2019-2020 Central Michigan

[Jappa]

First ever II this morning!!! So happy

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[dhmrs]

First ever II this morning!!! So happy

What interview dates did they give you the option for?

 

[cacophany]

First ever II this morning!!! So happy

Congrats!! Would you mind sharing your stats, complete date and if you're IS or OOS?

Sorry for interrogating lol

 

[Jappa]

What interview dates did they give you the option for?

8/23 and 9/20 were the only two options offered to me.

Congrats!! Would you mind sharing your stats, complete date and if you're IS or OOS?

Sorry for interrogating lol

Thank you! All good
LM ~70, complete 7/11, and IS
ORM as well

 

[birdr]

II this morning! Yee haw!

 

[cacophany]

II this morning! Yee haw!

Congrats!! Would you also mind sharing your stats, complete date and if you're IS or OOS?

 

[birdr]

Congrats!! Would you also mind sharing your stats, complete date and if you're IS or OOS?

LM ~70, complete 7/13, IS, ORM

 

[meepdog]

II!!! Complete 7/11, IS, ORM

 

[HolisticAFFF]

First ever interview invite this morning! I was so happy I was shaking. I can't believe they gave me an interview as an average, OOS applicant. Feeling very grateful and blessed. Who else is interviewing August 23rd?

 

[futureneuro7]

First ever interview invite this morning! I was so happy I was shaking. I can't believe they gave me an interview as an average, OOS applicant. Feeling very grateful and blessed. Who else is interviewing August 23rd?

Stats?

 

[HolisticAFFF]

Stats?

From the Northeast with a 3.5 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA and 510 MCAT. Huge upward trend (flunked my first semester) and got straight As my last three years.

 

[futureneuro7]

From the Northeast with a 3.5 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA and 510 MCAT. Huge upward trend (flunked my first semester) and got straight As my last three years.

A 510 MCAT? Straight As for three years? You and I have different definitions of 'average', my friend

 

[WaterFlow]

From the Northeast with a 3.5 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA and 510 MCAT. Huge upward trend (flunked my first semester) and got straight As my last three years.

Congrats!! and nice job!

 

[HolisticAFFF]

A 510 MCAT? Straight As for three years? You and I have different definitions of 'average', my friend

Maybe this website has made me believe I was an average applicant. I really thought I had no chance at an MD program which is why I applied DO as well. I would honestly be happy getting into any program anywhere! Best of luck to you

 

[HolisticAFFF]

Congrats!! and nice job!

Thank you! Good luck to you!!

 

[HolisticAFFF]

I read on last year’s thread that they don’t look at GPA or MCAT before they extend interview invites. Are they doing that again this year?

 

[meepdog]

I read on last year’s thread that they don’t look at GPA or MCAT before they extend interview invites. Are they doing that again this year?

Is this really true? It seems a little hard to believe they wouldn't screen out at least like 3.0, 497 or something

 

[TheRealNoG]

I read on last year’s thread that they don’t look at GPA or MCAT before they extend interview invites. Are they doing that again this year?

I was also wondering about this. Can’t seem to find it mentioned anywhere other than last year’s thread.

 

[fdizzle12]

They screen GPA MCAT before sending you a secondary. Apparently, after that, they don't look at those stats.

 

[TheRealNoG]

They screen GPA MCAT before sending you a secondary. Apparently, after that, they don't look at those stats.

Have you seen that mentioned somewhere other than SDN?

 

[fdizzle12]

Have you seen that mentioned somewhere other than SDN?

Valid question. No, I haven't, so definitely take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Oorham]

Current CMU students, could you please elaborate on the following three courses mentioned in the curriculum: MED 600: Society/Community, MED 610: Essentials – Clinical Skills and MED 620: The Art of Medicine. Also, is the curriculum integrating basic sciences and clinical sciences?
Do students have community engagement starting term 1? Also, what happens during the cares weeks? What do you think are the pros and cons of the comprehensive community clerkship training? How is the school environment? I read that the research facilities are pretty new, do you think that would place students, who are interested in doing research along their medical education, at a disadvantage? As a current student, what do you think are some of the rooms for improvement? Do you think the curriculum has prepared you well for the USMLE exams? Thank you very much for your time and assistance.

