Fall 2017 Matriculation

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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA CAREER SERVICES

MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICANT MANUAL

FOR 2017 ADMISSION

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

Introduction to the Application Process 2

Advisor Interview 3

Uploading Your Documents 4

HPAB Essays 5

Sample Expanded Resume 6

Sample BCPM GPA Calculation Sheet 8

Credentials Service & Letters of Recommendation 9

The MCAT 11

Primary Application: AMCAS 12

Where Should I Apply? 15

Secondary Applications and Requesting Your HPAB Packet 16

After Applications Are Complete: Interviews and Decisions 17

Deadlines 18

Final Thoughts 19

Checklist 20

Useful Links 21

Statement of Applicant Responsibilities: Applicant Copy 22

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INTRODUCTION TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Applying to medical school is a very manageable process, so long as you are well organized. You

will need to plan ahead, and keep track of the procedures and deadlines as the process unfolds.

Although we are here to guide you, you should know that there is no magic involved in applying

to medical school. You must assume responsibility for your application and follow the

appropriate steps.

Many undergraduate institutions offer a letter from a pre-health committee in support of medical

school applicants. At Penn, this committee is called the Health Professions Advisory Board

(HPAB), and is composed of university administrators and the Pre-Health Advising Tea at Career

Services. The committee letter at Penn (the HPAB Letter) will be sent to the medical schools as

part of your HPAB Packet that includes individual letters of recommendation for medical school.

The HPAB Letter introduces you to medical school admissions committees, and highlights your

strengths and accomplishments.

The Pre-Health Advising Team takes pride in writing Penn’s thorough, detailed, and

individualized HPAB Letters. Because of the large number of Penn applicants to medical school

every year, we have developed a systematic process that enables us to accommodate those who

meet the deadlines.

Here, in brief, are the steps you will need to take to obtain an HPAB Letter:

1. Attend a mandatory Applicant Workshop.

2. Schedule a one-hour Advisor Interview with a pre-health advisor. Make sure to specify

that you are scheduling an Advisor Interview, not a regular appointment, when you call.

3. Open a Credentials File.

4. Have at least 3 relevant letters of recommendation in your Credentials File by May 16th.

5. Upload your List of Recommenders Form into AMS by May 20th.

6. Upload a draft of your AMCAS and/or AACOMAS application to AMS by May 31st.

The Work/Experience section should be complete.

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ADVISOR INTERVIEW

Applicants attending the December 2015 HPAB workshop must contact Ferrell Townsend in

Career Services (215-898-1789) starting on January 4th, 2016 to schedule a one-hour Advisor

Interview. Applicants attending the 2016 HPAB workshops must contact Ferrell Townsend

within two business days following their workshop. Please schedule for the earliest feasible date;

you must complete your Advisor Interview within one month of the workshop you attend. Have

your calendar and class schedule with you when you make your appointment as it may not be

possible to reschedule. The Advisor Interview enables your pre-health advisor to get to know you

better and gather pertinent information that will help in writing the HPAB Letter.

You must upload four documents to the Applicant Management System (AMS) before your

Advisor Interview:

1. Photo: Please make sure that you are recognizable and prominent in the photo you select.

2. Expanded Résumé: A sample can be found following this section on pages 6-7. Typically, an

expanded résumé is 2 or more pages and outlines all your post-secondary activities and

accomplishments in detail. This will help us write a comprehensive letter and also will be helpful

to you as you fill out your medical school application.

Be sure to indicate the duration (e.g., Academic Years 2008-10; February-October 2011) and

intensity (e.g. Badminton Club: average commitment of 3 hours per week; Dr. X's Laboratory:

Summer 2011 – 40 hours per week, Academic Year 2010-11 – 10 hours per week) of all of your

activities and involvements.

3. HPAB Essays: These can be found on page 5, but should be completed and submitted to AMS.

They are designed to help you begin thinking about your application and conduct an initial self-

assessment. The more thoughtful and reflective your essays are, the more your pre-health advisor

will learn about you as an applicant.

