisions you makein your personal life to the decisions you make in your academic life, it all boils downto the choices that you’ll make along the way.

It may sound so cliche but the power is truly all in your hands. You can’t blameanyone else for your failures or mistakes - you have to take ownership of what hap-pens in your life. So as you make your way through this think called your premedlife, let your end goal motivate your to keep pushing forward. A single bad decisioncan jeopardize your dream so stay focused and make sure every decision you makeis the best one!

Sheema [email protected]

SShheeeemmaa

publisherPublisher/CEO | Sheema Prince

Executive Director/COO | Jonathan Pearson

EVP, Operations | Monique Terc

Executive Editor | Njeri McKenzie

Managing Editor | Monica Lee

Digital Editor | Donald Gibbons

Contributing Writers | Mike Frazier, MD,Bonnie Mason, MD, Jeffery Mazique, MD,Sahil Mehta, MD, Suzanne M. Miller

Production Coordinator | Shawn Klein

Social Media Manager | Tammy Li

Interns | Gonathan J. Breedlove, Nancy Buckley,Diana Kozak, Natalia Prieto, Seantasia Twiggs

Find us on Twitter @premedlifeFind us on Facebook.com/premedlife

PREMEDLIFEthe lifestyle magazine for premedical students

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Diana AltamiranoPost Baccalaureate @ Georgia Gwinnett CollegeDiana is a non-traditional studentwith a business degree. She is cur-rently taking science classes as apre-med post-baccalaureate student.

Tamara EdginBiology @ University of ArkansasCommunity College at BatesvilleTamara is currently workingtowards an associates degree andplans to transfer to Lyon College,a four-year university.

Jaime GarciaInternational Economics @ University ofWashingtonJamie is the first in his family toattend college. He has gained experi-ence in the medical field and is cur-rently an emergency room volunteer.

Ola HadayaMiddle Eastern Studies @ RutgersUniversity, New BrunswickOla is a 17-year-old student who isin the process of applying to medicalschool. She speaks 3 languages.

Chesha HayterBiomedical @ Southern OregonUniversityChesha is a non-traditional studentand a mother, who after starting hereducation later in life has learnedmany things.

Hillary LeeNeural Science @ New York UniversityHillary will start on the pre-medtract in Fall 2012. She says her tran-sition from Missouri is an experi-ence she can share to help otherslike herself.

Alexandra MassaNeuroscience @ Stonehill CollegeAlexandra is currently a volunteer ather local hospital’s emergency depart-ment. She is interested in providingcare to third-world countries whereaccess to medical supplies are limited.

Linda MukumbutaBiology & Public Health @ Universityof Texas, San AntonioLinda is a 19-year-old junior who iscurrently affiliated with 4 pre-medorganizations. She says a career inmedicine is truly her calling in life.

Touria RguigBiochemistry @ University ofTexas, AustinTouria is a honors student whospeaks 6 languages. She’s also anauthor on a research paper publishedin Synthetic Metals Journal.

Will SmithPost Baccalaureate @ California StateUniversity, SacramentoWill is a non-traditional pre-medstudent with a degree in compara-tive religion. He has worked as anER tech.

Chandler StisherBiology @ University of Texas, AustinChandler is the first in his family toattend a 4-year university and hashad aspirations of becoming a doc-tor since he was 11 years old.

Marina ZeledonBiology @ Potsdam State UniversityMarina likes to read, research, andtalk about medical school journeyswith current doctors. She is on herschool’s equestrian team and has astrong passion to become a doctor.

THE PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE STUDENT ADVISORYBOARD IS AN EXEMPLARY GROUP OF PREMED STU-DENTS from a variety of backgrounds who have a widerange of accomplishments. They will help keep usinformed about what we need to know to makePreMedLife magazine the go-to resource for aspiringdoctors. If you have any questions for any of our board mem-bers email us at [email protected] >>>

studentstudentadadvisorvisoryyboardboard

Tiffany Que-SmithArt & Design @ San Jose State UniversityTiffany is a non-traditional studentwho translates her thoughts into artwhich luckily for her, is extremelyhelpful when studying.

THE TWEET PEEK

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.COM@PREMEDLIFE

FOR DAILY UPDATESLIKE THESE

GOOD READSAre Osteopathic (DOs)

Physicians Real Doctors?http://huff.to/Jv4lCf via

@docmalerba for HuffPost

INFO ALERT Are Osteopathic (DOs)

Physicians Real Doctors?http://huff.to/Jv4lCf via

@docmalerba for HuffPost

MCAT NEWSWhat if new MDs were

required to work for free?Starting next year NY willrequire unpaid work from

new lawyershttp://nyti.ms/KFgTK6

VICTORY CLIMBPremed ask @salon's @cary-

tennis for advice "I some-times wonder if medicine ismy plan B pretending to be

my plan A"http://bit.ly/IGRxcJ

AMERICA’S DOCTORSHarvard and MIT to Offer

Free Online Courseshttp://bit.ly/IzMv0T

PERSEVERANCEApplying to #medschool this

year? You be in a strongerposition if you submit yourapplication early! #premed

RE-APPLICANT FILESFilling out the courseworksection of your #AMCASapp? Watch our video on

entering basic coursework:http://ow.ly/aEXfq (More

videos too!)


PREMEDLIFECAMPUSEDITIONWant a unique leadership opportunity to add to your medical school application?

Now you can apply to beCEO/Editor-in-Chief of thePreMedLife Campus Edition atyour school.

WHO: You

WHAT: As CEO/Editor-in-Chief,you are talked with putting togeth-er a staff, producing content, andpublicizing your edition on campus- running your own online maga-zine that is a part of thePreMedLife network.

WHERE: Your high school, college,or university.

WHEN: The application deadlinefor Fall 2012 launches is August 6

WHY: Running your own campusedition of PreMedLife magazinewill provide you with a uniqueleadership opportunity that willsurly help you stand out from therest of the crowd.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.premedlife.com ‘Start Campus Edition’Deadline for our FALL 2012 LAUNCH

AUGUST 6TH

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NEWSBITES>>> Recent news & information relevant to students applying to medical school

'Lecture-less' Medical School Classes?Two professors from Stanford say that it is time tochange the way doctors are taught, according to anarticle published in the May 3 issue of the NewEngland Journal of Medicine.

"Since the hours available in a day have notincreased to accommodate the expanded medicalcanon, we have only one realistic alternative: makebetter use of our students' time," the authorswrote. "We believe that medical education can beimproved without increasing the time it takes toearn a medical degree, if we make lessons "stickier"(more comprehensible and memorable) andembrace a learning strategy that is self-paced andmastery-based and boosts engagement."

The professors make a radical suggestion tomove traditional lectures outside of the classroomand use class time for more "active" learning.They believe that in an era with a perfect video-delivery platform students would be wasting theirclass time sitting through a lecture. Instead, theysay that the classroom model should be flipped towhere students absorb an instructor's lecture in adigital format as homework, which would free upclass time for a focus on applications, includingemotion-provoking simulation exercises."Students would welcome more opportunities forcase-based, problem-based, and team-based exer-cises - strategies that activate prior knowledge,"they wrote. "Teachers would be able to actuallyteach, rather than merely make speeches.

The professors use the example of the KhanAcademy to make the case that a 'lecture-less"model would indeed be effective. The KhanAcademy, a non-profit organization that offersonline video lessons and exercises on elementaryand high school topics, allows students to gainproficiency in core academic concepts at theirown pace. The professors say that if such a modellike one that the Khan Academy uses wereapplied to medical school, class time would befreed up for what they call "higher-order" andmore interactive lessons.

One school already trying out this model isStanford Medical school where the core biochem-istry course did away with the standard lecture-based format and adopted one similar to theKhan Academy. Under this structure, class timewas used for interactive discussions of clinicalvignettes highlighting the biochemical bases ofvarious diseases. According to the authors, theresults were significant. Not only did the propor-tion of student course reviews that were positiveincreases substantially from the previous year, thepercentage of students who attended class shot

up from about 30% to 80% - even though classattendance was optional.

In their article the professors present a scenario:Imagine first-year medical students learning criticalbiochemical pathways by watching short videos asmany times as necessary in the comfort of theirpersonal learning space. Knowledge acquisition isverified by repeated low-stakes quizzes. Then, in

class, the students participate in a discussion thatincludes a child with a metabolic disease, his or herparents, the treating clinicians, and the biochem-istry professor. The relevant biochemistry - so dryon the page of a textbook - comes to life. The les-son sticks. "That's the vision we want to chase: edu-cation that wrings more value out of the unyieldingasset of time," the authors concluded.

Two Stanford University professors say that it is time to change the way future doctors are taught andthey say getting rid of traditional medical school lectures will make lessons “stickier” for students

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NEWSBITES

For students in the market for a DO degree,Marian University's College of OsteopathicMedicine (MU-COM) has received the officialokay to begin recruiting students for its fall2012 inaugural class.

The school will be Indiana's first new medicalschool in more than 100 years. According to thepress release announcing the news, until now,prospective medical students in Indiana couldeither choose Indiana University's School ofMedicine or relocate out of state to pursue theireducation. The opening of the new school willnow give local premedical students the option to

stay close to home. The new school will enroll150 students per year and is establishing affilia-tion agreements with multiple hospitals through-out Indiana, a move that will also address thedoctor shortage in the area.