 

[futureneuro7]

Current CMU students, could you please elaborate on the following three courses mentioned in the curriculum: MED 600: Society/Community, MED 610: Essentials – Clinical Skills and MED 620: The Art of Medicine.
Do students have community engagement starting term 1? Also, what happens during the cares weeks? What do you think are the pros and cons of the comprehensive community clerkship training? How is the school environment? I read that the research facilities are pretty new, do you think that would place students, who are interested in doing research along their medical education, at a disadvantage? As a current student, what do you think are some of the rooms for improvement? Do you think the curriculum has prepared you well for the USMLE exams? Thank you very much for your time and assistance.

Can any current students also confirm/deny the "don't look at stats for II" claim?

 

[Traumahawk]

Current CMU students, could you please elaborate on the following three courses mentioned in the curriculum: MED 600: Society/Community, MED 610: Essentials – Clinical Skills and MED 620: The Art of Medicine.
Do students have community engagement starting term 1? Also, what happens during the cares weeks? What do you think are the pros and cons of the comprehensive community clerkship training? How is the school environment? I read that the research facilities are pretty new, do you think that would place students, who are interested in doing research along their medical education, at a disadvantage? As a current student, what do you think are some of the rooms for improvement? Do you think the curriculum has prepared you well for the USMLE exams? Thank you very much for your time and assistance.

To answer your questions, in order:

1) Society & Community and Art of Medicine are (or at least they were for us) a combined course. Topics covered include medical ethics, public health, biostats, and vulnerable populations in medicine. We also had to complete a project by the end of M2 that touched on your personal experience of society and medicine. I'm not sure if that requirement will be remaining, since the professor is new this year.
2) Essentials of Clinical Skills is a two-year, longitudinal practical course in clinical skills, covering the entirety of how to perform a history and physical exam, including specialty physical exam maneuvers. You'll be working with standardized patients and writing notes weekly.
3) "School environment" is a very broad question. In general, the school is a very welcoming environment. The curriculum is designed to get people to work together; most classes are conducted in a team-based format. Backstabbing and other "gunner" behavior has typically not been known to occur in CMED classes.
4) New research facilities mean you can do whatever you want for research, and it's very simple to find a faculty member who will sponsor you. I wouldn't call it a disadvantage at all.
5) Areas for improvement: we do struggle with logistics a bit, as having a split preclinical/clinical campus results in a lot of moving parts. We've turned over some faculty since the founding of the school, which some would see as a detriment; I regard that as a net neutral.
6) In all the contact I've had with medical students from all over the country, I have yet to meet any student from any institution who thinks their curriculum "adequately prepared" - or indeed, prepared them at all - for USMLE. The only thing that "prepares" you for USMLE is a USMLE Q-bank, as much of it as you can stuff in your head. (This is why you will see a couple of students in every institution who will skip every single lecture, lab, and exercise in order to dedicate every waking hour to Pathoma, UWorld, and Zanki. End result: godly board scores with terrible clinical skills.) If you want to know if the curriculum prepares you for succeeding as a future physician, though - clinical knowledge, anatomy, pathophysiology, etc - that answer is yes.

Hopefully you find this information useful. Best of luck!

