Re: “Broaden Cawley’s Focus,” The Hoya, Nov. 10, 2017, A2

To the Editor,

As a graduate of Georgetown (COL ’14), it disheartens me to learn that my alma mater still does not have a dedicated adviser for students interested in health professions. Having attended the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine for the past three years and working on the admissions committee, I am convinced that this lack of dedicated premedical advising harms Georgetown University undergraduates in the admissions process for graduate programs. I can count on one hand the number of Hoyas that are invited for an interview during each application cycle. No Georgetown undergraduates have matriculated here since 2014.

The following suggestions would strengthen premedical advising. First, the premedical committee must conduct an informational interview with every student before drafting each committee recommendation letter in order to better highlight each applicant’s unique credentials. Universities with student bodies nearly three times the size of Georgetown’s, such as the University of Delaware, guarantee informational interviews for all applicants.

Second, all incoming premedical students should be assigned a premedical adviser that stays constant throughout their undergraduate years. Currently, premeds are assigned one adviser for the first two years, and a different one for the next two years. Such a system makes it difficult for advisers to provide personalized advice for each applicant, and hinders development of a crucial mentor-mentee relationship.

Third, the Cawley Career Education Center should develop a series of mock interviews specifically geared towards medical school applicants. This is critical as more institutions move to a “multiple mini interview” format which involves a series of practical scenarios.

The recently re-launched Hoya Gateway has stated that there are too few alumni that can help with medical career counseling. While this may be true, this is symptomatic of a deeper issue — Georgetown undergraduates are forced to turn to alumni for advice because of lackluster pre-medical advising on campus.

Aamir Hussain

Georgetown University, BA, Government (COL’14)

University of Chicago, MD/MPP (expected 2019)