"We weren't content to sit on the sidelinesand observe Indiana's brain drain and growingdoctor shortage," said President Daniel J.Elsener. "We took action, and today we havean important confirmation that our actionwas correct. We have conquered another peakon our way to the ultimate summit - openingthe MU-COM doors in the fall of 2013."

Recruitment Underway atBrand New Medical School

The majority of physicians younger than 40 yearsold say they are worried about the direction themedical system is heading in, according to a sur-vey conducted by The Physicians Foundation.

The survey, which included 500 doctorswho were all younger than 40 years old, foundthat most respondents were happy in theirpractice situation. Specifically, 80% wereeither "highly satisfied" or "somewhat satis-fied," and 52% said they planned to stay attheir practice for eight or more years.Unfortunately, however, more than half(57%) said they were pessimistic about thefuture of the US health care system.

"The level of pessimism reflected in the sur-vey is very troubling," said Lou Goodman,PhD, president of The Physicians Foundation."It's a reflection of the huge debt level they

face, uncertainty about their future and the lackof opportunities they see to practice the waythey want to practice - to take care of patientsand get the business side out of it."

According to the press release announcingthe results, the survey gave the respondents theopportunity to answer an open-ended questionabout what made them feel negatively about thefuture. When the answers were then groupedinto categories, the outcome revealed that gov-ernment was by far the most commonly citedreason for negative feelings, with 34% of thepessimistic respondents citing "the new healthcare law or regulations." In addition, 4% saidthey did not trust the government to "do theright thing," 4% said "patient care may sufferdue to government intervention," and 2% said"Medicare is a mess."

Younger Docs Not Too Happy WithHealth Care System, Study Finds

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The Association of American Medical Colleges(AAMC) has announced the launch of a newonline study tool for students planning to take theMCAT that allows them to evaluate how well theyknow MCAT content to better prepare for theexam. The Official MCAT Self-AssessmentPackage is designed to let examinees answer ques-tions from previous MCAT exams and thenreceive feedback in an analytic summary outliningtheir strengths and weaknesses in the content andskills tested on the exam. The cost - $104 to pur-sue the tool as a package of three or an option topurchase sections individually, the Physical andBiological Sciences sections are $45 each, and theVerbal Reasoning section is $40.

For more information about the tool, visitwww.aamc.org/mcatsap.

New Tool HelpsPremeds Assess,Improve MCATPerformance

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Doctors Should Borrow Madison AvenueTactics & Market Themselves - Forbes@ZinaMoukheiberhttp://onforb.es/MmUDpK

Hey premeds! Reading this during your#MCAT study break? Snap a pic of whatyour desk looks like & tweet or send it [email protected]

Cool professor gives extra credit for@UCLA students who make musicvideos about organic chemistryhttp://bit.ly/L7r75V #premed

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NEWSBITES

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) will offerstudents who have an interest in space medi-cine the opportunity to purse the world's firstofficially recognized space medicine track asthey pursue their medical degree.

The program, which includes four coursesand an optional field trip to NASA's JohnsonSpace Center, was approved by the school'scurriculum committee in April 2012. First- andsecond-year medical students can take courseslike Introduction to Human Space Explorationand Medicine and Topics in Human SpaceExploration and Medicine, courses which fea-ture leading space medicine physicians andspace biomedical researchers. In their third andfourth years, the Space Medicine Journal Clubis offered to students. Additionally, these stu-dents can take what's called ResearchOpportunities in Space Medicine, an optionwhich allows them to conduct a research proj-ect under the guidance of a mentor.

"This elective program though the Center forSpace Medicine gives future physicians knowl-edge about physiological, psychological andmedical issues associated with space explorationand the practice of medicine in harsh, remoteenvironments," said Dr. Jeffrey P. Sutton, direc-tor of the center. "The tract is very popularamong the students, and we are fortunate tohave exceptional instructors, including physi-cian-astronauts, flight surgeons and leading sci-entists from around the country."

According to the press release announcingthe new program, the Center for Space Medicineis a one-of-a-kind academic center of excellencewhere faculty, students, residents, and staff notonly work to discover, education and push newfrontiers of space biomedical research and edu-cation, it also has a focus on translating spaceadvances to benefit health on Earth.

For more information about Baylor Collegeof Medicine, visit www.bcm.edu.

School Offers First-EverSpace Medicine Program

Here’s a list of new medical schoolsthat are being developed in the U.S.

MEDICAL SCHOOL PIPELINE

CALIFORNIA NORTHSTATEUNIVERSITYCOLLEGE OF MEDICINERancho Cordova, CaliforniaOpening Summer 2013

WESTERN MICHIGANUNIVERSITY SCHOOL OFMEDICINEKalamazoo, MichiganOpening Fall 2014

PALM BEACH MEDICALCOLLEGEPalm Beach, FloridaOpening Fall 2015

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OFMEDICINERiverside, CaliforniaAnticipated Fall 2012

CENTRAL MICHIGANUNIVERSITY SCHOOL OFMEDICINEMount Pleasant, MichiganAnticipated Fall 2012

COOPER MEDICAL SCHOOLOF ROWAN UNIVERSITYCamden, New JerseyAnticipated Fall 2012

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHCAROLINA SCHOOL OFMEDICINE, GREENVILLEGreenville, South CarolinaAnticipated Fall 2012

QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITYSCHOOL OF MEDICINENorth Haven, ConnecticutAnticipated Fall 2013 or 2014

UPDATED 6/2012

Stud

entSpotlight QASIM GHULAM

College of Natural Sciences | University of Texas at Austin

Qasim is a third year Biochemistry/Business Foundations major. Heis highly involved around campus from Pre-med Honor societies to aProfessional Business Fraternity. He will be studying abroad thisupcoming spring semester. Outside of school he is also very active,beginning his EMT certification and also starting flight school thisfall. He hopes to pursue an MD/MBA track after graduation

Want tto bbe ffeatured iin oour SStudent SSpotlight?Log on to www.premedlife.com and tell us why you should be selected

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Applying techniques used for automotive pro-duction in an operating room not only improvesefficiency and profitability, it preserves teammorale and educational opportunities, accord-ing to a recent study published in the Journal ofthe American College of Surgeons.

For the first study of its kind, researchers setout to use an auto industry production practicecalled lean manufacturing that is essentially cen-tered on preserving value with less work. At thebeginning of the study, the normal workflowfor each operating room job was mapped out.Then over a nine-month period, the researchersmeasured operating room turnover time,defined as the time between the departure ofone patient and the arrival of the next patient,and turnaround time, defined as the timebetween the final dressing on one patient andthe first incision on the next patient. The nextthree months involved observing operatingroom staff's efficiency before any lean changeswere made. This allowed the researchers todetermine whether monitoring alone wouldalter staff efficiency. Equipped with clipboardsand stopwatches, the observers weren't actuallycollecting data, but were there to reinforce tooperating room employees that their perform-ance was under scrutiny.

As it turned out, the observers had almostno impact. The mean baseline turnover timewas 38.4 minutes. With the observers present, itwas 38.3 minutes. Turnaround time rose slight-ly from 89.5 minutes to 92.5 minutes.

The results of the study revealed that afterthe lean changes were implemented a significantimprovement was seen in both measurements.

Specifically, turnover time fell by nearly onethird to 29 minutes while turnaround timedropped by 20 percent to 69 minutes.

"What is really interesting and important is thatthe amount of time devoted to performing theactual surgery remained almost unchanged," sayslead author Ryan M. Collar, M.D. "The efficien-

cies we found were in other areas." For example,Collar explained, staff identified a wasteful delaybetween prepping the OR for the next patient andtransporting them there. "We found it made moresense to do preparation and transport at the sametime, rather than waiting for one to be donebefore starting the other," Collar added.

Auto Industry May Serve as GoodModel for Health Care Industry

A new study suggests that the production methods used in the automotive industry can be used bythose working in the the health care industry for lessons on improving operating room performance

NEWSBITES

A research team from Brigham and Women'sHospital (BWH) has revealed that after review-ing grading systems at US medical schools, insti-tutes vary dramatically in grading practices. Thefindings, published in the journal AcademicMedicine, suggest the grading system amongmedical schools in the country is imprecise andmay contribute to grade inflation.

The study, led by Erik Alexander, MD,director of medical student education atBWH, looked at final course grades from 119of 123 medical schools accredited by the

Association of American Medical Colleges andfound that eight different types of grading sys-tems were in place at schools across the coun-try. Moreover, 27 unique sets of descriptivegrading terminology was used. For example,grading terms such as "honors," "satisfactory"and "good" have different meanings at differ-ent institutions.

"Our research shows that there are no stan-dardized requirements for evaluation andgrading at accredited medical schools acrossthe United States. This has led to a confusing

national picture of what individual grades real-ly mean and how physicians in training shouldbe judged when applying for residency trainingor their medical license," Dr. Alexander said."I hope that this study will prompt medicalschools to take action and adopt a nationalstandard," said Dr. Alexander. "A consistent,transparent and reliable grading system isneeded to improve the student evaluationprocess. This will lead to a better assessmentof each student's individual performance andbenefit all involved."

New Study Finds Medical School Grading Not Fair

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Surgical residents are fatigued during almost halfof their time awake, according to a new studypublished in the Archives of Surgery. The results ofthe study add to the growing body of literaturewhich indicates that fatigue may have a substantialrole in medical error.

