Lewis Associates e-Newsletter
Volume 8 Issue 1
January 2009
Published by Lewis Associates. Dr. Cynthia Lewis, PhD., Editor
Email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com with your comments. Enjoy!

New, New, New for the New Year! Visit our Facebook Page and become a Fan to receive exclusive information for applicants! We issued a challenge in December to pre-health students to tell President-Elect Obama's team your health care issues, concerns and ideas.

And, see Dr. Lewis' video for this month's Q&A!

Remember, getting into medical, dental, pharmacy and the other health professions schools in getting HARDER! For example, there is a national 8:1 ratio of applicants for pharmacy school positions. Double that for California pharmacy schools.

As usually happens in an economic downturn, more people are attracted to stable careers like the health professions…competition is fierce!

How are YOU going to stand out from thousands of applicants?

Warning about student information websites from Cornell Medical School Admissions staff: 
"PLEASE do not encourage students to get information from web sites administered by other students. From time to time, I look up the studentdoctor.net site (for interview ratings) and I am appalled at the amount of misinformation there. Most of the information given there will hurt students more than help them."

Sick of rumors and false reports?

Lewis Associates website has factual information that you can trust.

What's inside:

Welcome to Success Stories Newsletter!
How to Communicate With Us
Changes in Services
Your journey to a health profession
Are You Ready for the Class of 2009?
Testimonials
Track Record
Be Competitive
Getting Started

Breaking News:
• What the future may hold: Hospital of the Future

News:
• Human Anatomy for Undergraduates
• Economy sends physicians to hospitals for help
• Physicians and the First Amendment - A matter of Choice.
• Will Life-Saving Emergency Care Be There When You Need It?
• The Doctor Is "Out" ... Where is she/he?
• Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance (SUMMA) Conference

Useful Links
• MD-PhD GREAT (Group on Graduate Research, Education, and Training) For Academic Medicine
• MD-PhD GREAT Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
• Global medical news

Alumni Update
• Scott Auerbach, M.D., Entering Class of 1999 UCSD, Pediatric Residency at Stanford University, Pediatric Cardiology Fellow Columbia University
• Carrie Campbell-Cardenas, M.D., Entering Class of 1994 UCSF, Internal Medicine Residency at Stanford Medical Center, Internist at Sharp Reese-Steely in San Diego.
• Tevan Ovsepyan, D.O., Entering Class of 2005 Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine Nevada, Residency in Internal Medicine at Huntington Memorial Hospital, Pasadena, CA
• Denise Zendejas, DDS., Entering Class of 1994 UCSF, Dental Practice in San Diego, CA.

Success Story of the Month
• Steven Perez, Entering Class of 2008, Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine

Question of the Month
• How good is the advice from student-based websites? See Dr. Lewis' Facebook video!

Our Services

Contact

Welcome to Lewis Associates!

Nearly one in ten Americans aged 20 to 24 is unemployed. But, health care remains an economic bright spot.

The U.S. Department of Labor expects the health sector to add more than 1.4 million workers over the next ten years. Students in college and even high school can start preparing now for a rewarding health career.

Are you ready?

Our Track Record
Entering Class of 2008...96% acceptance
Entering Class of 2007...97% acceptance
Entering Class of 2006...89% acceptance, 2 waitlisted
Entering Class of 2005...100% acceptance
Entering Class of 2004...100% acceptance

We have restructured our Advising package so you can become competitive during the entire application process!

We advise all applicants to begin preparation for their application process 18 months prior to expected matriculation, by January!  For that reason, we have one low fee for ALL preparation and application activities, no matter when they occur for you.

If you are interested in personalized advising from “The Best in the Business,” (quote by Dr. Patrick Linson, Harvard Medical School Alum who is the only Native American Radiation Oncologist on the planet!), call Lewis Associates today to schedule YOUR personal assessment. Dr. Lewis invests in you, so you may live up to your potential to be the best applicant you can be!

How to Communicate With Us

Phone: 805-226-9669	Fax: 805-226-9227
Mailing Address: 1885 Laguna del Campo, Templeton, CA 93465

Lewis Associates absorbs Long Distance Charges
All phone conferences are made from our office to you. Marcia, our Administrative Assistant, calls YOU at your appointment time.

