Podcasts about mcat

(00:00) — First Spark: How a hospital shadowing program in high school shifted Justin's view of medicine from negative to hopeful.(00:27) — Immigrant Family Expectations: The doctor-lawyer-accountant conversation that narrowed Justin's focus and why he's grateful for it.(04:34) — Choosing Seton Hall: Why staying close to home and picking a smaller school turned out to be the right call for staying focused.(10:22) — Collaboration Over Competition: How studying alongside classmates pursuing PT, PA, and med school kept Justin on track without the cutthroat dynamic.(16:20) — MCAT Rescheduling Spiral: The honest account of pushing back the MCAT four or five times and what finally made Justin ready to sit for it.(21:52) — Checking Boxes vs. Meaning: Why running around doing every premed activity left Justin with experiences he could barely remember by application time.(23:39) — Applying Late and What It Cost: Submitting two months after applications opened, what that felt like in real time, and how it still worked out.(32:50) — TikTok Origin Story: The mall conversation about Washington, DC that accidentally launched a multi-million-follower social media presence.(35:19) — Social Media vs. Medicine: The pressure to quit one or the other, and how Justin reframed content creation as a hobby rather than a competing identity.(38:52) — Dad's Long-Term Question: The family conversation that settled the debate between full-time content creation and medical school.(42:23) — Closing Advice: What Justin would tell any premed trying to balance a public platform with the demands of the path to medicine.Justin was a freshman in college when a friend's embarrassing geography gap turned into a TikTok video that got 100,000 views overnight. By the time he applied to medical school, he had millions of followers across platforms. He also submitted his application two months late, rescheduled his MCAT four or five times, and took a gap year he never planned on taking. In this conversation, Justin walks through the full arc of his premed path — from a hospital shadowing program in high school that flipped his negative view of medicine, to navigating an immigrant family's expectations, to figuring out that checking off every premed activity was producing experiences he could barely recall when it came time to write about them. He talks honestly about imposter syndrome in his first year of medical school, the time management shift that made studying feel less like punishment, and how he handled the very real pressure from people on both sides — doctors warning him that social media would hurt his career, and followers telling him to drop medicine entirely. His answer to both was the same: stay true to what you actually want.What You'll Learn:- Why rescheduling the MCAT repeatedly is not a strategy, and what finally made Justin commit to a test date- How a smaller undergraduate institution can sharpen focus rather than limit opportunity- Why submitting a medical school application late has real consequences, even when things ultimately work out- How to hold a social media presence and a premed identity at the same time without letting either one define you completely- Why a gap year you did not plan for can become one of the most valuable parts of the path to medical school

Anika Jackson sat down with Mark Williams, founder of NUUX Design Studios, to explore why so many businesses keep UX design and marketing completely isolated—and how bridging that gap can make or break a brand. Streaming live from Madrid, Spain, Mark shared his unexpected journey from a pre-med neuroscience and psychology major to leading a remote design agency working with enterprise clients. The conversation offered a look into how founders can use modern AI workflows to bring ideas to life without massive budgets.   In This Episode   The Pre-Med Pivot: Why Mark walked away from the MCAT, research labs, and a medical track during lockdown to jump into advertising and UX design. The UX-Marketing Disconnect: Why sending traffic to a broken website (or designing a great website with no traffic strategy) kills conversions. Moving Beyond Blind Redesigns: Why looking at data, heat maps, and user sessions matters more than guessing solutions with AI. The Remote Agency Model: Managing a global team across time zones with a startup hustle mindset. AI-Native Workflows: Using tools like Claude Cowork, Motion, and voice dictation to automate tasks and build foundational design systems faster. The Imposter Syndrome Reality: Relying on the grounded support of friends and family when making massive life leaps.   Timestamps   00:00 Introduction: Building in parallel with modern AI tools 01:09 Meet Mark Williams from Madrid, Spain: Celebrating the World Cup energy 03:13 From Pre-Med Psychology and Neuroscience to UX Design 07:05 Why UX and Marketing need to talk to each other 08:35 Where enterprise teams and marketers get design wrong 10:48 Case study: Restructuring and improving conversion rates for auto insurance brands Amax and Alpha 13:16 Balancing the need for speed with foundational quality in an AI era 16:58 Taking the leap from agency employee to starting NUUX Design Studios in LA 18:44 Building a global, remote team based on capability over location 21:54 What small businesses and SMBs can learn from enterprise workflows 23:11 Mark's favorite AI tools: Claude Cowork, Motion, and voice dictation workflows 26:52 Design trends: Are we making a mistake skipping mid-fidelity wireframes? 29:11 Dealing with imposter syndrome and the support of family 32:37 Expanding NUUX Design Studios to compete with the industry giants 34:48 Maya Angelou, belonging, and finding your footing anywhere in the world   Key Insights & Takeaways   Insight 1: UX and Marketing Cannot Live in Isolation Mark points out a critical flaw in many companies: marketing teams send traffic to web experiences without checking if they work, while design teams focus purely on aesthetics without looking at the business goals. True conversion happens when both sectors communicate constantly. If your landing page experience is broken, all the ad spend in the world won't save it.   Insight 2: Data Tells You What Is Happening, Not Why Many teams see a drop in a metric and immediately prescribe a complex redesign or blindly prompt an AI tool for a new layout. Mark emphasizes that real optimization requires looking deeper at heat maps, user session recordings, and heuristics to understand user behavior before making targeted changes.   Insight 3: Leverage AI to Move Faster, But Keep the Foundation Founders today don't need massive budgets to bring ideas to life. By utilizing AI agents and workflows (like Claude Cowork or automated task planners), lean teams can move at lightning speed. However, for enterprise stability, building a strong, consistent brand design system once prevents fragmented, chaotic user experiences down the line.   Insight 4: Hiring for the Startup Hustle Mindset When running a remote, global agency, location doesn't matter nearly as much as execution. Mark looks for team members who share an entrepreneurial drive—people who take ownership, get the work done under any circumstance, and keep the client experience human, approachable, and deeply collaborative.   Insight 5: You Are More Capable Than You Think The barrier to entry for building a business or bringing a creative vision to life has never been lower. Armed with modern digital tools and the courage to take risks—whether moving across the country to LA or relocating abroad to Madrid—founders can parallel-track multiple projects and accomplish far more than previous generations could.   Resources & Links Mentioned NUUX Design Studios: Mark's UX and marketing agency (nuuxdesignstudios.com) Upwork: The platform where Mark initially sourced early global clients Claude & Claude Cowork: AI assistants used for workflow automation and content structuring Motion: AI-powered time-blocking tool for daily scheduling ClickUp: Project management tool used in Mark's daily automation stack ContentSquare & Hotjar: Tools for analyzing user sessions and heat maps Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown (featuring the Maya Angelou quote on belonging)   About Mark Williams Mark Williams is the founder of NUUX Design Studios, a remote design agency based out of Madrid, Spain. With a background in psychology and neuroscience from his pre-med days, Mark brings a deeply human-centric, analytical approach to user experience design, bridging the crucial gap between digital marketing and high-converting web interfaces. He manages a global team helping businesses optimize their digital ecosystems while living the digital nomad dream abroad.   Connect with Mark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msijuadewilliams/ Company Website: nuuxstudios.com Like the show? Leave us a rating or review: https://lovethepodcast.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Follow the Show: https://followthepodcast.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Send a Message: https://podcastfeedback.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Check out our Website: https://www.yourbrandamplified.comSpeak to my Delphi Clone: https://www.delphi.ai/amplifywithanika Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

6 to 8 Weeks: Perspectives in Sports Medicine Episode: Getting Into Med School — GPA, MCAT, Shadowing, Gap Years & Research Episode Overview In this episode, the hosts step away from injury talk to answer one of their most common inbox questions: how do you actually get into medical school? They break down what really moves the needle in an application — GPA and MCAT, choice of major and undergrad school, how to approach shadowing, whether a gap year helps, and what admissions committees are actually looking for in research experience. Disclaimer As always, this discussion is for informational purposes only and isn't professional medical (or admissions) advice — please consult your own advisor for guidance specific to your situation. Key Topics GPA & MCAT — the two numbers that still matter most Despite everything else on an application, GPA and MCAT remain the primary screening tools admissions committees use. Grade inflation is real and varies significantly by school — a 3.6–3.8 GPA range is roughly where competitive applicants land, but the same GPA means different things depending on the school and major. A tougher major at a rigorous school isn't automatically valued over an "easier" major elsewhere — committees weigh context, but it's not a simple apples-to-apples comparison. Does your major or college choice matter? There's no official "pre-med major" — the actual requirement is a specific run of prerequisite coursework (calculus, bio, chemistry, etc.), and the rest of your major is up to you. Study what you're genuinely interested in; passion for the subject matters more than picking a major purely for strategy. MCAT prep: courses vs. self-study, and when to take it Prep courses can help people who need external structure and a set schedule, but self-motivated students often do just as well studying independently. Timing matters — many students benefit from a dedicated, uninterrupted block of study time (e.g., over a school break) rather than squeezing prep into a busy semester. Retaking the test once is reasonable if there's a clear explanation for an underperforming score; diminishing returns set in after that unless there's a specific circumstance (e.g., testing in a non-native language). MCAT scoring context Competitive applicants generally cluster in a fairly narrow score band, with average matriculant scores in the low 510s and top-tier scores in the high teens (out of the 472–528 scale). Small point differences can matter less than people assume — the scale rewards consistency more than chasing a marginal few extra points once you're already in a strong range. Shadowing: what it's actually for The hosts are candid that shadowing's educational value is debatable, but it remains an expected, near-universal part of applications (most students log somewhere in the 60–100 hour range). Its real purpose may be less about clinical knowledge and more about exposure — understanding what a doctor's day actually looks like, including the less glamorous parts (documentation, charting) that TV medical dramas skip over. How to find a shadowing opportunity Cold-emailing physicians is common — and volume is high on the receiving end, so personalized, well-written outreach stands out. Small details matter: get the doctor's name right, be specific about why you're reaching out, and keep it concise. A personal connection (a family doctor, a referral) significantly increases response rates compared to a cold email. Gap years Increasingly common and not a red flag — the key is what you do with the time. Strong gap years tend to involve meaningful international work, high-level athletics, or substantive clinical/research experience — not just "time off." What matters is being able to articulate what you learned and how it shaped your decision to pursue medicine. Research: it's not about the publication count Admissions committees care less about how many papers you've published and more about whether you can demonstrate scientific thinking — forming a hypothesis and working through ways to prove or disprove it. This is explicitly contrasted with clinical reasoning, which tends to follow a more structured, rule-based diagnostic process. Research quantity matters more later on, at the residency/fellowship stage — for med school applications, quality of experience and what you took from it matters more. Does the prestige of your undergrad school matter? Less than people think. What matters more is how well you did there and whether you took advantage of the opportunities available to you. A student at a smaller or less "name brand" school who fully used the resources available (research, clinical opportunities, leadership) can stand out just as much as someone at an elite feeder school who coasted. The personal statement Life context matters — family obligations, financial circumstances, or nontraditional paths (e.g., pursuing elite athletics before switching focus to medicine) can meaningfully shape and strengthen an applicant's story when explained well. Where to Listen Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube — search "6 to 8 Weeks: Perspectives in Sports Medicine." Please subscribe to our podcast at Apple PodcastsCheck out our website on Simplecast

