PreHealth Spotlight: Christopher DiTullio

Class year: 2015
Major: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Very few people take the MCAT exam once and come away with a fantastic score the first time. As a three-time veteran of the marathon that is MCAT exam day, I found the best strategy is developing a study schedule and sticking to it.

Vitals

• Attending UMass Medical School Fall 2017
• Accepted to four medical schools
• Nursing Assistant at South Shore Hospital Emergency Room
• EMT for UMass EMS, Fallon Ambulance, and Spencer Rescue Squad
• Executive Director of UMass EMS
• RA for Coolidge Tower
• Research in Dr. Chase’s Biochemistry Lab
• TA for EMT class on UMass campus

As an applicant to medical school, I really have two stories to tell: one that ended negatively and one that ended with my attending my #1 choice program. As a prime example of someone who did not get into medical school—or even get an interview for that matter—with their first application attempt, I want every Pre-Med, Pre-Dent & Pre-PA/NP student to know that it is still entirely possible to achieve that goal the second time around. Let that gut feeling you have that being a healthcare professional is your calling in life continue to drive you and never give up!

Undergrad Experience

As a UMass Amherst undergrad, I arrived to school not knowing what major to study but focused on achieving my professional goals that I had held since high school. The biggest task is connecting the two by selecting a major and extracurricular activities that not only challenge your thinking but appeal to your interests. You finally have the choice to pick what homework you are going to be spending hours and hours on, so pick something you love! For me that was Biochemistry, a major that I found to be full of course work that prepared me well for the MCAT exam.

Supplementing my course work were my health care experiences in EMS. Taking the EMT class on campus in my freshman year allowed me to maximize my time to acquire hours of healthcare experience and become a part of my favorite extracurricular activity at UMass: UMass EMS.

Working as an RA on campus allowed me to interact with a very diverse population of students and introduced me to a variety of cultural and lifestyle experiences that will benefit me in my interactions with patients of a multitude of backgrounds. Finally, my Honors College thesis, related to the financing and delivery of healthcare in the context of EMS, allowed me to understand that medicine includes more than a person’s physical well-being with the social determinants of health having an overwhelming importance.

On top of all of this, visiting the Pre-Med office at least once a semester allowed me to develop a strong relationship with my advisors. They are the people who will be writing your main letter of recommendation, so it is important to start forming a relationship with them and other faculty on campus beginning in your freshman year so your letters can paint an effective picture of the person you become through your entire college experience!

The MCAT

Very few people take the MCAT exam once and come away with a fantastic score the first time. As a three-time veteran of the marathon that is MCAT exam day, I found the best strategy is developing a study schedule and sticking to it. I used study materials from “Examkrackers” as well as other free question banks and practice exams that I could find online to review exam related material. Starting three months before my exam day, I would sit down at my desk at 8 a.m. (the actual start time of the exam) every other Saturday and practice taking full-length exams simulating exam conditions as closely as possible. Your preparation for the exam is not only having a good knowledge base in the required topics but developing the mental stamina to stay focused for such a long period of time. Practice really does make perfect, so spend a lot of time doing practice questions to understand how the MCAT operates.

The Application

The best advice that I can give for the application process is to start it as early as possible!! I spent the majority of the winter and spring before applying by crafting my personal statement and writing the descriptive paragraphs for my undergraduate activities. This allowed me to explain my undergraduate career with the most detail as possible rather than rushing to finish when the application finally opened. Early application submission leads to the best chance to get as many interview opportunities as possible, so try to submit yours as close to the first day that the AAMC allows submissions as possible.

Gap Year

The best thing that happened to me in this process, if you can believe it, was not getting into medical school the first time around. In taking time off I was able to amass additional healthcare experience that ultimately will have tremendous influence on my abilities as a future doctor. Through my experiences in the emergency room at South Shore Hospital, I was able to amplify my healthcare literacy and interact with patients on a full-time basis. An added benefit was being able to observe practicing doctors in their natural habitat and get a better understanding of not only how they practice but what everyday life is like outside of the hospital. The two years between the end of my undergrad and beginning of my medical education allowed me to rest and recharge my enthusiasm for the profession and gain an appreciation for all members of the healthcare team and their important role in every patient’s outcome. With a new set of mentors I would not have found otherwise, and a reinvigorated excitement to continue my education, I stress to any Pre-Med that it is okay to not start medical school right after undergrad; there are many valuable lessons to be learned and experiences to be had in the gap years.

I hope my experiences will help guide you in your application cycle. Good luck and GO UMASS!!!

Published April 2017