medical school application essays

To be familar with many illnesses, to diagnose diseases, to administer medication, to perform operations. Are these the only things that medical practitioners need to be oriented on so that they can effectively and efficiently fulfill their duties? The answer: there’s one more thing that medical practitioners need to be extremely adept at, and that is people skills. People skills are basically all about the interpersonal skills that a medical practitioner must have. Interpersonal skills, meanwhile, refer to the way a person interacts with another person in an effort to establish a link with him or her.

Why are interpersonal skills very important in the medical profession?

* Interpersonal or people skills create a better relationship between the doctor and his or her patient. When you know somebody very well, you get to trust him more, right? That’s exactly how it works with interpersonal skills. Both of you build trust by seeking to know each other more, with sincerity, and with the sensitivity to let the patient know that, as the doctor, you are always there for your patient.

* Interpersonal skills create a healthier working environment. If a medical practitioner is equipped with people skills, he or she is able to relate better with his or her fellow workers; thus, they get to be not just work mates but friends as well. People skills also help when, for example, the team is doing a major operation - you will be able to understand each other if you know how to relate what you want to say to each other.

* Interpersonal skills enable the doctor to have the patient accept his diagnoses, medication transcriptions, and decisions, be they good or bad. It is also people skills that enable the doctor to climb up the career ladder and be an able leader in the hospital.

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Are all medical school graduates headed to the hospital to work? Not always true. Truth is, there is a growing number of medical school graduates who find their greener pastures in the corporate world. However, it does not necessarily mean that they are now totally neglecting their roots. Fact is, many of these medical school graduates attest that they may not have been able to land a job in the corporate world if not for their medical school background.

So, are you a medical school graduate who would also like to consider a career path in the corporate world? Here are alternative corporate jobs that you can take on as a medical school graduate.

* Counselor - Some counselors, be they genetic counselors, wellness advisers, or public health counselors, are medical school graduates. This may be attributed to the fact that medical school graduates are adept in communicating with people who have problems, that’s why they get this corporate job with seemingly just the flick of a finger. If you are going to seek a counselor job, you should have units in psychology and public health.

* Medical examiner - As a medical examiner, you get to dissect corpses and pinpoint the cause of that person’s death. This is a very high paying job that also earns you the honor of being a valuable helper in solving criminal cases and in easing the grief of the people who have lost their loved ones. Course units in forensic science and anatomy will be very helpful in this kind of job.

* Managerial and human resources positions - These are positions that entitle the job holder to do much careful planning, serious implementation of plans, and a lot of talking to the people under his or her jurisdiction as well as the clients. Course units in psychology would also be very helpful here.

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With all the thick books that medical students have to read, terms, and body parts to memorize, and paperwork and reports to finish, it is not surprising that most medical students go through pulling all-nighters to be able to meet deadlines and review for exams. Pulling all-nighters has become so common among medical students that this has been referred to as a rite of passage for everybody who wishes to have a career in the medical profession.

Nevertheless, everybody knows that depriving oneself of sleep is never good for the health. So, what must a medical student do to avoid his or her chances of having to pull an all-nighter or at least take good care of his or her health come times an all-nighter is needed? Here are some tips to help you cope with all-nighters:

* Limit your sugar and caffeine intake. All right, sugar and caffeine really help in keeping you awake and focused when you pull all-nighters because these food products act as stimulants that give you that bubbly, lively feeling to see you through the whole night. But too much of these and you know what happens - you get to be at risk for diabetes and a slew of heart diseases, as well as insomnia. Too much sugar and caffeine may also cause you to pull all-nighters at times when you don’t want to. Instead of sugar and caffeine, try protein-rich food including dairy products such as cheese and carbohydrate-rich food such as sandwiches. This way, you improve metabolism and boost brain power without overdoing it.

* Listen to what your body is saying. If it is already tired and in need of sleep, then it is about time that you take a much-needed rest. Chances are, you’ll even get more refreshed this way and more energized to fulfill your tasks.

* As much as possible, try to get some sleep during all-nighter sessions, even if it is just an hour or two. This is especially important if you have been depriving yourself of sleep for quite a long time. Do you know that even just two days without sleep can be seriously bad for your health? So, try to get even just a quick nap. And, stock up on vitamins to boost your immune system.

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Almost every profession has what they call a jargon that is all their own, otherwise known as their very own glossary. How about the people in the medical profession? Do they have a jargon or glossary that’s all their own?

To guide you through, here is a glossary of some of the most common terms associated with the medical field. This glossary will be dealing particularly with the medical hierarchy–in other words, the people who are running a medical institution. Read on:

* Chief attending physician - This refers to the attending physician who handles one whole department in the hospital. Under him are attending physicians, who oversees the performances of medical residents, who, in turn, attend to medical interns.