4. Biology, Chemistry, Physics, & Math (BCPM) GPA: Please provide us with a list of the

courses and grades that comprise your BCPM GPA, in addition to the actual GPA calculation.

Follow the format provided on page 8.

To compute this GPA, please include the grades earned in any course taken in these four

departments, as well as other courses whose content falls primarily in these areas. For example,

you should include any Statistics courses, and more biology focused BBB courses (e.g., BIBB

251: Cell Neurobiology), among others. Some Bioengineering courses generally count as “applied

science” and not basic science, so should not be included in your BCPM GPA. Overall, you need

to use your best judgment as to whether a course should be included in your BCPM GPA. For

more guidance on course classification, see our section on the primary application on page 13 and

the AMCAS sheet on course classification: AMCAS Course Classification. Once you’ve

completed the BCPM Sheet, you can calculate your BCPM GPA by using the GPA calculator,

found in your Worksheet on Penn In Touch.

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UPLOADING YOUR DOCUMENTS

Before your one-hour Advisor Interview, you must upload the four documents listed on the

previous page, as a pdf, into the Health Professions Application Management System (AMS), an

online system designed specifically for the Penn HPAB process.

To access AMS go to: https://uapps.vpul.upenn.edu/csonline.This link will take you into AMS,

which will prompt you to enter your PennKey and password to access the system. The menu on

the right hand side of the page will direct you to upload each of the required documents. Detailed

instructions can be found at the bottom of the “HPAB Document Checklist.”

Please upload your documents prior to your one-hour Advisor Interview. It will be

extremely helpful to your pre-health advisor and will make your interview more productive.

If your documents are not ready to upload, please do not cancel your Advisor Interview.

We cannot accommodate requests to reschedule.

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HPAB ESSAYS

This is an opportunity for reflection that will help your pre-health advisor know you better and

prepare you for medical school applications and interviews.

As the landscape of health care is changing, what are the two most important

characteristics a health care provider should possess and why? (500 word maximum)

What is the biggest ethical challenge you have ever encountered and how did you

handle it? (500 word maximum)

What is your biggest regret? (250 word maximum)

Describe a time as a member of a team when things did not go as planned. What was

your reaction and what did you do? (500 word maximum)

Do you believe your grades accurately reflect the strength of your candidacy for

medical school? If not, please explain. You must answer this question if your BCPM

GPA falls below a 3.1. (250 word maximum)

Were you ever the recipient of any institutional action by any college or university

for unacceptable academic performance or conduct violations? If “yes,” please

explain in detail here and plan to discuss the matter fully with your pre-health

advisor. (No maximum)

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SAMPLE EXPANDED RESUME

JANE APPLICANT E-mail: jane.applicant@seas.upenn.edu

Campus Address Permanent Address

3600 Locust Walk 225 Columbus Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19104 New York, NY 10023

215-898-0000 212-888-8888

EDUCATION

University of Pennsylvania, School of Engineering and Applied Science Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor of Science of Engineering, May 2013, Cumulative GPA: 3.55

Major: Bioengineering; Minor: Chemistry

HONORS AND AWARDS

Al Giandomenico Award, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Spring 2013

I was nominated by faculty and selected among 10 finalists by Committee for this award for distinguished

undergraduate research in the field of Bioengineering.

Dean’s List, Academic Year 2012 - 2013.

Professional Citation in Rex, E., Molitor, S.C., et al. (2012) Tyramine receptor (SER-2) isoforms are involved in

the regulation of pharyngeal pumping and foraging behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Journal of Neurochemistry. 91: 1104–1115.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Pre-Med Volunteer, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA

October 2011-Present (Unpaid, 5-6 hours/week during semesters)

I am responsible for keeping patients in a comfortable environment and supporting the nursing staff,

transporting and discharging patients on a regular basis. I chose the pre-med volunteer program at HUP

because it gives students first- hand experience with how a hospital floor functions, as well as providing one-

on-one interaction with patients. I worked on a fast-paced recovery floor, the energy of which I enjoyed, but it

was the exposure to the inner-workings of a hospital and the basics of patient care that was most exciting.