The study, led by Frank McCormick, MD ofHarvard's Combined Orthopaedic ResidencyProgram, was designed to use a novel approach ina clinical setting to measure how often and theseverity of resident fatigue and the potential riskof medical error. For a period of two weeks,researchers continuously monitored 33 surgicalresidents, including five women and 28 men,undergoing rotations at 2 large academic carecenters. Specific attention was given to enrollingresidents on rotations involving inpatients, heavyworkloads, and variable schedules. Rotations werecategorized as night float (6PM to 8AM) or as dayshift (6AM to 6PM). In addition, weekend callwas included in both schedules, which consistedof weekend coverage every other weekend fortwo 12-hour shifts or one 24-hour shift.

Residents' sleep and wake periods wererecorded and a daily questionnaire was used toanalyze mental fatigue. Prior to beginning, resi-dents were screened for sleep disorders, depres-sion, and overall general good to excellent healthand no residents were excluded on the basis ofthe results of the screening.

Researchers found that surgical residents werefatigued during almost half of their time awakeand were critically impaired during more thanone-quarter of their time awake - impairment assevere as that expected from a blood alcohol levelof 0.08%. A blood alcohol level that falls between0.06-0.09 is associated with impairment in rea-soning, depth perception, and peripheral vision."These data indicate that orthopedic surgical res-idents in this study were at high risk of makingmedical errors due to fatigue that could injuretheir patients or themselves," the authors wrote.

Fatigue,ImpairmentPrevalentAmongDoctors InTraining,New StudyShows

NEWSBITES

BE FEATURED INPreMedLife!

Want to be in PreMedLife magazine? Here are somestories we’re working on that we’d love your input on!

MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW STORIESDid you ace your medical school interview

and want to share your experience? We’d love to hear from you.

ENTREPRENEURIAL PREMEDSCalling all premed entrepreneurs!

Have you started your own business? We want to hear from you!

INSPIRING PHYSICIANDo you know a physician who is doing

amazing things? Tell us how you know that person and what makes them so amazing

CALL FOR OP-EDSAre you passionate about something?

Pitch us your idea for an op-ed piece andwe’ll let you know if we’re interested in having you write it up for the magazine.

PERSONAL STORIESDo you have a personal storythat you think would make an interesting read for premeds?

In the past we’ve featured a medicalstudent juggling school and motherhoodand a premed’s internship experience.

We’d love to hear your story.

Email us at [email protected]


FEATURE ARTICLE

Ever thought about doing something other than practicing medicine in a clinical setting or con-ducting research once you graduate medical school? These days, it can be an exciting time forstudents graduating with a degree in medicine. While some options may be for physicians whoare looking to make a career change, there are also options suitable for young physicians who arenewly certified in a particular specialty. And while all of these positions may not require obtain-ing a degree in medicine, there are some advantages to having the advanced credentials. The fol-lowing is a list of fast-growing, non-traditional jobs for medical school graduates to give you aglimpse of alternative careers within the field.>>>

6FAST-GROWING(non-clinical)

CAREERS FORMEDICALSCHOOL GRADUATES

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CLINICAL INFORMATICSIn today's modern world, researchers and health pro-fessionals are generating ever-increasing amounts ofinformation and doing so in more detail than everbefore. Whether in the need for applications inadvanced patient care or to help clinicians make use ofgenomic data, the emerging field of clinical informat-ics will need well-trained professionals who deal withthe resources, devices, and methods required to opti-mize the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use ofinformation for outcomes of clinical relevance.Health informatics tools include not only computersbut also clinical guidelines, formal medical terminolo-gies, and information and communication systems.Last year, clinical informatics was even approved as asubspecialty by the American Board of MedicalSpecialties. According to the American College ofPhysicians, there is a growing role of the ChiefMedical Informatics Officer (CMIO) and other jobswhere a physician draws on his or her expertise at theintersection of medicine and informatics.

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MEDICAL WRITINGWhile some people who work are health and medical writ-ers have degrees in Journalism of English, others have sci-entific or medical degrees (i.e. MD, PharmD, or PhD) andthe demand for these medically-trained writers is growing.

Medical writing is a diverse field and the types of workmedical writers take on can differ greatly, depending on

their area of training, experience, and work setting. Fromcreating content for continuing medical education materi-

als to writing and editing regulatory documents for clinicaltrial reports, there are many opportunities when it comes

to working as a medical writer. According to theGlassdoor.com, the salary for a Senior Writer at a pharma-ceutical company was $177,000. Due to the flexible nature

of the job, medical school graduates who are completingtheir residency (and making on average $48-55K/year) can

take on freelance jobs as a medical writer to supplementtheir (not-so-friendly post medical school debt) salary.

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PHYSICIANENTREPRENEURWhile it may seem a little crazy to give up the prestige andincome of being a physician, more and more physicians aredeciding to start their own business. Although it may not beas lucrative as practicing medicine, physician entrepreneursare finding it rewarding to turn their ideas into reality. Usingthe skills and knowledge they acquired from their medicaltraining, physicians who start their own business, whether itis to provide a service or create a product, are using theirskills - and passion - to become successfully entrepreneurs.And for those worried about paying off their medicalschool loans, while not guaranteed, the payoff can be big.Aside from the typical ups and downs any entrepreneur mayexperience, most physician who enter this field say theytruly love what they do.

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The UC Davis Department of Surgery Pre-Medical Surgical Internship & Mentorship Program is a unique opportunity for pre-medical students to work with and be mentored by surgeons and physicians in the nationally recognized medical center.

This program is not volunteering, but the ability to experience what surgeons do everyday. You will be with thephysicians every step of their day when they are working and treating patients in the clinic, by the bedside, in the intensive care unit, Emergency Department, and right next to them in the operating room.

This program is open to all pre-medical students regardless of school attended or grade level (graduates andreturning students are welcome as well). This program seeks to foster a relationship between physicians andpre-medical students. There will be 3 cycles throughout the academic year that you can apply and participate.

For more information about the program: www.premedsurgery.org

Don’t just watch Grey’s Anatomy. Be a part of it!

UC DAVISDEPARTMENT OF SURGERY

Pre-Medical Surgical Internship& Mentorship Program

Become a Fan:premedsurgery.org/facebook

Follow Us:twitter.com/premedsurg


HEALTH CARE ITIt goes without saying - the health care industry uses tech-nology. From medical imaging and information technolo-gies to patient monitoring systems, the world of health careinformation technology is growing. Health informationtechnology provides the umbrella framework to describethe comprehensive management of health informationacross computerized systems and its secure exchangebetween consumers, providers, government and qualityentities, and insurers. According to one report, the worldhealthcare IT market is expected to grow from $99.6 billionin 2010 to $162.2 billion in 2015. And for those who areworried about the additional cost of a master's degree in IT,there's a scholarship for that. A total of $119 million infunding from the Health Information Technology forEconomic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, part of theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, willsupport the training of professional health IT workforce toserve in roles that advanced study or master's degrees inhealth IT.

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HEALTH CARECONSULTANTFrom health insurance companies and publichealth departments to education institutions andhospitals, there are endless opportunities forphysician consultants in the health care field.According to one report, "major global demo-graphic, economic, technological, and politicalfactors including aging populations, rising afflu-ence in emerging markets, and advances in med-ical techniques and technology have buoyedhealth care consulting through the recessionaryperiod - and will continue to do so over the longterm. Health care consultants can advise clientson clinical process flow and operations, providerecommendations for performance improve-ment, help manage projects, and more. When itcomes to complying with the federal govern-ment's meaningful use guidelines, large hospitalsand health delivery networks are turning to pri-vate sector health IT consulting experts for help. ©

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PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICINEAccording to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturersof America, in 2011 pharmaceutical manufacturers employedapproximately 655,025,000 people and spent close to $50 billionon research and development, making the US the world's largestmarket for pharmaceuticals and the world leader in biopharma-ceutical research. With that being the case, pharmaceutical com-panies often look to medical doctors to explore key areas with-in drug development. As the pharmaceutical sector booms,there is a growing need for medical doctors with clinical experi-ence to take on various functions where medical competenciesare needed. Primarily, physicians are needed by research-basedpharmaceutical companies in many areas, ranging from themarketing of newly FDA-approved products to leading a salesforce team to help communicate medical concepts and ratio-nales to a sales representative.


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MEDICALSCHOOL:YEAR THREE

A graduate of UCLA Medical School provides an in-depth look at what to expect and how to excel during your third year.of medical school

As a premedical student you are inundated with class after class -Biology to Biology lab, Orgo lab, and Calculus. And who canforget Biochemistry 101? You may think the constant trudging

between large lecture halls never ends. The good news is, it does! Uponentering medical school, your first two years are a lot like your collegeyears. You will take basic science classes, attend lectures and take tests inorder to learn what you need to know for your third and fourth year,which are known as the "Ward" years. Everyone looks forward to them- finally, real patients, real procedures! These years are the reason youwent into medicine. While you are still in school (and paying for it), younow will be functioning more like a real member of working society.However, while sitting in Organic Chemistry II, these years may seem faroff and even intimidating. But have no fear! Mike Fraizer, a graduate of

UCLA Medical School, provides an in-depth look at what to expect andhow to excel during your third year

WHAT TTO EEXPECTProbably the biggest change you'll notice will be your schedule. Whileyou used to be whining about getting up for a lecture that started at 8 AM,you'll now be pre-rounding on your surgery patients at around 5 AM.This is probably the earliest you'll need to pre-round since surgery roundsstart early (like 6 AM). Sometimes it will be a little later on weekends. Yes,you will be working weekends. You generally get one day off per weekon inpatient rotations. Inpatient means that you are taking care ofpatients who are in the hospital. This article will focus on your inpatientrotations. You'll only need to pre-round on your inpatient rotations.>>>.



