Lewis Associates e-Newsletter

Volume 4 Issue 4
April 2005

Published by Lewis Associates. Dr. Cynthia Lewis, Phd., Editor
Email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com with your comments. Enjoy!

What's inside:
Welcome to Success Stories Newsletter!

Important News: Medicare monthly premium rising; F.D.A. Report Criticizes Oversight of Medical Device Makers; NYMC Cannot Be Prosecuted For Refusing Gay Student Group; and More

Useful Links: AAMC's Call for Increase in Medical School Enrollment; National Resident Matching Program

Dates and Reminders: Osteopathic Medicine Awareness Conference; Health Professions Programs in Tanzania, Ghana and Costa Rica

Success Story of the Month:Alumni Updates

Question of the Month – Should I apply to Osteopathic or Allopathic Medical Schools?

Our Services

Contact

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Welcome to Lewis Associates!

April is when many in the Class of 2006 gear up to take the dreaded MCAT. Additionally, we have been working very hard to collect all the appropriate letters of recommendation, working diligently on our application essays, and developing a draft of post secondary experiences --all this balanced with working (for pay), doing research, clinical experiences and perhaps full time class work. Hey--that is a ____ of a lot to do!! You're right. Having a specific personal strategy makes all the difference so one does not collapse due to the sheer enormity of it all.

I predict that the Class of 2006 application process will speed up even more than the Class of 2005 Process. So, Class 2006 applicants beware - begin your preparation NOW!

Most Class of 2005 applicants have been accepted and are petitioning at waitlist schools or hearing from some last minute programs. The fun begins when decisions about which school to select happens by May 15th.

To date, our 30 Class of 2005 applicants are interviewing at 169 schools (that is more than 5 interviews per applicant!) including the Texas schools, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Hawaii, UCLA, UCSF (and MANY more) and have been accepted at many, including Drexel and George Washington Medical Schools; Western University and NOVA Southeastern Osteopathic Medical Schools; UCLA, Mayo and Baylor's MSTP programs, Boston University and Case Western Dental Schools, USC and Penn State/Jefferson BA-MD program, and this year a Naturopathic applicant was accepted into her first choice program--National University of Naturapathic Medicine!... and the list goes on!

In order to be a competitive applicant, one needs to have submitted a quality (as evaluated by your experience and your GPA/MCAT/DAT/GRE etc profile) application in a timely fashion---this requires a well-thought out strategy to carry you through the difficult application process. You should have completed all secondary applications, and submitted your letter packets to complete your files at all your schools by October/November at the latest. Your competition did! This is the most intense time you will experience as a pre-health student. It is a roller coaster ride. Let us know how we can assist you.... sooner is now!

For Class of 2006 applicants, we are running out of time....a very precious commodity: Time to plan, to locate and use new opportunities, time to live up to your potential! Many times, I locate clinical or service experiences for my Advisees…but they need the time to DO them!

For those who choose to wait to begin these tasks in May or June, or even later, you do yourself a big disfavor. Who do YOU know who can whip out an essay in a week on top of gathering 5 or more letters of recommendation (remember that the writers may not be at your beck and call, nor even be in the US when you get around to asking them) and developing your experiences, while deciding if you need to take the MCAT or DAT in the summer---these tasks hold your future in the balance!

If you are serious about making your dreams to become a physician, dentist, Physician Assistant, veterinarian, optometrist or pharmacist a reality --- Lewis Associates can help you. We have made the difference for over 700 students during the last 20 years.

What are your chances?
If you want to change your career or reach your new career goal, but do not know how to begin or how to jump over all those hurdles, Lewis Associates will implement strategies to change your life. Read about it in our newsletter and website, then phone or email us directly to get started with your personal Assessment!

You may be like our 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. 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.

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

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

Contact the experts! For more information email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com or call 805-226-9669 and ask Zakiya to set up your first appointment.

Eric T. Lee, one of our Class of 2004 applicants who previously applied without success wrote to us: "ÄI would just like to send along my eternal gratitude. The medical school application process is daunting, as I am sure you know, and I obviously had little success at it until I began working with you. I received 2 acceptances and several wait-list options this year, which means my medical school dream has actually come true. Ä Once again, thank you so very much for your time, patience and guidanceÄ"

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n e w s & l i n k s


N E W S-HOT TOPICS for premedical students:
(Note: Many online publications require subscription)

Schiavo's Case May Reshape American Law (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/01/politics/01legacy.html?hp&ex=1112418000&en=a7b1873b60e6a361&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Terri Schiavo's legacy may be that she brought the issue of death and dyingto the battle over "the culture of life."

