Greetings HPO! Please use this discussion space to ask your questions and share your experiences on your application to health professions schools. We are all going through this now, so why not help each other out? -JS

To all applicants seeking matriculation in 2009:

The HPEC interviewers and I are completing your files for transmission to the schools to which you release your files. Please remember that I can't transmit your HPEC file until you have sent me a copy of your time-stamped, submitted primary application (or, for Optometry applicants, a copy of the first application you submit) AND a signed Evaluation Request that I send your file to schools X, R, and Q.

Hey, guys! I hope everyone is having a great summer. I just had two questions. Does anyone know how to send your MCAT scores to AMCAS/AACOMAS if you have already sent your primaries? If so, could you please let me know. Also, does anyone know if there is a way that I can select AMCAS/AACOMAS as a reciever of my MCAT scores before I actually take the MCAT? Or, do I have to recieve my scores first? Thanks :)

Hey Melissa,

On your primary there should have been a tab that allows you to fill in information about your MCAT scores or when you will be taking or retaking the exam. The AAMC might automatically load your scores in if you have already submitted your application. Does it allow you to alter this part of your primary even after you have submitted it? It may be in your best interest to simply call the AAMC. Their numbers are 202-828-0690(MCAT) and 202-828-0600(AAMC). If you do decide to call, I found that you will get through the web of telephone services if you do not press numbers for any options (i.e. "press one to speak to an MCAT representative about...") Just stay on the phone, and a representative will pick up. You will avoid being put on hold. I hope this helps.

Hi Melissa,

1) For AMCAS, I understand that your MCAT scores will automatically be sent to AMCAS and any schools that you applied when submitting your AMCAS. On your AMCAS, it would be important for you to note that you would be taking MCAT at a future date. Although rare, certain schools do not participate in AMCAS and you'd have to research those schools to see what their primary application is.

It wouldn't be necessary to select AMCAS as a receiver for your MCAT scores before you take them, since the scores will be automatically sent to AMCAS.

2)I found some information on the AACOMAS website: "MCAT scores are NOT automatically forwarded to AACOMAS. Please visit the AAMC's web site at http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat, log into their MCAT Testing History system, select AACOMAS as a recipient of your scores and your scores will be transmitted to AACOMAS. Your MCAT is transmitted electronically to AACOMAS via your Social Security Number. If you do not want to list your SSN on the AACOMAS please have MCAT create an alternative ID number (proxy ID) for you and list or change this number on your AACOMAS application online. To change your SSN or other ID on your application you can log into your account and click on account information on the left side of the main menu." <http://www.aacom.org/InfoFor/applicants/Pa...nstructions.aspx>;

From this info, it looks like you have to wait until you receive your scores in order to have them released to AACOMAS.

Thanks jason.

I had a question about the letters of evaluation on the primary application. I know that Dr.Engel needs the letter Id and that they change eveytime your application is altered. But do I fill out every letter of recommendation for each teacher that wrote me one? and what about the interviewers I had that are writing recommendations too; are they considered a committee packet or an individual letter? Thanks

Tom,

You are going to put all of your letter writers and evaluators under one ID. I believe it is the first option on the letter ID tab. It allows you to add up to 10 people. The med schools will receive notice that they will be receiving a packet of letters from all of your authors. Do not make more than one ID.

David Fryzel

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I currently have only one semester of English Lit under my belt, but I'm signed up for another class this fall. Should I put this future English class on amcas as a "current/future" class so schools with an english requirement of 2 semesters see that I am going to meet their requirement, or should I not worry about it? Thanks

Hi John,

I would go ahead and enter that English course under "current/future" course - it can't hurt. Additionally, I hear that some secondary applications will give you room to enter which individual courses will fulfill their pre-requisites.

Thanks Jason.

Hey guys

I just received an email that Dr. Engel needs a copy of my full AADSAS application in pdf form. How do I get my stuff into that form to send to her, do I need to copy everything into another file or what? On the site it only gives a way to print it out, not a way to submit the whole application to her...Sorry I have trouble with computer things and I am lucky I figured out how to submit the application and everything to AADSAS. Thanks for your help!

Hi Tessie,

Sorry for the delay. Unfortunately, I e-mailed AADSAS and I got the following brief response: "*No. The AADSAS application can not be saved as a PDF."

Perhaps the best bet would be to contact Dr. Engel at this point.

hey Jason

Thanks for the help, I actually emailed David Fryzel in the HPO office and he told me to just save it and attatch it to an email. All is taken care of. Thanks anyway!

Hi! I was just wondering what we should write on the HPEC file release forms for Dr. Engel if the school participates in VirtualEvals or the AMCAS letter pilot.

To all applicants for M.D. schools:

The AMCAS Letters Pilot program affects several of the schools to which our students typically apply. If you are applying M.D., you need to make sure that you have one (and only one) letter I.D. That letter I.D. should be written at the TOP of your HPEC Evaluation Request (next year we will have a line for it). Your HPEC file will still be transmitted by VirtualEvals, but the letter I.D. will need to be inserted as well. If you have already sent me Evaluation Requests without a Letter I.D. but you have given me the letter I.D., I will write it in for you.