 

[HolisticAFFF]

To answer your questions, in order:

1) Society & Community and Art of Medicine are (or at least they were for us) a combined course. Topics covered include medical ethics, public health, biostats, and vulnerable populations in medicine. We also had to complete a project by the end of M2 that touched on your personal experience of society and medicine. I'm not sure if that requirement will be remaining, since the professor is new this year.
2) Essentials of Clinical Skills is a two-year, longitudinal practical course in clinical skills, covering the entirety of how to perform a history and physical exam, including specialty physical exam maneuvers. You'll be working with standardized patients and writing notes weekly.
3) "School environment" is a very broad question. In general, the school is a very welcoming environment. The curriculum is designed to get people to work together; most classes are conducted in a team-based format. Backstabbing and other "gunner" behavior has typically not been known to occur in CMED classes.
4) New research facilities mean you can do whatever you want for research, and it's very simple to find a faculty member who will sponsor you. I wouldn't call it a disadvantage at all.
5) Areas for improvement: we do struggle with logistics a bit, as having a split preclinical/clinical campus results in a lot of moving parts. We've turned over some faculty since the founding of the school, which some would see as a detriment; I regard that as a net neutral.
6) In all the contact I've had with medical students from all over the country, I have yet to meet any student from any institution who thinks their curriculum "adequately prepared" - or indeed, prepared them at all - for USMLE. The only thing that "prepares" you for USMLE is a USMLE Q-bank, as much of it as you can stuff in your head. (This is why you will see a couple of students in every institution who will skip every single lecture, lab, and exercise in order to dedicate every waking hour to Pathoma, UWorld, and Zanki. End result: godly board scores with terrible clinical skills.) If you want to know if the curriculum prepares you for succeeding as a future physician, though - clinical knowledge, anatomy, pathophysiology, etc - that answer is yes.

Hopefully you find this information useful. Best of luck!

Why do so many CMED students match internal medicine? Is that just the type of student CMED wants to bring in, or is it as a result of attending CMED? I would like to know your thoughts

 

[star.buck]

Why do so many CMED students match internal medicine? Is that just the type of student CMED wants to bring in, or is it as a result of attending CMED? I would like to know your thoughts

Keep in mind internal is the gateway to MANY specialties. In my class many are aiming for internal, then infectious disease, cardiology, etc. through fellowships.

 

[Traumahawk]

+1 to @star.buck - IM gets you everywhere.

There's also the point to consider that many CMED students are pretty strongly oriented toward primary care to begin with, and the CCC (longitudinal family med clerkship) gives you a whopping dose of exposure to that environment. As a result, we tend to be over-represented in IM, FM, peds, and the like. That's not to say that we don't send people to surgical residencies, or that anyone is ever discouraged from a specialty that nominally isn't in line with the school's mission. We have at least one student in my class going for urology, one for orthopedics, and another going for path, plus a handful for gen surg, plus a bunch of EM folks (*waves*).

TLDR: don't feel like you're pigeonholed into primary care by going here. You're not.

 

[HolisticAFFF]

Keep in mind internal is the gateway to MANY specialties. In my class many are aiming for internal, then infectious disease, cardiology, etc. through fellowships.

Thank you for your reply and being an ambassador for CMED over the years! I am very excited to interview here as our missions align very well (rural health/primary care). Could anyone here talk about the format of the interview? I know it’s MMI and has group activities but more info would be greatly appreciated. Unless it’s classified information lol

 

[HolisticAFFF]

+1 to @star.buck - IM gets you everywhere.

There's also the point to consider that many CMED students are pretty strongly oriented toward primary care to begin with, and the CCC (longitudinal family med clerkship) gives you a whopping dose of exposure to that environment. As a result, we tend to be over-represented in IM, FM, peds, and the like. That's not to say that we don't send people to surgical residencies, or that anyone is ever discouraged from a specialty that nominally isn't in line with the school's mission. We have at least one student in my class going for urology, one for orthopedics, and another going for path, plus a handful for gen surg, plus a bunch of EM folks (*waves*).

TLDR: don't feel like you're pigeonholed into primary care by going here. You're not.

Thanks so much for replying! It seems like CMED attracts very compassionate students. Although I’m currently leaning towards primary care, it’s good to know that CMED would be supportive of other specialities. Another question I have is for the last two years, are students ever placed in Flint or Detroit for their CCC? Do they still give you an option for a rural or urban area?