Medicare monthly premium rising to $89.20 in 2006 (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16947-2005Mar31.html
Medicare payments to physicians jumped 15 percent in 2004, an unexpectedly large increase that prompted Bush administration officials to announce that monthly premiums for America's seniors will rise to $89.20 in 2006, $1.50 more than initially projected.

F.D.A. Report Criticizes Oversight of Medical Device Makers (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/01/health/01device.html
The Food and Drug Administration released an internal report late Wednesday that was critical of its oversight of medical device makers.

System tracks patients via wireless device (CNN)
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/03/30/sweden.remote.ap/index.html
Nordic telecommunications operator TeliaSonera AB said Wednesday it is launching a new product that lets doctors monitor their patients through a wireless device.

NY Medical College Cannot Be Prosecuted For Refusing Gay Student Group (365Gay.com)
http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/03/033005nyMed.htm
A medical college that is refusing to recognize an LGBT students group cannot be prosecuted under human rights laws because it is affiliated with the Catholic Church.

For PrePharmacy Students:
Pharmacists' Rights at Front Of New Debate (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5490-2005Mar27.html
Some pharmacists across the country are refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control and morning-after pills, saying that dispensing the medications violates their personal moral or religious beliefs.

Doctors, drugmakers too cozy? New guidelines fuel debate (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Keeping the interactions between doctors and drugmakers wholesome is one subject of new ethics guidelines for internists, the doctors most adults see first for medical care. Yet this noble goal faces constant corrosion from
financial temptation.

Doctors, hospitals end videotaping births (Associated Press)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=534&ncid=534&e=2&u=/ap/20050405/ap_on_he_me/videotaped_births
Many doctors and hospitals around the country are clamping down on
videotaping in the delivery room out of concern those family videos could be
used in malpractice suits.

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L I N K S :

AAMC's Call for Increase in Medical School Enrollment
www.aamc.org/workforce
Read about the AAMC's physician workforce position.

National Resident Matching Program
www.nrmp.org

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d a t e s   &   r e m i n d e r s

The Ghana Health and Education Initiative has 3 remaining positions in this summer's volunteer work. The positions are all in session 1: June 15- June 29
Goal: To create a camp for village teenagers with an emphasis on health education. Volunteers will design activities around one or two health topics to teach fifteen village adolescents in their final year of middle school. These activities will empower village adolescents with a more comprehensive understanding of broader health issues and be mixed with a variety of traditional recreational camp activities as well, as agreed upon by GHEI volunteers. Additional information and an application can be found at www.ifmsa-usa.org/ghana.

2 new health profession programs for undergrad and professional school students:
   Tanzania - August 2-22 - Med/dent/opt/public health/PT/vet/pharm.
   Costa Rica-Nicaragua - July 3-16 - Veterinary and Dental
Both offer supervised, hands-on clinical experience and financial aid. More info at www.ISLonline.org.

Osteopathic Medicine Awareness Conference at Western University
April 23, August 27, November 12 8:45 AM-3 PM. Pre-registration is required. http://www.westernu.edu/prospective/upcoming.xml

Reminder For MD-PhD applicants
2 NEW essays:

1. What are your reasons to pursue the combined Md-PhD? 3000 characters
2. Describe your significant research experiences, including your supervisor's name and affiliation, and the nature of the problem you studied with your contribution to the project. --10,000 characters

Recommended Reading:
Delivered from Distraction by Dr. Edward Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey and The Gift of ADHD by Lara Honos-Webb advance the controversial notion that distractibility, poor impulse control and emotional sensitivity have flip sides that are actually strengths--namely creativity, energy and intuition. -Newsweek, 3/14/05, Anne Underwood

AADSAS 2006-Enhanced service begins mid-May 2005!

AADSAS is pleased to announce several new enhancements to its application for the upcoming 2006 cycle. While the content of the 2006 application remains nearly the same, applicants will notice changes that should make it easier to apply to dental school. There will be no cost increase for applicants.

