General Interview Prep

Tell me a fun fact about you.

A Capella?

If you could change one thing about your UU, what would it be?

Advisor pool in kines

If you discovered a classmate cheating, what would you do?

Approach and discuss with them, see if they need help or if there was something going on in their life

What do you think is the most important quality a physician should have?

Compassionately connect with patients Being a partner is crucial to getting the best health outcomes for your patient

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Competing in club track and field has been one of the most impactful experiences of my college career. The excitement and dedication that I had for the sport led me to become the sprint training chair for our team, where I helped others reach their goals by designing and leading workouts. When I started as training chair, the sprint group was very small. To change this, I worked to create a welcoming environment and a training plan that would benefit everyone. I felt proud of my efforts as the group grew; this peaked during the National meet of my senior year. We had a record-setting number of sprint and field athletes at the meet, many of whom had breakthroughs in their events. As my teammates celebrated their accomplishments together I felt an overwhelming gratification, knowing that I facilitated this atmosphere of camaraderie and implemented effective training for my teammates.

How would you react if a colleague wanted you to keep a medical error they made a secret from a patient?

Counsel them to inform their patient and how to do so. Goal is to improve communication around medical errors. Tell the pt about them, how they occurred, and what will be done to make them less likely in the future. Also encourage to apologize and offer compensation for damages that may have occurred.

Tell me about a time when you collaborated on a successful project.

DP Day

If your best friends were asked to describe you what would they say

Dedicated- when i set goals I take every step to try and ensure my success Enjoy helping others, explain things to roommates, staying late at practice even if I have studying, running things over with students as a MSK TA

What would your best friend say about convincing me I should admit you to medical school?

Dedicated- when i set goals I take every step to try and ensure my success Enjoy helping others, explain things to roommates, staying late at practice even if I have studying, running things over with students as a MSK TA

Describe yourself in three words.

Dedicated. Compassionate. Professional.

How do you imagine the balance of research and clinical work in your future?

Definitely want to a practicing clinician first Research is an integral part, without it it is hard to become a better doctor In addition to sharing knowledge it helps you teach others Looking at doing research for improving our healthcare system to improve pt outcomes

Can you tell me about a specific challenge you had to overcome? How did you handle it?

Despite the high expectations I set for myself during my junior track season, I had some of the worst performances of my University of Michigan career. Afterward, I struggled with my confidence as a runner and leader on the team. To overcome my doubts, I remembered the responsibility I had to my teammates as the training chair and reflected on how I could improve. I spent hours researching better workouts, searching for more racing opportunities, and exploring my nutritional intake. In the end, this hard work and persistence led to a resurgence during my senior season and made me a more informed and capable training chair. I hope that as a physician I will be able approach problems with a similar perseverance, perfecting my quality of care through ongoing dedication and improvement.

What do you think about alternative medicine?

Difficult: not evidence based medicine, unclear results Important to consider the pts perspective on it cultural: could have benefits for morale and psych, could make the patient more positive and compliant refer to spirit catches you and you fall down

What causes the most stress in you life?/What things frustrate you the most?

Disorganization in group work

How have you enjoyed your undergraduate experience? What would you change?

Diverse atmosphere-being able to meet new people Research and medical opportunities-made a huge impact on my decision to pursue medicine ECs- being a part of the largest collegiate running club Change advising situation

Describe the guest lecturers from AED

Dr. Laura Hirshbein, a psychiatrist and medical historian, . Dr. Hirshbein will be presenting her observations on the changes in frequency of pediatric psychiatric diagnoses (i.e. are we over-medicating kids in the U.S.?) as well as the role of doctors and psychiatrists in defining what is "normal." Dr. Kyle VanKoevering, a 3rd year otrylangogical surgery resident. Kyle will be talking about his research (cool pictures included), the future of 3D printing in medicine, and his life as a surgical resident. He's excited, I'm excited, get excited! Journal Club, facilitated by Dr. J. Scott Roberts, the Director of the Public Health Genetics Program. We will be using two of his attached articles about the consequences of genetic risk disclosure to learn how to approach ethical issues in medicine Dr. Lisa Harris, an obstetrician-gynecologist and cultural historian recommended. Dr. Harris performs both first and second trimester abortions and is an influential voice on our campus for what she defines as reproductive justice. While Dr. Harris will not be focusing on the the ethics or procedure of abortion in her presentation, she is willing to answer any questions that you may have. As someone who has been threatened, protested, and secretly videotaped, she will also be sharing her experience working in a stigmatized profession.

Explain why your GPA is lower than what we expect for applicants.

During my freshman year, my grades were lower than what I would have liked. The learning environment at the University of Michigan was structured very differently than what I had been exposed to in high school. It took me a few rounds of exams to figure out how to study and prepare for exams more efficiently. This process continued throughout my freshman year as I continued to improve my academic habits. I would say what really helped me have a breakthrough was joining AED. In doing so I found the effectiveness of studying with a team, instead of working alone. Through this I was able to learn effective study techniques from my peers and was able to improve my effectiveness while studying as a group and individual which lead to my success throughout the rest of my time at the University.

