One of our Application Architect students reflects on their high school journey, the process of writing BS/MD essays and practicing for interviews, and their experiences throughout the BS/MD admissions cycle. This student has gained multiple admissions to competitive programs, but has asked to remain anonymous to maintain their privacy. If you want to work with us on BS/MD or medical school applications, click the link here to get started.
An Unconventional BS/MD Path
I started a little later than most applicants. It wasn’t until junior year that I was truly sure I wanted to become a doctor, and I only began considering BS/MD programs around the middle of that year. At first, I was worried that I hadn’t spent all of high school preparing for this medical path, but in hindsight, that was one of my greatest strengths.
I spent most of my underclassman years exploring everything I was curious about, like technology, business, debate, architecture, and even art. While these activities sound completely random, they all had a recurring theme of creating things to make a meaningful impact in my community. This eventually shaped my “why” for medicine.
This exploration was extremely valuable because it helped me understand what truly matters to me. You don’t need to dedicate all of your high school to shadowing or volunteering to be a strong applicant. In fact exploring other fields can give you a diverse perspective and can help you approach medicine from different angles. I think this is what helped me stand out; I showed that I am more than just my interest in medicine, and I can apply what I have learned from different experiences to my medical career.
The BS/MD Application Process
To be completely honest, applying for BS/MD programs was one of the most stressful periods of my life. Juggling my heavy course load and the amount of writing for BS/MD essays and practicing for interviews was pretty tough. One thing that helped a lot was planning. I worked with Darlene (who was amazing!) to map out a rough timeline, and I eventually fleshed it out into a week-by-week timeline before school even started. This helped me stay accountable and on track, even when my work started piling up. If you’re applying to BS/MDs, start early. These programs have many deadlines, and many interviews run all the way into February, sometimes March, so organization is key.
The very first step in the application process was building my college list. I knew I wanted to stay closer to home, so most of the schools I applied to were on the East Coast. In total, I applied to about 20 schools. Looking back, I wish I had done more research on the programs I chose. There were a few programs I applied to that, realistically, I wouldn’t have attended even if I got in. I also wish I had applied to more T20/Ivy League schools.
Your college list is one step you can and should get started on early. Think about what truly matters to you like location, curriculum, research opportunities, hospital affiliations, class size, student culture and build your list around that. Don’t just go off rankings– be intentional and strategic, because each application takes a lot of energy.
Writing BS/MD Essays
The second step was to write my Common App and my “Why Medicine” essay. These essays were the hardest pieces for me to write. I rewrote each of them 5–6 times, and even then, I was editing them in August. If I could go back, I’d finish those two essays earlier in the summer, before all the supplemental prompts were released. Once school started, it became hard for me to keep up.
After finishing the personal statement and Why Medicine essays, I shifted focus onto writing about 5-6 strong supplemental essays. I was able to reuse them for a lot of my BS/MD applications. Many of the prompts were variations on similar themes, like “Describe your interest in medicine” or “Talk about a meaningful extracurricular.”
When I felt stuck on a hard supplement, I’d switch to an easier one to keep writing. That small shift helped me stay productive rather than burning out. It is really important to keep going, but you have to find the most effective method for you.
Practicing for BS/MD Interviews
The last part of the applications was the BS/MD interviews. I had five BS/MD interviews: some traditional, some MMI-style. To be honest, I ended up enjoying MMI a lot more than I expected. I especially liked prepping and answering MMI ethical scenarios because it also taught me more about healthcare dilemmas, patient autonomy, systemic issues, and other hard situations I would have to face in medicine.
I was very nervous for the first couple of interviews. I stumbled a little bit and didn’t answer some questions very well. One interview was particularly bad. The interviewer talked the whole time and barely let me speak. I walked out feeling extremely stressed. But then I had an interview where I really clicked with the faculty member, and the conversation just flowed. I learned that one bad response or interview isn’t the end of the world. Reset and treat each interview/question like a fresh opportunity.
What helped most in terms of preparation was talking out loud. Outside of mock interviews with Darlene, I practiced with my parents, recorded myself answering questions, and reviewed recent healthcare topics. The goal isn’t to memorize responses, but to get comfortable thinking on your feet.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the application process– both writing BS/MD essays and attending interviews– is grueling and tiresome, but it can be extremely rewarding. I learned so much about myself, what I care about, and how I want to approach medicine.
To rising seniors who are reading this, don’t be afraid to talk about your other experiences outside of medicine. Be authentic because your non-medical interests can actually strengthen your application and make your story more interesting. Also, make sure to celebrate any BS/MD essays and interviews you complete. It is so easy to forget to give yourself credit, but this is a long journey, and every step really counts.
Lastly, don’t compare yourself to others. There are so many BS/MD applicants who are exceptional and very talented. It is so easy to spiral when you hear about other people’s stats, extracurriculars, and acceptances. Stay focused on yourself– you will end up where you’re meant to be. Whether or not it’s through a BS/MD program, your passion for medicine will take you on a path that’s right for you.
Leave a Reply