Volunteer, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY

June-August 2011 (Unpaid, 20 hours/week)

Volunteering at Memorial Sloan Kettering offered a hands-on experience dealing with cancer patients in the

thoracic, head and neck, and colon cancer units. I worked closely with the staff and learned about their

diseases, treatments and side effects, and the emotional impact upon the patients and their families. As the

summer progressed, I became increasingly aware of individual patient’s needs, interests, complaints, feelings

and fears, which ultimately allowed me to form more personal relationships with them which I believe proved,

at times, to be beneficial to their feelings of comfort and well-being.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Research Assistant to Kevin Hogarty, MD, Department of Oncology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

May 2011-Present (Paid, 10-15 hours/ week during semesters; 40 hours/week during summers)

I collaborate with an attending physician in an ongoing study of a chemotherapeutic that induces

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mitochondrial apoptosis via synthetic BH3 domain peptides for neuroblastoma cells lines. I perform cell

culture experiments, determining if Bak and Bax genes have anti-apoptotic isoforms in neuroblastoma cell

lines. My responsibilities also include assisting in translational research, ranging from therapeutics to the

biology of neuroblastoma (PCR, gel electrophoresis, cell culture, DNA/RNA extractions). I have learned a

lot about the research process and the dedication it requires to accurately develop effective treatments. More

than anything though, this research experience has uncovered a passion for applied research and a great

interest in oncology; it even inspired me to audit a Cancer Cell Biology class last semester. I feel

particularly gratified that I am helping to develop possible treatments that may one day help sick children.

Research Assistant to Scott O’Brien, Department of Bioengineering, University of Connecticut (Storrs Campus)

May-August 2010 (paid, 40 hours/week)

As part of a comprehensive research study, I identified and recorded the correlation of electrophysiological

responses when nematode cells were perfused with a variety of pharmacological agents/solutions. I also

gained my first exposure to a bench research setting and assisted in laboratory preparation activities as well.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Workshop Leader and Tutor, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA

September 2011-Present (5 hours/week)

I teach a ninety-minute Calculus Workshop, twice a week, to a class of between 10 and 35 students. The

Workshop provides students with a brief overview of new information from their most recent class, as well

as shortcuts or different approaches to problem-solving. After assigning students approximately fifteen

problems, I assist them in tackling the challenging questions by leading a guided discussion towards the

correct solution to the problem. This experience has not only strengthened my calculus knowledge base, but

it has dramatically improved my communication and presentation skills as well. I suspect that the ability to

simplify complex material to a group of students will prove useful in my future, especially as I try to

communicate difficult medical information to patients with little to no medical background.

Volunteer, Ronald McDonald House Philadelphia, PA

January 2010-Present (2 hours/week)

My responsibilities involve playing with the resident children, as well as general maintenance tasks for the

House. From Legos and playing “dress-up” to watching videos and talking to the children about what was

on their minds, this was always a rewarding activity. Not only could I help take their minds off of their

condition for a few hours, but I was also able to give their parents and caregivers a chance to rest and relax.

Member, Biomedical Engineering Society, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA

September 2009-Present (2 hours/month)

I attend biweekly meetings of this student-run, professional development-oriented organization to discuss

current events and ideas related to biomedical engineering.

Member and Tour Guide, Hexagon Senior Engineering Society Philadelphia, PA

September 2010-May 2011 (1 hour/week)

My primary responsibility was to lead tours of the School of Engineering and Applied Science to

prospective Penn students and their families. It was very rewarding to represent the School and serve as a

resource in this capacity, particularly because I have enjoyed my experience as a student here so much.

