Dear 2021 Applicants,
This update is directed at those of you who are still taking or retaking the MCAT and are applying in the current 2021 cycle. As most of you have probably already seen, as you are following these developments closely from your end also, the AAMC has released an update about the MCAT. See
https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/coronav…<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__students-2Dresidents.a…>
Highlights:
1) Three new test dates have been added, and all May through September tests will be shortened:
Updated: April 24, 2020
2020 MCAT TESTING CALENDAR (MAY 29 -- SEPTEMBER 28, 2020)
We know how disruptive the COVID-19 pandemic has been to MCAT examinees during these critical weeks and months as they prepare for their journey to medical school. The AAMC is expanding the testing calendar to help students impacted by recent cancellations as a result of COVID-19. Three new dates have been added to the calendar (June 28, September 28, and September 29) and three test appointments will be held per date. The AAMC has temporarily shortened the MCAT exam to increase capacity and follow social distancing practices in all test centers.
Registration will open on May 7 for the updated MCAT Testing Calendar. This update is based upon current information, as of April 24, 2020, about the spread of COVID-19 and the anticipated ability for in-person testing. The AAMC will provide further updates should circumstances change.
SHORTENED EXAM FOR MAY 29 – SEPTEMBER 28 ADMINISTRATIONS
A shortened exam will be administered from May 29 to September 28 to accommodate three test appointments per test date at test centers. The exam will be 5 hours and 45 minutes. Examinees will be tested on content from all four sections of the exam and are responsible for knowing the same concepts and skills that are tested on the full-length exam.
Scores will not change. You will receive five scores from the shortened version of the exam: one from each of the four sections and one combined total score, just like examinees who took the full-length test. Learn more<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__students-2Dresidents.a…>.
2) Also be sure to review the updated MCAT COVID FAQs (below the above update) for more information about turnaround of MCAT scores and about the shortened test format (currently the last two FAQs in the MCAT COVID FAQ list).
> FAQ on scoring: “MCAT scores will be reported within approximately two weeks for exams held from June 19 through August 1. MCAT scores from other test dates will be reported to examinees and medical schools in the typical time frame of about four weeks.”
We are hearing from the medical schools admissions deans and directors that they will take the usual holistic approach when comparing a score from a shortened MCAT exam to scores earned from the usual format of the MCAT. This means that they will not penalize you for having a score from one of these test dates, and to the degree that they are able, they will take into account whether the changed format might have an impact on scores, if at all. Therefore, if you will be taking one of these shorter exams, please do not be concerned that this will hurt your chances of being evaluated favorably for interviews and admission. Questions can as always be sent to premed@fas.
Best,
Oona
Get Outlook for iOS<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__aka.ms_o0ukef&d=DwMF-g…>
Dear 2021 Applicants,
NOTE: If you applied for the 2020 cycle and are matriculating this summer, we send along our warm congratulations. You will likely want to unsubscribe from this list serve, since we are now moving on to information relevant for the next cycle.
Here is the regular line up of info- for the more COVID-specific message, please refer to the previous email sent to this list on 4/7/20.
1. AMCAS dates. AMCAS opens on May 4. At that time you can begin creating your application. AMCAS opens for submission on May 28. You should plan to submit your application in the first two weeks of June. It is extremely important that you submit your application in this time frame. June 26 is the first day that verified AMCAS applications are sent to medical schools, so most of your secondary applications will come in late June and early July.
1. Secondary applications. Some secondary applications are not sent to you, but rather you are required to go on the web portal for that school and retrieve them. Once you have submitted your AMCAS and have a firm list of schools, carefully check all the school websites to be sure you are clear about their policies for secondary applications. We recommend you complete secondary applications within 10-14 days of receiving them.
1. Spam filters. Check your spam filter every day of the summer and through the application year to be sure that important communication from medical schools is not getting stuck there.
1. AMCAS Workshop. As a final reminder, this webinar is THURSDAY, 4/23 from 1-2:30pm. To participate, pre-register using your Harvard (@college, @post, or @alumni) email address at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2954029707011301899. Once pre-registered, you will receive a confirmation email. Click on the link included in the confirmation email to join the webinar. Please join at least five minutes before the workshop is scheduled to begin.