* Attending physicians - These are doctors who have completed training for their respective medical specializations and are in charge of  specific sub-departments. This means that they perform leadership roles such as maintaining the facilities, training, and facilitating the medical residents under their jurisdiction, and they attend to patients as well.

* Medical residents - Medical interns advance to become medical residents once they pass the medical board and intern exams. Medical residents are doctors who can legally practice medicine provided that they are supervised by attending physicians. That’s because, as of the moment, medical residents do not have a particular specialization yet. Medical residents are also assigned to teach and oversee medical interns.

* Medical interns - These are fresh graduates from medical school and are on their first year as residents in the hospital. They are not licensed to practice medicine yet because during this time, the results of their medical exams have not yet been released. But just so they can have hands-on experience, medical interns are allowed to assist in some surgical procedures.

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All doctors have the prime responsibility of caring for their patients. So far, everybody knows that at least most of the doctors in the world today really work hard to fulfill this responsibility. If that is so, then why do some doctors tend to be more successful than others?

Want to know how to be a successful doctor yourself? Check out the following tips:

* Work on your communication skills. Successful doctors are excellent communicators. Never mind the honors and the rewards that come with being an innovator in the field of medicine. If you can’t communicate your ideas well to other people, most especially to your patients, then you remain to be a flop.

Also, successful doctors are great “people” persons. They have the natural ability to feel what a patient is feeling, to sympathize, but remain firm and be able to hold himself together so as to provide the patient with strength.

Thus said, what particular communication skills do you need to work on? Read on:
- how to deliver good or bad news to patients
- how to explain medication to patients
- how to display sensitivity enough for the patient to know that you are sincerely concerned about their health and welfare

* Successful doctors are extremely meticulous about detail. You have to be a keen observer. You should keep in mind that every big disease starts as a small one. It is very important that you are able to pinpoint symptoms and diagnose a disease as they start and are still curable.

* Work on your time management skills. Successful doctor are time management experts. Starting from medical school, learn how to balance your time between schoolwork, family, and friends. You should learn efficient yet effective ways on how to fulfill each task on hand.

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With the promise of high salary and better career opportunity, many people opt to finish college. Even those who are already married may pursue higher education to build a better career and seek personal recognition. But when it comes to medical school, expect the challenge to be tougher. Aside from sleepless nights that you have to devote for reading textbooks and brushing up on your studies, you also have to think about spending quality time with your spouse. Often, this is where the conflict comes from. The demand for your time can put too much pressure on you. To pull this off, you need excellent time management skills. Below are some tips on how you can pursue a career in medicine while being the good spouse or parent that you should be.

Keeping the household in order

For women, their responsibilities doesn’t end with caring for their husbands; they also need to take good care of the household. Doing household chores is not an easy task to accomplish, especially when you still have to review for a final exam. To help you through with this, why not get help from others if you can afford it? This way, you can have free time for yourself and other more important tasks to accomplish. If you can’t hire one, at least prepare a schedule of the household chores that you have to do. Manage day-to-day activities with ease by allotting specific time for everything.

Balancing medical school work and family life

With the addition of a new member of the family, expect things to be a lot harder for you. Still, being a parent should not keep you from reaching your dreams. All you need is time management, motivation, and perseverance. Have a schedule of activities. Know which comes first with a list of your priorities. Ideally, you should focus on your studies when in med school and on your spouse and child when spending time at home. Do things one step at a time. Best of all, give yourself some time to relax. Even a warm bath can soothe your mind and body. Focus on your goal and find your own motivation.

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It is a common notion that one who applies and gets accepted in medical school should always be a science major, with an undergraduate course in the field of biology or chemistry. But what if you have taken up linguistics or arts related major in college? Would you still qualify for admission in a medical school?

The answer is yes, you can still qualify for admission in a medical school. There may be additional course units, however, that you still have to take. Like other medical school students, you also need to fulfill the requirements for admission in a medical school. These include letters of recommendation, personal statements, and the entrance exam. For non-science majors, here are some tips that could help you go by:

* Even if you have a non-science major back in college, chances are, you still have science subjects that you have attended. Make sure that you have passing marks in all of them to increase your chances of getting admitted.

* Before you apply to a medical school, make sure you have taken these science courses: biology, chemistry, physics, and maths. Some medical schools would require you to have units in basic psychology. If you haven’t taken these courses yet, then you have to take at least units of these to qualify for admission in a medical school.

* There are also certain non-science courses that serve as prerequisites for medical school. These are English, humanities, and some social sciences.

