Practice Questions Flashcards
What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?
- Sympathy:
-Acknowledging the other person’s concern/struggle and attempting to provide them support and comfort
- You feel sorry for someone’s else struggle, BUT I find it to be more of a surface level understanding
-More from a distance/outside looking in - Empathy
-Find it to be more of a deeper understanding/ emotion between people
-Someone exhibiting empathy has the ability/perspective to understand another person’s concern/struggle and attempt to provide support and comfort by putting themselves in the other person’s shoes or because they’ve had a similar experience
-Can be harder if the person lacks perspective or the ability to look at a situation from someone else’s point of view or if they haven’t lived a similar experience
Tell me about a book you read?
- Rules by Cynthia Lord
-Complex view on disabilities and the relatives of those with disabilities - On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
-I’ve always been someone who likes to look deeper into things whether it be in school when discussing new theories or perspectives, when meeting a new person, or visiting a new place and learning about its history
-There is always more than what meets the eye and it was so interesting to me because the book digs deeper in deeper with every chapter and new perspective on the same events
-The way the story unravels keeps you on your toes, which is why I really love mystery and suspenseful books
What would you do if staff rejected to treat a patient because of the patient’s ethnic/racial background?
-If a staff rejected to treat patient because of the patient’s ethnic/racial background, I would pull them aside and/or find a time to speak with them in private, neutral setting about their behavior. I would try to remain as professional and non-judgemental as i wouldn’t want them to assume I’m making any accusations or judging their behavior. Every experience and/or mistake can be used as a learning opportunity, so I would use the conversation as more of a learning opportunity than a reprimand. I would first ask the staff why they rejected to treat the patient who happens to be of a certain ethnic or racial background to understand why they reacted or behaved in such a way. I would them remind them that as healthcare providers, we have a responsibility to treat all patients with the highest possible quality of care to all patients regardless of their background and i would urge them to step into the shoes of the patient and consider how their behavior may make the patient feel. I would explain how we truly never know what is going on in a patient’s life outside of the hospital, which is why it is important to treat everyone with the kindness, compassion, and respect they deserve. I would also urge them to consider how their behavior could affect their relationship with the patient, future patients, and/or other staff moving forward. I could also offer them resources to help educate them on the damaging effects of racial/ethnic discrimination on patients and the importance of social justice in healthcare to help better inform their actions and behavior moving forward. Lastly, I would give them an opportunity to rectify the situation first. I would urge them to apologize to the patient for their behavior and medically treat them the way they would any other patient. However, if the staff becomes aggressive or defensive, refuses to apologize, continues to refuse to treat the patient, I would let them know that I would need to report the behavior to higher authority as their behavior, attitude, and mindset could put other patients in harm’s way.
Tell me more about your involvements in your organizations
- Nonprofits/ Volunteer Orgs
-Mighty Writers: El Futuro
-Esperanza Health Center
-AYS at TUH
-Queens Heart Care, Progressive Cardiology, Mohinder Gupta
-LI Physical Therapy
NYU - School Orgs/ Sports
-By Any Means Necessary Dance Company
-Phi Delta Epsilon
-Gymnastics
Why Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine?
- Geisinger Commonwealth’s mission and curriculum perfectly align with my personal passions and aspirations
- Community-based model of education
-Love how the Total Health Curriculum places an emphasis on social justice, health equity, population health, and community immersion, requiring the 100 hours of service addressing SDOH
-Not only do you learn about it in the classroom but you actually get to go out into the real world to gain real world experience through the service learning and early clinical experience, which allows you to learn first hand the importance of health equity and mitigating SDOH
-Much like Geisinger Commonwealth, in the future, I really hope to be able to serve marginalized and underserved populations to advance health equity and address the SDOH’s disproportionately affecting them, which I why I think going to school like Geisinger that already committed to mitigating SDOH, advancing health equity, and teaching us about social justice will really help to prepare me the work I hope to do in the future - Community Engagement/Partnerships and Service Learning Opportunities
-Fresh Food Farmacy
-Family and Community Centered Experience
-Care and Concern Free Clinic
-United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania
-Meals on Wheels of NEPA
-Women’s Resource Center
-So important to me because these are the experience where you learn how to really carry yourself not just as a physician, but a person with compassion, kindness, and empathy for those around you and I love that Geisinger Commonwealth is committed to training future physicians with these attributes and skills bc it’s how we can make healthcare more personable and truly patient centered
-Committed to diversity and inclusion
How do you demonstrate resiliency?