Changes in Services

• New Services: PHARMCAS and SOPHAS personal statement.
• New Service: Resume development.
• New preparation and application package: Ultimate Commitment package covers all advising.
• After September 1, 2009, new Year-Long Packages may not be available. If you are considering long-term advising, this is the year to lock in your Advising Agreement with us. 
• After September 1, 2009, Applicants will still be able to select from our highly effective Assessment, Essay, Hourly, and Interview Packages. 

Where are you in your journey to a health profession?
In high school? Yes, we advise high school students, particularly, those interested in BA-MD programs!

Just starting college? This is a scary time.  Everything is new…how do I meet all those new expectations?

Moving into your difficult upper division sciences as a college junior? Possibly, the "dreaded organic chemistry"…

Re-entering as an "older" non-traditional student? Re-establishing academic discipline…

We help prepare those of you submitting applications for medical and dental Residency programs, too!

Whatever niche you fit, we advise students just like you.

Are you REALLY ready to apply for the Class of 2009 or 2010?
How do you know?
Use our Personal Assessment--and you will be given your individual strategy and path to your future! Then, if you use our advising, we help implement your strategy! ! If it were easy to do, all applicants would be accepted...and, that is not the case.

Many whom we advise may not yet be ready, and need to develop some aspect of their background to become competitive. Best to apply when you are ready, be competitive, and do it ONLY ONCE!

Let's work together to make that one-time application successful…contacting us earlier is better so we can develop your strategy and address all those difficult problems…months or years prior to application. Why not set yourself up for success, rather than toy with the proposition of failure?

Testimonials
Michael Nevarez, Class of 2006, Harvard University School of Medicine.

"Dr. Lewis was a wonderful guide and mentor as I embarked on a medical career a number of years after graduating from Cal Poly (graduated 2001, applied to med school in 2006). She gave an honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of my profile, and more importantly provided specific and personalized ways in which I could address my application and the process going forward. Her advice and experience was invaluable and I am very happy to have worked with her. "

Margaret Jolley, Entering Class of 2008, Accepted to UC San Diego School of Medicine, her first choice school
"I never would've made it without my weekly conference with the calm, experienced Dr. Lewis. She kept me sane. I am so grateful for her guidance, for her editing help, and for the confidence she instilled in me. She is a genuinely caring committed Mentor who takes pride in helping our dreams happen. I have urged every fellow student I know to call her. Let her help you, too!"

Austin Yoder, Entering Class of 2009, Accepted to West Virginia Osteopathic, Tennessee Osteopathic, Kansas City Osteopathic, Philadelphia Osteopathic-GA, and Uniformed Services
"I am utterly grateful to Dr. Lewis for all her help, guidance and  mentorship through the application process. I owe a great deal of my success to date to her team."

Ariel Chairez, Entering Class 2004, Scholarship Awardee, University of Wisconsin Medical School
Dr. Lewis, I would like to thank you for all of your help. Without your guidance, I would not have been accepted into medical school this year. I am extremely happy to have been accepted to one of the top medical schools in the country, and to have received a scholarship of $130,000. For any student who questions the value of your services, I can say that you have saved me $130,000 in tuition!  Thank you.

John Fiszer (Lawyer), Entering Class of 2005, University Of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
Dr. Lewis' note: John was an Assistant State's Prosecuting Attorney in Chicago, Illinois, when he contacted me in 2004. Finishing his 4th year of medical school, he said: "I am really enjoying med school, and I am thankful to Dr. Lewis for her help. Her methodical, disciplined approach to the med school application process, as well as her insight into the transition to med school were right on target."

Ali Warrick, Entering Class 2010 Advisee
"Dear Dr. Lewis,
I appreciate your help in my transfer process to UC Berkeley. You have been an integral part of the transition, and I would like to thank you for your time and efforts.  I know that your work is very thorough and well thought out. In addition, I believe that you really care about your students and believe in each student's "right fit" in a school. You lead many people toward a brighter future, and I would like to say, 'Thank You!' for your contribution toward my academic goals. This process has been much more enjoyable with your guidance. Thank you for being so good at what you do."