(00:00) — Born in India, raised in Canada: How early experiences with navigating healthcare planted the seed for a medical career.(03:03) — Canadian medical school odds: Why the stat-heavy, seat-limited system makes it one of the hardest paths in North America.(06:51) — First application cycle, zero interviews: What went wrong and what "being a perfect applicant" actually cost her.(09:02) — Second cycle, authentic essays, a few interviews: How honesty on paper moved the needle — but not enough.(15:29) — Ruling out India, weighing the US, Ireland, and the Caribbean: How she narrowed her options after two rejections.(19:05) — Researching Caribbean schools: Attrition rates, match stats, LinkedIn outreach, and a campus visit with her mom.(23:26) — The financial reality for Canadian students at Caribbean schools: Private loans, OSAP, and a scholarship that changed the math.(28:21) — First days at SGU in Grenada: The pressure of IMG status, 12-to-15-hour study days, and staying focused on today.(32:13) — The "Caribbean med school is a vacation" myth: Why the stigma is wrong and what the attrition numbers actually show.(37:53) — Adjusting to island life: Grocery runs as the only break, finding a study rhythm, and getting comfortable in a new environment.(41:57) — Words for students considering the Caribbean path: Why a different road is still a real road.After two application cycles to Canadian medical schools — zero interviews the first time, a handful the second — this premed from Ontario made a decision that changed everything: she packed up and headed to St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada. In this episode, she walks through exactly how she got there, from growing up as an immigrant child helping her family navigate the healthcare system, to a five-year co-op undergrad, a master's degree, a second MCAT, and ultimately the realization that the Canadian system's stat-driven, seat-scarce process simply wasn't going to open for her. She talks honestly about the financial side — private bank lines of credit, OSAP, and a merit scholarship from SGU — and about what it actually feels like to sit down with a tuition bill that size. Once on the island, she found that Caribbean medical school is nothing like the vacation stereotype: class sizes in the 500-to-600 range thin out every term, and she routinely puts in 12 to 15 hours of studying a day. Her strategy for handling the pressure of IMG status, uncertain residency prospects, and being far from family comes down to one discipline: focus only on what today requires.What You'll Learn:- Why Canadian medical schools function as a stats-first filter and what that means for applicants who are strong but not perfect on paper- How to research Caribbean medical schools beyond Reddit — including what data points actually matter for Canadian and US students- What the financial pathway looks like for Canadian students attending a Caribbean school, including private loans, provincial aid, and institutional scholarships- Why the "Caribbean school is easy" stigma is inaccurate and what the real academic demands look like from a current student- How to stay mentally grounded when the pressure of loans, IMG status, and an uncertain match future is constant

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Hunter and Molly! In this episode we walk through the August 12th daily CARS passage titled Television and Life, from Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death, a media criticism passage about how television has stopped being just entertainment and quietly become the invisible architecture of modern culture.Fair warning: if you spend any time on a screen, this passage will make you feel deeply seen. Hunter and Molly had a lot of feelings about it too.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode was DNA techniques. This episode we finally give some love to the most underappreciated of the four macromolecules: lipids.Lipids do not get the same attention as proteins or carbohydrates on the MCAT, but Mike makes a strong argument in this episode that lipids are actually the macromolecule that defines the cell. Without them, there is no inside versus outside. Without them, nothing gets concentrated, nothing gets protected, and nothing gets separated from the environment.This episode covers everything from the chemistry of fatty acids to why fish in cold water have healthier fats than you do.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Hunter and Molly! In this episode we walk through the August 5th daily CARS passage titled Man the Hunter, an anthropology passage about whether early humans were primarily hunters or scavengers, and what the fossil evidence from Olduvai Gorge actually suggests.This is a great representative CARS passage: medium density, a clear competing theory structure, and plenty of hedged language that will absolutely trip up students who are not paying attention to tone and author confidence. Hunter and Molly show you exactly how to navigate all of it.Get started with our resources!

(00:47) — Grandfather's Illness as Catalyst: Shemiele traces her interest in medicine to caring for her grandfather in Jamaica and losing him to a stroke.(02:30) — Immigrating in Sixth Grade: How moving to the US opened up possibilities she hadn't considered growing up in Jamaica.(05:37) — Deciding on Medicine in High School: The shadowing experience that confirmed she wanted to become a physician.(09:49) — Approaching Graduation Without the MCAT: Why she didn't know the test existed and how she started piecing the process together.(13:57) — Quitting Her Job to Study: How she structured her MCAT prep during the pandemic and what made her feel ready.(16:42) — Building the Application from Scratch: Using online resources to learn how to structure a competitive application.(21:44) — Six Versions of a Personal Statement: What made the writing process so hard and how she finally got it right.(25:27) — Secondary Burnout and What She'd Do Differently: Applying to 17 schools, finishing only 10 secondaries, and the staggering strategy she wishes she'd used.(51:37) — Learning to Use a Mentor: What she didn't do during the application process and what she now tells the students she mentors.(57:10) — Run Your Own Race: Her closing advice for premed students who feel behind.Shemiele grew up in Jamaica, immigrated to the United States in sixth grade, and became the first in her family to pursue medical school. She didn't know the MCAT existed until she was nearly done with her two concurrent bachelor's degrees. She learned the entire application process through online resources, figured out her personal statement through six different versions, and got buried under secondaries she hadn't pre-written. She also skipped mock interviews and wishes she hadn't. Despite all of it, she earned a medical school acceptance in Florida and is now a third-year medical student who mentors others going through the same process. This conversation is a candid, practical look at what the premed path actually looks like when you're navigating it without a built-in support system — and what you can do to give yourself the best possible shot.What You'll Learn:- Why pre-writing secondaries before your primary is submitted can prevent burnout and missed opportunities- How to approach your personal statement as a cohesive message rather than a list of experiences- What a mentor is actually for and how to use that relationship throughout the application process- Why applying early matters and how to prioritize secondaries when they all arrive at once- How to run your own timeline without comparing your pace to everyone else's

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we covered DNA and RNA structure. Now we put that knowledge to work and answer the question that follows naturally: how do scientists actually study DNA, and how does the MCAT test those techniques?This is the DNA techniques episode, and it connects back to nearly everything you have already learned including amino acids, protein structure, hemoglobin, gel electrophoresis, blotting and central dogma.

This week on Marketing Sucks, Amanda and Phil are joined by Dr. Adrienne Shnier, founder and CEO of Apply Yourself Global, for a conversation about scaling a business without losing your integrity. Adrienne shares the story of how AYG grew from helping students with applications at a Starbucks table to becoming a revolutionary company for student success, admissions support, test prep, academic coaching, and career development. Together, they unpack why fear-based marketing, bogus guarantees, and big-box business tactics do not belong in a company built on trust, care, and real outcomes. From staying in your lane and refusing to lower your standards to building strong foundations, listening to your community, and creating offers based on what people actually need, this episode is a reminder that scaling slowly, intentionally, and ethically is not a weakness. It is the whole point. If you have ever felt pressure to market like everyone else, promise more than you can deliver, or rush the growth of your business, this conversation will bring you back to what actually matters.What You'll Learn✔ How Apply Yourself Global started organically from Adrienne helping students at Starbucks✔ Why AYG was built on integrity, student support, and real admissions committee insight✔ What it means to scale a business without relying on fear-based marketing✔ Why bogus guarantees can attract the wrong energy and damage trust✔ How Adrienne stayed in her lane while other companies used pressure, panic, and big-box tactics✔ Why strong foundations matter more than fast growth✔ How building with integrity can feel slow, but creates a more sustainable business✔ Why listening to your community is one of the best ways to create aligned offers✔ How AYG expanded into admissions support, LSAT, MCAT, DAT prep, and academic coaching based on real student needs✔ Why standards do not need to be lowered in order to grow✔ How trust, care, and human connection can become your strongest brand differentiators✔ Why ethical marketing is not just about what you say, but how people feel when they interact with your brandAbout Dr. Adrienne ShnierDr. Adrienne Shnier is the founder and CEO of Apply Yourself Global, a student success and admissions support company helping students from high school through graduate, professional school, and beyond. With more than 15 years of experience on admissions committees, as a professor, lawyer, program director, and academic coach, Adrienne brings a deeply informed, human-first approach to admissions, test prep, academic success, and career development. Through AYG, she and her team support students with integrity, strategy, mindset, and personalized coaching, helping clients build strong applications, stronger confidence, and sustainable success.—