PRE-RROUNDINGPre-rounding means finding out what happenedto your patient since you left the day before.This includes getting vital signs, examining thepatient, and looking up any lab or imaging workdone on the patient. Ideally, you're also devel-oping a plan for the patient for the day. Whatwould you like to do for the patient? Would youlike to add or change medications? Is thepatient going to have a procedure that day? Doyou need to add anything to the patient's differ-ential diagnosis? Can you rule anything outbased on the tests performed the day before?Do you want more tests to help narrow downyour differential diagnosis?

All of this can seem overwhelming, and it is.But it helps if you are trying to think: What doI need to do to diagnose and treat this patientso that he/she can leave the hospital?

Throughout this year, you will be placed on ateam. Your team will include an "attending" - thedoctor in charge of the team, and one or more"residents" - people who are past their first yearof residency. You may also have one or more"interns" - people in their first year of residency,and a "Sub-I" - a 4th year medical student. Afteryou pre-round and develop your own plan forthe day, it's a good idea to talk with your internor resident who is following your patient withyou. Yes, take a sigh of relief. You won't be theonly person responsible for your patients. Youwill have at least a resident or a resident and anintern following the same patient to make sureyour plans are accurate. However, they do rely onyou to collect all the information (vitals, physicalexam, lab and other test results) so that they canhelp you make correct treatment decisions foryour patient.

After you've run your plan by yourintern/resident, you can start getting ready foryour "presentation" to the attending. Probablythe best way to do this is to have your progressnote for the patient ready for the day. Theprogress note is something that tells the follow-ing information:

Subjective:. Any events that happened to the patientovernight, how the patient is feeling today, how thepatient's symptoms are progressing, etc.

Objective:. Physical exam findings, lab results, imag-ing and other test results

Assessment aand PPlan:. What you think is going onwith the patient and what you plan to do about it.I recommend using a problem list for this sec-tion. State the problem (e.g. chest pain), the dif-ferential (angina, pneumonia, etc.), then whatpoints towards or away from things on your dif-ferential. Then recommend diagnostic tests andtreatments. It will look something like this:

#Chest Pain. Pt presented with chest pain radiating to the left arm, worsewith exertion. This pain is consistent with angina. Other possible consid-erations include pneumonia and pneumothorax. However, the patient had no fever or cough and breath sounds were equal on both sides, making these possibilities less likely.

-CXR to rule out pneumonia, pnuemothorax-Trend troponins and CK-MB-Coronary catheterization if troponins and CK-MB positive-Lipid panel

That's abbreviated, but you get the idea. You'll beresponsible for writing one of these for your patienteach day. If you have this information ready to gofor your presentation, it will be a lot smoother.

ROUNDINGThis is when you go and visit the patients on yourservice. Your whole team generally goes to seeeach patient and at that point, you'll have theopportunity to "present" your patient. This meansthat you tell the whole team essentially what's onyour progress note, for example, lab values, imag-ing and other test results, and most importantly,what you think is going on with the patient andwhat you plan to do about it.

Take the time to make your presentations great.This is the main opportunity you have to make animpression on your attending!

What will help you make your presentations greatis to begin with the end in mind. As you presentyour patient, focus on what matters for your differ-ential diagnosis. As you're presenting the patient'ssymptoms, labs and studies, mention the things thatpoint towards or away from items on your differen-tial. This is the mark of a medical student who isthinking about what she's doing. Often medical stu-dents start saying everything about the patientbecause they don't know what's important andwhat's not. That's fine and essentially what's expect-ed when you're starting out. However, if you try tofocus on things that matter for making decisions foryour patient, you are going the extra mile. Not onlywill the presentations be shorter (which is nice foreveryone), but you'll also be developing the criticalthinking skills you need as a doctor.

Nevertheless, you should still have all the infor-mation available. For example, if you only mentiona few lab values that you think are important, youshould still have all the lab values on your progressnote so they're accessible to you. You might haveskipped something important. If you do, yourattending will ask you about it. Don't feel bad if thishappens - just have the information ready. But, ifyou're trying to present what you think is importantinstead of just presenting everything, you'll be mak-ing the most of your learning experience, and yourteam will notice and appreciate your effort.

If you really want to go the extra mile, you canmemorize your presentations. That will definitelymake you stand out from the crowd and will helpyou know your patients better.

This is also one time when you'll be exposed tothe notorious "pimping". Pimping is the practice ofasking medical students difficult questions aboutmedicine. A lot of times you won't know theanswer. However, here are a few tips that will hope-fully keep you from looking like a total idiot:

Start wwith ssomething yyou kknow When they ask you a question you don't know theanswer to, such as "what's the rate of coronaryartery disease in women?" Say something like"hmmm, well I know that heart disease is the num-

ber one killer of women..." or other fact related tothe question that you may know. This helps buy youtime. It also shows the team that you at least knowsomething about heart disease! If you don't knowmore than that, just end with "…but I'm not surethe answer to that particular question." The moretime you spend on something you know, the better.

Give aa rrangeA lot of attendings will ask questions, like "Whatpercent of kidney stones are visible on x-ray?"Now, you probably don't know the exact rate. You'llhave to think: high, medium or low? This one hap-pens to be high. Then you pick a high range ofabout 15%. Your response: "About 70-85%."Voila, you are right! A good resource for pimpingquestions on surgery is Surgical Recall. It's alsoavailable on audio so you can listen to it while youdrive or work out.

DOING TTHE WWORKNow that you're done rounding on your patientsand have fended off your attending's questions, it'stime to put those plans into action! You should takeresponsibility to make sure that the things plannedfor your patient happen. You should also try to beinvolved in as much of the work as possible. If youare on surgery, you'll be in surgery with yourpatients. If you are on internal medicine, you canhelp with procedures that are planned for yourpatient, such as lumbar punctures. Take an activerole and help those plans become a reality.

A good tip is to arrive early and stay late. Yourteam will notice if you are around and try to helpyour patients. They'll also notice if you're taking offto do other things.

GO HHOME, SSTUDY AAND SSLEEPWhen your patients are "tucked in", it's time tohead home. "Tucked in" means that your plan forthe day has been accomplished (at least as muchas possible). This will probably be between 5 and8 PM depending on you, your service, and yourteam. Some days you might be done early, butplan on putting in long days. Unfortunately, youstill have tests at the end of every rotation called"shelf exams." These test your basic knowledgeabout diagnosis and treatment in the differentdisciples of medicine (surgery, internal medicine,pediatrics, etc.). Get home and study for a fewminutes, eat, and go to bed. You've got an earlymorning tomorrow!

Brief introduction by SAHIL MEHTA, MD founder ofMedSchoolCoach and a graduate of the Universityof Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

Article by MIKE FRAZIER, MD a graduate of UCLADavid Geffen School of Medicine and an advisorat MedSchoolCoach who also runs his own blog atwww.medical-student-insider.com, providing information and helpful hints for medical students.

http://www.medschoolcoach.com

http://medical-student-insider.com

http://www.medschoolcoach.com


THE MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

GUIDE:A HARVARD MD’S WEEK-BY WEEK

ADMISSIONS HANDBOOK

This guide contains the weekly, step-by-stepplan Dr. Miller used to get into Harvard

Medical School. She has since utilized thestrategy to help hundreds of applicants gainentry into medical school first as a Harvard

pre-med tutor and then as CEO of MDadmit,a medical school admissions consulting serv-

ice. Following this handbook's advice will pro-vide premeds a distinct advantage in the

competitive medical school admissions processas it prepares premeds for every step and

helps create the best application. BookHighlights include: 1. Weekly, easy-to-followadvice on navigating the complex admissions

process. 2. Multiple examples of successfulpersonal statements, AMCAS and TMDSAS

work/activities, secondary essays, and letterof intent/update letters. 3. Special sectionson reapplicants, non-traditional applicants,

DO schools, foreign schools, andmilitary/public health service options.

BY SUZANNE M. MILLER, MD

BOOK EXCERPT

THE INTERVIEW TRAIL: SCHEDULING AND STYLE PREP"In matters of style, swim with the current;in matters of principle, stand like a rock."-Thomas Jefferson

Though you still may be swamped with secondaries, interview season hasbegun. Interviews generally span from September to February. Rollingadmissions schools tend to interview earlier than others (and let you knowof acceptance earlier as well). The next twelve weeks will be dedicated tomastering the art of interviewing. I suggest reading all twelve weeksbefore your first interview.

All interviews start with a first impression. This means you need to bewell dressed and well groomed. Once you are a physician, your patientswill want you to look put together. And so do the interviewers. It mayseem cliche and shallow, but you need to look good.

OCTOBER WEEK 1 | Interviews: SchedulingDoes time of interview really affect chance of acceptance? Yes and no.Yes, if the school does rolling admissions. Rolling admissions schoolsinterview a batch of applicants and then offer the best candidatesadmission within weeks. The later you interview, the less spots are avail-able. Interview timing is less critical for regular admissions schools. Youwill see pages and pages on medical school admissions blogs discussingthe best strategic time to interview. Here's the bottom line: interviewwhen you will be well rested and well prepared. This means avoid mak-ing your top choice school your first interview or your last. Be sure toplan for sufficient time off for interview travel, as you want to be freshand ready to perform your best in each interview. Try to arrive thenight before the interview so if you are held up due to transportationproblems, you will have adequate time to make secondary plans.