By just constantly keeping a positive mindset and trying to push forward, whether it is in big steps or small ones. When things get hard it is really easy to become overwhelmed and and focus on the ways in which we’ve been set back and when we do that we consistently discredit any progress we’ve made. I just try to put one foot in front of the other every day until one day I’ve looked back and made it over the mountain. I try to remind myself that I’ve made it through difficult things in the past and that I can do it again and again even if it is with a few setbacks bc I’ll take progress and grace over perfection, any day because that what gives you the opportunity to grow and learn every day.
Why MD? Why not DO or PA?
What specialty(ies) are you interested in?
- In the future, I would like to work in underserved, minority communities at I feel that these speicalites lie at the heart of many of the issues disproportionately impacting these communities:
-Internal Medicine
-Cardiology with a focus in health disparities -> I have a lot of experience in this area and it’s really what I have come to be passionate about
-Family Medicine - These are specialities that I have had my own personal experiences with that I may be interested in the future after learning more and gained more professional experience in
-Orthopedics
-Dermatology - However, I would definitely want to gain more experience and learn more before making any decisions. I really want to make an informed decision, which is why I really want to go into medical school with an open mind and learn as much as I can before making a decision. I definitely do not want to limit myself.
What are your strengths? What are you weaknesses?
- Strengths:
-My interpersonal and social skills/ innate ability and desire to connect with the people around me, whether it be my peers or community. - Weakness:
-Sometimes I have some trouble with public speaking and really making my voice heard, I was a little shy growing up but this is something that I have been working on every day and I genuinely believe I’ve gotten much better by forcing myself to be in uncomfortable situations inside and outside of the classroom. I force myself to raise my hand and speak especially when I know I have some I want to say or something I believe can be valuable or even when I think it might spark controversy or disrupt the peace. Even going to open dance classes I has helped me build confidence to put my myself in the position to make mistakes and learn and grow with those around me! Surrounding myself with similar strong willed individuals and role models who want to spark change, who aren’t afraid of voicing their opinions, are open to making mistakes and learning from them inside and outside of the classroom has also really motivated me and inspired me to speak up growing up!
Tell me about yourself
Hi! My name is Jessica Marie Lopez. I am 23 yrs old. I was born and raised in New York with my mom and dad and older brother and sister who has mild cerebral palsy and developmental delays. We were raised in our Dominican culture, learning Spanish in the house and at school, eating traditional food every day, watching Spanish soap operas, and listening to Spanish music, so I can definitely say that my culture and ability to speak Spanish has enriched my life in so many ways. I started dancing at the age of 3 and doing gymnastics at the age of 4. I became a member of the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic program at the age of 8, started training 4 hours a day, 5-6 days a week, and competing in state, regional, and national competitions until I aged out at 18. After which I attended Temple University in Philadelphia where I majored in biology, minored in Spanish, and obtained a certificate in genomic medicine. I continued dancing in college, but had to stop gymnastics due to the pandemic after being part of the gymnastics club. I started my volunteer work in Philly my sophomore year and have been volunteering throughout the city at several health centers and nonprofit organizations, which was such a fulfilling experience until I graduated in May of 2022. After which I moved back home to New York and have been taking a gap year to travel, spend time with family and friends, and gain more professional volunteering and research experience.
There is a physician shortage in NEPA. What do you think we should do to keep medical students in the NEPA area after graduation?