 

[star.buck]

Thank you for your reply and being an ambassador for CMED over the years! I am very excited to interview here as our missions align very well (rural health/primary care). Could anyone here talk about the format of the interview? I know it’s MMI and has group activities but more info would be greatly appreciated. Unless it’s classified information lol

It’s pretty classified. The general rule is to be yourself, keep in mind the MMI in general is more about who you are and how your respond to various situations than the actual answer to a question. Smile, be enthusiastic, ask questions, be engaged... you’ll be juuuuust fine! Wishing you the best!

 

[HolisticAFFF]

It’s pretty classified. The general rule is to be yourself, keep in mind the MMI in general is more about who you are and how your respond to various situations than the actual answer to a question. Smile, be enthusiastic, ask questions, be engaged... you’ll be juuuuust fine! Wishing you the best!

Another question I have... are OOS students held to a higher standard during interviews or is everyone equal at that point? I’m worried CMED will look extra closely at me as someone from the East Coast, but maybe that’s just my neuroticism

 

[star.buck]

Thanks so much for replying! It seems like CMED attracts very compassionate students. Although I’m currently leaning towards primary care, it’s good to know that CMED would be supportive of other specialities. Another question I have is for the last two years, are students ever placed in Flint or Detroit for their CCC? Do they still give you an option for a rural or urban area?

It’s a lottery system based on ranking... you can rank the urban areas higher or lower and increase your chance of “matching” to your preference pending other students preferences as well. I have classmates that got their first choices (no one else wanted that spot), some their 12th (because many people wanted the same places). I personally got my 5th, and it was a fantastic rural experience.

Another question I have... are OOS students held to a higher standard during interviews or is everyone equal at that point? I’m worried CMED will look extra closely at me as someone from the East Coast, but maybe that’s just my neuroticism

You won’t be held to any different standard. Deep breath, I know it’s difficult and the profession feeds anxiety and neuroticism. If you received an II, they want you - look at it like the seat is yours, they just want to meet you now.

 

[Traumahawk]

There's an honor code for interviewers regarding non-disclosure of the MMI content. In any case, I haven't interviewed since end of M2, so my knowledge is two application cycles out of date anyway. (I might be able to get back and interview again this year, though! Yay M4 electives!)

What I can tell you is this: Trying to prepare for a specific batch of MMI questions is categorically a losing proposition. The process is designed to test how you think on your feet. Interviewers are trained to spot deception and canned answers, and those features will get you dropped faster than any honest admission of "I don't know, but hypothetically X." Indeed, the applicants I've seen who absolutely cratered the interview were those who had clearly prepped from some Q-bank beforehand and then had no idea how to go off that script or handle follow-up questions.

Best advice I can give anyone for an MMI? Be yourself. Answer the question as you would do. Take a deep breath and relax - the questions are not meant to trick or pimp you. And honestly, try to enjoy the day. We're a friendly bunch.

Best of luck!!

 

[star.buck]

Maybe this website has made me believe I was an average applicant. I really thought I had no chance at an MD program which is why I applied DO as well. I would honestly be happy getting into any program anywhere! Best of luck to you

You need to shed this belief. You aren’t average, you’re exceptional. You worked very hard, showed your passion and drive, and you earned this interview - and your seat at a medical school. Of course we’re all lucky/blessed to be here on this side of the interview process - but foster your confidence and know you belong here and belong in that white coat.

If you show an attitude of not thinking you belong, people may pick up on that - and they might believe you.

You belong. You are enough. You’re brilliant. You’re going to be a phenomenal physician.

 

[HolisticAFFF]

You need to shed this belief. You aren’t average, you’re exceptional. You worked very hard, showed your passion and drive, and you earned this interview - and your seat at a medical school. Of course we’re all lucky/blessed to be here on this side of the interview process - but foster your confidence and know you belong here and belong in that white coat.

If you show an attitude of not thinking you belong, people may pick up on that - and they might believe you.

You belong. You are enough. You’re brilliant. You’re going to be a phenomenal physician.

You’re right. Thank you so much! I’ll try to work on my confidence (definitely gonna need that on interview day haha). You and traumahawk seem like great people who are going to be amazing physicians.

