Tag Archives: admissions feedback

Harsh Truth: Most Pre-Meds Don’t Get Accepted

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Three med students who didn’t get in at first talk about why.

Thousands of med school applicants are going to feel the sting of rejection at the end of this cycle. We hope YOU aren’t one of them, but if you are, take heart–this is but one year among the many years you’ll be working toward your goal.

In the meantime, co-hosts M2 Daniel Haws, M3 Fallon Jung, and M2 Cara Arrasmith talk about why they had to try an extra time or two–what they did wrong and how they fixed it–with CCOM admissions expert Rachel Shulista. Stop wasting thousands of dollars on medical school applications that go nowhere. This episode breaks down the reasons admissions committees reject candidates and shows you how to build the clinical experience and academic profile that gets you accepted!

The real reasons applications crash and burn: applying late because you thought October deadlines were suggestions, having little clinical experience beyond watching Grey’s Anatomy, and writing personal statements that sound like generic healthcare brochures. We break down why you need to get feedback from admissions–it might be the most valuable conversation you never wanted to have, and how Daniel actually turned down an acceptance to reapply to his dream school (note well: the all-knowing geniuses on Reddit were not happy about this).

Listener Chunkster is freaking out that they haven’t heard already, so Rachel explains what happens during those months of radio silence as you wait for word on your app, and why most decisions come in the final pool anyway. And we talk about what Chunkster should do to keep the inner demons at bay while they wait. Plus, we explore the delicate art of the “humblebrag” in medical school applications and why your personal statement shouldn’t read like a Wikipedia page about the medical profession.

Whether you’re waiting to hear back, nursing a rejection, or wondering if you’re cut out for this med school thing, we’ve got the real talk you need to survive the application gauntlet.

Episode credits:

  • Producer: Dave Etler
  • Co-hosts: Daniel Haws, Fallon Jung, Cara Arrasmith
  • Guest: Rachel Shulista, CCOM Admissions

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions.

We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.

We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!)

The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast!  Thanks for listening!

Continue reading Harsh Truth: Most Pre-Meds Don’t Get Accepted

Feedback is Data, Not Devastation.

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How to Take Negative Feedback And Use It to Win in Med School

Recently, our admissions coordinator Rachel was surprised by the reaction from an applicant CCOM chose not to admit. She’d set aside time to give the applicant some feedback on their application–an extra service we provide those who weren’t successful in their bid to study medicine here. But instead of a thoughtful reaction to her notes, the unsuccessful applicant told her that they “didn’t agree with any of that.”

The problem with this attitude is that in medical school feedback is never ending! Students get notes on interpersonal skills, professional behaviors, clinical skills, your knowledge base. And the feedback comes from everyone involved: simulated patients, actual patients, faculty, residents, nurses, even each other! Sometimes the feedback is formal and written; sometimes it’s verbal; and sometimes all you get is a raised eyebrow or a smile. Sometimes it’s rough, other times it’s SMART.

So M2s Zach Grissom, Sahana Sarin, Srishti Mathur, and Jay Miller give their take on this vital skill in medicine: using feedback as data, as fuel for growth. They share stories of getting useful and useless feedback. And whether you love it or hate it, you’ll leave with a playbook for using feedback to boost your success in medical school and your career.

Also, we discuss a study on AI “de-skilling,” and recent shifts in the amount of research medical students are doing versus the number of service and humanities experiences they’re doing.

Episode credits:

  • Producer: Dave Etler
  • Co-hosts: Zach Grissom, Srishti Mathur, Sahana Sarin, Jay Miller

We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.

We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!)

The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast!  Thanks for listening!

Continue reading Feedback is Data, Not Devastation.