Lewis Associates e-Newsletter
Volume 14 Issue 4
April 2014
Published by Lewis Associates. Dr. Cynthia Lewis, PhD., Editor
Email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com with your comments. Enjoy!

“April showers bring May flowers.” Well, the Eastern US has had an extended 2013-14 winter, with storms galore. And, the West is in the longest drought in history. Global Climate Change is here!

That said, spring is generally a time for renewal. Is now your time for renewal?
Renewing your motivation for medical (other health profession) school?
Renewing your study strategies for hard classes and the MCAT/DAT/GRE?
Renewing your commitments to serving the disadvantaged, and people who are different from you?

How can you put new energy into these tasks? You may also find that it will take an additional year to accomplish all the things you wish to “renew”.

Let us know if we can help you on your journey.

Watch for new videos to be posted each month on our Facebook page, including helpful hints for the application process.

Do you really want to be competitive?

1. Plan ... ahead!

2. Address your weaknesses. What are they?

• Science GPA?
• Test (MCAT, DAT) scores, or do you need to take the test for the first time?
• Clinical experiences? How meaningful are they?
• Service? What did you do to help others?
• No close relationships with faculty?

And, how long will it take to really improve? One term? 2 years? Be realistic!

So, whatever quest you have, or issue you want to discuss, Dr. Lewis is the best person to use for personal and academic advice. She's been doing it for 27 years, and "has heard it all". Why don't you let her help you?

imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

This month's question on Dr. Lewis' Facebook page is: "I was accepted to 3 medical (dental, etc.) schools. How do I choose which school to attend?”

Getting into medical, dental, pharmacy and the other health professions schools is getting HARDER!

As usually happens in an economic downturn, more people are attracted to stable careers like the health professions…competition is fierce!

How are YOU going to stand out from thousands of applicants?

Warning about student-run websites from Cornell Medical School Admissions staff:
"PLEASE do not encourage students to get information from web sites administered by other students. From time to time, I look up the studentdoctor.net site (for interview ratings) and I am appalled at the amount of misinformation there. Most of the information given there will hurt students more than help them."

Sick of rumors and false reports? Lewis Associates website has factual information that you can trust.

What's inside:

Welcome to Success Stories Newsletter!
How to Communicate With Us
Your journey to a health profession
Are You Ready for the Class of 2015 or 2016?
Testimonials
Track Record
Be Competitive
What Are Your Chances?
Getting Started

News:
• WebMD Interviews President Obama
• More than 6 million Americans enrolled under the ACA, White House says
• Allopathic and Osteopathic Medical Communities Commit to a Single Graduate Medical Education Accreditation System
• Single accreditation for MDs and DOs by 2020
• Female doctors spend more time than male doctors on parenting, household tasks
• Graduating medical students meet their Match
• Family medicine match rate increases for fifth consecutive year
• Match numbers up, but more slots needed to meet doctor shortage
• ER doctors use Google Glass and QR codes to identify patients
• EHRs Are Being Incorporated Into Medical School Curricula
• Medical schools embrace nutritional training
• New estimate: 1 in 25 hospital patients get an infection
• Duty-hour trials examine effects of dropping current standards
• Researchers find virtual computer-based world an effective learning environment
• Number of minorities taking the MCAT grows by one-third
• Virtual cadavers revolutionize medical school
• Family Medicine Comes Out on Top in Osteopathic Match
• New tool provides real-time feedback residents want
• To Bully and Be Bullied: Harassment and Mistreatment in Medical Education
• The impersonal nature of medical school personal statements
• U.S. News Best Medical School Rankings For 2015
• How Will Health Reform Affect Demand for RNs? (pdf)
• Healing Communication: Enhancing the Patient Experience
• Study: Colleges are Failing Many Students

Useful Links
• VetSchool Student Engagement System

Alumni Update
• Rachel, Entering Class of 2013, UCLA School of Dentistry
• Glenn Valenzuela, MD, Entering Class of 1999, Stanford University Medical School, Anesthesiology Residency and Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship at Stanford University
• Michael, MD, Entering Class of 2003, George Washington University Medical School, Diagnostic Radiology Residency at GW, MSK MRI Fellowship

Success Story of the Month
• Esther, Entering Class of 2014, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Question of the Month
• Dr. Lewis' answer to this month's question: "I was accepted to 3 medical (dental, etc.) schools. How do I choose which school to attend?"
See our Facebook page, Notes tab.

