The majority of medical schools will automatically send requests for secondary applications to any qualified applicant. The same early submission strategy that you followed for your primary application also applies to your secondary applications. Also, remember that committees review applications on a rolling basis. Therefore, the sooner you return your secondary applications, the sooner your file will be reviewed by the admissions committee and the better your chances will be of securing a seat in next fall's first-year class.

Here are some helpful tips to consider for the secondary applications:

• Check the medical schools to which you are applying to identify their secondary application process and requirements.
• Focus on writing effective cohesive essays.
• Identify your strengths and your passion for medicine to create a well rounded profile along with a winning story theme.
• Check carefully your grammar and spelling and most importantly pay attention to deadlines.
• Follow up with each school in order to confirm that they have received your information and that a review has begun.

If you need any assistance in getting your secondaries in order, don't hesitate to call us at 703.242.5885 or drop us an email.

Recently, an article was published in the Academic Medicine journal exploring the views of residency program directors towards correcting the training programs for fourth-year medical school students in order to avoid 'Senioritis'. The article's authors claim that students "slack off" during forth year because many universities' requirements are not challenging enough.

Other factors that play into the claims of med school 'Senioritis' include the fact that students are applying and interviewing for residency programs and that grades from fourth-year are not included in these applications.

Primary study author Pamela Lyss-Lerman recommends, "Medical schools should use their fourth-year curricula to give students a more authentic role in patient care."

Larry Gupper, a professor of medical education at the University of Michigan is quoted in a U.S. News & World Report article regarding the issue stating, "The problem of the fourth year is a pervasive one. When students are interviewing for a residency, it's important, but schools see it as taking away from students' educations. It has to be done, but it gets in the way of medical school. . . It all contributes to a widely felt frustration."

A recent press release announced that the U.S. Army Medical Department will be increasing the stipend provided with the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) to $1,992 per month starting on July 1. The release also noted that graduates of HPSP finish school debt-free.

According to the release, The United States Army Medical Department (AMEDD) through its F. Edward Hebert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) helps students to finance their graduate medical, dental or veterinary degrees, as well as select nursing degrees or certain degrees within the Medical Service Corps by providing students with the full cost of tuition; school related fees and books; as well as the new stipend of $1,992 per month throughout the school year. In addition, HPSP recipients in the Medical Corps and Dental Corps are eligible for a one-time $20,000 (less tax) sign-on bonus.

Colonel Rafael Montagno, commander of the U.S. Army Medical Recruiting Brigade is quoted in the release stating, "The call to serve as a health care professional is vital to the health of our nation and our Army, but we continue to face shortages of qualified medical professionals in both the civilian and military world. Now more than ever, it's important that students know there is financial support available to help them achieve their dreams of a health care career."

A recent article in the Harvard Crimson reported that Harvard Medical School received a grade of 'B' regarding conflict of interest with pharmaceutical companies from the American Medical Student Association. The report evaluates policies at "149 schools according to 11 categories, including gifts, free samples, and other compensation – all possible areas of conflict with pharmaceutical companies."

This year's grade is actually a significant improvement from last year, in which the medical school failed to submit any paperwork regarding conflict of interest and therefore flunked. The article noted that the school received negative publicity last year from Senator Charles Grassley who claimed that psychiatrist Joseph Biederman of Harvard- affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital "received $1.6 million in consulting and speaking fees from the makers of drugs he had used to treat children for bipolar disorder."

Due to these allegations, the school created a review committee that assessed the current policy and attempted to revamp regulations for disclosing financial interests and industry affiliations. Allan Coukell, director of the Pew Prescription Project, which co-created the Scorecard, is quoted in the article stating, "I do think that there are some medical school deans who realize the image of the profession has been tarnished. There's a trend in the right direction, but there are still a lot of schools that have not addressed this issue."

The next edition of the Insider Edge will be emailed to subscribers on Wednesday, June 17.

This edition of our free, monthly newsletter will include these items:

• New Study on Premed and Medical School Curriculum
• OldPreMeds 2009 Conference and Workshop: Professionalism and Admissions Presentation
• MSAR 2010-2011 Now Available

The Insider Edge is a free monthly newsletter that we email to subscribers once a month. Signing up is easy – just click on the 'Newsletter' link at the very top of this webpage.