If you have managed to create multiple letter I.D.'s, confer with me and I will communicate to you a most inefficient and inelegant way of using paper to chase down an electronic submission. If you have only one letter I.D., thank Ed DelSole for figuring it out and communicating to you what you needed to do. Best wishes to all of you.

Edited by author 07-03-2008 02:21 PM
To all applicants:

If you call our office, you may encounter a new voice. Shirley Yaworski began working in the Health Professions and Fellowships Office on Monday, June 30th. Many of you have already met Shirley, and she has had a very busy first week. If you stop by T312, please introduce yourself.

Have a great holiday weekend.

Thanks, Dr. Engel. Can we just list those schools and specify if they participate in VirtualEvals or the AMCAS Letter Pilot on the release form (i.e. simply write "Temple - AMCAS Letter Pilot")?

The simplest procedure is to list the schools, and to put your letter I.D. on every form. That way, if any given school is part of the pilot program, Career Services will not need to look up your letter I.D. when they process your file through VirtualEvals.

AMCAS Applicants:

FYI. I was in touch with AAMC this evening. I've been concerned because my HPEC file was released to AMCAS about a week ago via VirtualEvals, yet I received an email notice today which alerted me that my letter packet had not been received by the AAMC Letters of Evaluation (LOE) program.

I was told by a very helpful man over the phone that there has recently been a technical issue with the VirtualEvals release of letters to the LOE program, and that the issue is being addressed. I was told that my letters should be received by LOE by the end of the week, perhaps Monday at the latest.

Just in case you are in the same boat as I am, that's the situation.

Update:

I just received an email from AMCAS informing me that my letter has been processed so there should no longer be an issue with LOE submissions via VirtualEvals.

AACOMAS Applicants:

You must release your MCAT scores to ACCOMAS. To do so, go to the aamc website (aamc.org) and click on MCAT on the right side of the page to go to the MCAT informational page. Next, under the heading "Get and Send Your Scores" click on "Get and Send Your MCAT Exam Scores." On this page, under the heading "Sending MCAT Scores" at the top of the page, click on "Testing History THx." After logging in on the next page, you will be directed to the page that contains your scores. Under your scores, there is a heading "What would you like to do?" Below this heading, click "Send all of my scores." Now, under your scores there is a box with the label "Application Services:" Select "American Assoc. of Colleges of Osteopathic Med. App. Serv." Finally, Click "add" and complete your request.

Again, this MUST be done to complete your AACOMAS application.

From the AAMC about the letter pilot program:

"We've developed a short term solution for AMCAS 2009 applicants who will
no longer be sending letters to AMCAS. Applicants can now email us at
letters@aamc.org instead of using the U.S. Mail. Applicants will need the email to come from the email address we have on
file at AMCAS to send us the following information:
Name
AAMC ID
Author Name
Letter ID

If there are multiple letters we will not be receiving they can list the
additional author names and letter IDs in the email."

Med School Applicants:

I've stumbled upon something that may be helpful over the next 6 months of so - AspiringDocs.org (which is actually a division of the AAMC) has created a podcast that is devoted to certain issues that are pertinent to students who are applying/interviewing/curious about life as physician. Check it out here:

http://www.aspiringdocs.org/site/c.luIUL9MUJtE/b.3882651/

Have any AACOMAS applicants had trouble discerning if their application is complete? I submitted mine almost 2 months ago, and I have not heard from any schools about secondaries as of yet. Is any one else in this same boat?

Meg, since no one responded...
my advice would be to call the schools to ask if they have received your application. It cannot hurt and will ensure everything is being processed appropriately.

Meg, I have the same concern. I don't know if we are waiting for invites like the allopathic schools or not. Let me know if you hear anything; I am in the process of directly contacting the schools.

Christine, I have just recently been contacted by UNECOM. I was told by the (not so) very polite people at AACOMAS that you must wait 6 weeks from the time your application was completed. In my case, it was exactly 6 weeks. So, you are waiting longer than the allopathic schools, but hopefully you will hear soon!

Medical School Applicants-

I encourage you to be vigilant with checking your secondary application status at the schools to which you have applied. After waiting for two weeks for my letters of evaluation to be posted, I called the medical schools to find out that the letters were never forwarded by the AAMC. The AAMC had me re-submit my letters to the schools that are participating in the VirtualEval system. If you are submitting secondary applications to schools that participate with the VirtualEval, it should not take longer than a few days to a week for these letters to be added to your file.

Hey everyone- I sent an e-mail to Dr. Engel with a question confirming what to do for the letters of recommendation and here's what she told me: "It is a committee letter. You list my name as Chair of HPEC (spelled out). You list no other names." Hope that this helps anyone else who might have been confused!

Thanks for doing this Mackenzie. I appreciate it.

QT - Mackenzie wrote:
>

--

Mary F. Engel, Ph.D.

