Hi!
For those folks considering a health professions school application this year, please READ THROUGH this February MedApp (for Med/Vet/Dental/DO) Newsletter!

Time Sensitive: YOUR LETTER TASKS, handing in HPP forms—and beginning to prepare to write your application.
All the best!
Sarah, and your HPP Team

Medical School Application 2018-2019
Newsletter-February 2018

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE NEWSLETTER, VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN SYNCH WITH UNDERSTANDING THE DETAILS OF THE NEXT PHASES OF THE MED/VET/DENTAL SCHOOL APPLICATION!!

It is essential to complete your Letter tasks, and your tasks for the HPP office. It is vital to clearly understand the/your timeline the application process ahead.  It is also the time to prepare to actually write your application by being intentional with your reflection process, understanding what your writing assignments are for the application—and starting to draft your ideas—so that you can write a great one.



  1.  COMPOSITE Letters of Evaluation
  2.  Choosing & Contacting Writers
  3.  What do you need to do for your Writers?
  4.  Resume and Autobiographical Sketch
  5.  TASKS for HPP: Forms to Annette Hamilton
  6.  MCAT: What’s your plan?
  7.  Study Resources
  8.  Financial Assistance Program (FAP) for MCAT and AMCAS application
  9.  REFLECTION: preparing to write the application
  10. Upcoming Workshops
  11. Checking in with HPP




  1.  DARTMOUTH COMPOSITE LETTER OF EVALUATION PROCESS: If you have any lingering questions about understanding the Composite Letter of Evaluation, the support writers, the timeline, and the tasks—PLEASE make sure to re-read the information on the website<http://www.dartmouth.edu/prehealth/applying/evaluation_letters/index.html>. If there are still lingering questions, please come by for a walk in meeting or schedule an appointment with us asap.



  1.  COMPLETING PROCESS OF CHOOSING AND ASKING LETTER WRITERS: By now you should have made-or be finalizing all your letter requests from your support and composite writers.  If that is not yet true—IE:  If you are holding back for some reason, please talk it out with us so we can help you think it through.



  1.  WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR YOUR LETTER WRITERS

  *   NOW: Clarify deadlines.
     *   See Enclosed TIMELINE Agreement to review ideal deadlines.  April 15th -May 1st is the ideal target deadline for support letters.
  *   NOW: OPEN your INTERFOLIO ACCOUNT! (use these INSTRUCTIONS HERE<http://www.dartmouth.edu/prehealth/applying/evaluation_letters/interfolio.html>)
     *   Create a request for each Support writer (only Support, NOT Composite Writer).
     *   WAIVE CONFIDENTIALITY. Medical schools HIGHLY prefer that your letters are confidential to you.
  *   By MARCH or Sooner depending on needs of writer:
     *   Complete your resume and Autobiographical Sketch
     *   Submit resume and Autobiographical Sketch directly to support writers (more on auto sketch later in newsletter)
        *   Reiterate your appreciation
        *   Review deadlines
        *   Tell or remind them that they will receive an email from INTERFOLIO about how upload their letter
     *   Invite them to meet with you in person, if you haven’t already, so they have a chance to if they would wish one to assist in writing the letters.

  *   BY BEGINNING OF SPRING TERM:
     *   For Your Composite Writer: Invite your composite writer to meet in person, (or over the phone if you are not here) for the chance for them to discuss your goals, your previous experiences, and your motivation with you—whether they say yes to the invitation or not
     *   Upload the resume, auto sketch, and transcript, onto Interfolio directly as well. You will notify Annette Hamilton at the Health Professions Program when all your support letters are in. HPP goes into Interfolio, gathers your support letters, AND these other documents—and makes a complete file that we send to the Composite Writer.
  *   DURING APPLICATION CYCLE:

o   ETIQUETTE: Stay in TOUCH with your writers.  Let them know what happens in your application cycle. THEY WANT TO KNOW. It is considerate and expected that after doing this work on your behalf that you close the loop by sharing your process and/or outcomes.



  1.  The AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

  *   AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH-What is it??

  1.  Provides your writers with important context. It helps them to put your application goal into a more holistic understanding.  You share, in prose, information that offers more meaning than a list of items on a resume could possibly provide, including something about your motivation for this journey. While it does not need to be in the form of your final application essay, it should be well written with narrative that goes beyond listing.  You can share narrative in the form of:

     *   A Letter
     *   An essay (even a good draft of what will be your final application essay)
     *   A set of organized paragraphs with Topic headings (ie: Before College; Academics; What I Did outside the Classroom; Important Inspirations; Family influences; Motivation for Medical School—or “titles” that are most relevant to you.)

  1.  Provides you with a catalyst for diving into the process of reflection and drafting that is required to write your primary and secondary applications.
  2.  It is always considerate to provide writers with context any time they write for you.



  1.  TASKS TO DO FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONS PROGRAM: For HPP to support you in a successful Composite Letter of Evaluation Process, you must complete these tasks.