(01:57) — Father's passing at 13: the moment that pointed toward medicine(03:22) — Growing up in Nigeria with no doctors in the family(05:07) — Applying to med school in Nigeria and not getting in(06:53) — Leaving home at 17 on a scholarship to study in the UK(09:04) — Being premed in the UK with no advisor who understood US requirements(10:32) — Why US medical school was always the destination(16:17) — Researching which US schools she was eligible to apply to(19:06) — Building the application largely on her own(22:26) — Why she stopped comparing herself to other applicants(26:38) — A family loss mid-cycle and a collapsing timeline(28:13) — Deciding to apply anyway instead of waiting a year(29:49) — Submitting her primary early while prepping for a late-July MCAT(31:45) — Secondaries submitted on the deadline — the honest account(33:57) — First interview invite, roughly a month after her last secondary(38:41) — Three interviews, three acceptances(39:37) — Choosing a school: full funding and research access(40:08) — Final words for premeds navigating this without a roadmapOre grew up in Nigeria, lost her father at 13, and left home at 17 on a scholarship to study in the United Kingdom. From her first year of undergrad, she was researching US medical school requirements and treating herself like a premed in the US — even when her advisors had no idea what she was talking about. She came to the United States for her master's in public health, worked to cover her living costs, and applied to roughly ten schools — the only ones she was eligible for given her background. Her aunt passed away mid-cycle. Her secondaries went in on the deadline. She had no US prereqs and no premed advisor who had seen a path like hers. She received three interview invites and three acceptances. In this conversation with Dr. Ryan Gray, Ore walks through every major decision she made — how she chose which schools to apply to, how she balanced her personal statement with MCAT prep, why she moved forward instead of waiting a year, and how financial aid shaped her final choice. She is direct, practical, and honest about the parts that did not go according to plan.What You'll Learn:- How to identify which US medical schools you are eligible for when your prereqs were completed outside the United States- Why submitting your primary early matters even if your MCAT score is not back yet- How to think through the decision to apply in a difficult cycle versus waiting a year- What it looks like to build a competitive application without a premed advisor who understands your specific situation- How to stop comparing your application to others when your path has been genuinely different

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode was hemoglobin. This episode we zoom out even further and ask the question that underlies everything: what is the blueprint that tells your cells what to make in the first place?This is the DNA and RNA episode. And yes, it connects to basically everything you have already studied.

Applying to medical school this cycle? Your secondary essays could be the deciding factor between receiving an interview invitation and getting lost in the applicant pool. In this episode, I break down everything I learned throughout the medical school application process and share the exact strategies that helped me approach my medical school secondary essays with confidence, authenticity, and purpose.If you've been staring at a blank screen wondering how to answer prompts like “Why Our School?”, “Tell us about a challenge you've overcome,” or “How will you contribute to our community?”, this episode is for you. Secondary applications often arrive quickly, come with tight deadlines, and require you to tell your story in different ways without sounding repetitive. That's why having a strategy matters.Throughout this episode, I walk you through how to approach every secondary essay with intention instead of panic. We discuss how admissions committees actually evaluate applications, what they're looking for beyond GPA and MCAT scores, and how you can write essays that genuinely reflect who you are while remaining memorable. Whether you're applying through AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS, these principles can help you create stronger applications.You'll learn why authenticity is your greatest advantage, how to brainstorm meaningful experiences that demonstrate resilience, leadership, compassion, service, curiosity, and growth, and how to avoid common mistakes that weaken otherwise competitive applications. I also share practical systems for organizing your secondary essays, creating reusable themes without copying yourself, managing deadlines, and editing your essays efficiently.In this episode, we cover:• Why secondary essays matter so much in the medical school admissions process• What admissions committees are actually evaluating• The biggest mistakes applicants make when writing secondaries• How to answer the “Why This Medical School?” essay• How to write compelling diversity, adversity, and challenge essays• Creating a cohesive application narrative• Writing about leadership, clinical experiences, volunteering, and research• Demonstrating reflection instead of simply listing accomplishments• Avoiding clichés and generic responses• Managing dozens of secondary essays without burning out• How to pre-write secondary essays before applications arrive• Editing tips that make your essays stronger• Standing out without trying to sound “perfect”Whether you're a first-time applicant, taking a gap year, or reapplying, this episode will help you approach your secondary applications with a clearer strategy and greater confidence. My hope is that after listening, you'll stop overthinking every prompt and start writing essays that genuinely represent the future physician you're becoming.If this episode helps you, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another premed student preparing for the medical school application cycle. Your support helps this podcast reach more aspiring physicians navigating the same journey.I'd also love to hear from you! Connect with me on social media Thank you for listening, and remember: your application is more than a collection of grades and test scores. It's your story. Make it one only you can tell.Keywords: medical school secondary essays, secondary essays, medical school application, medical school admissions, AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS, premed, premed podcast, premed advice, how to write secondary essays, medical school essay tips, medical school application tips, accepted medical student, future doctor, physician journey, medical school interviews, diversity essay, adversity essay, why our school essay, personal statement, medical school admissions committee, pre-writing secondaries, gap year applicant, reapplicant, medical student, pre-health, healthcare careers, becoming a doctor, medical school success.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! This episode is unlike any other we have done. We are focusing on just one protein.Hemoglobin is arguably the most important protein on the entire exam, and the reason is simple: it touches everything. Amino acids, protein structure, acid-base chemistry, electrostatics, metabolism, spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, chromatography, mass spec, muscle contraction and more.This is the episode that shows you what real MCAT studying looks like, finding connections instead of memorizing isolated facts.

Send us your admissions questions!What exactly is—and isn't—a DO? And what does it take to get into a Tier 1 primary care medical school that operates across two very different campuses?In this episode of Accepted's Admissions Straight Talk, host Dr. Valerie Wherley sits down with the leadership and a current student from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) at Western University of Health Sciences. Dr. Lisa Warren, the dean and a COMP graduate; Dr. Marcel Fraix, associate dean for admissions and also a COMP graduate; TJ Pe, assistant director of recruitment; and Sarah Shirley, a rising second-year COMP DO student, walk listeners through what makes this program distinctive.The conversation covers the school's two-campus structure—urban Pomona, California, and rural Lebanon, Oregon—and how the shared curriculum delivers a consistent experience in two very different environments. COMP has now earned U.S. News & World Report's Tier 1 recognition for primary care training for three consecutive years, and the panel breaks down why that matters for applicants.Sarah shares her nontraditional path: a literature degree, a career in book publishing, a mid-20s pivot, and what drew her to osteopathic medicine specifically. The panel also discusses COMP's longitudinal student tracks (business, rural health, sports medicine, and more), the technology-infused curriculum including simulation and AI exposure, and the robust student wellness infrastructure—from free yoga to open-door faculty.For applicants concerned about GPA and MCAT thresholds, Dr. Fraix and TJ offer a candid, encouraging reality check on holistic admissions and the one-year master's program that creates a pathway for promising candidates who don't yet meet full admission requirements.Related Resources:College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) at Western University of Health SciencesExperience WesternU (preview day): August 22, 2026Dr. Lisa Warren, dean, Western University of Health Sciences COMP and COMP-Northwest: lwarren@westernu.eduDr. Marcel Fraix, associate dean, admissions and enrollment chair, professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation: mfraix@westernu.eduTJ Pe, assistant director of recruitment: pet@westernu.eduFollow UsYouTubeFacebookLinkedInContact Uswww.accepted.comsupport@accepted.com+1 (310) 815-9553

(00:00) — First spark for medicine: Medical kit, microscope, and a fascination with how life works.(03:01) — Surgical tech discovery: How a quarter-life crisis and financial strain led Karen to a trade-school OR program during a UCLA gap year.(06:58) — Working and studying simultaneously: Managing OR swing shifts and on-call hours while finishing the last two years at UCLA.(12:35) — The seven-year gap explained: Graduating in 2019, pandemic disruptions, and repeated delays to the application timeline.(14:25) — Weighing other healthcare careers: Why nursing and PA didn't fit, and what finally locked in the MD decision.(17:39) — Turning down the first acceptance: The financial reality of a new DO school without federal loan eligibility and a 12.5% private loan rate.(23:53) — Rebuilding the application: Retaking the MCAT, rewriting the personal statement, and changing the entire strategy.(28:31) — Early decision to one school: Why Karen applied to a single out-of-state program and what happened when the early decision answer was no.(34:28) — The acceptance call in Hawaii: What it felt like to hear yes after years of setbacks.(38:09) — Medical school so far: The scope of what an MD degree actually opens up.(42:10) — Final words for struggling premeds: What persistence looks like in practice.Karen path to medical school did not follow a straight line. She left UCLA after financial pressure began dragging her GPA down, spent a year and a half earning a surgical technology certification, worked in hospital operating rooms on swing shifts and on-call hours, and completed a medical mission abroad — all before finishing her undergraduate degree. When she finally applied to medical school, she got in. Then she said no, because the school's private loan interest rate was 12.5% and it was not yet eligible for federal financial aid. She spent the next cycle rebuilding her application from scratch, retaking the MCAT, rewriting her personal statement, and applying via early decision to a single out-of-state school. The acceptance call came while she was standing in an airport in Hawaii. In this conversation, Karen talks candidly about the self-doubt that stretched her timeline, the financial realities that shaped her decisions at every stage, and what finally made the difference in her second application cycle.What You'll Learn:- How a surgical technology program can provide deep clinical experience that strengthens a premed application- Why new medical schools may not qualify for federal student loans and what that means for applicants- How to decide whether retaking the MCAT is worth it when your existing score is already competitive- What changes Karen made to her personal statement the second time that she believes made the difference- Why applying to fewer schools with stronger fit can be a more effective strategy than applying broadly

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we laid the foundation with absorption, emission and the electromagnetic spectrum. Now we finally get to use all of that to actually identify molecules.This is the episode most students dread. Spectroscopy diagrams, wave numbers, peaks, and graphs that look like complete gibberish. Mike and Molly break it all down so it actually makes sense, without the memorization spiral that trips everyone up.Get started with our resources!

Mass spectrometry and ¹H NMR can look intimidating but the MCAT does not expect you to approach them like a full organic chemistry lab exam.In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly break down the essential concepts you need to interpret mass spectra and proton NMR questions confidently. You'll learn how to focus on the information that actually matters, eliminate incorrect answer choices faster, and avoid getting distracted by unnecessary complexity.Mike and Molly also walk through ethanol as an example, showing how different analytical techniques can be combined to determine a molecule's identity.Whether these topics bring back stressful memories from organic chemistry or you are learning them for the first time, this episode will help you understand exactly what the MCAT expects you to know and what you can safely ignore.Next episode: Hemoglobin and the major biochemistry concepts connected to its structure and function.Get started with our resources!