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SAMPLE BCPM GPA Calculation Sheet

Course Number Course Title Credit Units Grade Semester Taken

BIOL 101 Intro Biology A 1.5 cu A- Fall 2007

BIOL 102 Intro Biology B 1.5 cu A Spring 2008

BIOL 221 Molecular Biology and Genetics 1.0 cu B+ Fall 2008

CHEM 101 General Chemistry I 1.0 cu A- Fall 2007

CHEM 053 Gen Chem Lab I 0.5 cu B Fall 2007

CHEM 102 General Chemistry II 1.0 cu A- Spring 2008

CHEM 054 Gen Chem Lab II 0.5 cu A Spring 2008

CHEM 241 Organic Chemistry I 1.0 cu C Fall 2008

CHEM 242 Organic Chemistry II 1.0 cu B+ Spring 2009

CHEM 245 Experimental Organic Chem I 1.0 cu B+ Fall 2010

MATH 104 Calculus I 1.0 cu A Fall 2007

PHYS 101 Classical Physics 1.5 cu B- Fall 2010

PHYS 102 Modern Physics 1.5 cu A- Spring 2011

STAT 111 Introductory Statistics 1.0 cu A+ Spring 2011

Cumulative Penn BCPM GPA: [Use Penn-In-Touch Calculator to Compute]

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CREDENTIALS FILE

Your Credentials File, housed in Career Services, serves as a permanent repository for your letters

of recommendation for medical school. To open a Credentials File, please visit the following

website: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/credentials/index.php.

Note that letters kept in your Credentials File can only be used for the purpose of applying

to medical school. If you want letters for other purposes—internships, other graduate programs,

or anything else—you will need to make other arrangements.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

In addition to your HPAB Letter, medical schools require that you submit letters of

recommendation as a part of your application. Penn requires that you send a minimum of 3 letters,

though you may send a maximum of 6.

You should request letters of recommendation from a range of people with whom you have

worked in different activities relevant to medical school. You might ask a professor from a small

discussion course, a TA from a recitation, a Principal Investigator from your lab, a supervisor of

an independent study project, an advisor of an organization in which you are very active, and so

forth. Since you are applying to medical school, you should have at least one letter of

recommendation from someone who has taught you in the sciences; in fact, we suggest letters

from two people who have taught you in the sciences. In addition, it is ideal to have at least one

letter of recommendation from someone who has taught you in a course outside of the sciences.

One of your letters must be from a member of Penn's standing faculty (i.e., Assistant, Associate,

or Full Professor).

Letters of recommendation from famous and/or well-known people are not necessarily helpful

unless you have worked with them in an academic or professional setting. Similarly, character

references from friends or family members are also neither advisable nor particularly relevant.

Please refer to the letters guideline section below for more information on what a letter writer may

consider when writing your recommendation: Letters Guidelines Brochure

To ensure that you have at least 3 letters of recommendation on file by May 16th, we strongly

suggest that you ask at least 4 recommenders to write letters for you. Approach your

recommenders early, well in advance of the May 16th deadline, giving them at least one month’s

notice.

Instruct your recommenders to submit their letters of recommendation directly to your Credentials

File in Career Services, accompanied by a Recommendation Form, available in Career Services or

on our website: Confidentiality Form.pdf. You need to complete the Form and sign the

Confidentiality Agreement; we strongly suggest that you waive your right to see your letters since

medical schools prefer confidential letters of recommendation.

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The deadline for at least 3 letters of recommendation to be in your Credentials File is May 16th. It

is easy to confirm whether letters have arrived in your Credentials File by checking the status

online at: Career Services' Credentials. Please check regularly, allowing at least a week for

mailing and processing.

By May 20th, please submit a completed and signed List of Recommenders Form via AMS,

which designates the 3-6 letters in your Credentials File you would like to include in your HPAB

Packet. When you apply to medical schools, your HPAB Packet—consisting of the HPAB Letter

and the included 3-6 letters of recommendation —will be sent to medical schools upon your

request (see page 16). Though you may store more than six letters of recommendation in your

Credentials File, six is the maximum number that medical schools wish to see.

Your HPAB Packet is sent to medical schools as a PDF document; all medical schools to which

you apply will receive the same packet. However, if you are also applying to MD/PhD programs

and/or DO programs, we can assemble specialized packets for those programs as long as you

complete and submit corresponding List of Recommenders Forms. You also have the option to

send an additional letter of recommendation separately to a particular school; you can request that

it be sent under separate cover as a supplemental letter.

