Skip to main content

Learn More About AUC's COVID-19 Response

AUC Med Logo

Mobile Main Nav

  • About AUC
    • About AUC
    • Residency Placements
    • Accreditations & Approvals
    • St. Maarten Campus
    • UK Track
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Facts & Figures
    • Events
    • News & Publications
    • Blog
    • Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine
    • Leadership
    • Community Affairs
  • Admissions
    • Admissions
    • Admissions Requirements
    • How to Apply
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Scholarships
    • MCAT Information
    • Canadian Student Applicants
    • Non-US Applicants
    • Transferring to AUC
    • Career Changers
    • Admissions Assessment
    • Request More Information
    • On-demand Webinars
    • Events
  • MD Program
    • MD Program
    • Medical Sciences Curriculum
    • Clinical Sciences
    • UK Track
    • Medical Education Readiness Program
    • Hospital Teaching Sites
    • Medical School Guides and Resources
    • USMLE Preparation
    • Meet Our Faculty & Staff
    • Student Forms
  • Student Life
    • Student Life
    • About St. Maarten
    • Virtual Tour
    • Safety & Security
    • Health & Wellness
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Spouses Organization and Families
    • Housing
    • OFFICE OF CAREER ADVISEMENT
    • Class Profiles
    • Alumni Class Notes Form
  • Discover AUC
    • Discover AUC
    • Virtual Tour
    • Blog
    • Medical Specialties
    • News & Publications
    • Viewbook & Factsheets
    • Alumni News
    • Photo Gallery
  • Apply
    • Start Your Application
    • Submit Your AMCAS Application
    • Submit Your AACOMAS Application
    • Submit Your TMDSAS Application
    • Continue Your Application
  • Alumni
  • Faculty
  • Students
  • Parents
  • Careers

Secondary Mobile Menu

  • Request Info
  • Apply Now

Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Call
  • Request Info
  • Apply Now
  • Alumni
  • Faculty
  • Students
  • Parents
  • Careers

Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin

Utility Navigation

  • REQUEST INFO
AUC Med Logo
  • About AUC
    • ABOUT AUC

      Our medical school offers a collaborative learning environment that features a multitude of student organizations, small class sizes, international training opportunities, and a team-based learning culture.

      VIEWBOOK & FACTSHEETS

      • About AUC
      • Residency Placements
      • Accreditations & Approvals
      • St. Maarten Campus
      • UK Track
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Facts & Figures
      • Events
      • News & Publications
      • Blog
      • Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine
      • Leadership
      • Community Affairs
  • Admissions
    • ADMISSIONS

      Our medical school admissions team is eager to assist you as you embark on your journey to become a physician. Our goal is to provide you with all of the information and guidance you need to explore AUC as a medical school option.

      Take the Admissions Assessment

      • Admissions
      • Admissions Requirements
      • How to Apply
      • Tuition & Financial Aid
      • Scholarships
      • MCAT Information
      • Canadian Student Applicants
      • Non-US Applicants
      • Transferring to AUC
      • Career Changers
      • Admissions Assessment
      • Request More Information
      • On-demand Webinars
      • Events
  • MD Program
    • MD PROGRAM

      A US-modeled curriculum designed to prepare you for practice in the US, Canada, and beyond.

      Learn More

      • MD Program
      • Medical Sciences Curriculum
      • Clinical Sciences
      • UK Track
      • Medical Education Readiness Program
      • Hospital Teaching Sites
      • Medical School Guides and Resources
      • USMLE Preparation
      • Meet Our Faculty & Staff
      • Student Forms
  • Student Life
    • STUDENT LIFE

      Learn what it's like to be a student at AUC, including living in St. Maarten, opportunities for community involvement, and clubs and organizations.

      TAKE THE VIRTUAL TOUR

      • Student Life
      • About St. Maarten
      • Virtual Tour
      • Safety & Security
      • Health & Wellness
      • Clubs and Organizations
      • Spouses Organization and Families
      • Housing
      • OFFICE OF CAREER ADVISEMENT
      • Class Profiles
      • Alumni Class Notes Form
  • Discover AUC
    • DISCOVER AUC

      From our alumni news, to informative blogs, and virtual tour, discover all that AUC offers.

      Learn More
      • Discover AUC
      • Virtual Tour
      • Blog
      • Medical Specialties
      • News & Publications
      • Viewbook & Factsheets
      • Alumni News
      • Photo Gallery
  • Apply
      • Start Your Application
      • Submit Your AMCAS Application
      • Submit Your AACOMAS Application
      • Submit Your TMDSAS Application
      • Continue Your Application
  • Apply Now
      • Start Your Application
      • Submit Your AMCAS Application
      • Submit Your AACOMAS Application
      • Submit your TMDSAS Application
      • Continue Your Application
Pattern Two
Monday, December 24, 2018
Medical School Tips & Resources

Share

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email

Breadcrumb

  1. About Us
  2. News & Publications
  3. How To Get Into Medical School: 11 Winter Break Tips

How To Get Into Medical School

Applying to medical school? Get a leg up during your winter break by following this advice from our admissions team at AUC.