OCTOBER WEEK 2 | Interviews: Suit and ShoesThe suit is the wardrobe staple of anyone heading out on the medicalschool interview trail. Despite popular opinion, it does not have to beblack and boring. Yes, doctors tend to be on the more conservative side of

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the fashion spectrum, but you do not need to give up all style for interviews. Iwore a lovely silk deep green suit with black heels that stood out in a goodway. The goal should be elegant for the ladies and dapper for the men. Yourdad's baby blue tuxedo from the '70s with matching ruffled shirt may be hip,

but it's probably a little too stylish. And your sister's four-inch suede miniskirtthat looks great with sexy high brown leather boots should probably stay inher closet. I suggest a nice dark (blue, grey, black) tailored suit with cleanlypressed shirt and colorful tie for the gentleman. Ladies, you can pull off eitherwearing a pantsuit (completely acceptable) or a more traditional suit jacket andskirt combination. Pair the suit with a colorful blouse and simple jewelry, suchas stud earrings and a pendant necklace. I know money may be tight, but I dosuggest purchasing a nice suit for the interviews. If it is good quality and aclassic style, you will use it for the rest of your life. It is acceptable to wear thesame suit to every interview. I promise the admissions committees don't com-pare style notes.

Shoes. You may think it is absurd to dedicate an entire paragraph to inter-view shoes but I promise you will thank me later. Shoes are probably the mostimportant part of the interview outfit. These shoes need to be incrediblycomfortable, work in various climates, and look classy. I can't tell you howmany poor interviewing souls have cursed the shoes they bought for the trail.The Manola Blahnik stilettos will not seem like a good idea after your firstthree-hour school tour. At some schools, the majority of your interview daywill be spent walking. So these shoes need to be comfortable. In addition, ifyou are interviewing at schools above the Mason Dixon Line in winter, youlikely will be walking in snow and ice. Spending the afternoon in the emer-

gency department after cracking your ankle may seem like a good way to getsympathy points, but it will likely just make you look silly. Finally, the shoesneed to be easily cleaned or shined so they look new at every interview. Anold business interview secret is that shoes are the window to a potential hire'swork ethic. Shined, well-kept shoes show a person is detail-oriented and dedi-cated to an overall polished look. Feel free to scoff, but shoes matter.OCTOBER WEEK 3 | Interviews: Hair and AccessoriesThe medical school interview season is not the time to experiment with themohawk you always wanted. Keep hair clean and simple. If you are a manwith long hair, you do not need to cut it. Just ensure it is clean and out ofyour face (same rules apply to women). As for jewelry, earrings in men arealways a point of controversy. If your earring is an important part of who youare, leave it in. But if you consider it just a piece of jewelry, I would take itout. There are certainly old-school doctors out there who don't want to acceptan applicant that seems like a "punk." Yes, I know this is incredibly out ofdate, but your interviewer may come from a time when men wearing earringswas less acceptable. Do you really want to throw away your entire applicationon a piece of jewelry? If you want to make a statement, make sure you getinto medical school first. Body piercings that show (nose ring, tongue ring,eyebrow ring, etc.) fall under the same general guidelines as earrings. Wear it ifit is a huge part of who you are. Lose it for a day if it isn't.

OCTOBER WEEK 4 | Interviews: First Twelve InchesTo help you pull it all together on your interview day, etiquette experts have asimple rule to ensure you are looking your best. It's the first 12 inches of yourhead, hands, and feet that matter most:

Head: Keep the cowlick under control.Be clean-shaven.Check teeth for errantvegetable matter and lipstick.Hands: Groom nails short and clean. Chipped nail polish is worse than noneat all.Feet: Polish your shoes (yes, I actually mean go out and buy real shoepolish and scrub those puppies 'til they shine). For those color-blindguys out there: make sure your socks match. For the ladies: be sure yourpanty hose or stockings don't have runs.

CHECKLISTSchedule interviewsPrepare interview wardrobe

“The medical school interview season is not the time to experiment with the mohawk you

always wanted.”

getpublished.write for usIf you consider yourself a good writer and would like a chance to have your article published in an issue of PreMedLife Magazine, we’re looking forstudent writers to submit articles. From your personal experiences as a pre-med student to living everyday life as a college student, we want to shareyour story with our readers. Or if you need an idea to write about - we’ve got tons of them. For more information about writing for PreMedLifeMagazine, visit our Web site at www.premedlife.com or email us at [email protected].

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To meet the country’s ongoing need for more innercity doctors, the University of Illinois College ofMedicine at Chicago is doing its part - and then-some. Aside from already preparing medical stu-dents based on a solid curriculum that is rooted inthe basic and clinical sciences and early exposure topatients, UIC is preparing tomorrow’s doctors toserve urban communities.

Through a unique four-year medical curriculumcalled the Urban Medicine (UMed) Curriculum,UIC is preparing the future leaders in urban medi-cine, regardless of which specialty they enter, todeal with the challenges confronting the urbanpopulation. The UMed curriculum takes advantageof UIC’s location and breadth of clinical and com-munity opportunities to prepare physician-leadersfor urban communities.

According to the school’s Web site, the UMedcurriculum is built on four general themes:Community, Health Disparities, Cross-CulturalClinical Skills, and Leadership and Advocacy. Eachyear students participate in six to eight class ses-sions that develop and enhance their understand-ing on the general themes. In preparation for eachsession, students read scholarly articles and reportsand work in small groups to interactively addressissues. In the first-year students also prepare tobegin a longitudinal rotation in local community orsocial service agencies/organizations that contin-ues through the fourth-year of medical school.The goal of the rotation is to provide first-handexperience with community program design,implementation and evaluation.

UMed students take the same required courses astheir classmates. Whenever possible, students worktogether as formal groups. For example, in Essentialsof Clinical Medicine (ECM), a two-year coursesequence, UMed students stay together as “WorkingGroups” and collaborate on course components —Special Topics mini-courses, projects, service-learningopportunities, etc. — that complement the formalcurricular sessions.

In the third year, UMed students participate inall required clerkships and are assigned to specificplacements based on availability. They cometogether throughout the academic year to discusscross-cultural clinical and other issues theyencounter and reflect upon various approachesused at their individual assignment.

Senior UMed students complete the communityrotation and are also encouraged to design electives todelve more deeply into cultural issues that impactmedical care, or take advantage of opportunities forclinical work outside the US.

Finally, UMed students are encouraged (but notrequired) to complete the Joint MD/MPH degreeprogram. This option can be completed in five years.A student interested in the joint degree programshould consult with the Office of Special CurricularPrograms during the first semester in medical school.If admitted, the student begins course work the fol-lowing summer.

For more information about UCI’s Urban Medicine Curriculumvisit http://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/departments___pro-grams/programs/doctor_of_medicine_/UMED/

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISCOLLEGE OF MEDICINEAT CHICAGO

Chicago, Illinois

DEGREE(S) OFFERED:MD

MD/PhDMD/MPHMD/MBA

SCHOOL TYPEPublic

GUARANTEED ADMISSION PROGRAMUIC offers a program calledthe Guaranteed ProfessionalProgram which allows a limit-ed number of freshman peryear to be admitted to UICwith guaranteed admission

to one for several profession-al degree programs.

Students follow a specificcurriculum and meet estab-lished performance criteria

to maintain guaranteedadmission.

MD SPECIAL TRACKSUrban MedicineJames Scholar

Independent StudyGlobal Medicine

TuitionIn-State: $17,000

Out-of-State: $35,500

Unique FeatureUrban Medicine Curriculum

quickfacts

SCHOOLSPOTLITEGet a glimpse into what one medical school in the U.S. has to offer prospective students <<<

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WHATTHEHHEECCKKDO I SAY?Advice on Tackling the Personal Statement

BY JEFFREY MAZIQUE, MD

It had been quite a long day for themembers of the admission committeefor our esteemed medical school. We

were part of the gatekeeper regiment andour function was to review the essays pro-claimed "Why I Want to be a Doctor" >>>

The essay usually fell in two categories-therewere the highly polished sheen of those whoappeared to have been written by a $300 perhour consultant to those who appeared toburn the midnight oil trying to make theircase. Our eyes glazed over when we read yetanother story of how my mother, father, aunt,sister, brother etc. was ill when I was a littlechild and I felt so helpless and decided thenand there to save the world. And then he orshe proceeded to do first aid on the doll baby,dog, little brother etc. Advancing throughschool or how they planned on reaching theheights of Paul Farmer or Albert Sweitzer.

Just as our eyes had started to glaze over,one of the essays made us sit up and payattention. Crisp and well written, the essay hadthe pathos of Job but the detailed storytellingthat was reminiscent of John Steinbeck. Shewove a tale of illness that had stuck her fami-ly in their southern rural community and howtaking care of her ill mother had cut into herschool time and how she had to mature at anearlier age. All of us were at the point of tearswhen the essay was over except for one of ourreaders who we had nicknamed "MsSunshine" a tribute to her dour personality.She sat there, arms folds, looking cold as astone. I summoned up my courage and asked"Why the long face?" "Well, it is a great essay,and it was great when I read the same essaylast year".