Our Services

Contact

Welcome to Lewis Associates!

Nearly one in ten Americans ages 20 to 24 is unemployed. But, health care jobs remain an economic bright spot. The U.S. Department of Labor expects the health sector to add more than 1.4 million workers over the next ten years. Students in college and even high school can start preparing now for a rewarding health career.

Are you ready?

Our Track Record
Entering Class of 2013...88% acceptance
Entering Class of 2012...100% acceptance
Entering Class of 2011...100% acceptance
Entering Class of 2010...86% acceptance
Entering Class of 2009...96% acceptance
Entering Class of 2008...96% acceptance
Entering Class of 2007...97% acceptance
Entering Class of 2006...89% acceptance
Entering Class of 2005...100% acceptance
Entering Class of 2004...100% acceptance

If you are interested in personalized advising from “The Best in the Business,” (quote by Dr. Patrick Linson, Harvard Medical School Alum who is the only Native American Radiation Oncologist on the planet!), call Lewis Associates today to schedule YOUR personal assessment. Dr. Lewis invests in you, so you may live up to your potential to be the best applicant you can be!

How to Communicate With Us

Email: imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

Mailing Address: 1885 Laguna del Campo, Templeton, CA 93465

Lewis Associates absorbs Long Distance Charges
All phone conferences are made from our office to you. Marcia, our Administrative Assistant, calls YOU at your appointment time.

Where are you in your journey to a health profession?
In high school? Yes, we advise high school students, particularly, those interested in BA-MD programs!

Just starting college? This is a scary time.  Everything is new…how do I meet all those new expectations?

Moving into your difficult upper division sciences as a college junior? Possibly, the "dreaded organic chemistry"…

Re-entering as an "older" non-traditional student? Re-establishing academic discipline…

We help prepare those of you submitting applications for medical and dental Residency programs, too!

Whatever niche you fit, we advise students just like you.

Are you REALLY ready to apply for the Class of 2015 or 2016?
How do you know?
Use our Personal Assessment--and you will be given your individual strategy and path to your future! Then, if you use our advising, we help implement your strategy! If it were easy to do, all applicants would be accepted...and, that is not the case.

Many whom we advise may not yet be ready, and need to develop some aspect of their background to become competitive. Best to apply when you are ready, be competitive, and do it ONLY ONCE!

Let's work together to make that one-time application successful…contacting us earlier is better so we can develop your strategy and address all those difficult problems…months or years prior to application. Why not set yourself up for success, rather than toy with the proposition of failure?

Testimonials
Gail Ruth, mother of Todd Ruth, Entering Class of 2010, Jefferson University Medical School
Just a short note here to let you know how appreciative we are of all the wonderful help you gave to our son, Todd. He just received his first 2 acceptances from his top choices, so we couldn't be more pleased.! You were instrumental in guiding him as to which courses to take and gave him invaluable help with his essays. Thanks once again for all your help and guidance.

David and Maureen Lee, parents of Eric Lee, Entering Class of 2009, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
June, 2009: "Dr. Lewis, We just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you for all of your strategic guidance, wise counsel, encouragement, and mentoring to our son Eric on his journey to get into medical school. That is quite a process!! Eric definitely took the "road less traveled", majoring in philosophy, but he worked really hard to get his science prerequisites under his belt. He benefited so much from your experience, insight, and when needed, "tough love". You kept him on track, and we thank you. We think he will be an excellent physician. Perhaps some day we will meet. Again with gratitude, David and Maureen Lee."

Michael Nevarez, Entering Class of 2006, Harvard University School of Medicine, his first choice school
"Dr. Lewis was a wonderful guide and mentor as I embarked on a medical career a number of years after graduating from Cal Poly (graduated 2001, applied to med school in 2006). She gave an honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of my profile, and more importantly provided specific and personalized ways in which I could address my application and the process going forward. Her advice and experience was invaluable and I am very happy to have worked with her."

Margaret Jolley, Entering Class of 2008, UC San Diego School of Medicine, her first choice school
"I never would've made it without my weekly conference with the calm, experienced Dr. Lewis. She kept me sane. I am so grateful for her guidance, for her editing help, and for the confidence she instilled in me. She is a genuinely caring committed Mentor who takes pride in helping our dreams happen. I have urged every fellow student I know to call her. Let her help you, too!"