 

[Traumahawk]

You’re right. Thank you so much! I’ll try to work on my confidence (definitely gonna need that on interview day haha). You and traumahawk seem like great people who are going to be amazing physicians.

I can absolutely sympathize with this. Imposter syndrome is a very real thing, and the medical school admissions process occasionally feels like it was designed to make applicants think they are "less than." And then you get on the Internet and encounter a whole ton of people, all of whom represent themselves as practically perfect in every way, and it's very easy to think that not only do you not measure up, but that the schools are trying to sucker you by inviting you for interviews that they never had a single intention of attaching an offer to.

I can't speak for other institutions, but we don't operate that way and never have. When they talk about a holistic admission process in the viewbook, they mean it. Someone has to read all those secondaries - by last count, that's 7000+ applications x 3-4 essays per application - before deciding to issue an II, which is why our process takes so long compared to institutions that pre-screen aggressively. The flipside of that, though, is that there is no such thing as a "throwaway" II at CMED. Any interview slot has a chance at a seat, whether it's in July or January, and whether you're from Saginaw or Sacramento.

As star.buck said, if you got an II, that means they want you here. Carry that forward with you.

Best of luck - we're looking forward to meeting you!

 

[HolisticAFFF]

I can absolutely sympathize with this. Imposter syndrome is a very real thing, and the medical school admissions process occasionally feels like it was designed to make applicants think they are "less than." And then you get on the Internet and encounter a whole ton of people, all of whom represent themselves as practically perfect in every way, and it's very easy to think that not only do you not measure up, but that the schools are trying to sucker you by inviting you for interviews that they never had a single intention of attaching an offer to.

I can't speak for other institutions, but we don't operate that way and never have. When they talk about a holistic admission process in the viewbook, they mean it. Someone has to read all those secondaries - by last count, that's 7000+ applications x 3-4 essays per application - before deciding to issue an II, which is why our process takes so long compared to institutions that pre-screen aggressively. The flipside of that, though, is that there is no such thing as a "throwaway" II at CMED. Any interview slot has a chance at a seat, whether it's in July or January, and whether you're from Saginaw or Sacramento.

As star.buck said, if you got an II, that means they want you here. Carry that forward with you.

Best of luck - we're looking forward to meeting you!

Thank you. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone as well and I can’t wait to spend the weekend in Mt. Pleasant! If anyone has recommendations on things to do in the area please let me know.

 

[Oorham]

To answer your questions, in order:

1) Society & Community and Art of Medicine are (or at least they were for us) a combined course. Topics covered include medical ethics, public health, biostats, and vulnerable populations in medicine. We also had to complete a project by the end of M2 that touched on your personal experience of society and medicine. I'm not sure if that requirement will be remaining, since the professor is new this year.
2) Essentials of Clinical Skills is a two-year, longitudinal practical course in clinical skills, covering the entirety of how to perform a history and physical exam, including specialty physical exam maneuvers. You'll be working with standardized patients and writing notes weekly.
3) "School environment" is a very broad question. In general, the school is a very welcoming environment. The curriculum is designed to get people to work together; most classes are conducted in a team-based format. Backstabbing and other "gunner" behavior has typically not been known to occur in CMED classes.
4) New research facilities mean you can do whatever you want for research, and it's very simple to find a faculty member who will sponsor you. I wouldn't call it a disadvantage at all.
5) Areas for improvement: we do struggle with logistics a bit, as having a split preclinical/clinical campus results in a lot of moving parts. We've turned over some faculty since the founding of the school, which some would see as a detriment; I regard that as a net neutral.
6) In all the contact I've had with medical students from all over the country, I have yet to meet any student from any institution who thinks their curriculum "adequately prepared" - or indeed, prepared them at all - for USMLE. The only thing that "prepares" you for USMLE is a USMLE Q-bank, as much of it as you can stuff in your head. (This is why you will see a couple of students in every institution who will skip every single lecture, lab, and exercise in order to dedicate every waking hour to Pathoma, UWorld, and Zanki. End result: godly board scores with terrible clinical skills.) If you want to know if the curriculum prepares you for succeeding as a future physician, though - clinical knowledge, anatomy, pathophysiology, etc - that answer is yes.