WHAT CATEGORY WILL YOURSTATEMENT FALL INTO?Let's face it, most applicants have not wipedout cholera in Haiti or have discovered noveltherapies for leukemia. As a result, the major-ity of the essays that I have received over theyears fall into three main categories.

The Family and/or Personal HealthTragedy CategoryUsually this involves the tragic illness of aclose relative (or applicant) that strikes at animpressionable age (6-12) that shook theapplicant to the core and inspired this devo-tion to the field.

The Love of Mankind CategoryThese essays fall into the category that "I wantto save the world, I am a loving, giving person- I would even work for free in order toserve." Well, here is the rub - every year weread hundreds of interviews that are varia-tions of those two themes, so after a point itis difficult to find essays that are different anddistinctive or unique. On scenario numberone, while it is a touching story, it is aboutidentification and service to a family member.As an essay reader, how do I know whetherthe applicant's empathy will extend to thehomeless drug addict and not just a blood rel-ative? And in scenario number two, it is notsufficient to tell me how altruistic you are, onemust show me examples of your altruism.One cannot substitute platitudes for effort -you cannot just talk a good game. In the essayyou must give concrete examples of your

devotion to the field - volunteering at a hospi-tal, providing company for shut ins, tutoringchildren - these will not win you a Nobelprize, but are significant nonetheless. It is dif-ficult to recommend an applicant who has allthe best intentions but no concrete examplesof service to the community.

The "Hook Them With Curiosity, andHold Them With Conflict" CategoryAfter having read literally hundreds ofessays, the personal statement must beentertaining-- if I have twenty essays sittingon my desk, if my attention is not capturedalmost immediately, then my mind wanders.As you write your personal statement, thinkabout these lines:

"Call me Ismael" Moby Dick -- Herman Melville

"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad,Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that dis-tant afternoon when his father took him to discoverice." One Hundred years of Solitude -- GabrielGarcia Marquez

"I am an invisible man" Invisible Man -- Ralph Ellison

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks werestriking thirteen." 1984 -- George Orwell

"Someone must have slandered Josef K., for one morn-ing, without having done anything truly wrong, he wasarrested." The Trial -- Joseph Kafka

HOW WILL YOUR STATEMENT BESTRUCTURED?In telling your story, you must hit theground running. The first sentence in thestory must be the most stellar sentence inthe story. Examine the first lines of the nov-els above and I challenge any reader not beintrigued and anxious to keep reading.Introduce your character, but don't dwelltoo long on the inner monologue beforestarting to tell your story. Something has tohappen to someone. Avoid the habitual past,and get right to the direct, moving action.

Next, introduce the concept of conflict.Conflict is an absolute necessity of fictionshort or long. Otherwise, what makes it worthreading? Will your conflict be, differences toreconcile, winners vs. losers, good guys vs.bad guys, inner struggles, existential angst,arguments, or merely difficult decisions?Whether trivial or magnanimous, the conflictis at the heart of both character and plot. Andsomewhere in the plot, this conflict oftenresults in a significant shift in the personal uni-verse. Avoid the obvious and the predictable.The essay should unfold as in entering aJapanese garden in which the concept of con-cealment is key.

"The Zen Buddhist garden is meant to beseen at all once, but the promenade gardenis meant to be seen one landscape at a time,like a scroll of painted landscapes unrolling.Features are hidden behind hills, trees

groves or bamboo, walls or structures, to bediscovered when the visitor follows thewinding path." Lead our reader down thatwinding path.

Furthermore, the utilization of irony trulycan create interest in your essay. How can onedo this? What is Irony? Irony is a disagree-ment or incongruity between what is said andwhat is understood, or what is expected andwhat actually occurs. Irony can be used inten-tionally or can happen unintentionally. Why isit important? Authors can use irony to maketheir audience stop and think about what hasjust been said, or to emphasize a central idea.The audience's role in realizing the differencebetween what is said and what is normal orexpected is essential to the successful use ofirony. How do I do it? Create a discrepancybetween what is expected and what actuallyhappens, as in these examples. Stories areabout change and hopefully maturity. Thischange is often propelled by a choice onemust make as Robert Frost noted "Two roadsdiverged in a wood, and I took the one lesstraveled by. And that has made all the differ-ence." But with the change comes the conse-quence-- which may be good, bad, tragicunexpected or more but is essential in devel-opment of the central character. And this allbuilds to the climax where one has resolution,or reverberation or perhaps relief.

WRITING HINTS1) Use the active voice. The active voice isstronger than the passive voice.

2) Every noun does not need an adjective.

3) Reexamine every adverb and throw away atleast half of them, especially those that end in"ly," and almost all of the ones that end in "ly"to modify how a character has just said a lineof dialogue.

4) Choose strong words. Choose the rightword, as Humpty Dumpty states in Alice inWonderland "When I use a word," HumptyDumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "itmeans just what I choose it to mean - neithermore nor less".

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JEFFREY MAZIQUE, MDis an Assistant Professorof Internal Medicine atthe Uniformed ServicesUniversity of the HealthSciences College ofMedicine and MedicalOfficer at Walter ReedArmy Medical Center. Dr.Mazique is also a boardmember of the NationalYouth Leadership Forum

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AFTER YOU TOOK MCAT FOR THE FIRST TIME DID YOUINITIALLY BELIEVE YOU PERFORMED WELL OUT OF THETESTING ROOM FEELING UNCERTAIN ABOUT YOUR PER-FORMANCE? The interesting thing is that I felt good the first time I took it. And it wasn't untilthe second time that I took it I was more unsure of my performance. So I walkedout of the second test really questioning if I did well or not. And I talked to a fewfriends who had taken the test on the same day and that was sort of the generalconsensus among the group who thought it was a really hard test. I was normal toquestion your performance on it and sometimes that meant if you were question-ing yourself than you did better than you actually thought you did.

ONCE YOU RECEIVED YOUR SCORES BACK FROM YOUFIRST TEST, DID YOU QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT YOUSTILL WANTED TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MEDICINE? I didn't. I knew that medicine was something that I wanted to pursue. I questionedmy ability to do it. Because even though medicine was where my passions lie, I did-n't know if I'd be able to overcome the subpar score that I got the first time in order

to get a better score. But I heard statistics that half of all MCAT test takers willretake the test a second time so it was reassuring that I could take it a second time.

WHAT MADE YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD DO BETTERTHE SECOND TIME? The second time I took it I was out of school, I was working full time. It was dif-ferent because at my job I could leave work behind and go home and study with-out the distraction of having projects and assignments to worry about that Iwould have had to worry about had I been in school. So the timing the secondtime around was better for me.

WHEN IT CAME TO YOUR DECISION TO RETAKE THE MCAT,DID YOU DISCUSS IT WITH ANYBODY LIKE AN ADVISOR? I was really fortunate in that my undergraduate institution was a small school andhad a small premed program and my advisor was really involved in my applicationprocess pretty much from the moment I entered school as a freshman so I was inregular communication with her about what I was going to do after I had taken itthe first time and we discussed whether or not I should take it again so I reallyrelied on her guidance with making that decision.

HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT FOR YOU TO GET A BETTERSCORE ON THE MCAT? I retook it to get into an MD program. I knew that's what I wanted to do. Myscores were right around the range that would get me into a DO program. So itwas the push of me needing a higher score to get into an MD school that encour-aged me to take it a second time.

IN ADDITION TO YOUR MCAT SCORE, HOW STRONG WERETHE OTHER COMPONENTS OF YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOLAPPLICATION? So one of the things that I'm proud of is that my application to med school waswhat I consider to be very diversified and strong. I majored in English in under-grad, I did volunteer work at a children's hospital, during the summer I worked ata pharmacy, I took a service trip through my college to Oakland, California. So Ithink I was in a good position overall in my application the only thing I thoughtwas deficient was my MCAT score.

DID YOU DO ANY BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON HOW THEMEDICAL SCHOOLS YOU WERE APPLYING TO WERE GOINGTO TREAT YOUR MULTIPLE SCORES? I didn't. I wasn't exactly sure how they would look at multiple scores. I kind ofapproached it from the general idea that they would only look at the most recentscore and for that reason there was a certain amount of pressure that I put onmyself to perform better the second time. I know in general that it doesn't lookgood to retake the test and not get a higher score the second time.

WHAT WAS YOUR MCAT STUDY STRATEGY THE FIRST TIMEAROUND? The first time I took it I enrolled in an MCAT prep course during my junior yearin college that met every Saturday for three hours from October through April. Iused their materials - in class and online - and they provided textbooks and prob-lems that you could work on, so I utilized their resources but as I mentioned it'sdifficult trying to balance that and other schoolwork because I was a full-time stu-dent at the time. So the course became another class for me but it wasn't neces-sarily something that got my full attention because I had other schoolwork to takeinto account at the time.

To read the rest of our interview with Dominic about what he did differently thesecond time around, how much time he dedicated to studying, and more visitwww.premedlife.com.


GOODADVICETips from students who have been there and done that...paying it forward <<<

How to Retake theMCAT the Smart Way

We interviewed one student who has shared his strategy for preparing toretake the MCAT and gives advice for premeds thinking about taking the testfor a second time. Dominic is currently completing a 1- Year Master's Programat Columbia University and has been admitted to George WashingtonUniversity MD program. He is expected to start in August 2012.