Austin Yoder, Entering Class of 2009, Accepted to Uniformed Services University for Health Sciences, Philadelphia Osteopathic-GA, West Virginia Osteopathic, Tennessee Osteopathic, and Kansas City Osteopathic
"I am utterly grateful to Dr. Lewis for all her help, guidance and mentorship through the application process. I owe a great deal of my success to date to her team."

Ariel Chairez, Entering Class 2004, Scholarship Awardee, University of Wisconsin Medical School
"Dr. Lewis, I would like to thank you for all of your help. Without your guidance, I would not have been accepted into medical school this year. I am extremely happy to have been accepted to one of the top medical schools in the country, and to have received a scholarship of $130,000. For any student who questions the value of your services, I can say that you have saved me $130,000 in tuition!  Thank you."

John Fiszer (Lawyer), Entering Class of 2005, University Of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
Dr. Lewis' note: John was an Assistant State's Prosecuting Attorney in Chicago, Illinois, when he contacted me in 2004. Finishing his 4th year of medical school, he said: "I am really enjoying med school, and I am thankful to Dr. Lewis for her help. Her methodical, disciplined approach to the med school application process, as well as her insight into the transition to med school were right on target."

Ali Warrick, Advisee
"Dear Dr. Lewis,
I appreciate your help in my transfer process to UC Berkeley. You have been an integral part of the transition, and I would like to thank you for your time and efforts.  I know that your work is very thorough and well thought out. In addition, I believe that you really care about your students, and believe in each student's "right fit" in a school. You lead many people toward a brighter future, and I would like to say, 'Thank You!' for your contribution toward my academic goals. This process has been much more enjoyable with your guidance. Thank you for being so good at what you do."

S, Entering Class 2008, accepted with full scholarship to Mayo Medical School
"I cannot thank Dr. Lewis enough for her support and invaluable advice. When I came to her, I was apprehensive about the formidable task of applying to medical school especially with my past academic and personal hardships. She helped me see that overcoming these difficulties was a testament to my strength, dedication, and diligence. One of the most surprising outcomes of our relationship was that she was effective in helping me develop a more positive self-image and conquer many of my insecurities. Without her guidance and letter of evaluation, I would not have been able to earn an acceptance to Mayo Medical School, which granted me a merit scholarship that covers almost all of my tuition. I truly appreciate all of her help. She went above and beyond her role as an Advisor by becoming a Mentor to me. She is absolutely the best in the business!"

Be Competitive
In order to be a competitive Class of 2015 or 2016 applicant, you need to submit a quality application as evaluated by your clinical, service and other experiences and your GPA-MCAT/DAT/GRE, etc. profile in a timely fashion. This requires a well thought-out strategy to carry you through the difficult year-long application process. If you use Dr. Lewis' advising, we begin preparation early in the year BEFORE submission of your application!

EARLY is always better, removes much of the pressure, and allows time to solve unforeseen problems and challenges.

What are your chances?
If you want to change your career, or reach your present career goal, but do not know how to begin, or how to jump over all those hurdles, Lewis Associates will advise you and implement strategies to change your life. Dr. Lewis is thorough and professional.

Getting Started
Read on our website about getting your Personal Assessment done, then phone or email us to get started! Dr. Lewis spends, on average, 7 hours developing an effective strategy of taking you from where you are to where you want to be.

You may be like our other Lewis Associates Advisees -- highly motivated and intelligent -- but needing focus, guidance and specific technical expertise. Dr. Lewis solves problems for her Advisees and finds opportunities for them. Or, you may wish to use hourly advising to solve one specific problem.

Dr. Lewis is a trained Biologist, having taught and directed her own research programs for many years at two universities. She earned two postdoctoral fellowships (one at NIH), received the 1990 NACADA Outstanding Institutional Advising Program in the U.S. and directed her own Health Careers Opportunity Program grant for 6 years, bringing $1 million to her university while helping hundreds of disadvantaged students enter health professions.

If you are serious about making your dreams to become a physician, dentist, physician assistant, veterinarian, optometrist, podiatrist, naturopathic physician, or pharmacist a reality--Dr. Lewis can help you. We have made the difference for more than 800 alumni now training or practicing in medicine over the last 26 years.

Dr. Lewis teaches Professionalism, Leadership, and Quality, and sets high standards for her Advisees.

Lewis Associates will save you money and heartache on your preparation and application process.

Contact the Health Career experts! For more information email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com.

news

WebMD Interviews President Obama
We asked you — our readers — what questions you had for the president about the Affordable Care Act. Watch our exclusive interview to find out what he said about the new health care law.