What leadership positions have you held? (not STC)

During my second summer as construction laborer on a roofing team, I took on a leadership role amongst the other laborers. Having one summer of experience, I quickly took on a role where I trained new laborers. I shared tips and recommendations with them that I had learned during my time on the team. Having more laborers this year than the previous, I acted as a liaison between the foreman and the laborers, and helped coordinate our efforts to ensure that our tasks were done efficiently.

Why did you choose your undergraduate major?

During my senior year of high school I became fascinated with the way the human body works and found myself applying the concepts that I learned in my IB Bio course during my track workouts. For this reason, I decided to major in movement science. The interplay between my degree and track continued as it made me a well informed training chair on the University of Michigan Running Club

Who would you say has been the most influential person in the last one-hundred years?

Einstein: science, war FDR: new deal, war, polio

Tell me about your study habits.

Enjoy studying as a team, learned this through AED. both teaching and learning from peers.

If you have the choice of giving a transplant to a successful elderly member of the community or a 20- year old drug addict, how do you choose?

Equaltarian vs consequentialist. Con: looking at likelihood for success, social worthiness, and the ability to conserve resources. look at quality of life after treatment and years of use. When considering success, if the drug addict was unlikely to quit, he would not be a candidate for a transplant, and the limited transplant resources should not be allocated to him. When clinicians are involved in this decision it is important to have all clinical info, especially prognosis and likely outcome without intervention. if the decision is beyond the physicians input, input, he still must be engaged and advocate for pts best interest.

What will you do if you don't get into medical school?

Evaluate my weaknesses and apply again.

What do you do for fun?

Excersice Exploring new things with friends-Garba reading

What newspapers, journals, etc., do you read on a regular basis?

Healthcare triage.

If there were an accident on the highway, would you stop and help the victims, knowing that doing so might lead to a malpractice claim against you?

I am not completely sure of the legal implications behind this case in terms of malpractice, but I know that I would want to stop and help.

What are some of the challenges facing medicine today?

I believe that one of the biggest challenges we face in healthcare today is treating and preventing chronic diseases. Chronic diseases, such as CVD, cancer, diabetes, obesity, are some of the leading causes of death and disability in our country and lead to long term and costly treatment plans. What's more is that these conditions are often preventable with behavior modifications regarding smoking, physical activity, or diet. This problem needs to be approached from multiple perspectives. As physician's it is important to find ways to incorporate preventive medicine into your practice to try to stop these conditions before they begin. This is difficult because the time that the physician has to work with patients is often limited so that they cannot address additional issues with the patient. I believe that a way around this is to incorporate programs like the SUPER Coach program into practices, where the physician is able to stress the importance of the behavior change to the patient and then refer them to a health coach, who can be seen immediately, if they are interested. I really respect Dr. Cohen's initiative in setting this program up, and I will strive to take a similar approach in my career as a physician Another important aspect in this regard has to do with insurance coverage. It is crucial from a policy standpoint that we work to get all Americans insured. Having everyone insured would mean that those who get sick are more likely to come in and be treated instead of waiting until their condition is severe. Additionally , it would help drive down costs as those who were not sick would be helping to finance those who are sick and need care.

How did you choose to major in _____________?

I choose my major because my interest in the human body stemmed from my involvement in sports and research questions about what was going on in my body during performance. Being a movement science major allowed me to continue exploring my interests while still preparing me well for medical school. Because of my path, I feel that I bring an important perspective on how important physical activity is towards better health outcomes.

How did you like you undergraduate university

I enjoyed my time at the University of Michigan. I grew up a fan of Michigan Athletics so my interest in UMich started at a young age. When I was searching for colleges to attend, I was initially looking for engineering programs. The program and UMich had a great reputation and they also had a masters program in Energy Systems that I was very interested in. While I discovered that engineering was not for me, I really enjoyed the diverse atmosphere, extracurricular opportunities, and the research opportunities that I was provided at the University of Michigan.

How do you handle change?

I feel that I handle change very well and I see change as a learning opportunity. Talk about run charts and working to perfect the SUPER Coach program

How do you want to overcome these social and environmental factors

I feel that one thing that often occurs in these environments is that there is not enough time in a visit to address preventative care. Often times clinics are seeing a large volume of patients and are forced to focus on treating their acute symptoms and short term reasons for coming, instead of treating some of the underlying chronic conditions such as smoking, diet, diabetes control, and exercise habits. Many in these environments are also uninsured so they cannot always afford many visits into a doctor so they only end up coming in when they most need it. I think that one way I can help address this as a physician is by trying to incorperate a program like the SUPER coach program, where there are individuals availibe to discuss various forms of behavior change with the patient, hopefully preventing some long term chronic conditions.