This issue’s Good Advice comes courtesy of DOMINIC, a Columbia University graduatestudent who will begin GeorgeWashington University School of Medicine Fall 2012

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CCAARRIIBBBBEEAANN MMEEDDIICCAALL

EEDDUUCCAATTIIOONNTHE AFTERLIFE

A look at what happens after a graduating from a medical school in the Caribbean

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An article courtesy of the staff at the International American University


THE DECISION TO DEDICATE ONE'S LIFE IN PURSUIT OF MEDICINE AND BECOME A DOCTORIS PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS A PERSON MAKES. IN SPITE OF BEINGLABELED THE NOBLEST PROFESSION OF ALL, THE PATH OF MEDICINE IS EXTREMELYDEMANDING AND IS ONE THAT CALLS FOR A LOT OF SACRIFICES, DEDICATION, UNWAVERINGFOCUS AND DOGGED HARD WORK. NO ONE CAN DENY THAT BECOMING A DOCTOR IS ANUPHILL TASK. THIS IS WHY THE CHOICE OF WHERE TO PURSUE MEDICINE IS AS IMPORTANTAS THE DECISION ITSELF.

Records show that due to a severe limitation of available seats,only one in four medical aspirants are able to find a spot in amedical school in the US and Canada. This is where the advan-tage of a Caribbean school like the International American

University (IAU) College of Medicine in Saint Lucia, West Indies, comesinto play. With a dedicated faculty and low student-to-faculty ratio, medicalschools like IAU are able to maximize students' one-on-one time with pro-fessors. Also, while most US medical schools have a class strength of 250-300 students, IAU and similar schools restrict it to 35-45 students so thatno one gets lost in the crowd. Additionally, most Caribbean schools do notexert the same financial pressure that a school in the US and Canada doesand in these times of economic instability, everybody knows the impor-tance of saving every dollar you can. With tuition fees that are considerablylower than their US counterparts, Caribbean medical schools often helpstudents become doctors without adding a debt to their name.

Inspite of all the advantages that medical schools like IAU talks about,medical hopefuls still find it difficult to commit to a school outside the US,simply because they worry about what happens after a Caribbean study.Students often wonder if a Caribbean study, with all its advantages, willnevertheless hold them back when they return to America. Perhaps the factthat approximately 25% of US medical residents are graduates from for-eign medical schools, could possibly lay those doubts to rest. In order tofurther slay these demons of doubt, we spoke to students of IAU whoquoted from their experience and helped us paint a larger picture.

All the students from IAU opined that the Caribbean study was only aboon to them; for at the end of it they were working side by side with theirpeers from US medical schools and the only difference between them andtheir US peers was the lack of debts saddled on their backs. They felt thatwhat most medical hopefuls don't realize when they consider a Caribbeanmedical school is that it's only mostly their basic science education that isbased on the Islands. Clinical rotation and training is held back in theUnited States. Manish Nair, a former student of the InternationalAmerican University College of Medicine, explains that with IAU, you onlyremain on the island for 4 or 5 semesters, after which you return to the US.The educational model followed by IAU is one that is followed by manyother medical schools in the Caribbean. He explains that the first four

semesters which contains all of the classroom studies are conducted on theCaribbean Islands. Following the completion of their basic science studies,the students will then move on to the fifth semester which contains threeparts, an Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM), a seven week review pro-gram and a self study component. IAU students have a choice of threelocations available for the completion of their ICM - Jackson ParkHospital, Chicago, IL, Emory Adventist Hospital, Atlanta,GA, and TapionHospital in Castries, Saint Lucia. The first step for students after complet-ing semester 5 is to apply and pass the USMLE before they are allowed tobegin clinical rotations in the US. Once they have passed Step 1, it will takeapproximately 3-4 weeks for students to start their first rotation. Rotationsare available in the following U.S. cities; Chicago, IL, Atlanta, GA,Shreveport, LA, West Allies, WI, Salt Lake City, UT, and Greeley, CO.Students will complete a total of 76 weeks of rotations (48 weeks of coresand 28 weeks of electives) and this rotation completes semesters 6 to 10.Manish adds that it is the Clinical Department of IAU that is responsiblefor scheduling student rotations. What is said of IAU is also true for a lotof other schools operating in the Caribbean whose students are largelyfrom the US, Canada and the UK. In fact as a result of the dominance ofstudents from the fore said countries, most often once in school, it's hardto realize that they are in a different country.

Also, the students have only the best memories when quizzedabout their experience of clinical rotations. Though the process ofclinical rotations can be taxing and stressful to many, it also providesthem with great hands-on experience with patients. The preceptorswere also extremely helpful in providing them extensive informationfor each core rotation. The students were exposed to a wide variety ofpatients and ailments, a factor that helped them immensely in theirpreparation for Step 2 - Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills.

If the students of IAU are representative of their peers, then there isno doubt that there is nothing daunting about a Caribbean Study. The pathafter it seems straightforward and, like in any other field, it's the effort andhard work you put into it that will help sow the results. So for all of youconsidering medical schools, thinking outside your box, or your country asthe case may be, is not such a bad idea after all.

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ESPECIALLY THIS SPECIALTYLearn more about various specialties and what it will take to pursue a certain specialty<<<

ORTHOPAEDICSWHAT DOES AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON DO?Orthopaedic surgeons understand and diagnose the special problem of themusculoskeletal system. Areas include:

• Diagnosis of an injury or disorder• Treatment with medication, exercise, surgery or other treatment plans• Rehabilitation by recommending exercises or physical therapy to restore

movement strength and function• Prevention with information and treatment plans to prevent injury or slow

the progression of diseases

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BECOME ANORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON?

Undergraduate (4 Years) (to obtain bachelor's degree)

Medical School (4 Years) (to obtain MD or DO degree)

Residency (5-6 Years) The residency generally consist of one year of general surgery training followed by four years of trainingin orthopedic surgery

Fellowship (1-2 Years) Fellowship training in an orthopedic subspecialtyis typically one year in duration (sometimes two) and sometimes a researchcomponent involved with the clinical and operative training.

WHAT DOES AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON EARN? The annual median salary for an orthopaedic surgeon is $411,936.

WHAT UPPER LEVEL COLLEGE COURSES SHOULD YOUTAKE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ORTHOPAEDICS? Bioengineering courses that focus on prosthetics can provide furtherinsight into the profession as many orthopaedists who conduct joint arthro-plasty use prosthetic joints to replace the injured or diseased joint.

WHAT DO ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS SAY THEY LOVEABOUT THEIR SPECIALTY?They are intrigued by the anatomy and physics behind the musculoskeletal sys-tem of the human body and the ability to use their hands to heal. Personally,the prospect to do research in biomechanics and the technical aspects of bonereplacement structures greatly appeals to me. I also realize that a career as anorthopaedic surgeon would provide me with an academically challenging andprofessionally diverse environment that will allow continuous learning andinteractions with people that are driven towards excellence.

WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOODORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON?Smart, hardworking, and enjoys learning about what makes people move, literally.

HOW CAN I GET MORE INVOLVED?Start early by speaking with orthopaedic surgeons and getting involved inorganizations for orthopaedic surgeons. Nth Dimensions is a great non-profit organization whose mission is to address health care disparities, andimprove cultural competency and access to health care for the increasinglydiversified U.S. population. To attain this mission, the organization increas-es the pipeline of medical students from gender and ethnic minority groupsseeking to become orthopaedic surgeons.

ORTHOPAEDICS is the medical specialty that focuses on injuries and diseasesof your body's musculoskeletal system. This complex system includes yourbones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves and allows you tomove, work, and be active.

Once devoted to the care of children with spine and limb deformities,orthopaedists now care for patients of all ages, from newborns with clubfeet toyoung athletes requiring arthroscopic surgery to elderly people with arthritis.And anybody can break a bone.

Wilford Hall Medical Center'sorthopedic spine surgery team at

Lackland Air Force Base, Texasperform the Air Force's first

total-disc arthoplasty procedure

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Written by Bonnie Mason, MD, Founder and Executive Director of Nth Dimensions

http://www.nthdimensions.org/

http://www.nthdimensions.org/


THEGOODS>>>Our pick of items that will add some flair to your premedlife and perhaps make you smile

Molecular Gastronomy Kit-CuisineWhat do you get when you combine food, chemistryand art? You get to deconstruct any dish, to changethe look and feel of any ingredient, to impress din-ner guests, and to take your tastebuds on an adven-ture --known as molecular gastronomy.

Bamboo Dry Erase BoardNot your average white board, this unique desktop dry-erase board features a sustainable, patent-pending realbamboo surface, giving any desk an organic, organizedlook. Keep it nearby to jot down to-do lists or flashes ofgenius without wasting paper.

Skeleton Espresso Cup StackDo you feel dead before that cup of coffee or

shot of espresso in the morning? This set of 4espresso mugs that build to make a skeleton are

meant to empathize with that mind state.

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Fold and Play SpeakersThese portable self-powered speakers are

made from recycled cardboard. All youhave to do to start listening is fold theminto shape and plug them into any audiodevice that has a headphone jack formusic on the go.

Hand-Powered Paper ShredderThis handy shredder lets you shred your per-sonal documents before trashing them andhelps you mind your carbon footprint.Requiring no electricity, this compact devicehas two end caps that twist in opposite direc-tions to activate a hand-powered shreddingmachine. This is a perfect item for the dorm.