Name a healthcare problem in Northeastern Pennsylvania. How would you address it?
-How social determinants of health/ broader social inequities and the lack of of access to primary care, whether it be because of high cost and lack of insurance or lack of transportation, have been impacting the prevention and management of chronic illness like heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory illness like COPD, cancer, and stroke for underserved populations in the area
-I would address it by working with other clinics in the area to begin screening patients for social determinants of health. I would then work with local organizations, nonprofits, and churches to develop a pool for available resources to help with things like stress management, lack of transportation, food insecurity, financial instability, lack of insurance, and then develop a referral system to bring awareness to these resources and let patients know of options to help prevent and manage chronic illness.
-Connect to work at Esperanza Health Center
What are the five qualities you feel a physician should have (Reference to secondary application essay)? Which of the five qualities you feel a physician should possess is most important to you?
- Empathy, compassion, resilience, integrity, and respect
- Empathy is most important because having the ability to put yourself in your patient’s shoes allows us to better understand where they’re coming from. Our patient’s well being should always be our top priority and really listening to them and understanding their point of view better equips of us to not only better be able to fight and advocate for their needs, but it should also motivate you to do so. i think it is also really important because we never really know what a patient is going through or what their support system is like. We may be part of that support system and sometimes they just need someone to talk to and to listen to them. By listening to their concerns, providing them with an empathetic ear we may just be providing them with a support that goes far beyond physical/ medical treatment.
Why medicine? Why do you want to be a physician?
If you could be a kitchen appliance, what would you be?
-A fridge!!!
-It has the capacity to do and be a lot for one person. It doesn’t have just one purpose.
-It’s stores our food and nutrients .: its integral to our health
-Opening the fridge quite literally makes people happy and they find a great comfort and support in food.
-And unless your electricity goes out, its reliable
-and that is how I want to live my life: Someone people can count on to bring just little extra happiness to their life when they need it
What is your experience with teamwork, both in athletics and in the classroom?
I’ve been working within a team my whole life! in gymnastics, at TUH, in my family, so I’ve really come to value teamwork, the beauty of people coming together, and the importance of supporting and uplifting those around in support of a common goal.
What did you like about your undergrad school?
-The campus had a vibrancy, life, and cultural richness to it that I originally couldn’t explain when I first visited.
-I later came to find that is the cultural richness of the surrounding community pouring into the school community that really gave our campus life
Tell us about one clinical experience that stands out in your mind?
-Sitting on a TAVR procedure, meeting the patient, and seeing the importance of teamwork in the healthcare setting. It really opened by eyes to a whole field I hadn’t been previously exposed to.
What are some factors you’re considering when choosing a medical school?
-Big emphasis on community engagement, advancing health equity, and addressing health disparities in the curriculum and volunteer/research opportunities
-Location
-DE&I Resources and support available to minority students
-Early clinical exposure
-High match rate/ passing USMLE Step 1
-Community/Global health opportunities
-Prioritizes student wellness
Why not PhD or MD/PhD?
How do you handle stress? How do you destress?
I handle stress pretty well. When I find myself stressed and overwhelmed, I try to take a step back, sit down, prioritize and figure out what is the biggest thing causing my stress. If it can be broken down into smaller tasks, I usually make some sort of schedule or list to break down things to make them seem more manageable and less overwhelming and go from there. After having done this and recognizing that I am stressed/ overwhelmed I try to find a little extra time within that day or week to do something to help me destress and prioritize my wellness and self-care. I like to destress by exercising or taking dance classes, going for walks outside, reading, cooking myself a nutritious meal, singing/ practicing on my piano, watching tv, or calling a family member or friend. So really just investing more time in activities that improve my physical/ mental wellbeing and in familial/ platonic relationships i feel really ground me
What connection do you have to Northeastern Pennsylvania? Why do you want to go to school in NEPA? Do you think you’d like the location?