More than 6 million Americans enrolled under the ACA, White House says
More than six million Americans have now signed up for private insurance under the Affordable Care Act, according to a White House official, with just four days to go until the end of its first open enrollment period.

Allopathic and Osteopathic Medical Communities Commit to a Single Graduate Medical Education Accreditation System
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) have agreed to a single accreditation system for graduate medical education (GME) programs in the U.S.

Single accreditation for MDs and DOs by 2020
In mid-2020, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) will cease accrediting osteopathic GME programs, turning that responsibility over to the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Female doctors spend more time than male doctors on parenting, household tasks
Gender differences in parenting and household labor persist among physician-researchers, even those in the early stages of their careers.

Graduating medical students meet their Match
More than 17,000 U.S. allopathic medical school seniors and 16,000 other applicants participated in a physician rite of passage this week—the Match.

Family medicine match rate increases for fifth consecutive year
Exactly 3,000 U.S. and international medical students matched to family medicine this year, up slightly from last year. The number of available slots also increased slightly, leaving the match rate for family medicine steady at 96 percent.

Match numbers up, but more slots needed to meet doctor shortage
At the conclusion of this year’s Match, 5.6 percent of U.S. allopathic medical school seniors were not placed into first-year residency programs, while more than one-half of applicants who already graduated from these schools did not match. At the same time, match rates rose modestly for all major applicant groups.

ER doctors use Google Glass and QR codes to identify patients
A tech-savvy hospital in Boston developed a custom information-retrieval system for Google Glass, which lets ER doctors scan a QR code on the wall of each room to call up information about patients.

EHRs Are Being Incorporated Into Medical School Curricula
Some medical schools are incorporating training on electronic health records into their curricula because exposure to the IT systems is increasingly considered a crucial element of the medical education experience

Medical schools embrace nutritional training
Though medical schools’ coverage of nutrition may have a ways to go, some medical and public health schools have formed inventive collaborations with culinary schools to improve training.

New estimate: 1 in 25 hospital patients get an infection
CDC says the new estimate suggests infections are on the decline. It also has new data showing where progress is and is not being made.

Duty-hour trials examine effects of dropping current standards
Two large national, multi-institutional resident trials could address key questions concerning the effects of duty-hour standards on patient care and safety and the professional training of physicians.

Researchers find virtual computer-based world an effective learning environment
Boston University School of Medicine researchers have demonstrated the potential of virtual computer environments for distance learning in health care for audiences with limited access to conventional teaching and training.

Number of minorities taking the MCAT grows by one-third
Students from underrepresented minorities taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) have increased by 35 percent since 2010.

Virtual cadavers revolutionize medical school
Virtual cadavers are allowing medical students to explore organs with less cleanup — and less emotional connection.

Family Medicine Comes Out on Top in Osteopathic Match
Family practice remains the top choice of osteopathic medical school graduates, or at least among those participating in last month's osteopathic residency match. In the osteopathic match, 519 of 880 available family medicine positions were filled.

New tool provides real-time feedback residents want
A tool being tested and refined by Vanderbilt University School of Medicine faculty delivers objective data about the quality of residents' clinical performance both as individuals and in comparison to their resident colleagues.

To Bully and Be Bullied: Harassment and Mistreatment in Medical Education

The impersonal nature of medical school personal statements
After returning to medical education and volunteering to interview med school applicants, Dr. Kenneth Lin is struck by how generic their personal statements have become. Instead, he argues, schools should be able to find humanity in these essays.

U.S. News Best Medical School Rankings For 2015
Many familiar schools top the U.S. News & World Report ranking of medical schools. This Huffington Post roundup outlines the top ten from both the research and primary care rank lists.

How Will Health Reform Affect Demand for RNs? (pdf)

Healing Communication: Enhancing the Patient Experience

Study: Colleges are Failing Many Students
Arguably the most important set of documents you’ll ever put together, your application for residency heavily influences whether you will land your first-choice specialty and where you will train and likely practice.

links

VetSchool Student Engagement System
The system allows you get targeted information based on your current status. For instance, High School students will receive general information on preparing early for veterinary school. Advisors will receive the "VetSchool Advisor" newsletter and Pre-Vet students will receive information on applying to veterinary school.