1. Advising appointments. From April 30-June 30, individual premed advising will only be available to 2021 applicants.
Best,
Oona, Meaghan, and Emiko
Premedical and Health Career Advising
Office of Career Services
Harvard University
54 Dunster Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
tel: 617.495.2595
http://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/medical-health
Dear 2021 Applicants,
We hope you are all doing OK and staying well during this very challenging time. The following FAQs include the usual items that we want you to be aware of at this point of the application cycle, as well as several FAQs about COVID-19 related circumstances related to MCAT scheduling and the change to a binary Spring 2020 grading policy.
1) 2021 AMCAS dates:
Application Opens: Monday, May 4, 2020
Submission Opens: Thursday, May 28, 2020
Transmission of Verified AMCAS Applications to Medical Schools Begins: Friday, June 26, 2020
2) The 2020 edition of MSAR<https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapps.aamc.org%2Fmsar-ui%2F%2…> (for 2021 applicants) has been released. Students with a current subscription will automatically receive these updates.
3) Will there be any change to the 2021 application timeline as a result of COVID-19? No, we do not anticipate any changes to the 2021 AMCAS timeline. As in past years, we advise all applicants (including applicants who have not yet taken the MCAT) to plan on submitting AMCAS by the first half of June. See https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/coronav….
4) My scheduled MCAT exam administration has been cancelled. What should I do? As of 4/1, all April MCAT exam administrations have been cancelled globally. Please continue to refer directly to the AAMC Coronavirus MCAT FAQ page for the most up-to-date information about MCAT cancellations and updates on when it will become possible to reschedule for a new exam date: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/coronav…. In particular, see the answer to Will there be any new exam dates added to compensate for cancellations and rescheduling?<https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/coronav…>
5) Will medical schools accept my application if I am not able to schedule a new MCAT exam date until much later in the summer? Can I still apply this cycle even if I do not know when I will be able to take the MCAT? Yes. At this time, we expect that medicals schools will accommodate 2021 applicants whose MCAT exam has to be rescheduled for a date that is still TBD. For updates from the medical schools, see the second to last FAQ on the AAMC FAQ page: Are there any considerations being taken for upcoming application cycles due to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19)? <https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/coronav…> "Medical schools are aware of changes to the MCAT administration dates, and the AAMC is working with the schools as they begin to prepare for later test score availability for the upcoming application cycle. Please go to MSAR for school specific policies and deadlines." The OCS pre-health advisers are closely monitoring the responses of the medical schools to the possibility that a significant number of 2021 applicants will not have an MCAT score by summer. As of 4/1, a few schools have already stated that they will accept and begin to evaluate applications from 2021 applicants who do not have a score and who have not been able to schedule or reschedule their MCAT exam. We hope that the majority of medical schools will follow the lead of the schools that have already communicated an accommodating response (e.g., UCSF SOM<https://meded.ucsf.edu/admissions-md-program> > COVID-19 Related Information for 2021 Applicants). Please refer to school websites and MSAR for the most up-to-date information on medical school COVID-19 related accommodation policies; the OCS pre-health advisers will also keep you and your House Premed Tutors continuously updated via this listserv as we hear from the schools and the AAMC with more information. Any 2021 applicants with time sensitive questions or concerns around postponing and rescheduling your planned MCAT exam date, please email us at premed(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:premed@fas.harvard.edu> and copy your House adviser/s (NRT and/or Resident Premed Tutor/s), so that we can help you regroup and plan.
6) If I do not have a hard copy of the Medical School Admissions Data Report, is there a way I can access this OCS publication electronically? Yes, we have set up a temporary link which we can send to you so that you can access the report electronically. Please email us directly at premed(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:premed@fas.harvard.edu> to request access. Please note that you will need to set up your HarvardKey to log in and view the report.
7) Change to Spring 2020 grading policy: As all currently enrolled students in the College have been notified, the decision to mandate Emergency Sat/Emergency Unsat (SEM/UEM) grading in all Spring 2020 courses was made in response to the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. With the shift to learning, completing assignments, and taking exams online and in different locations and time zones, many students are finding it difficult or impossible to do their best work while dealing with the many unexpected and still rapidly evolving circumstances of the pandemic. To ensure academic continuity and equity, the change to a mandatory binary grading system was felt to be the best and only option. For general questions about this change to SEM/UEM grading, please refer to the COVID-19- FAQs<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.us12.list-2Dma…> for students.
