For Medical Students

Is holistic approach to admissions the right one?

With admissions committees and governing bodies attempting at both the medical school and residency levels to assess candidates more holistically, this month's edition of Virtual Mentor, the AMA's online ethics journal, tackles the question of whether this approach helps or hinders the selection of applicants who will make good doctors.

This more holistic process—looking for qualitative aspects of character, such as empathy, emotional intelligence and values—is in contrast to the longtime method of looking for certain concrete, measurable qualities: academic achievement on a standardized level, volunteer and other clinical experience, and professional and educational leadership.

This month's edition seeks to address the many ways in which medical school and residency program admissions policies are moving toward a more holistic process, and it explores some pitfalls of these new systems as well as old problems that have not yet been corrected.

View an essay by this month's editor, Stephanie K. Fabbro, MD, about this edition.

Gain valuable experience in national health policy

Learn more about national health policy and the national legislative activities of organized medicine through a pair of opportunities offered by the AMA.

The Government Relations Advocacy Fellowship (GRAF) is a yearlong, paid fellowship opportunity in the AMA's Washington, D.C., office. The GRAF offers medical students a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the intersection of organized medicine and the federal government as it relates to advocacy and policy-making. Apply by Jan. 31.

The Government Relations Internship Program (GRIP) is a chance for medical student members of the AMA to enhance their medical education through work in health care policy. In addition to receiving a stipend, GRIP participants benefit from weekly seminars at the AMA's Washington, D.C., office. Students must arrange their own six- to eight-week internships between June and August in advance. Apply by Feb. 15.

Advocacy event to offer peek at the politics of medicine

Learn about the legislative issues affecting medicine and foster relationships with legislators during AMA Medical Student Advocacy Day, which will take place Feb. 10–11 in Washington, D.C. Advocacy Day will be held at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel and will offer interactive educational sessions on effective advocacy and lobbying techniques, briefings on legislative issues before Congress and a full afternoon on Capitol Hill meeting with legislators and their staffs.

Registration is $10, and a limited number of free hotel rooms is available. You must be an AMA member to attend. If you're not a member, join today.

Specialty resource guide can help with career decisions

AMA medical student members have exclusive access to a specialty resource guide that can help with selecting a career path.

Choosing a Medical Specialty: The AMA's Resource Guide for Medical Students offers detailed snapshots of the most common specialties and subspecialties with data from the Graduate Medical Education Directory, FREIDA Online® and specialty associations. Specialty summaries include skills required to succeed in a specialty, interaction with common types of patients, guidance about work-life balance and more. AMA members can log in to access the guide.

Don't miss out on valuable resources for AMA members. Renew your membership or join the AMA today to begin receiving these benefits.