Inquarta is a site dedicated to providing readers with graduate school admissions advice. In order to avail the full services Inquarta provides, clients need to sign up. The site advertises Inquartas’s other products such as books on med school admissions and premed admissions planner. The site also provides updates regarding med school tuition increase and other related topics posted on the blog.
Unique things about this site
Inquarta is a professional-looking site, but it does not sacrifice creativity. Although the site is simple, there are images that render creativity. The homepage, for instance, has a very cool image. This alone can hold the attention of the readers and even first-time visitors. The posts are also very interesting. Many entries start with attention-grabbing cues. Another thing I like about the entries is that they’re very informative. The entries that give advice are very concise–they’re brief but they’re able to explain important ideas very well.
I find the “Recent” and “Most Commented” categories very useful. The links to various sites are also very useful. The interface is good because the site encourages navigation. The layout is really excellent. I find it easy to search for the information I need. Without saying it outright, the site gives me a reason to explore further.
Not-so-impressive things about the site
Some entries are so short that they leave me hanging and wanting for more info. Although brevity is a good point, some posts are really very short that they fail to satisfy my curiosity about the topic. I am also bothered by the double posting of an entry. The August 20 entry about the Swiss Government selling UBS stake was posted twice. Well, there’s a slight difference between the URLs of the two posts. I guess it was done on purpose, but I don’t see why there’s a need to post the same entry twice.
Yale School of Medicine
Aspiring medical students are always on the clamor to get into this almost 200-year-old institution that has been producing top-notch medical professionals throughout its illustrious history. However, medical students of the Yale School of Medicine are far from leading a charmed life as the education and training that they undergo is pretty hectic and intensive. Thanks to this training though, breakthroughs such as penicillin, chemotherapy, and more recently, the detection of genes that may lead to autism, hypertension and dyslexia among others. Students lucky enough to get into Yale will then be trained using the “Yale system,” which treats medical students as graduate students who can extensively research, prepare, defend, and present their own unique theses before graduation. Check out the school site’s admissions page for admissions details.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston has no problems, as was quoted in a Newsweek headline, referring to the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. This academic institution is recognized as the only private medical school in the Southwest. It has been producing top-ranking medical personnel for decades. Techniques in surgery considered revolutionary back in the day were perpetuated by Dr. Michael DeBakey. These gained worldwide prominence and set the college to a path of prominence thereby bringing medical fame to the Southwest. Students enrolled in Baylor are blessed to have access to research facilities, thanks to funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
UI Carver College of Medicine
Uniting excellent instruction from top-notch academic institutions with the hands-on training and execution in the best medical facilities in Iowa, the UI Carver College of Medicine is a force to be reckoned with in the Hawkeye State. Students who get accepted to Carver can have the opportunity of studying under the 700-strong faculty who are each distinguished professionals in the field of medicine and health sciences. Carver is a nationally ranked med school that continues to produce esteemed individuals who go on to become professionals in the field of medicine, allied health services, and medical education. Carver is also one academic institution that gives back to the community by providing opportunities for others to gain medical knowledge through its mini Medical School programs conducted throughout the nation. Check out the school site for admissions information.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
If the sole fact that this school is located in Baltimore, Maryland makes you choose not to get into Hopkins, then you’re forgetting that the modern hands-on teaching methods used in all other med schools came from this institution. If that makes you take a second look at Hopkins’ website, get ready to spend more than just a few seconds browsing through it. Aside from pioneering the modern method of letting med students handle and participate in medical procedures to learn, Hopkins is a veritable institution that is a pioneer in so many ways. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is one of the first schools to admit women into med school. Hopkins is also one of the premier academic institutions to house faculty and personnel who are researching and developing government-funded projects in human development. For information on the admissions process, visit the school’s admissions page at its official site.
Harvard School of Public Health
This institution certainly lives up to its name. The Harvard School of Public Health demonstrates that people studying there will go on to become the best professionals in their fields of interest. In-depth researches in specializations and various studies done in the Harvard School of Public Health have served as the backbone of various campaigns implemented in the US such as the “designated driver” during nights out. This institution can also be credited with the discovery of the HIV2, the polio vaccine, and other medical breakthroughs. Located in culturally and financially affluent Boston, Massachusetts, students can have an exciting time studying in Harvard. To apply to this school, just visit the school’s official site and get more information from the admissions page.
Duke University School of Medicine
Though the Duke University Medical School is a young institution than most of its contemporaries, it’s already a big player by having been ranked as one of the top 5 medical schools in the US. Thanks to a substantial grant awarded by the US National Institutes of Health, Duke University students and faculty have pioneered many studies and breakthroughs in medicine. Students who are lucky enough to get into Duke can have the chance to work with the country’s top medical professionals, do research in scientific and medical fields, and have access to modern and complete facilities for research and execution. For admissions information, visit the school site.
American and foreign students are given equal opportunity in US medical school admissions. It is because the admissions committees of medical schools consider academic excellence and medical school potential as criteria in looking future medical students. However, admission requirements for American and foreign students are not always the same. If you are a foreigner who wishes to apply to a US medical school, consider the following tips.
Practice speaking and writing in English.
English is the primary medium of communication in American schools. To get by with the lessons, you should be able to speak and understand English fluently. Try getting English lessons before you apply to a medical school. Read American books and articles. You must also train yourself to write in the language. Research papers, medical reports, books, and journals that you will use are all written in English.
Being able to speak in English fluently will not only boost your academic performance. It can also improve your self-confidence. You will have an easy time interacting with your professors and classmates if you speak English clearly.
Write a standout medical school admission essay.
If you want to increase your chances of admissions, write a good personal statement. Doing so will give you the chance to attract the attention of the admission panel. Don’t forget to contextualize the information in your essay to your situation. Also, utilize this admission requirement to cite why you want to enroll at an American medical school. Justify that you you have the ability to adapt yourself to a place with a different culture. Share your reasons for wanting an educational perspective different from what you currently have. If it is possible, write a short comparison between the education system of your home country to that of the US.
Although you have to write an exemplary personal statement, it is best to still maintain honesty. Take the time to proofread and edit your work too as simple errors in spelling and grammar can put off admissions committee members.
Medical schools in the US are tough for both American and foreign students. So do not be discouraged. Your origins and complexion will not matter in your application. Just remember, only you will call the shots for yourself.
Photo Credit : rstrawser
