Lewis Associates e-Newsletter
Volume 13 Issue 6
June 2013
Published by Lewis Associates. Dr. Cynthia Lewis, PhD., Editor
Email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com
with your comments. Enjoy!
Since mid-May, we have gotten many inquiries from potential class 2014 candidates who want advising/help “now” because “I want to submit my AMCAS on June 4th”. Not all of them are ready, and if you have not been working on elements of your application for the last 6-12 months, you are behind.
Submitting an application on the first day it is open will not “buy you an acceptance.” Yes, “early” is good. “Early” is through the first week of July. But, early is irrelevant if your MCAT scores, GPA, personal statement and letters of evaluation are not all strong.
So hurrying to submit an application without attention to ALL the elements of application is a “Fools Errand”.
Work to put together your strongest application possible.
Understand your weaknesses.
Address them – which may take a week, a month, 6 months, or another year.
Apply ONLY when you are Really READY.
Watch for new videos to be posted each month on our Facebook page, including helpful hints for the application process.
Do you really want to be competitive?
1. Plan ... ahead!
2. Address your weaknesses. What are they?
- Science GPA?
- Test (MCAT, DAT) scores, or do you need to take the test for the first time?
- Clinical experiences? How meaningful are they?
- Service? What did you do to help others?
- No close relationships with faculty?
And, how long will it take to really improve? One term? 2 years? Be realistic!
So, whatever quest you have, or issue you want to discuss, Dr. Lewis is the best person to use for personal and academic advice. She's been doing it for 27 years, and "has heard it all". Why don't you let her help you?
805-226-9669
imaclewis@lewisassoc.com
This month's question on Dr. Lewis' Facebook page is: "How do I put all my experiences into the space for 12 experiences and 3 transformative experiences in AMCAS since I have so many?"
Getting into medical, dental, pharmacy and the other health professions schools is getting HARDER!
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-run 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!
News:
How to Communicate With Us
Your journey to a health profession
Are You Ready for the Class of 2014 or 2015?
Testimonials
Track Record
Be Competitive
What Are Your Chances?
Getting Started
• Med school enrollment up but only partial solution to doctor shortage, educators say
• How to know if a medical mission is right for you
• Mind-body training boosts medical students' self-compassion
• Evolution in medical school: Do we need more of it?
• Actors Teach Medical School Students
• The doctor will see you now — online
• Bottleneck in medical education
• The Changing Face of Medical School Admissions
• Medical school interest surges
• Student debt and the crushing of the American dream
• A shift toward improving patient safety in medical education
• Medical school grading and t-ball: Everyone gets a trophy
• Med school debt deters from meeting nation's care needs
• How a Florida medical school cares for communities in need
Useful Links
• A Brief Guide to Osteopathic Medicine, For Students, By Students
• What Is Osteopathic Medicine?
Alumni Update
• Lisa, ND, Entering Class of 2005, National University of Naturopathic Medicine
• Brad Douglas, MD, MPH, Entering Class of 1993, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Medical School
Success Story of the Month
• Kristine, Entering Class of 2013, UC Davis School of Medicine
Question of the Month
• Dr. Lewis' answer to this month's question: "How do I put all my experiences into the space for 12 experiences and 3 transformative experiences in AMCAS since I have so many?"
See our Facebook page, Notes tab.
Nearly one in ten Americans ages 20 to 24 is unemployed. But, health
care jobs remain 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 2012...100% acceptance
Entering Class of 2011...100% acceptance
Entering Class of 2010...86% acceptance
Entering Class of 2009...96% acceptance
Entering Class of 2008...96% acceptance
Entering Class of 2007...97% acceptance
Entering Class of 2006...89% acceptance
Entering Class of 2005...100% acceptance
Entering Class of 2004...100% acceptance
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!
Phone: 805-226-9669
|
Email: imaclewis@lewisassoc.com |
| 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.
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 2014 or 2015?
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
Gail Ruth, mother of Todd Ruth, Entering Class of
2010, Jefferson University Medical School
Just a short note here to let you know how appreciative we are
of all the wonderful help you gave to our son, Todd. He just received
his first 2 acceptances from his top choices, so we couldn't be more pleased.!