Among the enhancements for 2006:
• Applicants to dental schools must now apply online. The paper application has been discontinued.
• AADSAS is implementing transcript verification. Each applicant must submit all transcripts before application processing can begin. Offering transcript verification assures that the academic information and computed GPA’s provided to dental schools are accurate and true.
• An AADSAS ID number will be assigned when the applicant creates an application. This ID number can be used by health professions advisors in lieu of the Social Security Number or other personal identifier.
• The application will be easier and more straightforward to complete.
• Applicants can monitor the real-time status of their applications while they are being processed by AADSAS.
• Extra requests, address changes and academic updates will all be handled online, which should speed processing time.
• Applicant status information provided from the dental schools — information that is presently provided through the AADSAS InfoSource® website — will be made available to applicants through AADSAS website portals.

AADSAS application processing time should be 4-6 weeks. While transcript verification will require additional time, AADSAS is implementing processing efficiencies that should permit us to handle applications more rapidly.

The 43rd edition of ADEA’s Official Guide to Dental Schools will be released at the end of April.



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s u c c e s s s t o r i e s

Alumni Updates
by Dr. Cynthia Lewis

WOW…this has been Alumni month, as I have heard from many of our alums!

Sam, Class of 1996, General Surgery Resident, applicant for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship (3/05 Success Story).
I attended his wedding this weekend in Portland, Oregon, talked with his Dad, and met his Mom and new wife. Sam and Kelly (wife) were dancing at the reception when I left.

Jonathon Bloom, Class of 2001 (Success Story 12/01):
"Things worked out great! I got my first choice for both Anesthesiology (Mass Gen) and Internship (Mercy of Pittsburgh Transitional Year). I'll be staying here in Pittsburgh until I move out to Boston in 2006. Talk to you soon!"

Junife Burgillos PA Class of 2002
"Hi Dr.Lewis,
… I'm happy to tell you that I finished with PA school last year (July 2004) and got certified already (Oct 2004). I'm working part time because I'm planning to take a review class for USMLE. Thank you very much Dr. Lewis for boosting my morale and helped me achieve my goals. I really appreciate the monthly newsletter that you send, especially the featured story because it motivates me to study more!…"

Todd Cook, Class of 2003:
"Hello Dr. Lewis,
I know, it's been a long time since we last spoke. Better late than never right? I hope all is well with you and your family. I am wrapping up my second year (only four weeks left!) and will sit for the USMLE step 1 in June. My classes have been going very well and I am in position to run the table and honor the entire second year! Amazing what you are capable of if you set your mind to it and have a wonderful wife to support you. Alexis has been keeping busy with dance classes and advanced training for our dog. Her family has relocated to Dallas so Texas has moved to the top of the residency location list. I am stillinterested in surgery but there are some other fields that may spark my interest. I often reflect upon the people and events that have helped me get to this point in my life. I wanted to let you and Alice know that I appreciate everything you did to help me get into medical school.
Gratefully,
Todd"

TJ Dhillon, MD
"Dear Dr. Lewis,
Thank you so much for finding me with your Christmas letter! I enjoyed it and am glad to see you and your family are doing well. …I have been BUSY! I completed my residency this past June and I am now the owner of my own solo OB/Gyn practice, which I have taken over from a physician who has just retired. The practice is in Madera, about 15 miles north of Fresno. I am the first female OB/Gyn in this town of over 50,000 people, and the practice is very busy. An aunt on my Dad's side is in Family Practice, and she was only the second female physician in this town, over 20 years ago. It is nice--her office is just down the street from mine. I could not have asked for a better opportunity, and was fortunate to find this one. I am so happy in my career and feel I have really found my place -- where I can make a difference for others. It is often that I thank my family and remember all that you did to help me get here.
Best wishes always,
TJ Dhillon"

Next month: The rest of TJ's story!

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

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q u e s t i o n o f t h e m o n t h
by Dr. Cynthia Lewis, PhD

Should I apply to Allopathic or Osteopathic Medical Schools?

I strongly advise almost all of my Advisees to apply for BOTH. There is absolutely no downside to doing so. I am often amazed that many students indicate that they wish to apply to allopathic programs first, then "if I don't get in", apply to Osteopathic programs the next year. First off, the year of application is brutal --ask any applicant. It takes a huge intellectual, physical, financial and emotional commitment. HUGE. Some people don't make it through the process. So, to consider planning 2 such processes is unreasonable. If accepted at a school, you have the option of declining it. But, I find that MANY of my Advisees learn SO MUCH about themselves and the schools during the process --writing secondary essays and interviewing-- that they fall in love with a school that they had not even considered seriously before the process!!

So, keep your mind open, educate yourself, and apply to both!

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 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 23 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.