 

WINTER BREAK MEDICAL PROGRAMS

1. Seek out holiday volunteer opportunities. The Holiday Project, for example, organizes visits to senior centers, nursing homes, hospices, and even hospitals around the United States. Their goal? Bring the holiday spirit to individuals who might otherwise not have a celebration. Your local United Way can also provide a list of nearby homeless shelters and soup kitchens that may need extra help over the holidays. Whatever you do, make sure it’s something that you’re interested in and passionate about.

2. Get exposure in a clinical setting. Volunteer work of any kind is important but doing so in a clinical setting is particularly noteworthy. It doesn’t matter how strong your grades are or how high your test scores are if you can’t show the ability to connect with others on a fundamental level.

3. Travel abroad on a medical mission trip. Depending on your flexibility and resources, look at volunteer opportunities outside of the country. Organizations like International Medical Relief, GO Overseas, and International Volunteer HQ host 1-to-4 week trips designed for medical professionals and students, as well as non-medical volunteers. Gain experience, learn new skills, network with physicians abroad, and put yourself in a situation outside of your comfort zone.

Not ready to pack your bags just yet? Utilize the holiday time to research summer trips or alternative spring break programs.

4. Study for the MCAT. Whether you’re taking the MCAT for the first time or preparing for your second or third attempt, set aside time to study how to get into medical school. Map out a schedule to help manage your time and use online resources—practice questions, interactive videos, discussion forums—to familiarize yourself with the MCAT format.

5. Connect with a healthcare provider. Ask friends and family to introduce you to a local healthcare provider. Talking with established medical professionals can help you think about your own plans and the fields or specialty areas within medicine that interest you. Once you’ve developed a rapport, ask about shadowing or even helping with a research project—ideally one that has the potential for publication.

If you don’t have any connections, email your local AUC admissions director for help. We have a network of more than 6,500 alumni—many of whom are happy to talk with prospective students about a career in medicine.

6. Touch base with your references—new or old. Who will write you a stellar letter of recommendation (LOR)? Think about professors, employers, or project supervisors who can speak about your character, academic acumen, and potential as a medical student. The holidays can be an appropriate time to initiate LOR discussions or check back with references who are in the process of writing a letter. Try to find time to meet in-person and provide a bulleted list of recent accomplishments or activities.

7. Update and refine your personal statement. Dust off your personal statement—it’s time for a thorough update to reflect your recent activities and achievements. Personal statements should be written from the heart and focus on a deep narrative. If you’ve got a blemish on your academic record, use the statement to explain what happened and how you’ve evolved and better prepared yourself for getting into medical school.

8. Get your standard application documents in order. Coordinating background checks and ordering transcripts may sound easy but these processes can take more time than expected. Obtaining a background check from your local police department, for example, can take 2 to 4 weeks. Get the ball rolling now so these important documents don’t hold you back once you’re ready to apply.

9. Practice your interview skills. If you’re spending the holidays with family and friends, ask for volunteers to role-play a mock medical school interview. Practice your introduction, talking points, and timing, and get more comfortable fielding questions from different people. After each interview, ask for constructive criticism.

10. Get caught up on current events. A simple but often overlooked activity.

11. Do your research on what you are looking for in a medical school. Ask yourself what’s important to you: small class sizes, a collaborative atmosphere, diversified clinical experiences, strong research opportunities? Spend time researching what schools can deliver that experience. Look at a school’s website, read their mission statement, see if they are connected to a community initiative or project, and read discussion forums to get other students’ perspectives.

Related Blogs

Blog
students studying
10 Tips on How to Study for Medical School
Becoming a doctor definitely has its challenges, but there are ways to overcome them. Read on to discover the tips on how to study for medical school.
Blog
Woman and man looking at computer
Tips to Help you Succeed in Medical School
In this blog, AUC details tips on how to succeed in medical school.
Blog
Three woman studying at table
Application Services
In an effort to ease the challenges of applying to medical school, several application services have been created to allow applicants to submit just one primary application, regardless of the number of medical schools to which they apply.
Top
AUC Med Logo

Footer Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Careers
  • Student Email
  • Colleague Email
  • Contact
  • Sitemap

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

1600 SW 80TH TERRACE, 
PLANTATION, FL 33024
PHONE: 305-446-0600

TOLL-FREE: 866-DR2B-AUC
(866-372-2282)
FAX: 305-444-6791

ST. MAARTEN CAMPUS

1 UNIVERSITY DRIVE AT JORDAN ROAD, CUPECOY, ST. MAARTEN

PHONE: +1 721-545-2298

FAX: +1 721-545-2440

PRESTON, UK PROGRAM SITE

VERNON BUILDING ROOM 64, SIZER STREET PRESTON, LANCHASHIRE PR1 1JQ

PHONE: +1 721-545-2298

FAX: +305-444-2440

American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM, www.accredmed.org), which is the accreditor used by the country of St. Maarten.

 

© 2022 American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. All rights reserved.   
Privacy Policy | Student Consumer Information | Online Cookie Policy | Accessibility | Catalog and Student Handbook

 

  • Call
  • Chat
  • Request Info
  • Apply Now
  • Alumni
  • Faculty
  • Students
  • Parents
  • Careers
  • "Chat Now"