You were instrumental in guiding him as to which courses to take and gave
him invaluable help with his essays. Thanks once again for all your help
and guidance.
David and Maureen Lee, parents of Eric Lee, Entering Class of
2009, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
June, 2009: "Dr. Lewis, We just wanted to drop you a quick
note to say thank you for all of your strategic guidance, wise counsel,
encouragement, and mentoring to our son Eric on his journey to get into
medical school. That is quite a process!! Eric definitely took the "road
less traveled", majoring in philosophy, but he worked really hard
to get his science prerequisites under his belt. He benefited so much
from your experience, insight, and when needed, "tough love".
You kept him on track, and we thank you. We think he will be an excellent
physician. Perhaps some day we will meet. Again with gratitude, David
and Maureen Lee."
Michael Nevarez, Entering Class of 2006, Harvard University School
of Medicine, his first choice school
"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, 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 Uniformed
Services University for Health Sciences, Philadelphia Osteopathic-GA,
West Virginia Osteopathic, Tennessee Osteopathic, and
Kansas City Osteopathic
"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, 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.
When I came to her, 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 2014 or 2015 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 training or practicing
in medicine over the last 26 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.
Med school enrollment up but only partial solution to doctor shortage, educators say
First-year admissions are up almost 3% from 2011 at U.S. osteopathic colleges of medicine and 1.5% at allopathic schools.
http://www.amednews.com/article/20121107/profession/311079996/
How to know if a medical mission is right for you
I have found that many physicians have a strong desire to serve, yet often don’t know where to begin or if it is the right move for them both personally and professionally.
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/05/medical-mission.html
Mind-body training boosts medical students' self-compassion
Teaching medical students about mind-body approaches could help boost their compassion and decrease their stress, according to a small study from the Boston University School of Medicine.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/19/mind-body-training-medical-students-self-compassion_n_3294625.html
Evolution in medical school: Do we need more of it?
We’re used to controversies around the teaching of evolution but here’s one place you might be surprised to learn Darwinian thinking is still struggling to take hold: medical schools.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/brainiac/2013/04/a_movement_to_m.html
Actors Teach Medical School Students
This is a glimpse inside Tulane Medical Schools Standardized Patient Program. It’s a simulated clinic where our future doctors get to practice on real people and work out the nerves.
http://wgno.com/2013/04/22/actors-teach-medical-school-students/#axzz2RsXnXGhx
The doctor will see you now — online
The physician-patient relationship has changed through the years, and one major shift has been the treatment of patients by Internet or remote hookup.
http://www.amednews.com/article/20130506/opinion/130509981/4/?utm_source=nwltr&utm_medium=heds-htm&utm_campaign=20130506
Bottleneck in medical education
The Association of American Medical Colleges projects that the nation will have a doctor shortage of 62,900 by 2015 and up to 140,000 by 2025. Nationally, medical school enrollment is expected to result in about 5,000 more graduates a year by 2019.
http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/bottleneck-in-medical-education-1.1484440
The Changing Face of Medical School Admissions
As the country's universities and courts are struggling once again to define diversity and admissions policies, two perspective pieces in The New England Journal of Medicine reveal that admissions policies have been quietly but radically changing in a handful of medical schools. And those changes have yielded surprisingly successful results.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/02/the-changing-face-of-medical-school-admissions/
Medical school interest surges
A new survey finds that medical schools are on track to increase enrollment 30 percent by 2017, boosting the number of doctors at a time when a record number of insured people are expected to be seeking care.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/the-pulse/2013/05/medical-school-interest-surges.html
Student debt and the crushing of the American dream
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/student-debt-and-the-crushing-of-the-american-dream/
A shift toward improving patient safety in medical education
In recent months, there has been a genuine groundswell of interest in improving the methods in which patient safety measures are taught, across the board, in medical education.
