The Doctor Shortage

Anyone considering a career in medicine should read today's article in the New York Times about the doctor shortage. The Obama administration's challenge is to increase the number of doctors needed to care for the millions of uninsured patients in our country and the increasing number of elderly individuals. Under Obama's plan, these people will all have coverage. Who will care for them?

One proposal is to shift Medicare payments to increase the fees paid to primary providers and decrease what is allotted to high paid specialists. Of course, the specialists are not thrilled with this idea. While working in the emergency department (ED) recently, one plastic surgeon was walking through the ED asking if we had any procedures. When I asked the surgeon why he was being so uncharacteristically aggressive, he said "Well, we are all about to be "Obamafied" which won't be good for my bottom line." Interesting perspective, huh?

The article also mentioned the motivation for medical students to pursue higher paid specialties (including subspecialties of internal medicine) because many students graduate with so much debt -- on average more than $140,000. Primary care providers are paid the least of any other physicians so greater financial incentives are needed to motivate students to choose this career path.

I encourage my clients to consider careers in primary care. While the financial incentives may not be as great, primary care physicians, in contrast to popular belief, often feel they have a better work/life balance than many of their higher paid colleagues who choose "lifestyle specialties." And, since many couples are now part of two income families, money should be less of a consideration. And when we all get "Obamified," as my plastic surgery colleague suggested, the gap between who is paid what, may narrow.

Click Here to read the article.
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Getting Into Residency: The Importance Of Away Electives

If you are currently a third year medical student, now is the time to start scheduling your fourth year electives (if you haven't done so already). What are your goals during your electives?

1) Do a great job! Some away electives serve as "audition rotations." If you have the stats to get into any given program, working at that program gives faculty and residents the chance to evaluate you "in action." This can work for you or against you; if you impress the people with whom you work, this is likely to help you earn a higher spot on the rank list but, if you do a less than average job, it may hurt your chances.

2) Obtain additional letters of reference. One client last year did an away elective at a program where he knew he didn't have much of a shot. But, he did an outstanding job, out-performed his fellow students, and received additional letters form well known faculty. This client matched at his first choice in anesthesiology!

I am currently working with students to help them craft their fourth year, choose the best letter writers and decide when to take the USMLE Step 2. I also coach clients to ensure they perform well during key rotations.

Click Here to see the specialties into which my clients matched this year.
Click Here to read some client testimonials.
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AMCAS 2010

The AMCAS 2010 instructions are now available. The 2010 application will open around May 5th and applications can be submitted in early June.

Click Here to access the instructions. I recommend that, at the least, everyone read the AMCAS 2010 application tips.

To give yourself the best chance of success, start working on your application now and submit it as early as possible!

With MedEdits you now have the option to work with me or my outstanding team of professional editors/writers, a more affordable option. Either way, all documents submitted to MedEdits undergo our exclusive "double read" editing process. We are currently working with applicants applying in 2010.

Visit: www.MedEdits.com

MedEdits Announcement: Fees and Services Changes

We want to let our clients and prospective clients know that within the next week, we are broadening our service offerings and restructuring our fee schedule.

Dr. Freedman will continue to offer mentoring, editing and interview preparation either in packages or a la carte. Her a la carte and package editing prices will increase. However, we will now offer document editing done by our medical editors which will present a lower cost alternative.

All of our editors have at least 10 years of professional writing and editing experience and are trained in the art of medical admissions by Dr. Freedman. While the fees to work directly with our editors will be lower than the fees to work with Dr. Freedman, we will maintain the same high standards.

If you would like to "lock in" Dr. Freedman's current fees for a la carte and package editing, we encourage you to do so soon!

Open Residency Positions: Find A Resident

I have received several queries from prospective clients about finding available positions for residency. The only service I recommend to clients is Find A Resident, a service sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Click Here to access the site.

I am actively working with residency clients for the 2009/2010 application season. If you are interested in working with me, I encourage you to retain my services early.

No Medical School Acceptances or No Residency Match?

If you are applying to medical school this year and have not yet received any interviews, it is unlikely that you will. You must consider now if you will reapply in the upcoming season and what you will do to enhance your candidacy.

If you did not obtain a residency match this year, you must also consider reapplying for the match in September. Some prospective clients who did not match this year have emailed me to inquire about available positions for July 2009. The only service I recommend using is FindAResident which is sponsored by the AAMC. Many for profit "post-scramble" companies are a scam and I do not advocate using them.

I am already working with medical school and residency clients for the upcoming application season. Based on my clients' success in 2009, I anticipate that I will become booked and encourage all interested applicants to retain my services early. As a commitment to my clients, I limit the number of applicants with whom I work.