  *   Submit your Composite Letter Timeline form to Annette Hamilton (in person or by email).  Form is ENCLOSED, and on website<http://www.dartmouth.edu/prehealth/applying/evaluation_letters/timeline.html> under “Key Tips and Important Documents.
  *   Submit your Composite Letter Worksheet, also to Annette Hamilton. Form is enclosed and also on site noted above.  This tells us who your writers are going to be.
  *   Go in and meet Annette Hamilton if you have not! She’s our Interfolio guru, and she will also play a vital role in piloting the Composite Letter Process, and bringing it to completion.
  *   Submit the Release to Composite Writer after all the support letters are in! It will be your responsibility for letting HPP/Annette know so we/she can create the file to send to your Composite Writer. (this is usually later in Spring)



  1.  MCAT & MCAT REGISTRATION (Or DAT for Dental): If you are planning to apply in the 2018-2010 cycle you must have a plan by now, for taking the MCAT/DAT in a timely fashion. If that is not the case, please come speak with Sarah Berger as soon as possible to review your timeline.
     *   MCAT Registration:  The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) oversees the MCAT. <https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-mcat-exam/register-mcat-exam/>
     *   What is timely for the 2018-19 cycle?  By May or June is ideal.
     *   Why by May or June?  Ideally you ought to know your score before you submit your primary application, and still submit your application in an ideal timeframe.  It takes a month to get your score.  If you take the MCAT later in the summer it could have a significant impact on the entire application timeline and interview process. If you are considering a later MCAT please talk it through with us.
     *   If you are taking it this May or June, Do you have your study plan in place?



  1.  MCAT STUDY RESOURCES
     *   Please go the MCAT section<http://www.dartmouth.edu/prehealth/applying/mcat.html> of the Health Professions website to see many suggestions of useful preparation tools!
     *   The AAMC has built several “tools” to prepare for the MCAT on this website:<https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-mcat-exam/prepare-mcat-exam/>
     *   You will find both study tools available AND, you will find a detailed list of the CRUCIAL competencies you will need to know/review. Go all the way into this website-into EVERY layer of what they will expect students to know. Scroll to the bottom of EACH page and hit EACH explore button, to get the full breadth of the competencies details.
     *   The Kahn Academy has a free MCAT study video library for all the “competencies.”



  1.  REMINDER: Fee Assistance Program for MCAT and AMCAS—as well as Dental, VET, and DO schools:  There IS a fee assistance program (FAP) for both MCAT and AMCAS applications-AND for Vet, DO, and Dental as well.  To see if you qualify, submit the FAP application well in advance of signing up for and paying for the MCAT/DAT or Submitting your Primary app. The fee reduction is NOT retroactive. If you are planning an application this year, do this process NOW.  If you qualified for the MCAT FAP, you will also qualify for the application fee reduction automatically.   If you do qualify, many medical schools will also reduce the fees on the secondary applications. DO let them know!

Medical School Application Fee Assistance<https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/applying-medical-school-process/fee-assistance-program/>

Dental School Application Fee Assistance<http://www.adea.org/GoDental/Application_Prep/The_Application_to_Dental_School_ADEA_AADSAS/Fee_Assistance_Program.aspx>

Osteopathic Application Med School Fee Assistance<http://help.unicas.com:8888/aacomasHelpPages/instructions/manage-my-programs/aacomas-fee-assistance-program/index.html>

Vet School Application Fee Assistance<http://aavmc.org/feereimbursement.aspx>



  1.  REFLECTION AND WRITING APPLICATION

We’ve spent the last few months focused on teaching you about the TIMELINE for application, and about the Letters of Evaluation—NOW it is time to start preparing to WRITE THE APPLICATION!

  *   You’ve prepared for several years for this Aspiration and Goal.  Now you will need to describe your journey to Medical Schools in the form of Primary and Secondary applications.
  *   To do this well requires REFLECTION, TIME, AND ACTUAL WRITING.  It is not to be underestimated! You have worked hard, you deserve to give this process the time it requires.
  *   Writing Your Application, PART 1 is coming up!!  In this workshop we’ll do a short review of what is expected in the application process, and some opportunities to begin reflecting.
Coming up: PART 1- INTRODUCTION TO   WRITING YOUR APPLICATION!
Monday, March 5th              6:15   Carson LO1
Not on campus? Podcast here<https://dartmouth.techsmithrelay.com/q9GU>
Part 2 will be offered in SPRING Term



  1.  Workshops This Spring: Writing Your Application Part 2; Financing Med School; FILLING OUT AMCAS APP!; Prepping for the Interview Process; Choosing Med Schools…   Stay Tuned 😊



  1.  CHECKING IN, ASSESSING, and PREPATION FOR APPLICATION:  Please check in with Sarah Berger to help you assess readiness for an application for this year, or with any other questions about the process. We are here for you and with you, throughout the process ahead!!  Be in touch with any questions or concerns!     Sarah, Annette, and Valerie


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