Which of you college courses interested you the most.

I found my anatomy, physiology, and biochemisty courses the most interesting. Even more so, I found the interplay between these courses to be more satisfying. I found that by associating these topics and seeing their real world application not only made me enjoy the topics, but also furthered my understanding. I look forward to the learning environment here at Harvard where basic science and clinical sciences are integrated so I can continue this style of learning. (also mention something about coming back to basic science after the PCY)

Tell me about yourself

I grew up in the small town of Algonac and I am a recent graduate of the University of Michigan. During my time at the University, i dedicated many hours to training and competing in club track and field with the Michigan Running Club, aka MRun. As a a member, i was a part of a supportive team as we worked collaboratively to reach our goals and also gained valuable leadership experience by becoming the Sprint and Field Event Training Chair for my junior and senior years, where I was responsible for designing and leading workouts for Spring and Field athletes as well as organizing social and recruiting events with other board members. During college, I always found it satisfying to be helping others, whether it was staying late after practice to help a teammate reach their goal, volunteering with the special olympics or guiding students as a teacher's assistant. For this reason, I am currently taking a year to serve as an AmeriCorps member for the SUPER Coach Program at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, where I am able to help hospital patients explore their behaviors regarding smoking cessation. My interest in medicine began during my senior year in high school while learning physiology and biochemisty in my IB Biology Course. In college I explored this career path through participating in pre-medical organizations, shadowing physicians, and performing medical research. Over this time, I have gained an understanding of the role of physicians and their commitment to serve patients and the community. While I know that the path can be challenging at times, I cannot think of anything I would rather do. I am very excited to be here today. I have heard great things about the school and I am very grateful for the chance to interview today !

How do you go about making important decisions?

I like to rely on my background knowledge and seek out the advice of others. Example of MRun and team relays. Still, I am ultimately the one who makes the decision

How do you think your role as a physician fits in with your role as a member of the community?

I see them going hand and hand. As a physician, I can serve as a role model for others by performing community out reach and service.

What are your positive qualities?

I would have to have to say that my strengths are leadership, dedication, and teamwork skills. When I was the training chair of the Michigan Running Club, I made it a goal to grow our sprint team. I worked hard with other board members to increase awareness of the sprint and field event aspect of our team through recruiting events, flyering, and one-on-one conversations. I also strove to set an example at practice by approaching and engaging new members. In doing so, I encouraged my teammates to help me create a warm and welcoming environment at practice. My hard work and dedication to my team payed off, as the sprint and field event group tripled its numbers and continues to grow today. When serving with AmeriCorps, there was a brief delay between the end of our training and our introduction to the clinics. In order to fill the time and move forward, I met with our coordinator to discuss what needed to be done and researched additional resources that would further our proficiency in motivational interviewing. I then created a proposal for the best way to introduce the SUPER Coaches into a clinical setting and worked with the other service members to complete all miscellaneous tasks prior to our clinic entry. The result of this hard work was a timely and smooth transition into clinical work for our AmeriCorps team.

What are your strengths?

I would have to have to say that my strengths are leadership, dedication, and teamwork skills. When I was the training chair of the Michigan Running Club, I made it a goal to grow our sprint team. I worked hard with other board members to increase awareness of the sprint and field event aspect of our team through recruiting events, flyering, and one-on-one conversations. I also strove to set an example at practice by approaching and engaging new members. In doing so, I encouraged my teammates to help me create a warm and welcoming environment at practice. My hard work and dedication to my team payed off, as the sprint and field event group tripled its numbers and continues to grow today. When serving with AmeriCorps, there was a brief delay between the end of our training and our introduction to the clinics. In order to fill the time and move forward, I met with our coordinator to discuss what needed to be done and researched additional resources that would further our proficiency in motivational interviewing. I then created a proposal for the best way to introduce the SUPER Coaches into a clinical setting and worked with the other service members to complete all miscellaneous tasks prior to our clinic entry. The result of this hard work was a timely and smooth transition into clinical work for our AmeriCorps team.

Where do you plan to practice after you graduate?

I would like to practice as part of an academic healthcare system. Through my experiences as a teacher's assistant and volunteer with the Special Olympics, I have seen the value that becoming a good teacher can have for my students and patients, as well as myself. As of right now, I would prefer to practice in an urban environment. Due to my experiences growing up near Detroit and my current service term in Cleveland, I have seen the diverse needs of urban populations and the additional health barriers that can be produced by social and environmental factors. I hope to be a part of the movement to advance our health care delivery system to overcome these barriers. While the current picture in my head, I am very excited to explore other options while in medical school in order to find the best fit for me.

Describe your personality/How would you describe yourself.

I would say that I am a dedicated individual who can work as a leader and as a part of a team. Go into MRun recruitment story.

