Profile Link: https://acceptedtogether.com/consultants/michael
Q1:What is your position and at which school?
2nd Year Medical Student at the University of Calgary
Q2: Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Michael, a 2nd year medical student at the University of Calgary. I did my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences, also at the University of Calgary. While medical school takes up a lot of my times, when I am not studying, I love listening to and mixing EDM, going to raves, hitting the gym, watching pro CS:GO and hanging out with my friends!
Q3: What’s one thing that others may not know about you?
Most of my student loans aren’t actually to pay for medical school, but rather to fund my 200+ item Star Wars novel collection.
Q4: If you didn’t go into the field you are in right now, what field would you have gone into?
In all honesty I had no back-up plan. Learn from not only my successes, but also my mistakes. Have a back-up.
Q5: What is the most difficult interview question in your opinion?
The most difficult questions to answer for me are ones where I have to bring in a negative quality about me. What helped me get through these types of questions is always being honest – you’re a real person with real flaws. Discussing the reality of these flaws, not minimizing them, and talking about how you work to overcome them is the secret to success.
Q6: What do you think contributed the most to your success?
Preparation, preparation and preparation. You can never be overprepared. Taking a shower? You better be preparing. Hitting a bench press PR? You better be preparing. Going on a first date? You better be preparing. Michael will know if you’re not preparing enough.
Q7: What was your application journey like?
My application journey was fairly straightforward – undergrad to medical school. What I think set me apart from other candidates is my planning. At each stage of my education I had a plan of what exactly I needed to accomplish in the next month or year. If you have a plan, you have a path forward.
Q8: Would you like to share some statistics with us? (This can be in the form of GPA/MCAT/Casper scores, the number of schools you applied to and got accepted, etc.)
GPA: 3.97, MCAT: 522, CARS: 128, CASPer: 4th Quartile, Schools Interviewed: 6, Schools Accepted: 4
Q9: What services do you offer?
I offer most services, whether it be a general consultation, application review, interview prep, etc.
Q10: What’s your biggest tip for students applying to your field?
Keep your head up, and keep trying. There were many moments in my life where I sat at the edge of my bed with my head in my hands and had thoughts of giving up – however, I persevered, and now I’m here. You will fail. Its whether you can keep trying that sets you apart from others.
Q11: Why should students choose you as their consultant?
I am honest and practical with my feedback. If you have a great interview answer, I will tell you. If its the worst interview answer I have heard in my life, I will tell you. My goal is give you tangible and achievable feedback that brings out the best in you and helps you achieve your goals, not to sugarcoat my feedback because you gave me money.
Q12: Any other information you would like to share with students?
My proudest achievement is managing to hide behind a microwave during a high school game of hide and seek.