S, Entering Class 2008, accepted with full scholarship to Mayo Medical School
"I cannot thank Dr. Lewis enough for her support and invaluable advice. I was apprehensive about the formidable task of applying to medical school especially with my past academic and personal hardships. She helped me see that overcoming these difficulties was a testament to my strength, dedication, and diligence. One of the most surprising outcomes of our relationship was that she was effective in helping me develop a more positive self-image and conquer many of my insecurities. Without her guidance and letter of evaluation, I would not have been able to earn an acceptance to Mayo Medical School, which granted me a merit scholarship that covers almost all of my tuition. I truly appreciate all of her help. She went above and beyond her role as an Advisor by becoming a Mentor to me. She is absolutely the best in the business!"

Be Competitive
In order to be a competitive Class of 2009 or 2010 or 2011 applicant, you need to submit a quality application as evaluated by your clinical, service and other experiences and your GPA-MCAT/DAT/GRE, etc. profile in a timely fashion. This requires a well thought-out strategy to carry you through the difficult year-long application process. If you use Dr. Lewis' advising, we begin preparation early in the year BEFORE submission of your application!

EARLY is always better, removes much of the pressure, and allows time to solve unforeseen problems and challenges.

What are your chances?
If you want to change your career, or reach your present career goal, but do not know how to begin, or how to jump over all those hurdles, Lewis Associates will advise you and implement strategies to change your life. Dr. Lewis is thorough and professional.

Getting Started
Read on our website about getting your Personal Assessment done, then phone or email us to get started! Dr. Lewis spends, on average, 7 hours developing an effective strategy of taking you from where you are to where you want to be.

You may be like our other Lewis Associates Advisees -- highly motivated and intelligent -- but needing focus, guidance and specific technical expertise. Dr. Lewis solves problems for her Advisees and finds opportunities for them. Or, you may wish to use hourly advising to solve one specific problem.

Dr. Lewis is a trained Biologist, having taught and directed her own research programs for many years at two universities. She earned two postdoctoral fellowships (one at NIH), received the 1990 NACADA Outstanding Institutional Advising Program in the U.S. and directed her own Health Careers Opportunity Program grant for 6 years, bringing $1 million to her university while helping hundreds of disadvantaged students enter health professions.

If you are serious about making your dreams to become a physician, dentist, physician assistant, veterinarian, optometrist, podiatrist, naturopathic physician, or pharmacist a reality--Dr. Lewis can help you. We have made the difference for more than 800 alumni now practicing in medicine the last 23 years.

Dr. Lewis teaches Professionalism, Leadership, and Quality, and sets high standards for her Advisees.

Lewis Associates will save you money and heartache on your preparation and application process.

Contact the Health Career experts! For more information email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com. Call 805-226-9669 to set up your first appointment.

breaking news

Hospital of the Future
http://enews.ama-assn.org/t/650065/319958/74065/0/

A product of an expert roundtable panel comprising hospital administrative and clinical leaders, as well as experts in technology, health care economics, hospital design, and patient safety, the report considered the following specific issues: Socio-economic trends, Technology, Physical environment of care, Patient-centered care values, Staffing challenges.

The workforce shortage has ranked in the top five issues confronting hospital CEOs . . . . Therapists -- physical, occupational and speech -- are in especially short supply and increasingly difficult to recruit. Vacancy rates for these positions exceeded 11% in 2006. Registered nurses, pharmacists, nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and laboratory and imaging technicians all have vacancy rates in the range of 6% for technicians to 8% for RNs."

news

Human Anatomy for Undergraduates
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/FAE/anatomyinstitute
The ninth annual summer course in Human Anatomy for Undergraduates will be offered by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in June 2009, on the Medical School campus in Baltimore, including lectures and demonstrations using human cadavers. Applications accepted from  undergraduates who have completed their sophomore year. Tuition $3,800, (4) academic credits. A completed application form, a non-refundable application fee ($50), and college transcript, letter of recommendation from an Academic Advisor are due March 15, 2009.