After May 20th, if you would like to amend your original line-up of 3-6 letters of recommendation

for your packet, you may do so by submitting a revised List of Recommenders Form via AMS.

We cannot guarantee that your new letters will be referred to in our HPAB Letter, but we will

follow the most recent List of Recommenders Form in your file, prior to uploading your packet. If

the letters included on your List of Recommenders Form are not in your file, we cannot send

your packet. You will need to place a new request once you have confirmed that all of the

letters are in your file.

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THE MCAT

Medical schools require that you take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). To learn

more about the test, including the testing schedule, please visit the MCAT web site:

www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat. Spaces for the tests are limited—so register early.

Timeline

You should take the MCAT only when you feel well prepared, but it is to your advantage to take

the test no later than the end of May the year in which you apply; the application cycle begins in

June, so that will give you plenty of time. If you take the test after May, then you would either

apply without knowing your scores, or you would have to delay your application.

Preparation

Many students take review courses, although they are costly and not always necessary if you are

good at setting aside time to study yourself. Others make use of study guides, some of which are

available in the Career Services Library. However you choose to prepare, plan to spend a

significant amount of time – at least 2 to 3 months – preparing and taking practice exams.

How Schools Receive Your Scores

MCAT scores are automatically released to AMCAS and will be sent directly to all participating

schools. However, you will have to release your MCAT scores electronically to any non-

AMCAS schools.

Fee Reduction

If you wish to request an MCAT fee reduction, you must be approved before registering. Apply

well in advance. You can apply for the Fee Assistance Program by following the instructions

here: http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/fap.

Special Accommodations If you plan to request any special accommodations, visit the following website well in advance of

registration: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/accommodations/. You should also

discuss this with your pre-health advisor.

Joint-Degree Programs

Applicants to some joint-degree programs might be required to take the Graduate Record

Examination (GRE) General Test, in addition to the MCAT. For information about the GRE, go

to www.gre.org.

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PRIMARY APPLICATION: AMCAS

The central, primary application used by the vast majority of American allopathic medical schools

is known as the American Medical Colleges Application Service (AMCAS). AMCAS is a web-

based application which consists of 4 sections: demographic information, academic record,

work/activities (i.e., clinical experiences, work, community service, research, and awards), and a

personal statement.

To activate the AMCAS application, you must register online at: Applying to medical school

with AMCAS. The earliest you can begin filling out the application for 2017 will be in early May

2016. You can submit the application starting in early June and we urge you strongly to

complete and submit it by the end of June at the latest.

Academic Record You must list all your courses and categorize them according to the standard categories listed in

AMCAS. You are responsible for indicating the academic category within which your courses

fall, although AMCAS makes the final decision. For more information, you should refer to the

AMCAS webpage (including the AMCAS Instruction Manual and the AMCAS FAQ):

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/.

Transcripts Career Services does not process transcripts. You must request that the Penn Registrar, and

any other college or university you have attended, send your official transcript(s) to AMCAS.

When you request your official transcript, you must provide two forms: the Registrar’s own form,

and the AMCAS Transcript Request Form (the Academic Record section of AMCAS explains

how to do this). The latter allows AMCAS to match up your transcript with the right application.

When you make the request in person or by mail, instruct the Registrar to include the AMCAS

form with your transcript. For more information on Penn transcript requests, visit:

www.upenn.edu/registrar

We recommend that you wait to request your transcript until your spring grades appear on it, with

the exception of study abroad grades. In addition, review your unofficial transcript for errors

before you place a request.

Work/Experience Section

AMCAS provides you with the opportunity to list and describe up to 15 extracurricular and co-

curricular activities and awards. You will want to include those activities which are most

important to you. Remember the quality of your experiences, commitments and achievements is

much more important than the quantity. In addition, medical schools are interested in your recent

undergraduate activities, rather than your high school activities.

You must give a description for each entry; the amount you write helps signal which activities

were most important to you. We recommend that you explain your role, accomplishments,

responsibilities and contributions, as well as what you learned from them and why they were

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meaningful to you. Each activity also has a field for a contact person; list the most appropriate

person you can (preferably a professor/staff member, not a student).

