Guest Lactic Folly Posted May 15, 2003 Report Share Posted May 15, 2003 Going through the online application from last year.. preparing for the upcoming cycle! 1) Are we limited to the number of entries available on the Supplementary form for listing our work history and activities? 2) What is meant by 'other activities'.. volunteering, if that's not strictly extracurricular? 3) If not from the U of M, did you send your transcripts along with the application or have your registrar mail them directly, hopefully arriving in ten days? Thanks for your help.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ManitobaMed Posted May 16, 2003 Report Share Posted May 16, 2003 Hey there, I think you are indeed limited in what you can include on the form; this isn't a problem, however, because you can include whatever you want in your autobiographical sketch. As "other" activities, I included stuff that wasn't school related -- playing on a soccer team, music lessons, and volunteerism not connected to school. I suspect that pretty much anything goes in that category, provided it: a) wasn't at school didn't pay BUT, I will doublecheck with some classmates on this. I had my transcripts sent directly from the Registrar's Office. Just make sure they're ordered in enough time to arrive before the deadline. GOOD LUCK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lactic Folly Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 Thanks ManitobaMed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lactic Folly Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 Just one more question Are there specific questions to answer in your personal essay or are you free to discuss whatever you want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brandonite Posted May 22, 2003 Report Share Posted May 22, 2003 I think they just ask for an autobiography. So you can pretty much talk about whatever you want. And I think ManitobaMed's guidelines are pretty much on target - whatever you feel like talking about, as long as it wasn''t your mark in o-chem or something you got paid for. Though, I guess, if your job was feeding starving orphans with AIDS in Africa, I would probably mention it, even if I did get paid for it. I think I mentioned my experience as a TA, which is a job, albeit a very poorly paid one. Good luck! And you're way ahead of the game on this one. I think I put my sketch together in about 30 minutes the night before the deadline. Clearly, I don't advocate this, but given my character as a strong procrastinator, I suppose it was just inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oopmed Posted May 22, 2003 Report Share Posted May 22, 2003 Hi there I was just following along on your post. I think that preparing your application requires some time and effort. However, "Brandonite" as helpful as you have been to others, realistically you are kind of a little bit up there on yourself. I hardly believe that you would spend 1/2 hour on something so important to you done on the night before it was due. That is totally @#%$. A day or two I understand, but this is just not cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lactic Folly Posted May 22, 2003 Report Share Posted May 22, 2003 Thanks brandonite.. if they don't have specific questions, then it'll be easier for me to start putting stuff together.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brandonite Posted May 23, 2003 Report Share Posted May 23, 2003 Well, this isn't the first time I've been accused of being arrogant on this board. Maybe I should think before I post here again... But U of M was one of six schools that I applied to last year, and they requested their material last. So, by the time I had to write their essay, I had written five others, and I had a test the next day, so I did a lot of copying and pasting... ManitobaMed will attest to the fact that they don't give you a lot of time to put it together. I think I had a week between when I got the letter telling me to send in my sketch and the date they wanted me to have it in by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oopmed Posted May 23, 2003 Report Share Posted May 23, 2003 hey there yah, so anyways, posting that you cut and paste, everybody does that, so that's not really true to say that you only put 30 minutes into an application now is it...time is taken to make up the original paste-its? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ManitobaMed Posted May 24, 2003 Report Share Posted May 24, 2003 I spend a few days away from the board to study for Block III, and poor Brandonite is called "up on" himself. In all fairness to my much esteemed colleague (who is a total sweetheart and very UNconceited, by the by), I spent a few hours on my essay (composed *from scratch*) and sent it away without proofreading it. I don't advocate this, but different people have different approaches to the application process and to writing in general. Plus, as Brandonite mentioned, we didn't have much time to submit the essays. Hi Lactic Folly, The essay assignment has two components (these are NOT word-for-word from the assignment -- just my recollection of the gist of the instructions): 1) explain why you want to be a doctor 2) describe your life experiences/values/traits and how they have contributed to your desire to be a physician and your ability to function as a physician Essentially, you write an autobiography, keeping in mind the relevance of your life experience and development to your suitablility for medicine and your desire to enter medicine as a career. (Again, this is how I remember it. Maybe brandonite or MiniMedGirl can confirm???) Happy writing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MiniMedGirl Posted May 31, 2003 Report Share Posted May 31, 2003 hey there...manitobamed has it pretty well summarized. -tell them why you want to be a doctor, possibly including a specific experience from your past that really made you consider medicine -what things you have done to help you accomplish your goal (or at least get 90% of the way there) -what you think makes a good doctor AND showing how you have these characteristics/traits through your previous/current work and life experience. -why the heck the school should choose you over everyone else. (and try to answer this question without seeming concieted, arrogant or on the opposite end..really falsely humble) (this isn't really a cruel made-up question..i was asked this question during the interviews. don't remember what i answered...but apparently it worked...) basically, the PAS comes down to selling yourself on paper..without making it obvious that you are selling yourself (therefore...writing PICK ME! PICK ME!! at the top of your essay is probably not the best idea..) doing a good job on this helps set the framework for selling yourself in person. As for Brandonite's little *i did this is 30 minutes* comment ...well...what can i say? he is just an infinitely talented man and definitely not arrogant or high on himself. (aloof, cold and emotionally unavailable, maybe even standoffish..but never arrogant :rollin ) Can he help it if he is an extremely smart and lovable guy? In all honesty i didn't spend very much time on my paper either... i had more important things- like finals, to worry about at the time. basically...it comes down to -do your best, cross your fingers and don't give it another thought till the night before your interview. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lactic Folly Posted June 3, 2003 Report Share Posted June 3, 2003 Thanks for all the helpful tips! Do any of you know when referees are contacted by admissions for their reports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ManitobaMed Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 Wow, Lactic Folly, you're really asking me to pick my brain now! My vague rememberance/**guess**: Contact was probably at about the same time as we were asked to submit the essays (ie late December/early January). The school definitely has the referee reports in at the time of the interview -- the interviewers read them and can actually comment on them during the interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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