Warm or Cool Face MugsThese mugs hold beverages up top and have a specialcubby for your favorite nibbles. The perfect snack-timecompanion, wake up to coffee and a bagel or settle infor late-night milk and cookies.

PreMedLifeMagazine

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ALFALFA TO IVY:MEMOIR OF A HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL DEANby Joseph B. Martin In his personal perspective on academic politics and health carein the U.S., Jospeh Martin shares with readers the story of hishumble beginnings to becoming a Harvard Medical Schooldean. Martin’s memoir is an opportunity for pre-med and med-ical students to gain an inside view of what makes medical insti-tutions tick and what it takes to make one truly successful.Readers will learn about the ups and downs of Martin’s careerand how he confronted issues of medicine and health care thatcame his way. The memoir is considered a compelling narrativefor non-specialists as well as academics and professionals.

LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GETTING WHAT YOU WANTby Jenny BlakeIn her post-college guide, Jenny Blake offers the lessons she haslearned. She talks about the steps she took to figure out whatshe wanted and who she really was under her great accoladesand achievements - she finished college in three years with adouble major and honors, while working full-time beginning atage 20. Although life after college for pre-med students won’treflect the typical life for a student graduating from school andentering the workforce, Blakes book offers advice and guidancethat can be applied to your life in general. From managingmoney and your relationship to friends and family to dating andrelationships to personal growth, pre-meds and medical stu-dents are sure to find some useful tidbits.

COUNTY: LIFE, DEATH AND POLITICS AT CHICAGO’S PUBLIC HOSPITALby David Ansell, MDTo tell the story of one of America’s oldest and “most unusual”urban hospitals, Dr. David Ansell shares his tale of being a young,idealistic physician from the East Coast who experiences many upsand downs as a young doctor. As he tells his story, Dr. Ansell delvesinto brief discussions of health care issues and how they pertain torace, socio-economics and even medicine today. For those of youthinking about practicing urban medicine, this book will give you apeek into the life of a doctor who never loses his concern for thehealth of the underserved and is determined to do whatever it takesto fix the problems he sees.

INVASION OF THE BODY:REVOLUTIONS IN SURGERYby Nicholas TilneyFor all of the future surgeons out there, Nicholas Tilney writes togive readers an understanding of the surgical profession and illus-trate the interrelatedness among the discipline of surgery and therest of medicine. He also does a good job at describing what sur-geons actually do when they are operating, why they do it and whyit sometimes ends in failure. Overall, Tilney tells the story of mod-ern surgery and the revolutions that have transformed the field:anesthesia, prevention of infection, professional standards of com-petency, pharmaceutical advances, and the turmoil in medical educa-tion and health care reform.

IN THE STACKSBooks we thought that aspiring doctors might be interested in reading<<<


BETTERLIFEBETTERYOU>>> Information on taking care of yourself as a student living a busy pre-med life

Health | Wellness | Fitness | Nutrition | Mind & Bodynewstouse

Certain Internet behaviors, like switching back and forthfrom one application to another, have been linked withdepression, according to a study conducted by researchersat Missouri University of Science and Technology.

When researchers observed how 216 undergraduatestudents surfed the web for a month, they reported thatabout 30%of the students had depression.

The researchers who reported the results say that thismay be the first study relating depression and Internet use.“The study shows depressed students are also connectedto the Internet more frequently than their healthy peers,”the authors wrote. “Depressed students also visit morehealth-related websites, chatrooms, social networks andgambling canters more often.

Web SurfingHabits May Be Sign ofDepression

According to a recent study, resistance training improvesbrain function in older women.

The study, which involved 86 women, 70 to 80 yearsold with mild cognitive impairment and memory prob-lems. Researchers found that when the women liftedweights or did other forms of resistance training itslowed their decline to full-blown dementia. Specifically,after six months, compared to those only taking balanceand tone classes, the strength-training group showed“significant” cognitive improvement.

“What our results show is that resistance training canindeed improve both your cognitive performance and yourbrain function, said Professor Teresa Liu-Ambrose, who ledthe study at the University of British Columbia. “What iskey is that it will improve two processes that are highly sen-sitive to the effects of aging and neurodegeneration: execu-tive function and associative memory.”

The study was published in the April issue of the Archivesof Internal Medicine.

Exercise CanHelp ProtectMemory

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>>> See upcoming health and fitness events atthafitnessgroup.com

A diet steadily high in fructose slows the brain, hamperingmemory and learning, according to a new study publishedin the Journal of Physiology.

“Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how youthink,” said Feranado Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neuro-surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAand a professor of integrative biology and physiology in theUCLA College of Letters and Science. “Eating a high-fruc-tose diet over the long term alters your brain’s ability tolearn and remember information. But adding omega-3 fattyacids to your meals can help minimize the damage.”

For the study, researchers studied two groups of ratsthat each consumed a fructose solution as drinking waterfor six weeks. The second group also received omega-3fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and DHA, whichprotects against damage to the synapses - the chemicalconnections between the brain cells that enable memoryand learning. The animals were fed standard rat food andtrained on a maze twice daily for five days before startingthe experimental diet. Then the study team tested howwell the rats were able to navigate the maze, which con-tained numerous holes but only one exit. The researchersplace visual landmarks in the maze to help the rats learnand remember the way.

ConsumingSugary FoodsSlows the Brain

A new study conducted by researchers at theUniversity of British Columbia concludesthat coffee’s ‘stimulant’ effect only works onlazy people. What happens is that caffeinedoes not raise one motivation level.

“Every day, millions of people use stim-ulants to wake up, stay alert and increasetheir productivity -- from truckers drivingall night to students cramming for exams.”

The study, published in Nature’sNeuropsychopharmacology, looked at theimpacts of stimulants on rats. When givenstimulants, the ‘slacker’ rats that typically

avoided challenges worked significantlyharder when given amphetamines, while‘worker’ rats that typically embraced chal-lenges were less motivated by caffeine.

“These findings suggest that some stim-ulants may actually have an opposite effectfor people who naturally favor the difficulttasks of life that come with greaterrewards,” said Jay Hosking, who led thestudy. “The study also suggest that theamount of mental attention people devoteto achieving their goals may play a role indetermining how stimulants affect them.”

Coffee’s Extra Kick EffectOnly Works on PeopleWho Are Lazy

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COLLEGE101>>> Tips and advice for getting through your days as a student in college

As the end of the summer draws to a close and the beginning of a brand new semester presentsitself, there are just some things that you should do before the summer ends to make sure that youkick of the opening of the academic year in the right way.

DO NOTHING.That’s right, if you haven’t been doing this already, it is important that you give yourself a break andsome time to relax before the Fall semester starts and your schedule starts getting hectic.

READ A BOOKStarting in August, the time you have for reading a book that is not “required” reading may nolonger exist. You still have a few weeks to find and finish a book of your choice. Whether it’s TheHappiness Project or Friends Forever, stop by Barnes and Nobel or your local library and find your-self something to read.

HANGOUT WITH FRIENDS & FAMILYBecause who knows when you’ll get a chance to do that once the semester begins (that is depending onhow studious you are of course).

GET ORGANIZEDFrom cleaning out your email inbox to sorting through your personal documents, it is very important tobe in a state of organization once the new semester rolls around. You’ll be able to spend the time youneed on what’s most important rather than trying to get things done in a whole mess of confusion.

CHECK YOUR TRANSCRIPTFor any student other than a freshman, it will be quite helpful to review your transcript before thesemester begins. By doing this, you’ll be able to see clearly what your game plan needs to be movingforward. Looking at your transcript and your academic performance at the beginning of the semes-ter should push you to make goals for yourself - whether it’s a goal to maintain your 4.0 gpa orimproving your academic credentials.

CHECK OUT COURSERAFrom courses in Humanities to Biology, Coursera has partnered with top universities to offer free cours-es online for anyone to take. If you aren’t already taking one of these courses you should. For you all,we’ve got our eyes on the following courses: Organic Chemistry courtesy of the University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign, Statistic One courtesy of Princeton University, Modern and ContemporaryAmerican Poetry courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania, Bioelectricity: A Quantitative Approachcourtesy of Duke University, Intro to Logic courtesy of Stanford University, Community Change inPublic Health courtesy of Johns Hopkins University, Drugs and the Brain courtesy of the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology, and Think Again: How to Reason and Argue courtesy of Duke University. Heyyou’ve got nothing to lose - you watch lectures taught by top professors, learn at your own pace, testyour knowledge, and reinforce concepts through interactive exercise.

SIXThings To Do

Before Summer Ends (aanndd CCoolllleeggee BBeeggiinnss)

THE STRENGTH TO HEAL and learn lessons in courage.

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We’ll pay you $2,062 a month while you are in a residency program. This monthly living expense will help you gain the strength to heal. In addition, you’ll gain experience with top medical professionals and the most advanced technology. You’ll be able to practice in your community and serve when needed. You’ll be helping ourSoldiers, your country and your career.

To learn more, call 877-406-5863 or visit healthcare.goarmy.com/info/n474.

After graduation, take a stand against poverty by joining AmeriCorps VISTA—Volunteers in Service to America. You’ll put your passion to work to help those in need, and you’ll gain experience you can’t find in other kinds of entry-level jobs. You’ll also receive:

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37 million Americans live in poverty. Take a stand. Join AmeriCorps VISTA.

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