You will also be asked to write more extensively on up to 3 activities you choose as being “most

meaningful.” Please choose wisely.

Personal Statement

The personal statement should not be used to summarize all of your college experiences or to give

the chronological history of your decision to choose medicine. Instead, use the essay to discuss in

depth one or two experiences, in which you were an active participant, that illustrate qualities that

make you a strong candidate. Ideally, the personal statement will have a unifying theme, provide

detailed and concrete examples of things you have done, and convey your maturity and capacity

for self-reflection. Although you may be tempted to discuss your childhood, it is your experiences

and choices as an adult that are relevant to admissions committees. An effective personal

statement will convey your commitment to medicine as well as your “fit” for the profession.

You may submit a draft of your personal statement as an email attachment to your pre-health

advisor for a critique, prior to May 18th.

It is important to start thinking about your personal statement during the spring semester to allow

time for feedback and revision. We offer Personal Statement Workshops throughout the semester,

for which you can find the dates and times on the Career Services calendar:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradprof/calendar.php

Letters of Evaluation Section

Penn applicants must indicate that they will be submitting a “Committee Letter” (not “Letter

Packet”). List your pre-health advisor as the Contact/Author. Do not list the letters of

recommendation in the packet individually on your AMCAS. Later in the application, you must

select the schools to which you are applying, and then assign your Committee Letter to each

individual school.

Releasing your Information When AMCAS asks if you want your information released to your pre-health advisor, please say

yes. The aggregate information will help us assemble Penn-specific statistics for future

applicants, just as past information helps us guide you.

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TMDSAS Medical Schools* The Texas medical schools belong to a separate state application service called TMDSAS (Texas

Medical and Dental School Application Service). TMDSAS is available online at:

www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas

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*FOR THE OTHER NON-AMCAS ALLOPATHIC SCHOOLS, CONTACT

THE SCHOOL DIRECTLY FOR APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS.*

Osteopathic Medical Schools*

Osteopathic medical schools use AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic

Medicine Application Service). This application is very similar to AMCAS, and is available at:

http://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/applying

*Note that AACOMAS and TMDSAS operate differently when it comes to entering the number

of semester hours for each of your Penn courses. For these applications, you will need to do a

conversion. You will need a copy of your transcript(s) and the following course unit conversion

guide:

In general, a one semester course earning one course unit is converted to 4 semester hours.

However, science courses which incorporate a lab are converted to 6 semester hours. Listed

below are the proper conversions for pre-health requirements. Follow the general principle

outlined above to convert other courses. Remember: the number of times the course meets each

week is irrelevant to the conversion.

0.5 c.u. = 2 credit hours

1 c.u. = 4 credit hours

1.5 c.u. = 6 credit hours

* If you have questions about converting your courses to credit hours, please contact the

Registrar’s Office.

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WHERE SHOULD I APPLY? Choosing your list of schools requires both research and reflection on your part, and there are

many resources to guide you. A good place to start is the Medical School Admissions

Requirements (MSAR) Online, available at: MSAR. This online database includes school profiles

and admissions statistics. You should also refer to individual school websites. We also strongly

encourage you to discuss your tentative list of schools with your pre-health advisor.

Some key points:

• Apply to a full range of schools in terms of selectivity. Admissions statistics for Penn

applicants to individual medical schools are available on the Career Services’ website,

and along with the national statistics in the MSAR Online, will give you some indication

of how competitive a school is likely to be.

• Consider in-state vs. out-of-state admit ratios. State schools often give preference to

residents, and generally charge residents less for tuition (found in MSAR).

• Consider the number of schools to which you are applying. Though you can apply to

more schools, up to 20 is a reasonable number. As long as you cover a sensible range of

schools, rarely do you increase your chances of acceptance by applying to more than 20

schools. Furthermore, since there are AMCAS and secondary application fees, it can

become very costly and time consuming to apply to a large number of schools. If you are

having trouble developing a reasonable list, please speak with your pre-health advisor for

help.