If you want to help people, why not social work/nursing?

I would say that I am drawn to being a doctor over a nurse due my characteristics as a leader and my desire to be able to diagnose and construct treatment plans. I comparison to this can be made by my experience in MRun. Most members really enjoyed running, how every I found that I was well suited to be the training chair where I was responsible for leading and designing the workout plan. IN this way I felt that I was able to reach my true potential as a runner while at the same time helping others to better themselves as runners. In medicine, I want to be able to lead my peers and staff so that I can maximize the care that is delivered.

Do you prefer the idea of basic research or of working with people?

I would say that I prefer working with people. Explain kellogg and SUPER coach vs working in class labs.

Tell me about a time when you were criticized unfairly.

IB Spanish

What are your specific goals in medicine?

In addition to clinical practice: medical education, community health/public health/prevention medicine through something like SUPER Coach program.

Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

In addition to my clinical practice, I hope to be involved in medical education. Through my experiences as a teacher's assistant and volunteer with the Special Olympics, I have seen the value that becoming a good teacher can have for students and patients, as well as myself. Due to my experiences growing up near Detroit and my current service term in Cleveland, I have seen the diverse needs of urban populations and the additional health barriers that can be produced by social and environmental factors. I hope to be a part of the movement to advance our health care delivery system to overcome these barriers. Outside of work, I plan to stay committed to my own hobbies. I hope to have the opportunity to coach a track club for kids, while also training for cycling and swimming so that I can complete my goal of competing in a triathalon.

Do you think a physician should tell a patient he/she has eight months to live?

In this case, I believe it is important to do what the patient wants. If the patient has made it clear whether or not they want to know, this directive should be followed. Some cases may be more complicated, as a physician it is our job to do no harm but what if telling the truth does harm to the patient.

A patient who has been in an accident needs a blood transfusion. She states that her religion does not allow them. You are the physician in charge. What will you do? Will you override her strong objection? Why/why not?

In this case, it is the patients right to deny treatment. Whatever my own beliefs are, I have to respect patient autonomy and remeber that my mission is to do know harm. By treating this patient against their will, I could potential be doing more harm to them through their emotional and mental state and their families perspective of them moving forward. This would also hurt trust built between physicians and patient of this religious affiliation, making them less likely to come in for care at a later date.

How do you see the field of medicine changing in the next ten years? How do you see yourself fitting into those changes?

Insurance and a push towards preventative medicine Pts becoming more involved with the growth of personal devices I want to help facilitate these changes, think pts should be involved and hope to contribute through something like the SUPER Coach physician

How might you deal with a terminally ill patient?

It is important to discuss all of the patients options and explain to them the nature of the disease/condition. Informed consent: Explain the nature and purpose of all treatments/tests, the risks involved, the chances of success, any alternative treatments and their merits, and the likely outcome if no treatment is given. It is also important to discuss futile treatments and palliative care.

What would you do if a 15-year-old came into your clinic and wanted an abortion?

It is important to keep this sensitive issue confidential, as is the patient's rights. Hopefully be able to discuss the benefits, risks, and impact on her life that this decision will have for her life. If sexual harassment or abuse, discreetly and professionally contact authorities

What has been your biggest failure, and how did you handle it?

Junior year track

How do you work under pressure? Give an example. What, in hindsight, were you most dissatisfied with about your performance? What did you learn from your experience?

Kellogg confrontive pt Approached with positivity Dissatisfied with how nervous it made me

What do you think are the most important qualities a person must have to be a good doctor?

Leadership: being able to lead others under stressful situations to get things done in a timely manner Compassionate: not only being able to treat the patient using their background of medical knowledge, but being there to support them on an emotional level Professional: being able to act appropriately regardless of personal issues and mental fatigue Collaborative: ability to work well with others to provide the best quality care

What is the one thing you want me to convey to the admission committee?

Love for helping people medically, story with Dr. Cohen in the clinic No matter how bad of a day I'm having, being put in a position to work with and help others always makes my day, 1-9 shift, convo with Dr. Cohen If i can talk with one person for 10 min and possibly make an impact in their life, to me that's totally worth it I got a lady at 8:45

How do you respond to criticism? Describe a situation where your work was criticized. What was your immediate reaction to the situation?

MRun Survey SUPER Coach coding

What do you think you will find most difficult about medical school?

Maintaining time for my family and relaxation

If you could start your college career all over again, what would you do differently?

Maybe start off in kines, join AED as a freshman

What experiences have most motivated you to pursue medicine?

Med research and shadowing Sy Current exp as a SUPER Coach

Name a meaningful experience you've had and how it's shaped you to pursue work as a physician.

Mention interest in science of how the body works Describe shadowing Sy. I was sold by the unique relationship between pt-phys where you are able to help pts by being knowledgeable and compassionate

If you could change one aspect of your personality with a snap of your fingers, what would you change?

