Since its inception in 1992, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) has been the requisite for medical students wishing to practice in the United States. Sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Examiners (NBME), aspiring doctors must sit for a multi-part examination as a rite of passage. …
Continue reading “Unintended Consequences of USMLE Pass Fail Scoring with Dr. Hans Wolf”
Heads up! If you’re preparing to take the USMLE exam, we’ve got a few important updates you need to be aware of. The US Medical Licensing Examination Composite Committee, the governing body of the USMLE, recently met to determine how the prior discontinuation of Step 2 CS due to the COVID-19 pandemic will impact various …
Continue reading “Three Important USMLE Policy Updates You Need to Know”
February 3 is National Women’s Physicians Day, established to celebrate Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, who defied industry and societal norms to become the first woman to receive a medical degree in the US in 1849. After 29 rejections, Blackwell finally received an acceptance letter from the Geneva Medical College in western New York State – only …
Continue reading “Surge in Female Medical Students a Boon for Patients, Studies Show”
As the first of the COVID-19 vaccines roll out, medical students nationwide are excitedly stepping up to help with administering injections and filling other vital needs, many calling the opportunity “an honor” and an experience they’ll never forget. The thrill comes after months of feeling helpless, as medical schools everywhere nixed clinical rotations, shadowing and …
Continue reading “Medical Students Step Up to Help w First Wave of Historic COVID-19 Inoculations”
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on medical school processes and culture in 2020. Canceled MCATs, rescheduled and limited COMLEX and USMLE sessions, online lectures and coursework, virtual interviews and countless resrictions on in-person shadowing all became the new normal – “normal” being a loosely-used and not-quite-fitting term. Going forward, applicants and matriculants can expect multiple …
Continue reading “Three Post-Pandemic Predictions for Medical School Admissions”
Despite the unprecedented disruption courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of first-year medical students grew, hitting a two-decade high in 2020, according to new data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. It’s welcome news as the nation’s looming physician shortage continues to be a source of angst for medical centers and educators. Even …
Continue reading “Medical School Enrollment Hits 2-Decade High – Underrepresented Groups Make Gains”
Residency application season is open and medical students and graduates nationwide are vying for and always limited number of positions that may be moreso this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the stakes are perhaps higher than ever, making it imperative that your application stands out from your competition. To that end, here are …
Despite efforts to boost diversity among medical students, one group remains woefully underrepresented. Nationwide, fewer than half of one percent of US physicians are Native American. A new school seeks to help change that – and it’s off to a promising start. The Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation is …
Continue reading “First Native American Tribally Affiliated Med School Opens”
Applying to medical school is tough enough. But when you’re an international student, you’ve got double the hurdles to cross. Azan Virji discovered that as a Tanzanian applicant – even one with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in public health from Yale. Turns out fewer than 50 American institutions consider applicants from outside the U.S. …
Continue reading “Tanzanian Medical Student Forms Organization to Assist Fellow Internationals”
The number of medical school applicants vying for a spot for the 2021 year is up 17 percent from this time last year, which saw an increase of just 1.1 percent, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Osteopathic medical schools are seeing a similar boost. Applications are up 18 percent compared to …
Continue reading “Med School Applicants Up 17 Percent – Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Play a Role?”