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SECONDARY APPLICATIONS AND REQUESTING HPAB PACKETS

Once your AMCAS has been verified, you will start receiving secondary applications

(“secondaries”) from most medical schools. Schools vary, but the secondaries often ask you to

write additional essays, list the courses you have taken that satisfy their requirements, and pay an

additional fee. Be as diligent and timely as possible in completing and returning secondaries.

At this time, schools will also request that you submit letters of recommendation — in your case,

the HPAB Packet— which consists of the HPAB Letter and your 3-6 letters of recommendation.

You must place a request to have your HPAB Packet uploaded via AMS. You may do this no

earlier than noon EST on July 20th.

You will also need to pay a one-time flat fee of $80 to Penn for having your Packet uploaded to

medical schools. In completing the form, simply type “AMCAS” for schools participating in the

AMCAS Letters of Evaluation system and check the box for “HPAB Packet.” List any non-

AMCAS LOE schools separately and unambiguously. If there is an additional letter you want sent

only to a particular school, list the name of the school and the name of the recommender in the

appropriate space on the form. You will need to pay an additional $5 fee to Penn for

supplemental letters. If you indicate AMCAS as a recipient, you will need to provide the 7-digit

Letter ID Number assigned to your HPAB Packet. Note that this number is different from your 8-

digit AMCAS ID number, which you also need to provide elsewhere on your request form.

We will not process your credentials request until all of your letters of recommendation are

in your Credentials File.

VirtualEvals We upload HPAB Packets electronically via VirtualEvals (VE), an online submission system, to

AMCAS or to those allopathic schools that do not use the AMCAS LOE system. Almost all

osteopathic schools accept VE submissions, as does TMDSAS.

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AFTER APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETE: INTERVIEWS AND DECISIONS

Most medical schools interview applicants beginning in September or October, and through

March. Acceptances can be offered as early as October, or even as late as the following June (off

the “wait list” of interviewed applicants). Unfortunately, each school has its own system and

timeline, so there is no standard procedure for the number of weeks it takes them to make a

decision.

We hold Interview Workshops, including workshops geared toward the Multiple Mini-Interview

(MMI) format, during the Fall semester to help you prepare and to answer your questions. In

addition, if you have a medical school interview scheduled, you can schedule a 30-minute mock

interview with a pre-health advisor. Schedule this as you would a regular appointment, by

contacting the Pre-health Advising Team at 215-898-1789.

For advice on preparing for interviews, including some sample questions, please visit:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradprof/healthprof/healthinterview.php#practice.

In addition, please be aware of your responsibilities as an applicant, outlined by the AAMC here:

https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/application-and-acceptance-

protocols-applicants/. When managing multiple acceptances, try to make your choice in a timely

fashion. When you have decided on your school, release your other acceptances. If financial aid

is an issue, contact the schools’ financial aid offices for clarification. Officially, you are only

permitted to hold one acceptance after April 30th. Accepting an early offer of admission, though,

is perfectly fine until you receive more appealing offers later in the cycle.

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DEADLINES

April 15 Completion of Advisor Interview

May 16 Receipt of at least 3 appropriate letters of

recommendation in your Credentials File

May 18 Submission of personal statement for critique by

your pre-health advisor

May 20

Submission of your List of Recommenders Form

May 31 Submission of a draft copy of the Work/

Experience section of your primary application

If you come to an Applicant Workshop and meet all of the deadlines, your HPAB Packet will be

ready for you to request at noon EST on July 20th.

Late Batch: if you are in the Late Batch, we cannot guarantee that your HPAB packet will be

ready for you to request until September 15th.

You will be assigned to the Late Batch if:

You don’t attend a workshop or let us know you cannot attend one by March 25th.

You don’t have at least 3 letters of recommendation in your Credentials File by May 16th.

You fail to submit the 4 documents described on page 3, your draft primary application, or

a List of Recommenders Form.

You are re-applying or went through our process in previous years but fail to notify us by

April 15th

Even if you are assigned to the Late Batch, you must still submit and complete all of the above by

July 1st, or we cannot write an HPAB letter for you.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Even after you have submitted your applications, we continue to serve as your pre-health advisors

and are available to answer questions or concerns at any point in the process. Please call 215-

898-1789 if you want to set up an appointment. For quick logistical questions, email is always

best. Please remember to email only your pre-health advisor with your questions.

