I am an MD PhD student at the University of Colorado. I was admitted to my program after I scored a 521 (98%) on the MCAT exam in 2018. As a first generation student, I found that preparing for the MCAT was a confusing and sometimes frustrating process. What I lacked was a guide - someone who had successfully taken the exam in the past and done well. Now that I am in my dream program, I want to act as a guide and mentor for those who are hoping to start their medical school training and need...
I am an MD PhD student at the University of Colorado. I was admitted to my program after I scored a 521 (98%) on the MCAT exam in 2018. As a first generation student, I found that preparing for the MCAT was a confusing and sometimes frustrating process. What I lacked was a guide - someone who had successfully taken the exam in the past and done well. Now that I am in my dream program, I want to act as a guide and mentor for those who are hoping to start their medical school training and need to conquer the first big test in medicine - the MCAT.
I have extensive teaching experience. I taught three students chemistry (general, organic, and physical) for two years in college. I worked with them on problem sets, exam prep, and laboratory practice on a one-on-one basis both in-person and on Zoom. Prior to teaching chemistry, I maintained a studio of 10-15 violin students, each of whom met with me on a weekly basis for 5 years. I currently mentor an undergraduate researcher in my laboratory - she is slated to publish her undergraduate honors thesis in Spring 2025. I think my students provide my strongest endorsement: two of my chemistry students have gone on to medical school, and three of my violin students are now professional musicians. My undergraduate researcher is graduating ahead of schedule and will have an authorship by the time she leaves her undergraduate training, a rarity for trainees at her phase of training.
My teaching style has been honed by each of these experiences. As a tutor and violin instructor, I learned to set individualized, measurable goals for students for each session. I make a point of asking my students lots of challenging questions while tutoring - this is a practice I have modeled on my experiences during my clerkship year of medical school, where it is common practice for attending physicians to quiz medical students while rounding. Finally, I teach my students to "practice how they play", relying heavily on MCAT question test banks and practice tests.