More apt to reach out to others

What is the one thing you would change about the American healthcare system?

More time with the patient that could be contributed towards preventative medicine Requires Better insurance coverage Doctors to lead programs like the SUPER Coach program

Describe a situation in which you felt like a fish out of water.

Move to Cleveland

Who is your hero? Why?

Mr. Welchner, role model for many students and affecting their perspective on health and physical activity. Dr. Cohen, cervical cancer story.

Why do you want to be a doctor?

My interest in medicine began during my senior year of high school when I became fascinated by the way that the human body works. I found that I was thinking about and applying the physiology and biochemisty lessons from my IB Bio course outside of class, especially during track workouts. I knew that I wanted a career path where I would be continually exploring these topics and applying them. During college, I began further exploring a career in medicine through joining the pre-health honor society Alpha Epsilon Delta, where I engaged with similarly minded peers and listened to guest speakers from a variety of health professions. I quickly found that the speakers that interested me most were physicians. I was truly sold on a medical career when I started medical research and began shadowing my PI, Dr. Sayoko Moroi. While I was shadowing Dr. Moroi in ophthalmology clinic, I was constantly impressed by the personal quality of each interaction. One teenaged patient that she had been seeing for years particularly stood out to me. Throughout his visit, Dr. Moroi attended to his concerns and welcomed his input. I saw how the warm environment that she create for him made him feel particularly comfortable and allowed him to be involved in his care. Each medical experience I have had since has reaffirmed my decision. I have admired how each physician I encountered connected with their patients to not only deliver quality care with their expansive knowledge background, but that they were also there to support them emotionally during difficult times. Seeing how much physicians help their patients through being both knowledgeable and compassionate is what has truly solidified my desire to pursue a career in medicine. I cannot imagine a career that would be a better match for me than one where I am able to study the topics I care about most, and be able to apply this knowledge to help others in a compassionate way.

What specialty interests you?

My senior year, I reached out to Dr. Hurvitz, a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician, after he gave a guest lecture on cerebral palsy in my Disorders of Voluntary Movement course. Dr. Hurvitz not only allowed me to observe him in a pediatric PM&R clinic, but also helped me set up opportunities with physicians in other subspecialties of PM&R. What intrigued me the most about this field of medicine was how my favorite academic courses--anatomy, physiology, and motor control--were being applied in a clinical setting to help patients. Prior to each experience, I would review my course notes to better prepare myself to make connections between the classroom and clinic. I found that this gave me a greater understanding of my course material and made me even more excited for each visit. While this experience has led to my interest in PM&R, it has also made me excited for a medical school learning environment where basic and clinical sciences are taught side-by-side. I look forward to exploring different medical specialties in a similar way that I was able to experience PM&R.

What scares you most about medical school?

Not having time to relax/have fun

Explain to me the your MIP

On August 31st, 2013, I received a misdemeanor ticket for a Minor in Possession of Alcohol (MIP) while attending a football tailgate in Ann Arbor. I recognized that I needed to take responsibility for my actions and did not challenge the ticket. I took part in the First Offender MIP Deferred Sentence Program that was offered to me by the court. As a part of the program I pled guilty, attended an alcohol awareness course through the University, and had six months of non-reporting probation. After the six month time period, my case was reviewed and the MIP charge was dismissed. Even though the charges were dismissed, I was bothered that I had made such a poor decision. Following this experience, I reflected on my priorities as a student and member of society. Although this was a challenging experience, I learned how to take accountability for my own decisions and their consequences and was able to become a more dedicated and responsible student at the University of Michigan. Several months later, I realized another lesson from this experience. I read an article that discussed the prevalence of MIPs at different university in Michigan. The article gave the number of MIPs in the previous academic semester and ranked the Universities. Seeing this number and knowing that I was one of those people who affected the reputation of our institution really shamed me. I saw that my actions don't just affect me but can affect those institutions that I am a part of. For that reason, I am glad that I learned this lesson as it can apply to my future career. The actions that I take as a physician not only reflect how my patients will perceive me, but also how they will perceive other physicians as a whole.

Do you have any questions for me?

One thing that I enjoy about the program here at UPenn is the opportunity to participate in a number of certificate and masters programs. When reading through the certificate programs I noted several that were of particular interest to me. I was wondering if it is possible to pursue multiple certificates? I am also excited by the chance to connect with peers and faculty through the house system here at UPenn. Can you tell me more about how students are sorted into houses and what I can expect of this system in my first year? What is your favorite part of the curriculum? Do you foresee any upcoming changes that are not represented on the website? Are student involved in changing and perfecting the curriculum and education opportunities?

What are your weaknesses?