Economy sends physicians to hospitals for help
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/12/15/bil21215.htm
Increasingly cash-strapped hospitals are willing to listen to physicians' requests. But, experts say that doesn't mean doctors can expect to have leverage in negotiations.

Physicians and the First Amendment - A matter of Choice.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/359/23/2484
In the November elections, the citizens of three states resoundingly defeated initiatives aimed at curtailing reproductive rights. In Colorado, a proposed amendment to the state's Constitution would have given the same legal rights to fertilized eggs as to living persons. This amendment, which was rejected by a wide margin, would have had broad ramifications for abortion rights, the use of contraceptive agents, and stem-cell research. In California, a parental notification proposition backed by antiabortion forces was also rejected. In South Dakota, a ballot measure that would have effectively banned all abortions in the state was defeated, as was a similar measure 2 years ago.

Will Life-Saving Emergency Care Be There When You Need It?
http://www.emreportcard.org/
The 2009 National Report Card on the State of Emergency Medicine provides a comprehensive look at state support of emergency care systems. The report underscores the challenges facing patients who need emergency care and recognizes efforts to address these needs. With a financial crisis and failing health care system, never before has the emergency department been more vital.

The Doctor Is "Out" ... Where is she/he?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503196.html
Health care experts predict a shortage of primary care physicians and geriatricians to treat the elderly. Some patients are already feeling the pinch when they have to find a new doctor. Low Medicare reimbursement rates to doctors are part of the problem.

Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance (SUMMA) Conference
http://summa.stanford.edu/conference/
SUMMA, or the Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance, annually hosts one of the best pre-med conferences in the country. It focuses on increasing the numbers of underrepresented minorities in medicine. Saturday, February 7th 2009 at Stanford University School of Medicine.

links

MD-PhD GREAT (Group on Graduate Research, Education, and Training) For Academic Medicine
http://www.aamc.org/members/great/start.htm
Fosters exchange of information among the faculty and administrative leaders of biomedical PhD, MD-PhD, and postdoctoral programs. National forum to help these programs educate successful biomedical researchers.

MD-PhD GREAT Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
http://www.aamc.org/members/great/summerlinks.htm
For students thinking about the MD/PhD degree.

Global medical news
http://www.news-medical.net/default.asp
Free service for the consumer, professional and researcher.

Find these and other useful links on Lewisassoc.com's Links Page.

Scott Auerbach, M.D. Scott Auerbach, M.D., Entering Class of 1999 UCSD, Pediatric Residency at Stanford University, Pediatric Cardiology Fellow Columbia University "Hey Dr. Lewis. I am living in Edgewater, NJ and doing a pediatric cardiology Fellowship at Columbia. I am heading back to Stanford in July to do a 4th year in pediatric heart failure and transplant (and glad to be experiencing my last winter in the northeast)."

Carrie Campbell-Cardenas, M.D. Carrie Campbell-Cardenas, M.D., Entering Class of 1994 UCSF, Internal Medicine Residency at Stanford Medical Center, Internist at Sharp Reese-Steely in San Diego.

Tevan Ovsepyan, D.O., Tevan Ovsepyan, D.O., Entering Class of 2005 Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine Nevada, Residency in Internal Medicine at Huntington Memorial Hospital, Pasadena, CA

Denise Zendejas, DDS Denise Zendejas, DDS. Entering Class of 1994 UCSF, Dental Practice in San Diego, CA "Happy Belated Birthday!  I'm in private practice in Spring Valley and have two lovely girls 8 and 10.  I plan on going on vacation to Dubai over the holidays.  I would love to catch up with you after the holiday's...once the dust settles.  I hope you are well."

Steven Perez, Entering Class of 2008, Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine

Steven Perez

My dream of becoming a physician emerged when I was in middle school, however, the death of my father in high school made me change my immediate goal from medicine to nursing. I realized that nursing would be a practical route to take since I could maintain my desire to serve humanity while being a paid health care provider.

After high school, I attended San Jose State University, where I earned my Bachelors in Nursing in 2001. Because of my desire to work in a health care setting, I started my first hospital job in 2000 at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, California, as a certified nursing assistant until I graduated. After passing nursing Boards in July 2001, I started work as a registered nurse in an adult medical-surgical unit.