Roshan Sethi is back for a solo ep, baby! That's right, you remember Roshan from when he was on last year with his paramour Karan, or maybe you know him as the co-creator of Fox's The Resident or as the director of one of the best films of last year A Nice Indian Boy or perhaps as a working oncologist or maybe as the author of the BRAND-NEW novel The Simp, available now from Simon & Schuster! Well, even if this is your first time meeting Roshan, strap in for a HIGH-OCTANE 75 minutes of FAST and FURIOUS talk about how racist Hollywood (in general) is and how it would rather lose money as a business than be more open. Plus, we hear about Roshan's high school days, what being a doctor has taught him about life, how Hollywood gets doctoring wrong, and of course, the origin story of Splinter, Roshan's MCAT score and the hot Hollywood goss of who in the biz has a higher score than him! PLUS, obvi, we answer YOUR advice questions! If you'd like to ask your own advice questions, call 323-524-7839 and leave a VM or just DM us on IG or Twitter!BUY A SUPER CUTE "Open Your Hearts, Loosen Your Butts" mug! Also, we're in culture critic and Vulture writer Sean Malin's book The Podcast Pantheon: 101 Podcasts That Changed How We Listen! And:Support the show on Patreon (two extra exclusive episodes a month!) or gift someone a Patreon subscription! Or get yourself a t-shirt or a discounted Quarantine Crew shirt! And why not leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts? Or Spotify? It takes less than a minute! Follow the show on Instagram! Check out some CT clips on YouTube!Plus some other stuff! Watch Naomi's Netflix half hour or Mythic Quest! Check out Andy's old casiopop band's lost album or his other podcast Beginnings!Theme song by the great Sammus! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Radiation oncologist and director Roshan Sethi: confidence in medicine is mostly performance. The book club is back, and M2s Anna Royer, Ellie Johnson, and Sofia Hueser, and M4 Alex Nigg all crowd around to grill an actual Hollywood director about his debut novel. Somewhere in Roshan Sethi‘s frontal lobe is a cyst, and it’s possibly why he is a reformed gunner, Hollywood writer/director, still radiation oncologist, and now novelist. Sethi is co-creator of Fox’s The Resident, and author of The Simp: A Novel Without a Hero, a new book built out of a viral job ad so horrifying nobody would claim authorship of it. What does it mean that Raj, the novel’s desperate, self-aware sycophant of a protagonist, reads less like a Hollywood assistant and more like a third-year on rotations? Sethi doesn’t dodge the comparison—he wrote most of Raj’s obliging, invisible, gunner-brained misery straight out of his own decade in medicine. Sethi describes himself, pre-Hollywood, as ruthless enough to publish 15 papers in a single year for a career he’s since walked mostly away from–he still practices 9 weeks a year–and he does the math on what staying in medicine actually cost him: when The Resident got greenlit for a sixth season and syndication, he’d already turned the show down to finish residency, a decision one producer later priced at $12 million. Sethi traces a lot of that old ambition back to being closeted through college and medical school; the striving, he says, was never really about medicine, and coming out took most of the edge off it. Also, what happens to a person’s personality over four years of medical school? Sethi’s answer: it gets slowly closeted right along with everything else, trained out of you until invisibility reads as professionalism. He tells the room the worst response to getting pimped isn’t “I don’t know”—it’s saying it apologetically, like you owe someone an explanation for not yet knowing something nobody expects you to know. Speaking of things that require confidence you don’t actually have: Sethi’s next film, The Surgeon, stars Michelle Yeoh as a retired surgeon taken hostage and forced to operate. Dave can’t wait. He even pitched Sethi on his own idea for a movie that’s not at all derivative, and though it will probably star Mark Ruffalo, Dave is available. On representation, Sethi draws a sharp line between his two industries. Medicine has become more female and more Indian, Asian, and Nigerian over time precisely because it runs on an objective, if imperfect, filter that values whoever scores highest on the MCAT. Hollywood, by his account, has no equivalent filter: roughly 90 percent of the highest-grossing films are still directed by men; minorities in the industry get treated as diversity projects rather than talent, and there’s nothing resembling medicine’s blunt, if flawed, meritocracy. Episode credits: Producer: Dave Etler Co-hosts: Anna Royer, Ellie Johnson, Alex Nigg, Sophia Hueser Guest: Roshan Sethi, MD Production: SCP Media Lab–Anna Royer, Cyrus Barati, Isa Perez-Sandi, Zach Grissom, Sarah Upton, Srishti Mathur, David Lee, and Jacob Thompson  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! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you. AI disclosure: Voices of host, co-hosts, and guests are human. Some other voices–such as listener questions or questions/comments from the internet–may be AI generated.

Episode Summary     What if a medical career could be built on profound purpose, paid for in full, and shaped by leadership opportunities no civilian path can match? In this episode of WarDocs, COL Danielle Holt, MD, an Army general surgeon and Associate Dean of Admissions and Recruitment at the Uniformed Services University (USU) School of Medicine, lays out exactly what it takes to become a military physician and why the journey is worth it. Drawing on a career that has carried her from broad-spectrum rural surgery at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, to a forward surgical team in Afghanistan, to serving as consultant surgeon for the White House Medical Team at Walter Reed, she offers a candid, insider's view of the two pathways into uniformed medicine.       The conversation centers on the choice every service-minded pre-med must weigh: the tuition-free USU School of Medicine, the nation's only fully federally funded medical school, versus the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) that places students at civilian schools. She explains the trade-offs in plain terms — the seven-year versus four-year service obligation, the roughly $90,000 annual salary USU students earn while in school, the one hundred hours of military-unique curriculum, and the rotations across military treatment facilities worldwide. She is equally direct about the military match, where competitive specialties such as general surgery can be more attainable than many applicants realize.    COL Holt demystifies admissions. Academics are a threshold, not the finish line — a 496 MCAT and 3.0 GPA for regular decision, rising to a 500 minimum, with a class mean near 510. Beyond the numbers, she explains what actually earns an interview and an offer: a clear reason to be a physician, a genuine commitment to military service, and the personal attributes of teamwork, adaptability, and being comfortable when things get uncomfortable. She names the self-inflicted mistakes that sink applicants — turning the application in late, stalling on medical clearance and waivers, retaking the MCAT too often, and failing to engage the admissions team. She closes with the human core of the school: the fire team model, longitudinal faculty coaching, the Military Medical Communities program, and a culture where students and faculty take care of one another in a way civilian medicine rarely sees. Her message to any pre-med on the fence is simple — do not underestimate yourself, reach out for mentorship, and remember that the mission is the point. Chapters (00:00-04:54) A Surgeon's Journey: ROTC, Alaska, Afghanistan, and the White House (04:55-10:11) What USUHS Is and Why It Is Different (10:12-19:38) USUHS versus HPSP: Obligations, the Military Match, and How to Choose (19:39-27:39) Timelines, Thresholds, and What Earns an Interview (27:40-43:39) Shadowing, Research, Non-Traditional Applicants, and Common Mistakes (43:40-55:30) The Interview, the Fire Team Culture, and Advice for the Fence-Sitter Chapter Summaries (00:00-04:54) A Surgeon's Journey: ROTC, Alaska, Afghanistan, and the White House Holt traces a twenty-plus-year dual-military-career path from ROTC and HPSP through general surgery training at Tripler Army Medical Center to duty stations spanning rural Alaska and a tertiary academic hospital. She describes deploying to a forward surgical team in eastern Afghanistan in 2012 and learning damage-control surgery, and credits the Army with handing her leadership roles far earlier than a civilian career would.   (04:55-10:11) What USU Is and Why It Is Different She defines the Uniformed Services University as the nation's only fully federally funded, tuition-free medical school, training physicians for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Public Health Service. Students draw full pay and benefits — roughly $90,000 a year — complete about one hundred hours of military-unique curriculum, and rotate at military treatment facilities across the country and overseas.   (10:12-19:38) USU versus HPSP: Obligations, the Military Match, and How to Choose Holt compares the seven-year USU service obligation with the four-year HPSP commitment and argues the difference is small over a full career. She explains the military match, where critically needed specialties like general surgery can be more attainable, and walks through how applicants apply by service, weigh geography and specialty, and decide which pathway fits their long-term goals.   (19:39-27:39) Timelines, Thresholds, and What Earns an Interview The USU medical-school timeline mirrors other allopathic schools through AMCAS, but military commissioning adds a lengthy medical clearance process, with about half of students needing a waiver. Academics are a threshold — a 496 MCAT and 3.0 GPA for regular decision. Above all, she stresses applying early and finishing requirements, because uncleared applicants get skipped as seats fill.   (27:40-43:39) Shadowing, Research, Non-Traditional Applicants, and Common Mistakes She pushes back on the pressure around clinical shadowing, noting USU requires none and that paid work as a phlebotomist or technician offers equal exposure. Research is likewise not required, given USU's own Capstone program. She details how the school values non-traditional and prior-service applicants, then names the most common self-inflicted mistakes: late applications, stalled clearances, over-testing the MCAT, and downplaying military experience.   (43:40-55:30) The Interview, the Fire Team Culture, and Advice for the Fence-Sitter Holt explains the virtual two-interview format and what makes candidates stand out — genuine commitment, professionalism, and self-knowledge. She describes the fire team model, longitudinal faculty coaching, and the Military Medical Communities program that links applicants, students, and physicians across services. Her closing advice to fence-sitting pre-meds: do not underestimate yourself, seek mentors, and lead with the mission.   Take Home Messages Mindset matters more than a perfect score.: Academic metrics are a threshold, not the finish line. The strongest military physicians are often the applicants who have struggled, adapted, and bounced back — people who value service over a flawless transcript.   The pathway you choose should match the career you want.: The tuition-free, federally funded medical school carries a longer obligation but builds deeper military identity and connections, while the civilian scholarship route offers more independence. Weigh service obligation, specialty goals, and where you see yourself for the long term.   Apply early and finish your requirements.: Rolling admissions reward speed. The single most avoidable mistakes are turning in a late application, stalling on medical clearance and waivers, and waiting too long on the MCAT or letters of recommendation. Uncleared applicants get skipped as seats fill.   Shadowing and research are not gatekeepers.: Required shadowing hours and formal research are not prerequisites. Paid clinical work and life experience count, and the value placed on non-traditional and prior-service applicants means an unconventional background can be a genuine strength.   Camaraderie is the difference, so engage the community.: The fire team model, longitudinal coaching, and military medical community sessions create a culture where students and faculty take care of one another. Do not underestimate yourself — reach out for mentorship and let the mission lead.   Episode Keywords military medicine, USU School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Danielle Holt, military doctor, how to become a military physician, HPSP scholarship, military medical school, Army surgeon, premed advice, MCAT, medical school admissions, military match, GME, forward surgical team, Walter Reed, military residency, USUHS, tuition free medical school, military officer physician, WarDocs, military healthcare career, premed shadowing, medical school interview, service obligation Hashtags #MilitaryMedicine, #WarDocs, #USU, #MilitaryMedicalSchool, #HPSP, #FutureMilitaryDoc, #PreMed, #ArmyMedicine Honoring the Legacy and Preserving the History of Military Medicine The WarDocs Mission- WarDocs exists to honor the legacy of Military Medicine, preserve its history, and inspire every generation — across all Services, Corps, and Ranks — to serve with excellence and pride. Through mentorship, coaching, and education, we equip those considering, entering, and serving in military medicine with the knowledge, connections, and community they need to thrive. We celebrate Who we are, What we do, and, most importantly, How we serve Our Patients, the DoW, and Our Nation. Find out more and join Team WarDocs at https://www.wardocspodcast.com/ Check our list of previous guest episodes at https://www.wardocspodcast.com/our-guests Subscribe and Like our Videos on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@wardocspodcast Listen to the "What We Are For" Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible and go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in Military Medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you. WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms. Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @wardocspodcast Facebook: WarDocs Podcast Instagram: @wardocspodcast LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@wardocspodcast

