His grades were lower during that time, but this was clearly not a lack of effort, rather, a shift of priorities in his life.вЂќ Letters of EvaluationДaryl carefully selected three letter writers who could supplement the information found elsewhere in his application. вЂњDaryl explained that during undergrad he had to rearrange his schedule in response to a family emergency. Hanewall, the information Daryl shared in his secondary essay helped to provide context for his low undergraduate grade point average. I discussed how both urban and rural communities are challenged with limited healthcare resources, thus quality (vs quantity) patient centered care plays an important role in ensuring better outcomes, regardless of where or what one practices.вЂќДЄccording to Ms. вЂњI based my essay on my personal experience, specifically my minimal exposure to healthcare as a child, and my unique interactions with being a firefighter/EMT within a rural farming community. Daryl used his statement to communicate his understanding of the medical profession and his desire to bring quality care to those in need. When preparing to write his personal statement, Daryl drew upon the experiences that motivated him toward a career in medicine in the first place. My research experiences provided structure to my day and forced me to block out time for studying, which I believe helped me improve my academic performance during my junior and senior years.вЂќДaryl was able to develop leadership skills through his work as a firefighter during college Rather than hop around various topics, I focused on two projects to show my commitment to quality and completeness. вЂњMy undergrad research experience spanned 2 years and focused on biochemistry and chemistry. While I would not necessarily say my real world experiences put me at an advantage, I believe this experience was important in preparing me for the challenges of medicine.вЂќ As a firefighter, I learned how important it is to stay calm and focused during stressful situations, a skill that is very important in medical training/practice. Through his work as a fire fighter and EMT, Daryl developed a commitment to quality patient care. Learning through structured coursework throughout undergrad makes MCAT studying more a review rather than a first exposure.вЂќ Experiences DonвЂ™t walk into the MCAT hoping that youвЂ™re going to have a moment of epiphany where all of the material suddenly makes sense. Retaking several courses and truly learning the material helped create a foundation that I was able to build off of during MCAT preparation. вЂњThe best preparation for the MCAT is to do well in your college courses. Retaking courses and committing himself to learning the material also made it easier for him to study for the MCAT. DonвЂ™t be afraid to identify and correct your shortcomings.вЂќДaryl notes support from family and friends as an element of his academic and personal success вЂњDaryl definitely showed improvement,вЂќ Hanewall added, вЂњWe saw that his GPA was not necessarily reflective of his ability.вЂќ Daryl states, вЂњSometimes grades arenвЂ™t indicative of your knowledge base. вЂњHis science and overall GPA were both significantly lower than our average.вЂќ At the suggestion of a biochemistry professor, he identified his weaknesses and spent two summers repeating courses in order to demonstrate academic rigor. вЂњThe part of DarylвЂ™s application that gave us pause was his GPA,вЂќ recalled Chelsea Hanewall, Co-Administrator, Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Admittedly, he lacked adequate study skills, and he found himself balancing non-academic responsibilities with his coursework. Participated in research on molecular chemistry during undergrad and molecular neuroscience in medical school.ДarylвЂ™s early college grades were not very competitive, but his MCAT score was strong and his overall academic performance reflected an upward trend.Applied to medical school without the support of a pre-health advisor or mentor.Dealt with medical emergencies that inspired him to go to medical school.Worked as a fire fighter and EMT in college, and became the captain of his university's fire department.

Getting out of comfort zone