One thing that I have been working on is reaching out for help when I am overmatched/overwhelmed on a project. An example of this can be seen during my time at the Kellogg Eye Center. One of the projects I worked on involved some video analysis that I was having a difficult time with. I meet with the primary investigator about it and she understood that our current method was not working. She then recruited one of her colleagues to help design an efficient protocol, allowing myself and others to effectively move forward with the project. Phone conversations Time to relax

Why should we choose you?

One thing that I think makes me standout is my experience as a SUPER Coach with AmeriCorps and how it has affected my perspective on the patient-physician relationship. Over the last couple months as a health coach, I have been trained to be a partner with the patient, by using motivational interviewing and acknowledging that the patient are an expert on what works best for them despite my prior knowledge or goals may be. My role is as a resource to them, as I help guide them towards better health. I have seen how successful this approach towards patient care can be and how it can be integrated into a clinician's practice. I look forward to sharing this experience with my peers here at UPenn while continuing to develop my own skills with the various community health opportunities available to students. On top of this, I have been reading a couple books recently about increased patient involvement in their care, including the patient will see you know and the spirit catches you and you fall down. This idea of the patient as a partner has affected the way that I see the mission of this school. "" Originally I read this as relieving suffering soley by treating and curing disease. Now I see that it is more than that. Suffering can expand to the family, to the culture, and to the community. By not recognizing the patient's rights, belief, and needs, it is possible to induce more suffering even if treatment is successful. I hope to not only bring this mindset to MHS to share with my classmates, but I look forward to being able to foster it through courses such as the PRactice of Medicine.

Describe your style of communicating and interacting with others. Give an example of a situation in which you had to utilize effective interpersonal skills.

Out-going person who enjoys communicating with others. Being a good listener is essential to being a good communicator. Can talk about SUPER Coach position (when is the right time/what is the right info that should be communicate. determine this by listening and understanding)

How have you contributed to your community?

Over the years, I have enjoyed giving back to the community through a number of service projects, including the Special Olympics, Relay for Life, Benefit Dinners for Autism Education Funds, and working with the community of Detroit. These experiences in college were extremely valuable to me and have led me to take on a year of service with AmeriCorps, where I serve as a health coach working with the patient population of greater cleveland. The experiences that have been the most rewarding to me were those in which I was able to act as a partner alongside those that I was serving. I would be happy to talk about any of these experiences, and their importance to me, in more depth.

How could you affect the health care system?

Perspective on pt-phys relationship Partners I hope to be able to work to make our system better, much like Dr. Cohen did

What do you think about HMO's and the changes taking place in medicine?

Pos: promote evidence based medicine physicians have reduced admin burdens; Neg: limit doctor autonomy and choices, ration resources(physician time, specialty referrals, changing providers). This means that physician needs to work harder and make sure to stay engaged and an advocate for best patient options. HMO is a corporate entity that employs the physicians

What is your opinion about what we can do about the high cost of healthcare?

Preventive medicine Less unnecessary tests Giving pts control of their data so that they can get second opinions and avoid unnecessary test

What non-science courses did you like the most?

Psych Fascinating to see how things, particularly the environment, affect how we grow and think The other wes more Understanding perspectives

If you couldn't be a physician, what career would you choose?

Pt vs pa education Environment Maybe public health

If you were a cookie, what cookie would you be?

Pumpkin Almond Chocolate Chip - reminds me of home and family

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

Refer to career goals and what I like about UPenn

Medical school is demanding and stressful. How do you normally handle and relieve stress?

Running-structured routine always comeback from practice relieved

Tell me about a time when you had to compromise.

SUPER Coach, prepare to compromise with the patient every time Setting relays

Of all the people, dead or alive, who would you most like to have dinner with and why?

Sal Khan, heath edu for patients

What are your strong points? What are your weaknesses?

See other response

What are the negative aspects of being a doctor?

Seeing suffering and pain Knowing that sometimes there is only so much you can do Sacrifice time with family But in the end, I know that each day I will leave satisfied knowing that I tried my best to make an impact in the lives of others

What experiences have you had working with diverse populations?

Special Olympics SUPER Coach Expereince

What was the last book you read?

Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down; discuss how it relates to your views on pt-phys relationship and your experience as a SUPER Coach. "A little medicine and a little Hmong"

Tell me about a time when you made a mistake. What did you do and how did you correct it?

TA: exam time-open lab taught group wrong and caught it after was open and honest about the mistake

Tell me about a time when you've been disappointed in a teammate or fellow group member. What happened? How did you approach the situation?

Teammate showing up to a meet hungover. Discussed with him the implication that this had for his other teammates.

Tell me about a time that you successfully avoided conflict

The first research subject I worked with at Kellogg had a confrontive personality. She did not particularly enjoy us prodding at her eyes constantly for the study and she liked to look for ways to correct us in our work. Being my first subject this made me nervous, as I knew any mistake would be pointed out and scrutinized. To handle this situation I handled every encounter with positivity. Whether she pointed a step she thought I was going to miss or started cleaning off the equipment herself, I politely thanked her for her help. In this way, I was able to avoid any conflict and over several visits I began to notice that the subject began to trust me more.