(00:00) — Welcome and framing: What this conversation is for and who Dami is(00:40) — Growing up in Lagos: How health inequity planted the seed for medicine(02:16) — Medicine vs. public health: Why exposure shapes the choice(04:49) — Athletics first: Arriving in the U.S. and finding track and field before premed(06:13) — Picking a college for D1 throwing, not for premed academics(07:07) — Student athlete as a premed: biology major, math minor, Division I track(09:29) — Premed attrition: Watching classmates — and fellow Black students — drop off(13:48) — Organic chemistry and the weed-out debate: What hard courses are actually for(19:35) — Staying the course: The internal drive that outlasts discouragement(21:05) — The master's decision: Human nutrition at Columbia and what drove it(24:54) — A family health crisis and the choice to pause the application timeline(25:47) — Youth counselor in a juvenile detention center: Two years of meaningful work(27:19) — Clinical hours and COVID: Knowing when enough experience is enough(30:38) — MCAT attempt one, attempt two, and the lesson between them(32:01) — Applying to medical school: school count, MD only, and the DO question(33:09) — Building application support through podcasts, YouTube, and near-peer mentors(34:43) — The hardest part of the process: waiting after interviews(35:17) — Four interviews, two acceptances, and choosing Albany Medical College(37:38) — The first call after getting in(38:35) — Final words for premed students who feel behind or off trackDami grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and immigrated to the United States at 13 to start high school. He became a Division I shot putter and discus thrower, earned a master's in human nutrition, paused his medical school timeline to care for a sick parent, and spent two years as a youth counselor in a juvenile detention center before receiving two medical school acceptances. In this conversation with Dr. Ryan Gray, Dami walks through every major decision point on that path with honesty and specificity. They talk about what premed attrition actually looks like from inside a cohort, why organic chemistry gets blamed for something bigger than one course, what it means to take the MCAT twice and apply when you are genuinely ready, and how to build an application that reflects a life that did not follow a straight line. Dami also shares how he found support — through podcasts, YouTube, near-peer mentors at Columbia's medical campus, and a friend applying at the same time from across the country. This episode is for any premed student who has looked at their timeline and wondered whether the detours are going to count against them.What You'll Learn:- Why watching premed classmates drop off is one of the hardest parts of the process — and how to stay focused when it happens- What organic chemistry and other demanding courses are actually training you to do, and why making them easier is not the same as making the process better- How to decide between applying now and taking more time, including what a master's program or meaningful gap-year work can add to an application- How to build a support system for the application process when you do not have a dedicated premed advisor at every step- Why the internal drive to become a physician has to come from within — and how that conviction carries you through a nonlinear path

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! We just finished chromatography and separation techniques. Before we dive into spectroscopy, there is foundational science that makes all of it make sense: how atoms absorb and emit light, why energy levels are quantized, and why some molecules are colored while others are not.This episode is the one most students skip and then regret when spectroscopy questions show up in their passages and nothing clicks.Get started with our resources!

Today, Dr. Behrouz Moemeni discusses why MCAT scores, GPA, and similar metrics are complete BS. Like the podcast? Schedule a Free Initial Consultation with our team: https://bemo.ac/podbr-BeMoFreeConsult Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more great tips and other useful information! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BeMoAcademicConsultingInc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bemoacademicconsulting Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bemo_academic_consulting/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeMo_AC TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bemoacademicconsulting

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast! In this episode we walk through the June 17th daily CARS passage titled Treason, a history passage about how English kings treated rebellion and how Edward the First transformed the legal definition of treason in medieval England.History passages can feel dense and full of unfamiliar names and dates. This episode shows you exactly how to cut through all of that and find the arguments that actually matter.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we tackled gels, SDS-PAGE and Western blots. Now we move into one of the most high-yield experimental technique topics on the MCAT: chromatography.If you have ever seen a chromatography question in a passage and had no idea where to start, this episode gives you a framework that works for every single type. No memorizing, just understanding.Get started with our resources!

A premed student shadowed me recently, and it reminded me of everything nobody told me when I was in their shoes.In this episode, I break down what med schools are actually looking for once you have cleared the GPA and MCAT cutoff. Spoiler: it is not more grades.We cover:Why GPA and MCAT only get your foot in the doorThe physician roles framework and how to use it in premedDepth over breadth in clinical exposure, research, and volunteeringWhy you are a product and how to market yourselfUsing unfair advantages the right wayWhy your premed years do not have to be miserable0:00: Introduction and Why This Video Exists1:14: The Physician Roles Framework2:49: Clinical Exposure: Depth Over Breadth5:02: Research and Volunteering Done Right7:01: You Are the Product: The Marketing Mindset9:22: Unfair Advantages and How to Use Them11:29: Stop Making Premed Harder Than It Has to BeFollow Along:

Finding yourself after years of putting everyone else first isn't a straight path and Kayley knows that better than most. In this clip, she gets real about what it actually felt like to be a stay-at-home mom of seven while quietly carrying a dream she didn't think she was allowed to have. She opens up about the depression, the identity loss, the guilt, and the slow, hard work of building a marriage that actually goes both ways. What she discovered along the way? The biggest obstacle was never the logistics. It wasn't the kids, the schedule, or even the MCAT. It was believing she was worth inconveniencing her family for. That's the self-compassion work no one talks about, the daily habit of reminding yourself that your needs, your goals, and your growth matter too. If you've ever talked yourself out of something because it felt selfish, or if personal development has felt more like a luxury than a necessity, this one's for you. Because how you feel about yourself shapes everything…your marriage, your happiness, your ability to keep going on the hard days. https://www.aboutprogress.com/blog/how-do-you-get-into-medical-school-as-a-busy-mom ⁠Preorder Sticky Habits ⁠⁠book today! ⁠⁠Leave a rating and review⁠⁠ ⁠Get the free DSL Training⁠. Follow About Progress on ⁠⁠YOUTUBE⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Usher and Molly! In this episode we walk through the June 10th daily CARS passage titled Play, a surprisingly engaging read about the nature of play, why Americans crave it, and what professional sports have lost along the way.This one is a great example of a passage that draws you in naturally but still demands sharp critical thinking on the questions. If you have ever let your guard down on an interesting passage and paid for it on the questions, this episode is for you.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! We just finished amino acids and protein structure. Now it is time for one of the most feared topics in MCAT biochemistry: analytical and separation techniques.If you have ever stared at a Western blot figure in a passage and had absolutely no idea what you were looking at, this episode is exactly what you need. Mike spent years running these experiments in the lab and still has the PTSD to prove it. Together, Mike and Molly break down every technique you need to know, from the foundational logic of electrophoresis all the way to interpreting banding patterns on a gel.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we broke down all 20 amino acids. Now we take it to the next level and answer the question every biochemistry student eventually has to face: how do these amino acids actually come together to build the machines that run your entire body?This episode is a deep dive into all four levels of protein structure, why structure and function are completely inseparable, and exactly how the MCAT will test you on this material. Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Usher and Molly! In this episode we walk through the June 3rd daily CARS passage titled Averoes, a philosophy passage about the 12th century Muslim thinker Ibn Rushd and his exploration of the relationship between faith and reason.If philosophy passages make you nervous, this one is a great study tool. It is dense, it builds slowly, and it rewards students who know how to track arguments across paragraphs without getting lost in the details. Get started with our resources!

