Are you applying to medical school? Consider writing your Impactful Experiences Essay! This essay used to be called the "Disadvantaged Statement," but generally invites applicants to share the unique challenges they've had to overcome. Although this is an optional step in your AMCAS application, it is your opportunity to share the special circumstances in your life that speak to who you are and have helped you build resilience throughout your life. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma highlight the immense value of the Impactful Experiences Essay to your application, challenge you to see the opportunity to stand out positively by submitting it, and give you inspiring examples of what this essay looks like and how you can write yours well!

Are you thinking of reapplying to medical school? You may have applied before, were not accepted, or are still waiting for schools' replies but are concerned that you may not make it and should consider reapplying. Allowing time for your emotions to flow is necessary; then, you can learn from the experience and move forward. Taking inventory of your rejected application will help you spot what you may have missed, where the trajectory of your application needed improvement, or maybe your school choices could have been better tailored for your scores, experiences, and number of activities. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma teach how to candidly review your application before reapplying and share awesome tips to help you improve your chances next time.

Have you ever wondered what going to medical school without a science degree would be like? There are lots of reasons why you would want to consider majoring in other fields, like engineering or history. You don't need a science major to become a doctor. Expanding your knowledge in different areas that interest you will make you a more well-rounded future doctor, and the humanities offer some great options. While you will still need to take the science and premed courses, the insights and perspectives that humanities courses bring are valuable and can make you stand out in a sea of talented applicants.

Dr. Alexa Angulo is an international medical graduate (IMG) from Mexico who graduated from UABC in Tijuana and has just started her residency in pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia. She shares her journey, from challenges in high school and medical school in Mexico to passing the additional requirements for IMGs before they become ECFMG-certified and can apply for a residency position in the US. Every journey is unique. Dr. Angulo will inspire other IMGs to pursue their career dreams and navigate their path to matching a residency position in the US.

Do you have a strategy for applying to medical schools? How can you select the best school based on your unique needs or preferences and decide which schools are right for you? Once accepted to one or more medical schools, how do you choose the best one to spend your next four years? In this episode, Dr. Zulma and Dr. Marina discuss various aspects of selecting how many schools to apply to, helping you develop your own plan and consider the most suitable options for you.

Are you a URM student ready to prepare your medical application for the next cycle? In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court banned race-conscious admissions policies. If you are committed to becoming a doctor, serving your community, and impacting the world, do not let this change hinder you! In this episode, Dr. Zulma and Dr. Marina touch on the context of this recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling ending race-conscious admissions policies in higher education and the history of disadvantaged applicants' admission process. They also share their experiences and hurdles as URM themselves when entering medical school. Finally, they empower URM students to navigate their application process in light of the ruling guide on how to write their essays as a result!

How can you write a reader-catching activity description for your medical school application? Whether applying for an MD or a DO school, you will be asked to present 15 activities showcasing your skills in action. Often, students focus so much on their personal statements that they underestimate the incredible value of their activities. In the activity description, applicants can display snippets of their whole trajectory leading up to being the skilled medical student schools seek. Overlooking them may mean leaving a great opportunity on the table and hurting your application! In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma demonstrate how applicants can choose and write robust activity description paragraphs, maximizing the potential of their application by showing how well-rounded and strong applicants they are!

Do you struggle with taking initiatives? Often, premed students struggle with shyness, fears, lack of motivation, and other barriers that prevent them from advocating, speaking up, or taking action. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma discuss and share their tips on how to benefit from taking initiative as a premed student, becoming more helpful, and finding the fine balance in participating without being shy or showing off. Learn how you can expand your opportunities and enjoy thriving as you get yourself out of your comfort zone.

Bianca Silva just graduated from osteopathic medical school at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences and is beginning her residency in family medicine at Kaiser Permanente. She shares the story of her path into medicine, which involved growing up in an immigrant family, going to community college, transferring to a four-year university, working multiple jobs, taking post-bac courses to improve her GPA, finding a great mentor, and getting a master’s degree in business administration. She highlights what she loved about studying osteopathic medicine and learning the art of hands-on healing techniques.