What was your most difficult subject in college?

The most difficult subject for me in college was English. Although my grades in this subject were not poor, they were not on par with my grades in science courses(replace with something about improvement). Although I often had good, creative ideas I sometimes had a hard time focusing and articulating them in my work. My junior year I took my upper level writing course and was determined to change this. I worked extensively to try to produce my first work but still felt disappointed after receiving the feedback that I was used to. Instead of giving up, I decided to attend office hours frequently. By meeting with the instructor I was able to overcome my shortcomings and I became a better writer because of it.

Why CRWU?

There are a number of reasons why I would love to become a medical student at the CRWU School of Medicine. I am drawn to Case Med by the emphasis on TBL through the IQ groups. As a member of the club track team at Michigan, I was a part of a massive support network of athletes who motivated each other to meet our goals. I look forward to being able to build similar relationships with my classmates here at Case. By working as a team, I believe that we will not only gain a mastery of the medical sciences, but also help each other achieve our career goals and make strides to improve the health care that we deliver. Additionally, I really appreciate that your school focuses on integrating basic science, clinical medicine, and population health throughout the four year curriculum. Based on my experience in undergrad and shadowing in PM&R, I believe that this style of learning will allow me to thrive at Case as I am able to make connections between the classroom and clinic that will further my scientific understanding and make me more excited for each visit I also appreciate the opportunities to get involved outside of the curriculum. I am particularly interested in the opportunities to volunteer at the Free Clinic of Creator Cleveland and the Anatomy Camp, as well as the diverse options for research. I believe that these options will allow me to fine tune my educational experience here at Case more so than anywhere else. And finally, having lived here for the past six months I have already be comfortable with the environment here in Cleveland. Staying here for medical school will make for an easy transition and allow me to easily stay in contact with my current friends and colleagues.

Why OSU?

There are a number of reasons why I would love to become a medical student at the OSU College of Medicine.I really appreciate that your school focuses on integrating basic science, clinical medicine, and anatomy throughout the four year curriculum. Based on my experience in undergrad and shadowing in PM&R, I believe that this style of learning will allow me to thrive at OSU as I am able to make connections between the classroom and clinic that will further my scientific understanding and make me more excited for each visit. For this same reason, I really like that normal and abnormal pathology are taught side by side Additionally, I am drawn to OSU Med by the emphasis on teamwork created by the pass/fail curriculum and the small case study groups. As a member of the club track team at Michigan, I was a part of a massive support network of athletes who motivated each other to meet our goals. I look forward to being able to build similar relationships with my classmates here at OSU. By working as a team, I believe that we will not only gain a mastery of the medical sciences, but also help each other achieve our career goals and make strides to improve the health care that we deliver. And finally, I really love how helpful and accesible the faculty appear to be. From when I first visited the website almost a year ago and seeing the tips and advice provided by Dr. Capers to hearing all the wonderful recommendations from the students I've met during my visit, I have really gotten a sense that the faculty here really cares about their student body and wants everyone to succeed. This makes me excited to start medical school and find mentors that will help me shape my future career.

Why UPenn?

There are a number of reasons why I would love to become a medical student at the Pearman School of Medicine. I am drawn to UPenn Med by the emphasis on TBL and peer instruction. As a member to the club track team at Michigan, I was a part of a massive support network of athletes who motivated each other to meet our goals. I look forward to being able to build similar relationships with my classmates here at HMS. By working as a team, I believe that we will not only gain a mastery of the medical sciences, but also help each other achieve our career goals and make strides to improve the health care that we deliver. Additionally, I really appreciate that your school focuses on integrating basic, social, and clinical science through the technology and practice of medicine module and the LEAPP program. Based on my experience in undergrad and shadowing in PM&R, I believe that this style of learning will allow me to thrive at UPenn as I am able to make connections between the classroom and clinic that will further my scientific understanding and make me more excited for each visit And finally, I appreciate the opportunities to explore medicine beyond clinical interaction with patients (beyond the standard medical edu). I am particularly interested in the opportunities in community and global health, as well as the diverse options for research. I believe that these options will allow me to fine tune my education here at UPenn more so than anywhere else.

Why WashU?

There are a number of reasons why I would love to become a medical student here at The Washington University School of Medicine. Over the past couple years, I've come to value that schools place an emphasis on the social aspects of medicine. The Washington University Medical Plunge at orientation particularly interest me because it allows students to dive into public health concepts right at the start of their medical education. Additionally, I am drawn to WashU by the flexible curriculum, ranging from the selective in the first year to the majority elective fourth year. With all the diverse opportunities available here at WashU I believe that I will be able to fine tune my education towards my career goals more so than anywhere else. And finally, I really appreciate that your school focuses on integrating basic and clinical science through the Practice of Medicine course . Based on my experience in undergrad and shadowing in PM&R, I believe that this style of learning will allow me to thrive at WashU as I am able to make connections between the classroom and clinic that will further my scientific understanding and make me more excited for each visit.