(00:00) — Pre-k graduation and "I want to be a baby doctor": Where the idea of medicine first appeared for Riya.(01:07) — Seventh-grade biology and Hashimoto's thyroiditis: The classroom moment that made medicine feel like a real possibility.(02:24) — Hospital volunteering in high school: First clinical exposure, patient interaction, and what sparked genuine interest.(04:57) — Discovering combined BSMD and BSDO programs: How Riya and her mom researched programs in eleventh grade and decided to pursue them.(06:45) — Reflecting on the accelerated path: Whether finishing undergrad in three years meant missing out.(07:15) — The MCAT decision: Why avoiding the MCAT was a meaningful factor in choosing a program.(09:12) — Applying to 23 schools: The breakdown of combined versus traditional applications and getting into four programs.(10:05) — Choosing between programs: Family proximity, location, and the DO philosophy as deciding factors.(10:54) — Why DO over MD: What the osteopathic mind-body-spirit philosophy and hands-on technique meant to her personally.(12:22) — Conditional acceptance pressure in undergrad: Carrying valedictorian stress into a three-year sprint.(13:42) — The hardest semester: o-chem, biochem, and anatomy simultaneously with three concurrent labs.(14:45) — Physical planners and time management: How Riya stayed on top of classes, tutoring, and two research projects.(15:33) — Finding The Premed Years on a two-hour drive: How the podcast became part of her routine.(17:10) — Medical school versus premed undergrad: Why the schedule now feels more manageable.(19:14) — Finding your own study method: Why copying what works for others often backfires.(24:19) — Menstrual health app, a thousand-dollar prize, and a TikTok research project: How curiosity led to unexpected opportunities.(26:54) — Words for the stressed premed: Gratitude journals, getting back up, and holding on to small happy moments.Riya knew she wanted to be a doctor before she could fully explain what that meant. By eleventh grade she was researching combined BSDO and BSMD programs with her mom, and she eventually applied to around fifteen of them alongside traditional schools. She got into four combined programs and chose a three-plus-four DO pathway that let her stay near family during undergrad before moving states for medical school. The cost was real: she finished prerequisites in three years, took organic chemistry, biochemistry, and anatomy in the same semester with three concurrent labs, tutored classmates, and ran two research projects simultaneously. She also drove two hours home most weekends and, on those drives, found this podcast. Now in medical school and studying for Step, Riya reflects on choosing DO over MD, what the osteopathic philosophy genuinely gave her, and why she has no regrets about any of it. She talks honestly about the stress of a conditional acceptance, the trial and error of finding a study method that actually works, and how keeping a gratitude journal got her through a brutal first semester away from family.What You'll Learn:- How combined BSMD and BSDO programs work and what it actually takes to stay in one through undergrad.- Why one student chose a DO program over MD programs she was also accepted to, and what that decision has meant in practice.- How to manage an overwhelming premed course load using intentional time planning rather than sheer willpower.- Why finding your own study method matters more than copying the approaches that work for classmates.- How following genuine curiosity across research, hackathons, and extracurriculars can open doors that a straight-line approach would miss.

(00:00) — Welcome and origin spark: Kiki's path starts without an “aha” and a teacher's nudge changes everything.(02:24) — First shadowing, open-heart: A six-hour quadruple bypass leaves her captivated.(03:48) — Type B and present: Owning a goal without over-planning in high school.(04:29) — Balancing D2 hoops and premed: Small-school community and time management pay off.(07:19) — Burnout and a late college switch: Signing in July and embracing a non-linear path.(08:55) — Making premed work: Professors, small classes, and athlete study groups.(10:03) — The grind of student-athlete life: Exhaustion, rigid schedules, and living by the calendar.(11:38) — What gave way: Long-distance friendships and less family check-ins.(13:24) — First app cycle misses: 506 MCAT, six-week prep, content over practice, and low volunteering.(17:17) — Reapplicant moves: Earlier timing, pharmacy tech year, and next-day secondaries.(19:54) — Widening the net: Adding DO schools and securing acceptances.(20:53) — Discovering HPSP: Out-of-state sticker shock leads her to the Navy.(23:39) — Parents' buy-in and commissioning: From doubts to pride; acceptance to October commissioning.(26:16) — Military match realities: Deployment risk and the “assignment” mindset.(30:29) — Final takeaway: Keep trying—“what's meant for you won't miss you.Kiki didn't have a dramatic origin story—no early illness or single defining moment. A high school anatomy teacher's question and a mesmerizing first shadowing of a six-hour open-heart surgery nudged her toward medicine. She kept living fully as a type B student who played Division II basketball, learning time management the hard way: rigid schedules, constant travel, and studying through exhaustion. In this conversation, Kiki unpacks being a reapplicant after a 506 MCAT and limited volunteer hours, what she fixed the second time—earlier timing, practice questions over rereads, quick secondaries—and why she initially applied to only two schools. She explains how medical transport and later working as a pharmacy technician broadened her clinical lens. When out-of-state tuition topped $80,000, she took a hard look at Navy HPSP, did her homework beyond recruiter promises, and chose the scholarship—even after getting off a local waitlist later. Kiki shares how she reframed setbacks, how much community mattered, and what realistically concerns her about the military match: deployment and accepting “assignments.” Her closing message to premeds is clear and steady—keep doing the work, stay intentional, and trust that what's meant for you won't miss you.What You'll Learn:- How a D2 athlete built time management without sacrificing premed- What went wrong in her first cycle and how she changed it- Why she chose Navy HPSP and how she evaluated the trade-offs- Ways transport and pharmacy tech roles expand clinical exposure

What if your PDFs could grade and track themselves? with educator Jam Mirzakhalov, Vinny Madera, and Aaron Golumbfskie What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the story behind StudySpaces? How does StudySpaces work? What is the story behind Assessiv? How did the StudySpaces and Assessiv collaboration come together? How is this combination a net benefit for everyone in test prep? ABOUT STUDYSPACES AND ASSESSIV StudySpaces is the home of modern tutoring, the one platform test prep and tutoring companies use to run their curriculum, assessments, and student experience in one place, all branded as their own. StudySpaces has now merged with Assessiv, the hand-curated SAT content library built by veteran test prep experts Aaron Golumbfskie of PrepMatters and Vinny Madera of TestPrepWizards. It brings the best tutoring platform and best-in-class content under one roof. Every plan includes a free SAT library: 5 adaptive mock exams and 175+ worksheets, 2,500+ questions in all, ready to assign on day one. Inside the platform, tutors organize and tag their content their own way, then assign quizzes, drills, and full-length mock exams to one student or a whole cohort in a single click. Everything is auto-graded on submit, with scoring, pacing, and weak-area analytics flowing straight back to the tutor, and branded parent reports going out automatically. Because the platform is fully white-label, students and parents experience it as the tutoring company's own product, never StudySpaces. StudySpaces doesn't compete with tutors, it powers them. As a strategic ACT partner, StudySpaces also delivers official ACT practice tests, and it works whether students test digitally or on paper. Paper-based programs still get every test scored, with the same analytics and parent reporting as digital. SSAT, ISEE, and more are rolling out alongside, plus the option to bring in custom content for any exam (AP, GRE, MCAT, and beyond). To learn more, reach out to Jam at jam@studyspaces.com or book a call at studyspaces.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Pink noise claims it can boost your memory, help your sleep, and treat your ADHD. But how it's studied in a sleep lab is very different from passive listening all night long. Chris and Sophie dive into the evidence to figure out if the influencers pushing pink noise for sleep got it right or if they're simply dreaming.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Researcher: Danielle Kaprelian Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: The different colours of noise from white to pink to brown: https://www.allure.com/story/what-is-brown-noise-pink-white-sound-therapy The famous 2017 “memory enhancement” study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00109/full A lay summary of the above study: https://time.com/collections/guide-to-sleep/4694555/pink-noise-deep-sleep-improve-memory/ The study showing pink noise might make things worse: https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/49/5/zsag001/8452884 Dr. F. Perry Wilson's Medscape video series on pink noise: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/pink-noise-could-be-wrecking-your-sleep-2026a100039x A 2022 systematic review on overall sleep quality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34964434/ Memory claims and pink noise: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1302836/full Examples of white and pink noise are found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pink_noise.ogg and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:White-noise-sound-20sec-mono-44100Hz.ogg

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! This episode covers the single highest yield topic on the entire MCAT: amino acids. And no, memorizing structures is not enough. If you have ever known your amino acids cold and still gotten questions wrong, this episode is exactly what you need.Mike and Molly go way beyond the list. They break down every amino acid by category, explain what makes each one chemically unique, and show you exactly how the MCAT connects amino acids to neurotransmitters, protein structure, acid-base chemistry, lab techniques, enzyme regulation, and more.

(00:00) — Ear cleaning origin: A childhood earwax ritual lights the first spark for medicine.(01:25) — Writer first, then premed: Entering college for writing before finding patient care through EMT work.(02:10) — EMT on campus: Deescalation, student calls, and heavy mental health moments.(03:27) — Suicide hotline: Human-to-human conversations that clarified her desire to be a physician.(04:10) — Medicine vs therapy: Drawn to anatomy and physiology while honoring psych's importance.(05:45) — Apocalypse-proof skills: Why medicine felt enduring through pandemics, borders, and war.(07:32) — Query-letter essay: How a creative application and workshop hustle shaped her identity.(08:55) — Premed pressure: Cutting hobbies, feeling locked out of creativity, and the regret that followed.(11:31) — The rat race and AMCAS: Hours, comparison culture, and resisting the 15-activity myth.(15:04) — Rest as training: Reframing hobbies as recovery to prevent burnout and learn better.(15:59) — What stood out: Interviews focused on her writing more than her activity count.(18:19) — Reapplying after COVID: Canceled MCAT, delayed app, and an external nudge to pause.(20:01) — Perspective shift: Time off, returning to writing, and no longer feeling behind.(23:11) — Ready the second time: Growth, humility, and being prepared to start medicine.(24:42) — First acceptance: Relief, joy, and finally buying the book she'd saved for that day.(26:02) — Personal statement redo: From listing achievements to writing about who she is.(27:06) — Med school + novels: Supportive team, deadlines, and writing as catharsis.(28:43) — Step 2 vs deadlines: Balancing dedicated study with book edits on a tight schedule.(30:10) — Dark fiction and stakes: Embracing perimortem themes and high-impact care.(32:24) — Pathology curiosity: Autopsies, TV inspirations, and creative crossover.(33:09) — Can students work?: Policy gray areas and being featured regardless.(33:47) — Zero-sum myth: Why gym, games, and hobbies can make you a better learner.(36:24) — Guilt and games: Mario Kart, streaming, and naming the pressure to always study.(37:13) — Permission to be human: Keep your passions—people, not checklists, become doctors.Vanessa's path to medicine started with a childhood ear-cleaning ritual and grew through college EMT shifts and suicide hotline work that centered real human connection. In this conversation, she and Dr. Gray unpack the premed rat race—the pressure to pack 15 activities, the guilt of cutting hobbies, and the lie that every minute not studying sets you back. Vanessa candidly shares applying twice, including a COVID-canceled MCAT that delayed her first cycle, the external nudge to pause, and the growth and humility that made her ultimately ready to be accepted. She explains how interviews gravitated to her writing, why her second personal statement focused on who she is rather than everything she did, and how she now balances med school with novel deadlines—treating writing as both catharsis and a job, while preparing for Step 2. Along the way: apocalypse-proof humor, a reframe of rest as part of training, and a clear message to premeds and medical students alike—keep the passions that make you human. Because people, not checklists, become doctors.What You'll Learn:- How campus EMT and suicide hotline roles shaped a patient-first “why medicine”- What changed between a late, COVID-impacted first cycle and a successful reapplication- Why focusing your personal statement on who you are can resonate more than listing activities- Practical ways to protect hobbies in premed and med school without burning out- How interviews may lean into your authentic passions—even more than your hours

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we broke down the neurobiology of language; Broca's, Wernicke's, split-brain patients. This episode we zoom all the way out and ask a question that's fascinated scientists for centuries:Does the language you speak actually shape the way you think?This is one of the most debated topics in MCAT psychology and one of the most fascinating. Mike and Molly break it all down, name by name, theory by theory.

