Make a Med School Application, Interview Stand Out With Storytelling
Nothing makes a lasting impression the way a story does. A story can illustrate authenticity and resilience in remarkable ways. As a medical school applicant, you will need to decide if storytelling is a good tool for you.
Real stories of substance may not be possible for every candidate , because life experiences are different for different people. If you're having difficulty thinking of a meaningful story, try sincere self-reflection to generate ideas.
I recall a young woman who had gone through alcohol rehabilitation a few years earlier. She wrote about her stubborn responses and denial when family and friends first suggested she go to detox. Over time she had suffered accidents, poor grades and the loss of friendships.
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She began to recognize these events as consequences of her drinking and that her dream to become a physician was quickly going down the drain. She finally agreed to enter rehabilitation, and that is where her life began to turn around. She met others with the same problem who were supportive and did not judge her. They welcomed her into the group and encouraged her to make the changes to get back on track.
Her honesty and improved academic performance convinced the application screeners that she should be given an interview. Letter writers confirmed her determined effort, maturity and integrity. As a result, many schools selected her for an interview, and she reached her dream.
She had learned that as a doctor she had to get her own house in order before she could help others. Her honesty was refreshing. She will do a lot of good in the world.
One applicant with a below-average GPA admitted he had "majored in fraternity" early in his undergraduate career. He had done things he was not proud of and it showed in his grades. Then he met someone who turned his life around, and he didn't want to lose that person. More importantly, he rediscovered his own sense of self and the person he knew he wanted to become.
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From that point he had to hustle to get the grades and test scores he needed to be accepted into medical school. He had learned to identify problems in himself and to find solutions when there was conflict. He turned out to be an amazing leader in his class.
Another applicant shared a humbling experience with a dying person at a hospice where he volunteered. The applicant had been feeling sorry for himself because he wasn't getting into the classes he wanted and he was getting a B for a final grade. He was also feeling anxious about a potential romantic date, whether he would be elected to a position in a campus group and which day he would arrive home for the holidays.
While the dying patient was saying final goodbyes to loved ones, the applicant realized that his problems were trivial. He put aside his issues and let family members know how much they meant to him and how grateful he was for the life he had been given.
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Beware, however, that certain stories can backfire. For example, bragging about online gaming victories may not be a good choice. The applicant may cherish those "wins" but others may not, particularly if they seem excessively important to the applicant.
One applicant shared with me how many different games he had going on at once and his skills at getting others to join the games. Today when I hear advertisements for fantasy football, I remember him. I think his screeners thought he might have been addicted to gaming and did not want to invite him for an interview. It also didn't help that he had spent little time caring for others.
Most great stories inspire us to be a better person. Someone who has the ability to soul search and come out on the other side of chaos, tragedy and problems of their own making has the material to weave a sincere story.
Consider your own growth experiences, or ask your family and close friends to share their impressions of your resiliency or authenticity, and you may come up with a seed to start your own story.
Kathleen Franco, M.D., is associate dean of admissions and student affairs at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. She previously served both as director of residency training and director of medical student training in psychiatry at Cleveland Clinic. She is board-certified in psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine and attended Medical College of Ohio -- Toledo.