University Director of Fellowship Programs

Director of Medical School Placement

The University of Scranton

Scranton PA 18510

 

(570) 941-7901
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Hey everyone. I was having some trouble the other day trying to understand the HELP guidelines for entering AP and transfer credit from high school. After talking to some previous applicants, and after looking at my brother's old AMCAS application (post-approval with the AMCAS corrections), it seems that one should enter the courses in the following manner.

AP classes:

- include with freshman coursework (doesn't seem to matter whether S1 or S2)
- enter the information for the specific course that your AP credit was used to fulfill at Scranton (you can get this information from the registrar)
- be sure to check the "Advanced Placement" box
- list transcript grade as "AP"
- list the number of credits awarded by the University for that course

Honors classes (I mean classes taken in high school--not AP classes--for which the University granted you credit. Scranton Prep people should find this useful):

- academic year: 2005-2006
- academic term: S2
- year in school: High School
- as with the AP credit, enter the information for the specific course that your transfer/honors credit was used to fulfill at Scranton (you can get this information from the registrar)
- transcript grade: "TC"
- list the number of credits awarded by the University for that course
- be sure to check the "Honors" box, as well as the "Pass/Fail" box

I am not 100% certain on this (particularly the last bullet), but it seems reasonable. Hope this helps. If I am currently misunderstanding something, then please let me know.

Thanks!

Matt

I have a few quick questions regarding AADSAS...

1. When entering the Evaluator information, is the Evaluator simply Dr. Engel, as it is in the medical school application services?

When I applied last time, we had an unlimited number of evaluators we could enter and now it is limited to two (2). I am assuming this means Dr. Engel will be the sole evaluator. Any advice?

2. When entering grades, does anyone know what we call Intersession and Summer session, if they are to be classified as 'semester' or 'unit'?

Thanks!

Maria

1.) Yes, you only enter Dr. Engel as the sole evaluator.

2.) I called AADSAS and asked about this. They said to enter these sessions as semesters.

Hope this helps!

Maria

My thanks to Maria and to Maria. I do not fill out the primary applications, and thus I am not much help answering the detailed questions I have been receiving. You (applicants seeking to matriculate in health professions schools in 2010) are invaluavle resources to one another, and I am grateful for the help that you provide to each other.

Does anyone know if it is necessary to put the name of a contact for all of your work and extracurricular experiences on the AMCAS application?

Hi!

Quick question....would I put my concentrations in as minors into AMCAS?

Anyone know which form we need from AADSAS that lists what schools we've applied to? Only thing I've found is under "Dental School Designations" the names of the schools we selected are listed but there's no additional information besides the names.

I think we need to hand in more than that... Unless we just handwrite the white paper w/ 3 color carbon copies asking for school addresses?

John,

Yes, you can just use the "Dental School Designations" page. Print that out and staple it to the sheet with the carbon copies. You don't even need to write the names and addresses of the schools, that sheet is sufficient.

Maria

Maria's response is correct (for dental school applicants). If, however, any dental school applicant later decided to add additional schools, then a new Evaluation request form needs to be filled out. In such a case, it is probably easier to write the names of the schools on the form.

I have the same question as Neil; I have added my minor, but do not know how to add a concentration. Should I add it as another minor?

I spoke to Dr. Engel this morning: Add concentrations as minors, because the schools will also see your transcript.

I was wondering what I should classify a NEUR (Neuroscience) class as
Should I put it as a behavioral/social science, biology, or other?

sorry...another question:
what acaemic year should i put a summer class as
If i took a class in the summer of 2008, should it be under the 08-09 year or the 07-08 year? and should i select summer session?

Neil,

A class taken in the summer of 2008 should be listed as 08-09. As far as AMCAS is concerned, you were a junior at that time. Yes, select summer session.

This is so helpful...thank you to everyone for asking/answering questions.

Has anyone had to enter Victorian Studies? If so, under which category did you list the course?

The Scranton transcript code for it is HUM 286H (HUM for Humanities). It was basically an English Language & Literature course in terms of the curriculum, but should I list it as "Other" since the transcript reference doesn't technically have the English designation?

Thanks,

Tim

Tim,

You can enter that as an English course.

Neil- I entered my neuro courses as biology because that's what AMCAS has listed under biology when you click on the help option.

Does anyone happen to know if there is anything special I need to do on my AAMCAS primary application if I am considering deferring for a year? i.e. for service

I can't find anything on the primary application except this one line saying I may need permission in order to do so, but there is no way for me to indicate if I have permission or anything like that. My guess is that it might be something you indicate on your secondary application, but just wanted to check here first..

Thank you -- Tim

I recommend that any plans for deferral not be mentioned anywhere in a primary or secondary application (or in an interview unless you are asked a question that would require that you indicate such an intent). Go through the normal application process. If your plans for service solidify after you have gained an acceptance, you may request deferral from your first-choice school. If that school is not inclined to grant a deferral, then ask the second-choice school. I am happy to discuss this recommendation on a more individual level.

Has anybody done a secondary for Albert Einstein. They ask who is writing the letter of recommendation. I put down that it is from a pre-professional advisory commitee. They also have a section for 3 additional letters. Would I include my other letter writers in the other spot or do I just leave it blank and let them receive the whole package?