(00:00) — Welcome and setup: from premed dropout to med student(00:47) — Corporate grind sparks the spreadsheets vs patients question(01:30) — Rewinding to undergrad premed and the 495 MCAT during COVID(03:15) — Finances and first-gen pressure push him off the path(04:35) — Articles, AI, and volunteering rekindle interest in medicine(06:10) — Leadership draw: why physician responsibility appealed to him(07:10) — Timeline: research job, 2018 grad, 2020 MCAT, business analytics at Fordham(09:05) — Undergrad habits, no planner, and managing ADHD with better tools(11:05) — Corporate wins build confidence (Big Four, Wall Street, AVP)(12:50) — Planning the leap: savings, living at home, loans, and side investments(14:10) — Bridge/SMP at Toro Harlem: structure and guaranteed-seat criteria(16:25) — Working at Citibank while starting the master's; then going all in(17:55) — Confirming fit: brief shadowing, almost passing out, but more intrigued(18:55) — Harlem community events as a student doctor and seeing disparities(19:52) — MCAT retake to 501–502; Kaplan and official full-lengths(21:27) — SMP mirrored M1 exams; Z-score cutoff and comprehensive exam(22:45) — M1 transition is easier after the SMP run-through(23:35) — Logistics: 3.45 GPA + comp exam = seat; could apply elsewhere(24:25) — Starting a tea franchise in Astoria with partners during M1(25:35) — Brick-and-mortar stress, construction, and opening mid-semester(26:50) — Hardest part: letting go of a six-figure salary(28:05) — Would he change his path? Choosing experience over speed(29:20) — Exploring passions helps future practice and options(30:52) — Keeping doors open: medicine, consulting, and business(31:28) — Parents' reaction: skepticism to tears of pride(32:34) — Final advice: build confidence and believe in yourselfZarak shares how he walked away from premed after a 495 MCAT and an average undergrad GPA, chased a thriving corporate career, and then found his way back to medicine. A first-gen student, he talks openly about family expectations, finances, and why spreadsheets and commutes couldn't replace patient impact. He explains the planning that made his return possible: saving while living at home, using loans wisely, and enrolling in a one-year bridge/SMP at Toro Harlem that mirrored M1 exams and offered a guaranteed seat with a 3.45 GPA plus a comprehensive exam. He retook the MCAT to around 501–502 using Kaplan and official full-lengths, and found confidence through improved study systems and corporate-built habits. Now an M1, he's volunteering in Harlem, reflecting on health disparities, and even launching a brick-and-mortar tea franchise in Astoria with partners—while keeping med school first. Dr. Gray and Zarak dig into letting go of a six-figure salary, rebuilding confidence, managing ADHD with better tools, and why exploring interests outside of medicine can strengthen your future as a physician.What You'll Learn:- How a low MCAT and average GPA didn't end his med school goals- What a guaranteed-seat bridge/SMP at Toro Harlem required- How he planned the leap: savings, loans, and timing while working- MCAT retake resources he used the second time around- Balancing M1 demands with launching a brick-and-mortar business

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! In this episode, we're breaking down one of the most high-yield neuroscience topics on the MCAT, the biology of language and the brain areas behind it.Ever wonder why some people lose the ability to speak clearly after a stroke, while others speak fluently but make zero sense? That's not random, it comes down to specific brain regions, and the MCAT loves to test exactly this.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Christopher Gray. CEO and co-founder of Path. Gray discusses how his AI-powered platform is transforming test preparation for professional certifications, IT, cybersecurity, healthcare, and college admission exams.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Christopher Gray. CEO and co-founder of Path. Gray discusses how his AI-powered platform is transforming test preparation for professional certifications, IT, cybersecurity, healthcare, and college admission exams.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Christopher Gray. CEO and co-founder of Path. Gray discusses how his AI-powered platform is transforming test preparation for professional certifications, IT, cybersecurity, healthcare, and college admission exams.

(00:00) — Early spark for medicine: Jasmine's childhood curiosity and desire to help takes root at age four or five.(02:40) — High school split focus: AP sciences vs. seven-hour show choir and a one-week summer health program.(03:55) — Choosing Howard: Proximity to a hospital/med school and an open-door culture sealed the decision.(05:15) — Major, minor, and momentum: Biology major, chemistry minor, and 40 COVID credits accelerate progress.(06:40) — The hardest part: Juggling 21 credits—including biochem and orgo—while working left her exhausted.(07:30) — Working to afford school: From food service to barista to the gym, she logged 26–40 hours weekly.(09:10) — Intentional time use: Doing homework during/after class and finishing tasks before they lingered.(10:40) — When it became too much: Princeton Review course, burnout, and a first MCAT score worse than practice.(13:20) — Regrouping the plan: Graduating early, studying Jan–Apr, and defining a target MCAT within context.(15:15) — Mindset after a bad score: Grieving the disrupted timeline and pausing to finish strong in undergrad.(17:20) — The timeline trap: Why gap years feel scary and Dr. Gray's note that 75% take one.(19:50) — Building without connections: Deep website research, spreadsheets, and avoiding Reddit/SDN noise.(23:10) — Doors opened by advising: Programs that delivered mentorship and free MCAT materials.(25:00) — School list and interviews: 22 applications (20 MD, 2 DO), a DO fair, and six interviews.(28:00) — First invites and first A: Riding the wave of early interviews and an acceptance during homecoming.(31:20) — Med school reality: First year was brutal, second year harder, and memorization no longer enough.(34:20) — Final encouragement: Keep going, dream big, and be realistic about the path that gets you there.Jasmine shares a candid, practical look at making premed work when time and money are tight. She discovered medicine early, chose Howard University for its hospital and medical school access, and powered through a biology major and chemistry minor—accelerating with 40 credits during COVID. Meanwhile, she worked 26–40 hours a week in food service, as a barista, and at the gym, all while managing 20–21 credit semesters that included biochem and orgo. When a burnout-fueled first MCAT score came in below any practice test, she grieved the lost timeline, graduated early, and reset: January to April dedicated MCAT prep, a clear “good enough” score target based on her strong GPA, and an application strategy built on deep DIY research and school-by-school spreadsheets (not Reddit or SDN). She applied to 22 schools, earned six interview invites, and celebrated her first acceptance during homecoming. Now in medical school, she reflects on why second year felt even harder than first and how shifting from memorizing to true understanding changed everything. Dr. Gray and Jasmine unpack the pressure of timelines, the reality that many students take gap years, and how to keep moving forward when plans change.What You'll Learn:- How to balance heavy course loads with paid work- Handling a disappointing MCAT and deciding when to retake- Setting a “good enough” MCAT score in context of GPA- Building school lists and opportunities without connections- Why medical school study demands differ from undergrad

(00:00) — Avoiding medicine to committing at 22: Sports injuries, engineering Cs, and a hospital trauma that made medicine click.(03:06) — Doubting smart enough: Imposter syndrome, scraping through chem, and possible ADHD.(06:50) — Growing up around violence: Valuing life early and pushing through school and sport.(08:50) — Living in the moment: Lists, weekly survival, and triaging tough neuro topics.(09:45) — Hug the bear: A 15-second resilience mindset from officer training.(11:47) — Perspective check: Why complain about what you prayed for?(14:14) — The four-time MCAT: Premature first attempt, COVID setbacks, and stubborn determination.(16:50) — Study your way: Blueprints, not rules—Anki, repetition, and long-term memory.(19:51) — After a denied cycle: Interviews, honest feedback, and a biomedical sciences master's with a 3.89.(23:54) — Applying for fit: Targeting schools that accept Black and Brown students and choose your poison.(25:15) — The acceptance email: A surprise Charles Drew admit and all the emotions.(27:17) — MD vs DO vs UAG: Weighing Iowa against family and support in Guadalajara.(28:52) — Med school's dark side: Stress, sleep debt, and hair loss alongside joy.(31:18) — Commuting to cut costs: EV free charging, 6:20 a.m. departures, and parking lot naps.(33:45) — Rotations on a budget: Housing ideas and staying flexible.(34:25) — Some call them illegal—I call them mom and dad: Caring for patients and family amid fear and hate.(37:20) — Control what you can: Social media backlash, gratitude notes, and missing Obama.(42:02) — Final advice: Step 1 focus and why it's not failure until you quit.Richard didn't run straight toward medicine. He tried kinesiology, engineering until Calc III said no, and three years in pharmacy before a volunteer shift at a children's hospital trauma bay flipped the switch. In this candid conversation, he shares how a B/C student with a 3.3 GPA, possible ADHD, and mounting imposter syndrome found a way forward by focusing on surviving one week at a time.Richard opens up about taking the MCAT four times, what went wrong early (including testing before biochem), and the discipline, repetition, and resource fit he had to build. After a denied cycle with interviews, he strengthened his academic record with a biomedical sciences master's (33 units, 3.89) and applied to schools aligned with mission and representation. He describes the unexpected acceptance email from Charles R. Drew, the pull of family support as he weighed UAG versus a DO option in Iowa, and why mental health and community had to factor into his decision.We also get real about med school's costs and stress: commuting to save money with free EV charging, 6:20 a.m. departures, parking lot naps, and the not-so-glam side of hair loss and fatigue. Richard closes with grounded advice for retakers and those who don't see themselves in medicine yet.What You'll Learn:- How a hospital volunteer trauma experience cemented Richard's path to medicine- Ways to manage imposter syndrome and build study systems that fit you- What changed across four MCAT attempts and during a biomedical sciences master's- How to target schools for mission and representation while balancing costs and support

