PreHealth Spotlight: Ali Jamali

Class year: 2016
Major: Biology

Grades matter, but make sure to develop a narrative that reveals your character in your interviews and personal statement. 

Vitals

First year student at Temple University School of Medicine

I majored in Biology because of the resources that the department offered and because it was a great entry into pre-medical studies. I also involved myself in several activities as I prepared myself for a career in medicine.

I volunteered at the Coolidge House Assisted Living Center in Brookline, where I helped elderly residents with daily activities. My time there exposed me to dementia patients and helped me build a deep appreciation for caregiving. Listening to patients taught me the importance of being emotionally available in the healthcare environment. I used this experience in the first few weeks of school during my simulated patient experiences.

I also researched in the Biology department under the awesome Andy John Smith in Dr. Dumont’s lab. I studied mandibular evolution across different mammalian species, and I enjoyed my lab community and research very much. I think finding a PI that cares and that you enjoy working with is very important.

I was also a TA for chemistry classes. I talked about being a teacher quite a bit in my interviews. I would recommend involving yourself in peer learning and being innovative in trying to find ways of educating your classmates within your department.

My Application Process

I applied to Temple because of the research and clinical reputation the school had. I researched during college, and going to a school with a large research infrastructure was important to me. I also was interested in the self-learning design at Temple. Many schools are implementing “course capture,” letting students sleep in and watch lectures at faster speeds from home. I considered this along with the Pass/Fail curricula when deciding between schools.

My Application Advice

Grades matter, but make sure to develop a narrative that reveals your character in your interviews and personal statement. In other words, talent sets the floor, but character sets the ceiling. Talent sets the floor, but character sets the ceiling—one of my favorite sayings by Bill Belichick, head coach of the most successful football team in the NFL.

My Curricular Advice

When it comes to the MCAT, find your own style. I personally spent the majority of my time doing practice problems in exam-like settings. There is more to the exam than content, and being used to the exam conditions is important.

Published October 2016