Did you know that you will need to ask for a few letters of recommendation when you apply to medical school? Most schools request two letters from science professors and one or more others from other people you have worked or done research with. And, even if you’re years away from applying, it’s not too early to start preparing. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma share their tips for how to prepare to get great letters of recommendation, no matter where you are on your premed path.

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a medical doctor (MD) and doctor of osteopathy (DO)? You’re not alone. In this episode, we help clarify the difference between these two degrees and explain how each of them can help you achieve your dream of becoming a doctor.

In this episode, Dr. Leith States shares his story of growing up in Compton, losing a friend to cancer, being tokenized as a Black/Latino/Indigenous student, joining the navy during medical school and working as a battalion surgeon and public health emergency officer, completing an MBA, and now working for the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) at a federal level. He opens up about the challenges of applying to medical school, overcoming self doubt, and often being the only male of color at federal health policy meetings.

Do you have to work to support yourself while you’re in college or taking your premed requirements? That’s OK — many students have to balance school and work responsibilities. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma discuss some factors you should consider when choosing your work experiences so that, come application time, you’re in the best position possible to shine!

Did you know that there are many types of combined programs that enable you to get both your medical degree AND another degree simultaneously? These include BS+MD programs, MD+PhD programs, MD+MPH programs, MD+MBA programs, and many more! Listen in as we guide you through the basics of such programs and the pros and cons to consider for each.

Listen as double board-certified physician Dr. Au shares about growing up in Hawai’i as the daughter of a Native Hawaiian dad and Maori Danish mom, how her uncle with ALS motivated her to help people, majoring in mathematics at BYU-Hawai’i, confronting racial microaggressions, finding supportive networks during college and medical school, working as a pediatric hospitalist, and now helping young adults at a university health center. She also shares her best advice for current premeds.

When you’re working tirelessly to get into medical school, physician burnout may be the last thing on your mind, but it’s an important thing to understand before you commit fully to a career in medicine. (You may even be asked about physician burnout in your medical school interviews!) In this episode, we get really honest and personal about our own burnout through various stages of our medical careers — from the premed years to residency and even through various jobs we’ve had. Many factors that contribute to burnout are features of existing educational and healthcare systems, so they’re not always in your control. Nonetheless, we share some tips for things you CAN do to help improve your own experience and maximize the chances of becoming a happy physician.

Have you ever felt like you’re not as smart, capable, or worthy as others around you? Have you ever felt like you’re just pretending to belong as a premed? Or, have you ever done something really well and told yourself, “I just got lucky”? If so, you have likely experienced impostor syndrome — which is difficulty believing that you deserve the success that comes to you through effort. In this episode, Dr. Marina and Dr. Zulma discuss their own experiences with impostor syndrome and share some tips about how to overcome the negative thinking patterns that feed it.

Listen in as Dr. Zulma interviews pediatric cardiologist Dr. Silva Sepulveda, a doctor specializing in children’s heart conditions. He shares about immigrating to the U.S., getting in trouble as a teen, working his way through college with a variety of jobs (including violinist in a Mariachi band!), overcoming challenges with the MCAT, and making his way from community college to medical school. He also talks about why he loves his job and the challenges and joys of balancing a medical career with six kids, including kids with special medical needs. Don’t miss his inspiring story!

Listen in as Dr. Zulma interviews Thalia Fabian, a 4th year osteopathic medical student who just matched to residency in psychiatry. Hear her story of being born in Peru, growing up in California’s central valley, the challenges she faced as a first-generation college student, and why she chose the field of psychiatry. Her best advice to current premeds is, “Don’t be afraid!”

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a surgeon that helps treat cancer? In this episode, Dr. Juliet Siena Lumati, MD, MPH, shares her story of becoming the first-ever Black female surgical oncology fellow at Johns Hopkins She shares what her day-to-day life is like, her passion for research, and her interest in treating cancers of the liver, biliary tract, and pancreas. She also talks about her passion for international health and stories of helping cancer patients in Nigeria. Learn about the unique challenges of pursuing a career in surgery and hear her advice about how to increase your confidence that you belong!