(00:00) — Family roots and Flint crisis: Medicine in the house, art dreams, and volunteering during Flint's water crisis point Omar toward health.(02:00) — Why physician, not just public health: Leadership and impact pull him to the MD path.(03:30) — Mentors and mission work: Seeing overseas service in Sudan clarifies what medicine can do.(04:55) — Did family help? Inspiration, yes; U.S. application route, not so much.(06:30) — No campus advisor: Upperclassmen guidance and the MCAT becoming the main hurdle.(08:45) — Building focus for the MCAT: First practice test, CARS timing drills, and trusting the process.(11:10) — The 528 mindset: A cousin's daily encouragement keeps him from quitting.(12:40) — Starts, stops, and locking a date: Deferrals end when he commits to a test day.(15:05) — Gap years with purpose: Moving for family, AmeriCorps service with ESL youth and a citizenship clinic.(17:10) — Writing “Why Medicine”: Owning family influence instead of hiding it.(19:10) — A focused school list: 12 applications by location lead to two interviews.(22:05) — Interview prep without advising: Mock interviews with peers, strangers, and SNMA resources.(25:40) — The email that changed everything: A 9-day acceptance and celebrating with his cousin.(27:50) — Choosing a school: Family proximity and finances over DC.(25:40) — Biggest regret: Wishing he'd built stronger study habits earlier.(28:00) — Med school pace: Pomodoro, Anki, and 2 a.m. anatomy labs make it doable.(32:00) — What he'd change: Application and test fees, and using fee assistance.(34:40) — Final words: Stay locked in, believe you belong, and aim high.Omar didn't rush into medicine—even with a nephrologist dad and physician relatives. In high school, moving to Michigan during the Flint water crisis put him in the middle of public health work distributing water, which opened his eyes to health disparities. He wrestled with whether to stay in public health or become a physician, ultimately choosing medicine for its leadership and direct impact. Without a premed advisor on campus, he relied on upperclassmen, peers, and later SNMA for support. The MCAT was his biggest hurdle: a COVID-disrupted prep course, multiple false starts, and a hard reset on discipline and focus. He rebuilt from the ground up—starting with a baseline practice test, CARS timing drills, and accountability from a cousin who insisted he aim high. Gap years followed, shaped by family health needs and an AmeriCorps role serving ESL youth and a citizenship clinic. Omar's personal statement clicked only when he stopped hiding his family's influence and wrote honestly. He applied to 12 schools by location, earned two interviews, and received an email acceptance in nine days. He chose a school closer to family and with better finances. In med school, Pomodoro, Anki—and friends in 2 a.m. anatomy labs—keep him going, and he's candid about application costs and fee assistance options.What You'll Learn:- Turning MCAT overwhelm into a plan: baseline test, CARS timing, and discipline- How to prep interviews without a campus advisor using peers, strangers, and SNMA- Writing an authentic “Why Medicine” even with family in medicine- Making gap years count with service, growth, and purposeful timing- Weighing school choices by location, family, and finances

Put down the study guides for a second because I'm taking you back 20 years to my own medical school application, back when the MCAT was still paper and pencil. I'm breaking down my 4.0 GPA, my "31S" test score, and why I spent my interviews pretending to be passionate about the phylogenetics of North American fruit bats just to check a box. We're also diving into the high-stakes Department of Justice investigation into diversity initiatives at major med schools and why turning admissions into a "pure numbers game" is a massive mistake for the future of compassionate medicine. After the break, we're back with Thing I Love, Thing I Hate. I'll explain why I'm obsessed with OCT imaging, technology that lets us see all nine layers of the retina at a microscopic level. Then, we tackle the "Thing I Hate": the history of "Radial Keratotomy" (RK). It was the precursor to LASIK that involved cutting 80% through the cornea with a knife, and it serves as a cautionary tale for why I'm a "slow adopter" of the latest, most expensive surgical fads today. Takeaways: The Sliding Doors of Dartmouth: How a last-minute application and a persistent string of update letters changed Will's life and eventually saved it. The Wealth Gap in Admissions: Why expensive prep courses and the ability to study without working are creating a homogenous group of doctors that doesn't reflect America. Retinal Micromapping: A look at Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and how imaging a 500-micron tissue allows us to prevent blindness before it starts. The RK Mistake: Why a surgery that seemed like a "miracle" for myopia in the short term ended up destabilizing corneas for thousands of patients years later. The "Wait and See" Philosophy: Why Will chooses to avoid being an early adopter of $5,000 "light-adjustable" lenses until the long-term data is undeniable. To Get Tickets to Wife & Death: You can visit Glaucomflecken.com/live  We want to hear YOUR stories (and medical puns)! Shoot us an email and say hi! knockknockhi@human-content.com Can't get enough of us? Shucks. You can support the show on Patreon for early episode access, exclusive bonus shows, livestream hangouts, and much more! –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://www.patreon.com/glaucomflecken⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Also, be sure to check out the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://glaucomflecken.com/glauc-to-me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you are interested in buying a book from one of our guests, check them all out here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/dr.glaucomflecken⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you want more information on models I use: Anatomy Warehouse provides for the best, crafting custom anatomical products, medical simulation kits and presentation models that create a lasting educational impact.  For more information go to Anatomy Warehouse DOT com. Link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anatomywarehouse.com/?aff=14⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Plus for 15% off use code: Glaucomflecken15 -- A friendly reminder from the G's and Tarsus: If you want to learn more about Demodex Blepharitis, making an appointment with your eye doctor for an eyelid exam can help you know for sure. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.EyelidCheck.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information.  Produced by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Human Content⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(00:00) — Opening and early spark: Maya recalls childhood, cultural expectations, and her mom's cancer shaping her why.(03:05) — High school full circle: Research at Dana-Farber and reading her mom's records makes medicine click.(04:26) — ER simulation at Midscience: Realizing she could do this for real.(05:38) — MCAT dread and doubt: Nights staring at the ceiling, wondering if this path is for her.(06:45) — Post-grad without a net: Losing structure, studying alone, and deciding to invest in resources.(08:30) — Choosing community wisely: Avoiding toxic premed circles and building supportive friendships.(10:20) — Leaving campus support: How being outside university systems complicates the process.(11:20) — Three gap years: Cold-emailing a CEO, first job, and early adulting lessons.(12:50) — Why delay med school: Living life, tough East Coast costs, and embracing gap years.(14:15) — Strong application foundation: SNMA, BSU, hospital volunteering, and shadowing.(15:10) — MCAT timing talk: Advisor guidance and taking it when you're ready.(16:50) — Grace and the long view: “Med school isn't going anywhere” and an AI aside.(18:10) — Family reactions: Easing mom's worries about multiple gap years.(18:55) — No plan B: Knowing it was time to return and pursue medicine fully.(20:15) — Rebuilding the app: Mentors, letters, and becoming a medical assistant.(21:55) — Five MCAT attempts: Why she didn't quit.(23:20) — Faith and mentorship: The SNMA-matched surgeon in Alabama and tangible support.(26:50) — Pipeline cutoff reality: Missing by one point and reapplying 3–4 cycles.(28:50) — First interview at last: Spreadsheet tracking and the scream heard at home.(31:46) — Two-day acceptance: Shock, gratitude, and a family celebration.(36:56) — Paying it forward: Using social media to help students.(38:15) — Step 1 mindset: Starting early, NBME check-ins, and defeating fear.(41:05) — Final advice: Take time, find mentors, and invest in yourself.Maya joins Dr. Gray to share a candid look at persistence when the MCAT and the application cycle don't go your way—again and again. Growing up in an African family and watching her mom battle cancer set her sights on medicine early. In high school, working on research at Dana-Farber and reading her mom's records brought everything full circle, and an ER simulation at Midscience at Harvard made the dream feel real.After college, losing the structure and community she relied on made studying for the MCAT alone brutal. Maya ultimately invested in resources, leaned on supportive friends, and found mentors—including a plastic surgeon she met through SNMA who even helped fund tutoring. She took three gap years, built meaningful clinical experience as a medical assistant, and weathered 3–4 application cycles. After five MCAT attempts and a pipeline cutoff missed by one point, she finally broke through—landing 6–8 interviews and her first acceptance just two days after an interview.Now in medical school, Maya is intentional about confidence and early Step 1 prep, while using social media to support students coming behind her. This episode is a blueprint for rebuilding structure, choosing community wisely, and giving yourself permission not to quit.What You'll Learn:- How to rebuild structure and community after leaving college- What changed after five MCAT attempts and multiple cycles- Using mentors and groups like SNMA/MAPS to open doors- Turning gap years into real clinical growth as a medical assistant- A confidence-first mindset for Step 1 and beyond

A brilliant pre-med student. 521 MCAT — 98th percentile. 4.0 GPA. Published research. Primary author. Rejected by ten medical schools. If that résumé isn't good enough, what is?On The Real Story, I examine how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies are reshaping medical school admissions. Across the country, schools describe “holistic review,” equity mandates, and diversity goals as central to their mission. Academic metrics are no longer the primary standard and that merit is being subordinated to ideology.We break down AAMC data, LCME accreditation shifts, pass/fail grading trends, and looming physician shortages. Medicine is not a sociology lab. When you're on an operating table, credentials matter. Excellence is not negotiable. Thank you to our sponsor: Preserve Gold - text "ASK PHIL" to 50505 and go to https://DrPhilGold.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.