Hopefully you find this information useful. Best of luck!

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions. Your support is much appreciated

 

[BaseFootBall]

II!! First of the cycle, IS, Received on 8/2 but just checked email this morning whoops. Scheduled for 9/27 as that was the only date available for me, anyone know rates of post-interview acceptance here? Hyped for the interview as this was my #1!

 

[Jappa]

For anyone that's had an interview here in the past, how many stations of MMI can we expect?

 

[Foodie3]

II!! First of the cycle, IS, Received on 8/2 but just checked email this morning whoops. Scheduled for 9/27 as that was the only date available for me, anyone know rates of post-interview acceptance here? Hyped for the interview as this was my #1!

Congrats! That’s awesome since it is your #1. When were you complete?

 

[BaseFootBall]

Congrats! That’s awesome since it is your #1. When were you complete?

Thanks! I was complete 7/10

 

[meepdog]

II!! First of the cycle, IS, Received on 8/2 but just checked email this morning whoops. Scheduled for 9/27 as that was the only date available for me, anyone know rates of post-interview acceptance here? Hyped for the interview as this was my #1!

I will SEE YOU THERE!!!

 

[dhmrs]

II!! First of the cycle, IS, Received on 8/2 but just checked email this morning whoops. Scheduled for 9/27 as that was the only date available for me, anyone know rates of post-interview acceptance here? Hyped for the interview as this was my #1!

Also curious about the post-II acceptance rates if anyone can shed some light.

 

[Jappa]

Also curious about the post-II acceptance rates if anyone can shed some light.

On MSAR, it says there were 456 interviews with 99 matriculants. Assuming they accept about 2x more than matriculated, thats about 200 slots from 456 interviews, giving about a 44% post-II acceptance rate.

 

[SaraTonin_15]

On MSAR, it says there were 456 interviews with 99 matriculants. Assuming they accept about 2x more than matriculated, thats about 200 slots from 456 interviews, giving about a 44% post-II acceptance rate.

The waitlist movement number within MSAR also said approximately 60 students were taken off the waitlist. That means we are looking at closer to a 34.9% post-II acceptance rate. If we just look at in-state vs. out-of-state, 26% of IS interviews were accepted; whereas 12% of OoS interviews were accepted. That is without dissecting out variables within the waitlist movement or other contributing factors. Sorry for the heavy details. I try to avoid looking at numbers because it just makes me a little more nervous, but I can't help it because I like them so much.

 

[fdizzle12]

The waitlist movement number within MSAR also said approximately 60 students were taken off the waitlist. That means we are looking at closer to a 34.9% post-II acceptance rate. If we just look at in-state vs. out-of-state, 26% of IS interviews were accepted; whereas 12% of OoS interviews were accepted. That is without dissecting out variables within the waitlist movement or other contributing factors. Sorry for the heavy details. I try to avoid looking at numbers because it just makes me a little more nervous, but I can't help it because I like them so much.

Numbers make it seem like it's impossible to get into med school lol

 

[star.buck]

Numbers make it seem like it's impossible to get into med school lol

I hear you! I had a LizzyM that said I had less than a 10% chance of acceptance. I’m an M4. The LizzyM is/was useless at calculating in the soft skills and non-traditional experiences that likely played a very large part into my acceptance. Just remember numbers are good for large group trends, but generally not so reliable for individual trends.

 

[Traumahawk]

For anyone that's had an interview here in the past, how many stations of MMI can we expect?

As of my last MMI experience (two years ago), there were 8 individual MMI stations, plus one "break" station and one group station. Most MMI formatted interviews use a similar setup.

 

[mon9937]

Can any current students comment on any student involvement in the Interdisciplinary Center for Community Health & Wellness?