Meet Ashley, Med School Reapplicant, Masters Student Mom!

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring  interviews with medical school applicants and students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at  top medical schools and the med school application process. And now, introducing Ashley†¦ Accepted: Wed like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? Whats your favorite non-school book? Ashley: I am from Miramar, FL. I received  my  Bachelors in Biology from Florida State University. I also have a Masters in Public Health from Florida AM University. My favorite non-school books are the Twilight  books. Accepted: Can you tell us about your current master’s program? Why did you decide to pursue this degree before applying to med school? Ashley: Im currently in a Master of Biomedical Sciences program.  The program is  specifically designed for pre-meds and pre-dents who desire to improve their stats and be more competitive for applying to medical or  dental school.  Our classes are similar to subject matter we would see in the first year of medical school. The challenges of the program have definitely made me a better student. I chose to  get a Masters in Biomedical  Sciences to strengthen my science GPA after receiving  rejections to med school the  last time I applied. Accepted: Motherhood and pre-med thats quite the juggling act! Why did you decide to apply to med school at this stage of your life? How do you manage to find the time to get it all done? Ashley: Being a mother and grad student is very challenging! My daughter is  a major motivation to keep me going. Ive always wanted to be a doctor and I  did not want to give up on my dream when I became a parent. Prioritizing, planning,  and support from my family  helps me balance school and motherhood.  My family is such  an amazing  support system and they help me with  my daughter when Im in class and studying. I make sure to  spend as much time  with my daughter as I can. Balancing motherhood and school is  challenging, consists of long days and late nights, but it’s all worth it to live out my dreams and be someone who my daughter will be proud of. Accepted: What stage of the med school application process are you up to?    Ashley: I am in the application process. All secondary apps have been submitted and I  have had one interview  so far. So now Im just waiting. ☠º Accepted: Can you share your top 3 tips on writing secondary applications?   Ashley: My top  3 tips for  answering secondary  essays:   1. First and foremost be honest!  Dont  fabricate experiences  or activities just to make yourself sound good. I think med schools really want  to know who you are, how  well you will fit with your classmates, and with the mission of the institution. 2. Dont rush.  The last thing  you want to do is rush through a secondary, make grammatical errors, and  give a weak response. You want your responses  to be well-thought out and demonstrate that you can  provide  an intelligent answer. 3.   After you answer your essays,  step away from  it for  at least 24 hours, and come back to it later.  This  allows you to give your essays  a second look with a fresh mind and  perspective. After you  review it, have someone who can be objective review your essays. Accepted: How did you first interview go? Any advice for our readers there? Ashley: My first interview went well!  The  school  was nice,  the students and faculty were friendly, and I had a  great experience there. My advice for students preparing for interviews is to relax, as much as you can, and just be yourself. The admissions committee invited you to interview for a reason. Be yourself and be personable so that they can get to know you and your motivations for attending their school. Also, make sure to ask questions  that are important to you and  your future  to be sure that the school is a good fit for you. Accepted: Can you tell us about your blog? Why did you decide to blog/tweet about your pre-med journey? Ashley: I decided to blog about my journey  to share my experiences with other  people like myself. I have been rejected  from med school in the past, Im a mother, a grad student, a nontraditional student, and Ive taken the MCAT multiple times. I want others who dont have a traditional, straightforward  path to medicine to know that there is someone out here who can relate to their situations  and support them. I hope my experiences are an inspiration  for  others to continue to  chase their dreams and fight  for what they believe in  no matter what challenges or circumstances arise in life. I also want to be able to meet other people  on this journey so that we can support and inspire each other. For one-on-one guidance on your med school applications, please see our catalog of med school admissions services. You can read more about Ashley’s journey by checking out her blog, Premed Mommy.  Thank you Ashley for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck! Do you want to be featured in Accepted.coms blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your med school story with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com. Related Resources: †¢Ã‚  Medical School Reapplicant Advice:  6 Tips for Success †¢Ã‚  School Specific Tips for Your Secondary Application Questions †¢Ã‚  Med School Application Process: AMCAS, Secondaries, Interviews, Decisions More!