Carol Hagan – chagan@upenn.edu

Todd Rothman – trothman@upenn.edu

Caroline Wilky – cwilky@upenn.edu

Mia Carpiniello – miacarp@upenn.edu

Ferrell Townsend – ferrellt@upenn.edu

On behalf of the Pre-Health Advising Staff, the Health Professions Advisory Board, and the

Career Services Office, we wish you success in all of your endeavors and good luck!

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CHECKLIST

Spring 2016:

Attend a Medical School Applicant Workshop.

Meet with your pre-health advisor for a one-hour Advisor Interview. Schedule this

appointment within 2 business days of your Applicants’ Workshop.

Prior to your Advisor Interview, upload your 4 documents to AMS.

Request letters of recommendation from professors/supervisors, provide them with a

completed Recommendation Request Form, and ask them to submit their letters to

Credentials.

Take the MCAT (and, if appropriate, the GRE).

Check Penn In Touch to ensure that your transcript is accurate.

After your spring grades are complete, have your official transcripts sent from each

school’s registrar to AMCAS/TMDSAS/AACOMAS.

Begin completing your primary application.

Check Credentials File for 3 appropriate letters of recommendation by May 16th.

Submit your List of Recommenders Form by May 20th.

Submit a draft copy of the Work/Experience section of your primary application by

May 31st.

Summer 2016:

Complete and submit primary applications by the end of June.

Refer to this manual first for questions about applications. For

technical questions about AMCAS, please refer to the AMCAS website and

the AMCAS FAQ page on our pre-health website. For additional

questions, please contact AMCAS directly (202-828-0600 or

amcas@aamc.org).

Keep copies of ALL of your application materials and develop a good record-

keeping system to document the process.

Submit an online HPAB Packet Request after noon EST on July 20th.

Fall 2016:

Attend a Medical & Dental School Interview Tips Presentation and visit our

website for additional interviewing tips: Practice Health Interviews

Schedule a Mock Interview or attend MMI Workshop- once you have

scheduled an interview

Research sources of financial aid, including the Medical School Admission

Requirements (MSAR) and AAMC resources: AAMC Financial Planning

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USEFUL LINKS

Career Services

Medical school requirements, the MCAT, AMCAS, interviews, and more:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradprof/healthprof/med.php

Penn Credentials Service, downloading forms, and online status checks:

www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/credentials

Requesting transcripts: www.upenn.edu/registrar

AMCAS

American Association of Medical Colleges: www.aamc.org

AMCAS Application: www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm

Contact Information: amcas@aamc.org or 202-828-0600

MSAR: https://medical-school-admission-requirements/

Standardized Tests

MCAT Registration: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-

mcat-exam/register-mcat-exam/

MCAT Fee Assistance Program: www.aamc.org/students/applying/fap/

AACOMAS

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine: www.aacom.org

AACOMAS Application: http://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/applying

Contact Information: aacomasinfo@liaisoncas.com or (617) 612-2889

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HPAB APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES - APPLICANT COPY

Responsibilities for Penn Students and Alumni Requesting HPAB Letters:

1) Attend the mandatory HPAB Applicant Workshop.

2) Meet with your pre-health advisor for an hour-long Advisor Interview. Schedule this appointment

immediately after the Applicant Workshop and please upload the following in the Applicant

Management System (AMS):

• Photo • HPAB Essays

• Expanded Resume • BCPM GPA Calculation Sheet

3) Sign and submit the Health Professions Advisory Board Notice and Waiver.

4) Ask for letters of recommendation and make sure that a minimum of 3 appropriate

recommendations reach your Credentials File no later than May 16th.

5) Submit your List of Recommenders Form by May 20th.

6) Submit a draft copy of the Work/Experience section of your primary application (AMCAS,

AACOMAS, eg.) by May 31st.

7) Submit an online Credentials Request via AMS starting at noon EST on July 20th.