What does the word "success" mean to you?

To me, success can be any win, not just the big ones. For example, as a SUPER Coach I count even the smallist of behavior changes. If a patient decreases their smoking rate but does not quit, I still view this as success. I think that this definition will be important in my career as a physician, as I will have to recognize and appreciate winning the small battle because sometimes that may be all that I can do.

What have you done that shows initiative?

Tonography story AmeriCorps story

What would you do if you were seeing a patient in the emergency room and he or she wants to leave against medical advice?

Try to understand why the patient wants to leave Belief system: I have to respect patient autonomy Scare: try to console the patient Offended or irritated by staff or workplace: that is something that needs to be fixed

Do you like to work alone or with other people

While I am capable of working alone when needed, I prefer to work with others. The reason for this is that working with others exposes you to viewpoints that you may not have considered. This occurred while I was receiving Justice talking Facilitation training with AmeriCorps. While discussing the short story titled The Helmsman we were able to come to a deep interpretation of the story together that was much different than my initial interpretation. Can also talk about track or AED Maybe talk about collaboration among professionals

Describe shadowing Sy

While I was shadowing Dr. Moroi in ophthalmology clinic, I was constantly impressed by the personal quality of each interaction. One teenaged patient that she had been seeing for years particularly stood out to me. Throughout his visit, Dr. Moroi attended to his concerns and welcomed his input. I saw how the warm environment that she create for him made him feel particularly comfortable and allowed him to be involved in his care. Seeing this has provided me with a model of what qualities I want to possess as a physician. I saw that being a physician isn't just about using the knowledge that you learned in medical school to treat patients, but its also about being there for them emotionally during difficult times. It is this unique relationship of using all this knowledge that you built up in medical school as well as being compassionate and caring that really draws me to medicine.

Describe Shadowing Dr. Ike

While shadowing Dr. Ike in Rheumatology clinic, I had one patient stand out to me. It was later in the afternoon and a middle aged gentleman came in with chronic joint pain in addition to suffering from severe psoriasis. Dr. Ike was seeing this patient for the first time, as he was covering for another physician who was out on maternity leave,. During the visit, the patient describe how much of struggle his daily life is because of the severity of the pain. He stated that the only reason he got up in the morning and kept on fighting was because of his young daughter, who constantly told him how important he was to her. HIs story made me want to do everything I could do help him. While there was no easy cure for this man's condition, afterwards Dr. Ike felt the same way that I had. He told me that he planned to request that this patient be permanently transferred to him so that he could see him through this rough spot. Seeing how Dr. Ike reacted to this patient's story reaffirmed my desire to become a physician.

Describe Shadowing Dr. Jolly

While sitting in with Dr. Jolly, I was able to sit in on a consultation with a patient who did not want to go through the standard treatment. The patient had colon cancer and was initially unreceptive to the idea of treating it with surgery due the fear of potentially having to use a colostomy bag. Prior to the consultation, Dr. Jolly explained to me that without surgery that the patient's outlook would not be good. During the visit, I was able to see how she expertly handled the situation that could have easily escalated for confrontation. Dr. Jolly made it clear to the patient that it was her decision to make regarding the treatment path, but was able to connect with the patient on an emotional level to help open her up to the option of surgery. This showed me how important it is to emphasize patient autonomy while practicing as a physician.

How do you know that medicine is the right career for you?

Willingness to go above and beyond to help patients with their health and the satisfaction that I get from doing this. Tell story of clinic hours and waiting.

Why do you think you would make a good physician?

Willingness to go above and beyond to help patients with their health and the satisfaction that I get from doing this. Tell story of clinic hours and waiting.

How would your teammates describe you? How would your professors describe you?

dedication and commitment, willingness to help others.

What impact do you want to have on the medical profession?

discuss career goals in medicine essay

Tell me about a movie you recently saw?

discuss how it relates to your views on pt-phys relationship and your experience as a SUPER Coach. "Emphasizing Autonomy"

What things give you the greatest satisfaction in your life?

helping others and being able to see successful results

What do you think you will struggle with during medical school?

making sure that I take time to relax

What are you passionate about?

promoting physical activity and recycling

Tell me about a time when you experienced conflict with a colleague.

roofing story, taking work from other laborers

Tell me about a time when you successfully handled another person when that person didn't personally like you.

roofing story, taking work from other laborers

What has been the highest pressure situation you've been under in recent years? How did you cope with it?

roofing story, taking work from other laborers

How would your plans differ if you knew that all physicians would be working in HMO's in the future?

work harder to ensure patients get the best quality of care some benefits to HMOs like evidence based medicine