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/fieldclinic/A-shift-toward-improving-patient-safety-in-medical-education.html
Medical school grading and t-ball: Everyone gets a trophy
"Variation and Imprecision of Clerkship Grading in US Medical Schools” is the understated title of the paper in the August 2012 issue of the journal Academic Medicine.
http://www.generalsurgerynews.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Skeptical%2BScalpel&d_id=513&i=March+2012&i_id=844&a_id=23225&t=Blogs
Med school debt deters from meeting nation's care needs
AMA testimony at a recent public forum on excessive education debt outlined the societal implications of the mounting cost of attending medical school.
http://www.ama-assn.org/ams/pub/amawire/2013-may-22/2013-may-22-medical_student.shtml?P=S&C=S&G=F&M=T&I=F&W=T&Y=F&S=F
How a Florida medical school cares for communities in need
If it's a Monday, you can usually find Dr. David Brown parked next to a lake in Miami, spending the day inside a 36-foot-long RV. He's not on vacation. Brown is chief of family medicine at Florida International University's medical school. The RV is the school's mobile health clinic.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/14/183937762/how-a-florida-medical-school-cares-for-communities-in-need
A Brief Guide to Osteopathic Medicine, For Students, By Students
http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/Pages/BriefGuide.aspx
What Is Osteopathic Medicine?
http://www.aacom.org/about/osteomed/Pages/default.aspx
Find these and other useful links on Lewisassoc.com's Links Page.
 Lisa Lisa, ND, Entering Class of 2005, National University of Naturopathic Medicine May 7, 2013: " Hi Dr. Lewis, how are you doing? I hope you're well and your girls are doing fine too. I imagine you're as busy as ever helping students achieve their goals; you certainly helped to make my career dream come true! |
 Brad Brad Douglas, MD, MPH, Entering Class of 1993, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Medical School May 4, 2013: " Hi Dr. Lewis, I'm retiring from the Navy in 14 months - that will be about 29 1/2 years then. I've been moonlighting in Richmond, VA for 3 1/2 years - and that will be my permanent job. Essentially I'm an Ob/Gyn Hospitalist. I do 24 hour shifts and take any patient that is an ob/gyn patient I'm covering for, or a patient who might not have a doctor (what we call an 'Unassigned' patient). Brad" |
Watch for Success Stories coming for some of these alumni!
success story
 Kristine Kristine, Entering Class of 2013, UC Davis School of Medicine I started college unsure who or what I was going to be in life. I initially struggled in school, but turned myself around, knowing that my struggle was going to scar my resume in the future. I became more and more involved in athletics, volunteering, and research. As my joy in working with children flourished and evolved through service and school work, I soon realized how pediatrics could connect my fascination with science and physiology to my passion for working with and establishing lasting relationships with children. The instant I realized that I wanted to be a doctor, I became afraid that my scars would show, and prevent me from achieving my dream. I worked hard to take advantage of opportunities that would bring be valuable and joyful experiences. I traveled abroad to Europe, New Zealand, and Central America to explore new cultures and traditions, volunteered with the youth and the underserved to serve my community, and to learn from others, played and coached volleyball for the happiness it brings me, and conducted research and published a paper to learn more about the scientific process. When it came time to start my application, I was unsure where to start, unsure how to present myself, and unsure whether or not schools could see who I am today. Dr. Lewis knew the importance of getting to know me from the beginning. Dr. Lewis dove in and helped me structure, review, and revise my primary, and then my secondary applications. She understood how to present myself best for each individual school, and how to best prepare for each interview style. All through this process, I have felt that I have someone in my corner, to keep me on track and to give me pointers along the way. I am so excited that I have been accepted to U.C. Davis School of Medicine, a school I was hoping to get into from the beginning! Thank you again Dr. Lewis, you have helped my dreams come true! |
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... see Facebook, Notes tab
By Dr. Cynthia Lewis, PhD
"How do I put all my experiences into the space for 12 experiences and 3 transformative experiences in AMCAS since I have so many?"
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.
lewis associates advising services
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.
contact
"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
Copyright 2009, Lewis Associates. All rights reserved. Please do not repost on any website without direct permission from Lewis Associates.
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