It’s Not Too Late to Take a Bridge Year

If as the opening/submission date to your centralized application service nears and you’re starting to feel like you are not as prepared to move forward in this process as you thought, we strongly urge you to consider taking a bridge year (or two). Some reasons why you may want to consider a bridge year (or an additional bridge year) at this time are:

  

• You have yet to sit for your entrance exam, or you are considering pushing it back even further.

• You have not acquired your letters of recommendation, and are having difficulty connecting with faculty.

• You have not budgeted enough time to complete a quality application and still submit within a reasonable time frame.

• The application process is more expensive than you realized, and it may be difficult for you to secure the funds to apply.

If you would like more information about taking a bridge year (or two) check out our blog post http://uvahpa.blogspot.com/2013/01/interested-in-taking-bridge-year-or-two.html

A-C-E Your Application Advising Opportunity

 On Tuesday, May 28^th, Wednesday May 29^nd and Thursday, May 30th Susan and Rebecca will be available at Monroe Hall 263 from 1:30pm to 4:30 pm to assess health professions application materials for any applicant who is interested in having aspects of their candidacy reviewed.

We require that any applicant participating in this program have tangible application materials that can be reviewed by an advisor at the time of their visit. These materials can include: personal statements, centralized application materials (including activity section write-ups), school lists, or transcripts for review. If you would like to have a discussion regarding the state of your candidacy please calculate your science GPA based on the requirements of the health profession you are interested in applying to before you arrive. To learn more about GPA calculations for various programs visit http://uvahpa.blogspot.com/2012/03/calculating-science-gpa.html  and also check out our Helpful Tips and Commonly Asked Questions Guide (attached to this listserv)  Applicants will be met with on a first come- first serve basis for 15 minutes.

If you feel you need more time with an advisor, or do not have materials to be reviewed at that time, please schedule a 30 minute appointment at our Bryant Hall office by calling 434-924-8900.

Virtual Fair for Physician Assistants

The Physician Assistant Education Association is teaming up again with CareerEco to bring you an encore virtual fair for physician assistants. Please share this link with your programs, students, advisees, and advisors, and join us on July 16 & 17 for the second annual physician assistant virtual fair! There is no cost to participants.

Register for the Fair Here: http://caspa.careereco.net/students-alumni/virtual-fair-registration/

If you have questions about the fair, please contact caspa@careereco.com

FootFest (Podiatry Program)

The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine would like to cordially invite your students to FootFest2013 at the Western Podiatry Conference in Anaheim, CA. Taking place on Friday, June 21^st  from 9:30 am until 4:00 pm at the Disneyland Hotel and Convention Center located at 1150 West Magic Way, FootFest2013 is an exciting day inside the world of podiatric medicine. Students will participate in a panel of current members of the podiatric medical community, spend the day attending lectures on cutting edge surgical techniques, and receive a free lunch as well as special giveaways and goodie bags. The entire program is completely free of charge and a limited number of spots are available. To register or for questions regarding this exciting event, please contact Daniel Taubman via email at dtaubman@aacpm.org or via phone at 301-948-0958 or. We look forward to seeing you in Anaheim!

Case SODM webchat: Countdown to AADSAS 2014

The Office of Admissions at Case School of Dental Medicine is hosting its Countdown to AADSAS 2014 webchat for all prospective applicants. Ask your questions about "what happens next" in the AADSAS process, and we hope this session will help address your anxieties about the mysteriousness of how schools select students for interviews.

The webchat is scheduled online for 5:00 pm Eastern Time on Saturday, June 1, 2013. We ask that individuals with webcameras try to log in at least 15 minutes before to account for technical check-in. This session is intended to last at least until 7:00 pm ET, but we can remain until all questions are presented and answered. The weblink will be posted on our Facebook and Twitter feeds (and on this forum) in late May.

If you are joining us via webcam, please have earbuds with microphones ready to reduce ambient noise or echo in the communication. A regular chatroom is also available for those without webcameras or those who are more restricted in bandwidth, but note that those who are on camera will likely receive more attention unless you type in questions in the chatroom.

To prepare for this webchat, it is expected that attendees have reviewed all available videos and presentations posted on the ADEA GoDental site, including recent presentations from the 2013 Dental School Virtual Fair. It is expected that for questions specifically pertaining to Case School of Dental Medicine that you have thoroughly reviewed the materials left on our Virtual Fair booth and on our website. We also welcome advisors and future applicants to this session.

Please note that the webchat will be recorded for program assessment, research, and convenience to those unable to make this session. Please note that due to our bandwidth restrictions, we may wind up limiting individuals who will be on camera. The server can handle no more than 200-250 people online at once in our room.

Bridge Year Opportunity!

Check out the following opportunity available in Reston, VA!  This would be a great clinical experience for someone looking to do a bridge year!

"Busy and pleasant Urology clinic in Reston, VA (Northern Virginia Area) is seeking a dependable, on-time, and cordial college graduate to join our team.  This is a paid, full-time internship of 1-2 year(s) duration, perfect for an individual seeking more experience in the medical health sciences with hopes of going to medical, nursing, physician’s assistant, or allied-health sciences school.  This would be a great opportunity for those taking a gap year before attending professional school.

You must be mature; organized; have excellent written, verbal, and typing skills; and must be committed to delivering excellent customer service.  Proficiency with Microsoft Office 2010 is expected. No prior medical experience is required, although preferred. 

Interns will receive training in any of the following:  using electronic health records, collecting patient medical history and vital signs, checking patients in and out at front desk, using electronic billing systems, answering phones, and keeping meeting schedule for the physician.  Applicants must be willing to learn and work with multiple medical systems.

Immediate work available!

Please email resumes to jlarnold@urolady.comcastbiz.net"

2014 AMCAS Application

The 2014 AMCAS Application will open around 9:30 AM ET today for applicants to begin working on their AMCAS application. Applicants will not be able to submit their applications until June 4^th and medical schools will not begin to receive applicant data until June 28^th.

Fees

The 2014 AMCAS Application fee is $160 (includes one medical school designation) and $35 for each additional fee. Additionally, applicants can apply for the Fee Assistance Program and once all supporting documentation are received it only takes around 15 days for the AAMC to grant an eligibility decision.

Transcripts

Applicants can begin to submit transcriptsbut they will need to be sure that if they’d like their latest spring or summer grades to be included in their application that they wait unitl the grades are reflected on the official transcript before submitting those transcripts.

Letters of Evaluation

Letter writers can begin to submit letters to AMCAS via the AMCAS Letter Writer Application, Interfolio, VirtualEvals or paper. Be sure the applicant has provided you with the letter request for so you have access to their AAMC ID and AMCAS Letter ID when submitting the letters. Letters DO NOT have to be submitted prior to the application being submitted, verified or processed but must comply with the individual deadlines set by medical schools for letters. You can share the Letters of Evaluation Guidelines with your students and faculty as well.

Join the Conversation

AMCAS provides helpful hints, answers questions and provides realtime updates via Facebookand Twitter so be sure to follow us! In addition, we can answer any questions via phone or email from 9-7pm ET M-F. If you have questions contact us at 202-828-0600 or amcas@aamc.org.