* Write your personal statement really well. In the typical personal statements of medical school applicants, they usually detail their experiences in dissection, mixing chemicals, naming organic compounds, and other lab work. Without a solid scientific background, what you ought to do is to establish the link between the medical field and your own non-science endeavors. Also discus traits or skills that you have developed through your non-science major.

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A career in the medical field does not simply mean attending medical school, poring through medical books, or wearing scrubs. You also have to consider which specific medical specialization you are going to build a career on. After all, you also have to help yourself survive and make a living.

Need help in choosing your own medical specialization? You may get your cue from the most competitive medical specializations listed below:

* Neurosurgery - This is medical specialization deals with the nervous system or the brain in particular. It is a highly competitive medical specialization because it is so meticulous. There is no room for mistakes in neurosurgery, as you deal mainly with the central organ of the human body. If you commit even just a single mistake during a surgery, patients on the operating table may suffer from paralysis, coma, psychosis, brain damage, or even death.  Despite the risks, some med students still choose to specialize in neurosurgery because of the challenge and excitement it brings.

* Dermatology - This medical field is mostly concerned with skin care. It is competitive basically because people have been so concerned about their physical looks, especially the condition of their skins. Dermatology is otherwise known as the science of skin care, which covers skin conditions that range from purely cosmetic (skin whitening, skin tanning, wart removal, acne removal) to treatment of skin diseases (melanoma, impetigo, dermatitis, Hodgkin’s lymphoma). Pay is also competitive in the field of dermatology. Aside from numerous skin problems dermatologists have to deal with, they also have to be updated with the latest techniques and technology used in the field of skin care.

Applying to med school

When applying to med school, you may submit medical school application essays that also include the medical specialization you wish to take. State good reasons for your choice and how the field may benefit you or serve a particular interest. Just make sure that your  medical school application essays are brief but engaging enough to hook readers from top to end.  Ideally,  medical school application essays should let readers know more about you through your personal interest, traits, and experiences.

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Choosing the field of specializations is one big decision to make in the career of a medical practitioner. Medical specializations are the specific line of expertise of a medical practitioner. If you are a medical practitioner, you might be needing some help in choosing your medical specialization. Here are some tips to guide you through:

* Never let salary be the sole reason in choosing the field of specialization that you would like to take. Look for a specialization that will help you gain personal satisfaction and professional recognition by doing what you love most.
* Focus on a medical specialization that you are passionate about, one which is aligned with your skill set. That way, you will be able to do your duties effectively, so all else will follow.

Below is a shortlist of popular medical specializations:

* Pediatrics - This is a medical field that is most concerned with the health and welfare of infants and children. Pediatricians check for the young patient’s vital signs, as well as ensure the kid’s physical, mental, and social health. They also give tips and appropriate medication to avoid chronic illnesses and maintain proper nutrition in children. This medical specialization is quite popular because pediatrics generally have many patients to care for.

* Plastic Surgery - This medical specialization is most concerned with the reconstruction of physical deformities as well as the enhancement of physical features. In other words, plastic surgeons are called the doctors of beauty, because they are the ones who are known to deal with appearances. They perform surgeries on patients who need to improve a part of their body.

* Obstetrics and Gynecology - This medical specialization deals with the female reproductive health. Pregnant or not, women should schedule regular check-ups with their OB Gynes. This way, they can treat any hormonal imbalance or abnormality.  OB Gynes also help ensure safer delivery for pregnant women.

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A teaching hospital is a medical institution that provides two-tiered service. Aside from medical care and services, its facilities are also used for the practice of medical interns and other medical professionals. Looking for the best teaching hospital in the United States? Following is a list of the top three teaching hospitals in the USA:

* Johns Hopkins Hospital –  Named as one of the best medical institutions and teaching hospitals in the country for 18 years, Johns Hopkins Hospital is also known for specialized services in the field of neurosurgery, pediatrics, endocrinology, and urology. Be an expert in one of these many fields when you practice at John Hopkins Hospital. This teaching hospital also gained recognition for the the first ever operation on a blue baby, the identification of the three types of polio viruses, and the discovery of restriction enzymes. This medical institution offers good training and education for its in-house medical practitioners.

* Massachusetts General Hospital - This teaching hospital is one of the oldest medical institutions in the country. Massachusetts General Hospital has been known to be a highly innovative medical institution. This teaching hospital constantly seeks out new ways to improve medical and clinical practices through its affiliation with Harvard Medical School. This institution has also one of the biggest funding for a hospital-based research program, which is up to $400 million every year.

* Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center - All its medical services and programs are consistently getting recognition due to the top-notch medical services and programs it offer. The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is also highly regarded for its low mortality rate, advanced medical equipment, and quality of its medical practitioners. What keeps the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center afloat on the list of top teaching hospitals in US is its investments on the field of education and training.

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