Find these and other useful links on Lewisassoc.com's Links Page.

alumni updates

Rachel Rachel, Entering Class of 2013, UCLA School of Dentistry March 17, 2014: "Hi Dr. Lewis, Thank you for your message. I ended up taking one year off after graduation, and now I'm a first year dental student at UCLA. My application process was surprisingly successful - I applied to 11 schools and received interview invites to 9 of them, and attended 5 interviews. I got into those 5 schools - UCLA, UMich, UPenn, NYU, and UoP, but ultimately chose UCLA due to tuition and location. We're actually approaching finals this week, so it's been crazy here. Hope you are doing well, let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you for your help! Best, Rachel “

Larry Bennett (left), Dr. Lewis (center) and Glenn Valenzuela (right) Glenn Valenzuela, MD, Entering Class of 1999, Stanford University Medical School, Anesthesiology Residency and Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship at Stanford University March 19, 2014: “Hello Dr. Lewis, I hope this letter finds you all well. I'm nearing six months out here in Abu Dhabi and the temperature now is beginning to creep up. The last few months have been exhausting at work, given that the hospital where I work at is feverishly trying to achieve internationally recognized accreditation ("JCIA- the int'l arm of JCAHO) and, boy, getting everything up to snuff has been challenging to say the least. Lest I bore you with swashbuckling tales of revamping policies & procedures, gripping adventures of endless meetings in which we manage to not achieve very much, or thrilling narratives of the various piles of pointless paperwork I need to sift through on a daily basis, I think I'll just skip right over that part and mention that, overall, we're doing pretty well. Itziar, Eneko, & Naia all send their love. Glenn”

Esther Esther, Entering Class of 2014, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine I decided on a career in medicine relatively late. I was 22 years old, a part-time student and working full-time in social services. I found my job was mostly menial, but it was rewarding for me to be working with refugees and immigrants and providing them basic services for which they were always very grateful. It was fulfilling for me, and that was when I started thinking about physicians as humanitarians, and decided on medicine as a career. It was then that I stopped working and went back to school full-time. I changed my major to biology and within a year, I had transferred to a 4-year university. In college, my pre-med classes were a real challenge. But, I stuck with it, developed some good study skills, and graduated on time in 2011. My last semester in college, Dr. Lewis put me in contact with an Osteopathic doctor who had agreed to let me shadow her for a few weeks. That was my first introduction to Osteopathic medicine, and it fascinated me. I liked the holistic philosophy of DO’s and their tactful bedside manner. I knew from then on, that I would be applying to Osteopathic medical school. After graduation, I moved back home to help my mother care for my grandmother, who is battling pancreatic cancer. I looked for a job, but did not find any employment that offered a decent wage or that really interested me. I decided to focus on getting into medical school by preparing for the MCAT and volunteering at a community clinic, getting patient exposure. I took the MCAT in the summer of 2012. My score was mediocre, but instead of retaking the test, I decided to take some science classes to boost my GPA to make me a better applicant. I took an anatomy class at a local community college and earned an A, which brought my overall and science GPA’s above 3.0. I have interviewed at 3 campuses so far, and turned down a fourth interview. In the fall, I will be starting medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, which was one of my top choice schools. I am very grateful for Dr. Lewis and her foresight many years ago to introduce me to Osteopathic medicine.

Email to Dr. Lewis if you wish to communicate about medical schools or other issues or to contact those profiled in Success Stories: imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

question of the month... see Facebook, Notes tab
By Dr. Cynthia Lewis, PhD

"I was accepted to 3 medical (dental, etc.) schools. How do I choose which school to attend?"

We will feature an important question each month. Please submit one that interests you for Dr. Lewis to answer. Send your questions to imaclewis@lewisassoc.com with 'Newsletter Question' in the subject line.

Lewis Associates specializes in personal, effective and professional premedical advising and placement for traditional and non-traditional applicants. Often, non-traditional students are older than 21 years of age, career changers, international applicants or second-round applicants for admission to health professions school.

Lewis Associates' services meet the needs of all types of students from pre-applicants to applicants, including hourly advising support for specific needs. Click here.

"It's never too late to be who you might have been."

If this is how YOU feel, then, maybe Lewis Associates is the place for you. Lewis Associates provides Mentoring and Coaching through the rigorous and often circuitous pre-health preparation and application process. Other consultants may support programs like Law and Business or graduate school -- not Lewis Associates. We are the experts in Health Professions based on 26 years of a successful track record.

Call or email today to set your first appointment!

805.226.9669 imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any friends, classmates, or colleagues you feel would find its contents beneficial.