a) Will medical schools accept an SEM grade in a required premed course? Since SEM/UEM grading was mandated by Harvard, we do not expect the absence of letter grades in Spring 2020 courses to negatively impact applications to graduate and professional school. Many graduate schools have already indicated that they will be reviewing transcripts from this period with an understanding that different policies were in effect at different undergraduate schools. Medical schools are actively discussing and reviewing these changes, but have not settled on a uniform policy for evaluating binary grading in required premedical courses taken this semester. However, some schools have already said that they are willing to accept such grades as long as binary grading was mandated by the institution, as it is in Harvard's case, and others have said that they will accept satisfactory non-letter grades whether they were elective or mandated sat/uns. If any of the medical schools to which you are applying are not willing to accept an SEM grade in a required premed course, the OCS Pre-Health Advisers will reach out to them on your behalf to explain and clarify the situation. In addition, your transcript will have a notation explaining that this was Harvard College grading policy in Spring 2020.
b) What impact will SEM/UEM grading have on my medical or other graduate school applications and on my competitiveness for admission to MD, MD-PhD, and other programs? The shift to SEM/UEM grading has raised concerns among some of you about how medical schools will interpret Spring 2020 grades and GPAs in light of the change. Some students are worried that SEM grades in lieu of letter grades make it difficult to demonstrate academic excellence this semester. Others have reached out to us sharing that they were doing well in their courses this semester and were expecting their final course grades to raise overall and/or science GPAs, and are disappointed that the shift to binary grading means that their hard work in courses this term will no longer be factored into their GPA. We want you to know that as the OCS Pre-Health Advisers, we maintain regular communication with the medical schools at all times, and we are now in close communication with the admissions deans and directors to help them understand the impact the pandemic is having on undergraduate students this term, including the changes to binary grading that have been implemented at many colleges and universities across the country. For anyone who is concerned that the SEM grades you earn this semester could negatively impact your application, we and your House Premedical Committee stand ready to reach out to the schools on your behalf as the cycle progresses. We also want to highlight that, as part of their long-standing and broad commitment to holistic review of every application received, medical and other health professions schools already practice careful and individualized interpretation of students' academic performance. Therefore, we are confident that medical school admissions staff will view your SEM grades earned in Spring 2020 with the utmost attention to the circumstances faced by each individual student during the pandemic. Given the commitment to holistic review of transcripts that is shared by all US medical schools, admissions committees will be able to take into account the degree to which your SEM grades may have prevented you from raising your science and/or overall GPA. For most 2021 as well as future applicants, the impact of one term's worth of binary grades is likely to be minor, and will not make you any less competitive for any of the schools to which you are applying. *If you have emailed us, or plan to reach out to us in the coming weeks with questions or concerns about the impact of SEM/UEM grading, please know that we are making every effort to get back to you as quickly as possible. Please email us at premed(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:premed@fas.harvard.edu>.
8) I was on track to get more clinical experience hours this spring and summer, but due to the pandemic I can no longer complete these hours as planned. What can I do to pivot? We have started to hear from some of you that your plans to build your shadowing and/or hands-on clinical experience has been impacted by COVID-19. Many of you might have planned to do this throughout the spring semester and through the summer, or perhaps you had shadowing hours already scheduled for spring break or later in the semester. If this applies to you, you could consider adding a sentence to your activity description to explain your plans and what you hope to do going forward. For example: I had arranged 15 hours of shadowing for spring break 2020, however, due to Covid-19, I was unable to complete these shadowing hours. I now plan to do these in Fall 2020. We also recommend that you keep an eye on local job and internships boards where you are now, as well as searching https://www.idealist.org/en/, https://jobs.crelate.com/portal/talentboost and other similar sites; check for newly added opportunities in Crimson Careers<https://harvard-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php?signin_tab=0>, including virtual or in-person roles supporting healthcare organizations with increased needs for volunteers due to COVID-19; and consider cold outreach or reaching out to people and organizations you are already connected with to check on further opportunities to volunteer from where you are now; see https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/network and https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/prehealth-experience for helpful tips and links. Medical school admissions committees will understand that shadowing and clinical volunteering in many hospitals and other healthcare facilities at this time would be neither safe for you nor permitted by COVID-19 restrictions on clinical staff, so just do your best to identify new and creative ways to help out, as many of you are already doing, and we are confident that your application will not be weakened if the number of clinical hours in your application is a bit lower than planned due to the pandemic.