Upon completing my undergraduate studies, I worked as a nurse fulltime for one solid year while consulting with many physicians about their perceptions of practicing medicine to determine if I still had the zeal to be a doctor. After hearing both positive and negative input, I made the decision to resume pursuing medicine in 2003. I returned to San Jose State University to take premed courses, which I finished in early 2005.

Upon completing my prerequisites, I needed guidance to determine how to complete all requirements for medical school, prepare for the application process, and learn additional skills to mould me into a more resilient student who can handle medical school. I sought Dr. Lewis’ help in April 2005, to prepare me academically and psychologically for medical school, which she tailored to my individual needs.

Dr. Lewis helped me get a learning skills assessment to establish a baseline of my strong and weak areas. This data helped us determine where to prioritize my energy so that I would be prepared to become a competitive premedical student.  Dr. Lewis referred me to a learning specialist who helped me  revamp weak areas while supporting my strengths. In addition, Dr. Lewis advised me to take a 2 year Honors Humanities course at SJSU to develop my non-science knowledge and prepare me to be a well-rounded physician. These interventions transformed me into a student who is academically strong in both the sciences and the arts, which was important to improve my reading and critical thinking skills.

As a last component of my development, Dr. Lewis referred me to a hypnotherapist who helped me learn essential skills for being psychologically prepared to manage anxiety, take the MCAT, then to handle the academic demands as a medical student, while maintaining balance in my personal and professional life.

As a result, I did well on the MCAT in August 2007. Then, Dr. Lewis coached me through the application process in order to complete the cycle efficiently.  Because I was working as a nurse fulltime simultaneously to pay for medical school expenses, completing the application process in an efficient manner was necessary to save time, money, and energy. I was accepted to and matriculated at Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, which was one of my top choice schools.

Now that I’ve completed 1 quarter of medical school, I am reaping the benefits of my collaboration with and skills enhancement from Dr. Lewis. My collaboration and preparation helped me realize that being a medical student is one of the greatest experiences in my life. In addition, medical school isn't as unmanageable as I anticipated it to be. For example, my hypnotherapist sessions taught me how to maintain serenity, focus, and a positive attitude throughout the quarter, especially under times of pressure. Also, I hold the key to learning a large quantity of material in a short amount of time, thanks to Dr. Lewis’ referral to a learning specialist while coaching me throughout the process. Finishing my first quarter at medical school with outstanding grades proves that all my preparation and patience was worth the effort!

Email to Dr. Lewis if you wish to communicate about medical schools or other issues or to contact those profiled in Success Stories: imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

question of the month
By Dr. Cynthia Lewis, PhD

"How good is the advice from student-based websites?"

In honor of the New Year, Dr. Lewis will post her January 2009 Question of the Month: on our new Facebook page as a video. Look for it on January 5th, 2009.

We will feature an important question each month. Please submit one that interests you for Dr. Lewis to answer. Send your questions to imaclewis@lewisassoc.com with 'Newsletter Question' in the subject line.

The Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants' (AIGAC) Stamp of Excellence is issued based on education, professional experience as a graduate admissions consultant, and commitment to the AIGAC's principles of good practices. AIGAC exists to define and promote professional excellence in serving graduate and professional school applicants worldwide.

Lewis Associates specializes in personal, effective and professional premedical advising and placement for traditional and non-traditional applicants. Often, non-traditional students are older than 21 years of age, career changers, international applicants or second-round applicants for admission to health professions school.

Lewis Associates' services meet the needs of all types of students from pre-applicants to applicants, including hourly advising support for specific needs. Click here.

"It's never too late to be who you might have been."

If this is how YOU feel, then, maybe Lewis Associates is the place for you. Lewis Associates provides Mentoring and Coaching through the rigorous and often circuitous pre-health preparation and application process. Other consultants may support programs like Law and Business or graduate school -- not Lewis Associates. We are the experts in Health Professions based on 26 years of a successful track record.

Call or email today to set your first appointment!

805.226.9669 imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any friends, classmates, or colleagues you feel would find its contents beneficial.