| by Brandon Miller and Anna Miller |
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| We found applying to medical school together to be challenging. In order to reach our goal, we had to be realistic about the possibilities that lay ahead. We thought about every possible scenario that we could be faced with and asked each other what situations were doable. When times got tough, we would consider advice from Joel Mata, M.D. and Eunice Mata, M.D. – also a married couple (Dr. Lewis’ Alumni, Stanford University Medical School) who told us, "People are going to tell you you're crazy and that it will never happen, but DON'T ever give up, because you'll both make it." It takes careful planning and diligence to maneuver through all the applications, deadlines and potential problems that come with applying to medical school. With the help and guidance of Dr. Cynthia Lewis, we were able to reach our goal. We both attended the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri (Graduating Class of 2004). In order to be competitive applicants, we did many extracurricular activities and held leadership positions such as Peer Advising in CUHRE, Flying Samaritans, becoming phlebotomists and shadowing physicians. Following our graduation, we both worked for biotech research companies. Doing research for two and a half years may even give an applicant an edge in the screening process. We feel that working with scientists helped us develop strong interview skills. Being able to present yourself in a clear and confident way takes practice. The application process is expensive, especially with two of us applying at the same time. A great deal of research went into deciding which medical schools to apply to. Dr. Cynthia Lewis has many years of experience being able to predict where our best chances were for acceptance and helped us select those schools. We'd like to thank Dr. Lewis for all of her effort and time throughout the years. Dr. Lewis made phone calls and found that KCUMB was interested in BOTH of us. We had decided not to return our secondary applications to KCUMB due to costs, but after hearing what she had to say, we submitted our applications. For those of you who are interested, I (Anna Miller) am an older student
who went through some rough times during my undergraduate years. I was
married at a young age, had a child and after 8 years, the marriage
ended in divorce. In between, I served 6 years in the Army Reserves
as a Laboratory Specialist and worked for Pathology Medical Labs as
a phlebotomist and lab technician. It was my life experiences that got
me into medical school--not my MCAT score. Throughout life, you learn
what your weaknesses are and knowing what they are, will help you. Perseverance
is one key--you need to find a way to keep yourself motivated.
Dr. Lewis with the Millers at Graduation in Kansas City May 2004
Feel free to contact us with questions: Annawaes@aol.com, MillerBran@aol.com |
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Applying