9) Best wishes to Emiko, who is about to begin her maternity leave, and once more, a warm welcome to Meaghan Shea, who will offer 2021 Applicant appointments during Emiko's leave. Meaghan joined OCS in the fall and before coming to Harvard, was a premed/pre-health adviser at MIT, so she's super experienced! You know that we have our policy of asking you to stick to one adviser, so with Emiko going on leave, we ask that her students first try to book with Meaghan in Crimson Careers (and then if she is not available, you can book with Oona). To book a 2021 medical school applicant appointment with Meaghan, either select "2021 medical school applicant" as the appointment type and then you will see Meaghan's availability, or, in the adviser section, scroll down to the premed & pre-health advisers, and you can also find Meaghan's availability there. Emiko will return from leave in the summer and will resume her advising appointments in August.
10) Mark your calendars (these and all other remaining Spring 2020 premed and pre-health programs can be viewed in full on our website in the OCS Events and Employer/Graduate School Events calendars<https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/medical-health>): a) our final 2021 Applicant workshop for the semester, Completing the AMCAS Application<https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/amcas>, will be held later this month on 4/23 (see below). For the resources associated with this workshop, see https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/amcas. Before emailing us with questions about how to fill out AMCAS, TMDSAS, or AACOMAS, please review the "FAQs for Applicants"<https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/amcas>. We will also host six AMCAS Q/A online help sessions in May and June (see below for the dates). Preparing for the Medical School Interview workshop concludes the 2021 applicant workshop series, and will be offered in late August and September, three times in person and once in webinar form. Dates TBA.
AMCAS Application Workshop (Webinar)
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2020, 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Not sure how to fill out the AMCAS application for medical schools? This webinar is the final workshop in the spring series for students and alumni planning to apply in summer 2020. Note that this workshop is just for students who are about to apply to medical school this summer. We offer this workshop every year so those of you who will be applying next year (or beyond) will be able to join us in the future. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND<https://harvard-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php?s=event&ss=ws&_ksl=1&…>.
AMCAS Q/As: Join us virtually to ask questions about AMCAS, the application process, and more. These Q/A sessions will be offered on the dates listed below. They are one hour long, and applicants can log on and off at any point during the hour. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND<https://harvard-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php?s=event&ss=ws&_ksl=1&…>.
5/6/2020, 12:00pm to 1:00pm
5/13/2020, 5:00pm to 6:00pm
5/20/2020 1:00pm to 2:00pm
5/27/2020 3:00pm to 4:00pm
6/3/2020 11:00am to 12:00pm
6/10/2020 4:00pm to 5:00pm
b) Remaining Spring 2020 Medical School Infosessions:
Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine Virtual Information Session
Date: Monday, April 13, 2020, 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Come hear from Mark Schuster, MD, Dean for Admissions at Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine about medical school education and admissions at the newest medical school in the US. Co-sponsored by the Harvard Premedical Society. Zoom link TBA. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND<https://harvard-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php?s=event&ss=ws&_ksl=1&…>.
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Virtual Information Session
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2020, 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Come hear from Dr. Roopal Kundu, MD, Associate Dean for Admissions at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, about medical school education and the admissions process. Co-sponsored by the Harvard Premedical Society. Zoom link TBA. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND<https://harvard-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php?s=event&ss=ws&_ksl=1&…>.
Hang in there everyone, stay safe, and good luck launching your 2021 applications. The OCS Pre-Health team as well as your House Premed Tutors and Academic Coordinators are all here to support you as you get ready to submit your applications.
All the best,
Oona, Emiko, and Meaghan
Oona B. Ceder, PhD
Director, Premedical and Health Career Advising
Associate Director of Career Services
Ph: 617.495.2595 / Fax: 617.495.3584
Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers
http://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/medical-health
Subscribe to the Harvard OCS Medical School Applicant Listserv: If you are applying to medical school in 2020 for matriculation in 2021, please subscribe to our Applicant Listserv at https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/harvardocs-medschool-applica… with a @college.harvard.edu address, @post.harvard.edu address, or @alumni.harvard.edu address.
Office of Career Services<http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/>, Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
54 Dunster Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
[cid:image001.jpg@01D60C76.4F685480]<http://www.facebook.com/OCSHarvard>[cid:image002.jpg@01D60C76.4F685480]<http://twitter.com/HarvardOCS>[cid:image003.jpg@01D60C76.4F685480]<http://ocsharvard.tumblr.com/>[cid:image004.jpg@01D60C76.4F685480]<http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/>