With health care reform and less compensation for doctors, that mentality just doesn t make sense anymore. A decrease in the number of applications hasn t necessarily affected the quality of the students that are admitted. Schools have not lowered their admissions standards and, if anything, the admissions process has become even more competitive. Things that show that they ve got the right stuff, paying particularly close attention to volunteer work that might show a dedication to serving the community. We want students who have that milk of human kindness running through their veins.
Medical school is a long, hard, arduous task, and they ve got to have their batteries charged.
The admissions process is much like auditioning for ABC s television show Making The Band . Out of the thousands of applications they receive, the admissions committee whittles it down to 500 prospective students. Each of the 500 candidates goes through a rigorous day-long interview process conducted by a clinician, a basic scientist and a student. It s the one instruction that Lewis gives his committee when they conduct their interviews. That s the bottom line.