-Northeastern Pennsylvania was actually a pretty big part of my childhood growing up! My grandparents had a house in the Poconos that my family used to go to all the time and I actually went to camp in Stroudsberg. Every summer my teammates and I would take away from USAG training to go to the International Gymnastics camp, which allowed us to continue our training to some degree, but to also just be a regular kid and spend time outside in nature in the beautiful atmosphere of NEPA.
-I have such beautiful memories of the area from childhood and would really consider it an honor to give back and serve the community that provided me with so much growing up. Not only do I have family in the area, but having gone to a public institution in Philadelphia like Temple University, I have a lot of friends not just in NEPA, but throughout the state, thus providing me with an incredible support system for medical school.
-I do think I’d like the location because after going to school for 4 years in the rustle and bustle of a growing city like Philadelphia, I’d actually really appreciate the change of scenery!
What do you want us to ask you?
-My community service and volunteer work
-My passion for health equity and social justice
-My culture and family
-Gymnastics and Dance
-Basically all the things that have contributed to the person I am in so many different ways today
Tell us about your research
In January 2020, I was accepted into a biomedical research program in Siena, Italy through Temple’s Study abroad office. I would’ve been working with the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and the University of Siena to conduct research to cure and diagnose genetic disease like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other chronic illnesses. However, in March 2020 the program was canceled due to the pandemic, which influenced my decision to take a gap year because i wanted to gain more experience in research before applying. As a result, I will actually be starting to volunteer on a research study at NYU soon, I am currently in the onboarding process. It is called Addressing Disparities in Hypertension and Reducing Racial Inequity through Engagement AKA Project ADHERE. It is a pilot program where enrolled patients will receive a nurse and a community health worker to train patients on home blood pressure monitoring, provide coaching/support on diet, physical activity and medications. The CHW will also provide group-based education, social services referrals, and phone based coaching on self managing hypertension and stress related to racial discrimination. The goal is to see if with this added support we can not only improve patient adherence to medical treatment and improve blood pressure control, but also improve discrimination-related outcomes and mental well-being.
What does resilience mean to you?
It means being able to push past any obstacle and just being able to put one foot in front of the other every day. It means trying to make progress everyday, no matter how small. The goal is to do it with grace, but sometimes it may not be possible and that’s ok. It means making it to the other side one way or another and sometimes that can look ugly. It can mean fighting tooth and nail for your passions, and it means you’ll lose blood, sweat, and tears. It means being strong, persistent, dedicated, and passionate in the pursuit of your goals.
Is there anything else you would like me to tell the admissions committee that we have no discussed?
What is the biggest problem facing healthcare?
Why family medicine, considering people use it as a buzzword to get into medical school?
Can you describe the clinical experience you’ve had? Tell me about your clinical experiences
What is a negative shadowing experience you’ve had?
This didn’t really have to do with the actual interaction I had with the doctor or the hospital staff, but during one of my first days shadowing I watched a patient code for the first time in the ICU. Honestly, it was really difficult to witness for the time, but also opened my eyes to the a very essential and real part of what it means to be a physician. I watched the team work seamlessly together and saw what it really means to fight for a patient until the very end.
What will you do if you don’t get in?
If I don’t get in, I’ll try again! I’ll continue with my current work and research at NYU and the cardiology clinic in Queens. I’ll try gain more shadowing experience in new specialites and maybe even take the MCAT again. I’ll most likely take some extra time to travel and spend time with family/friends, maybe even get an online MPH.
Could you talk about previous work experiences?
N/A
What do you know about the NEPA area and its patients? What are some of the medical problems in NEPA?
- NEPA and its patients
-While the population is predominantly white, the Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino population (Highest in Scranton) is growing in the NEPA are with the underserved population facing several socio-economic barriers to accessing care: Financial instability/being low-income, facing language barriers, suffering from food insecurity, lacking transportation/lack of access to care, lacking insurance coverage due to high premiums, lower rates of literacy.
-There is also a large Amish population - Medical Problems
-Chronic disease prevention and management (need to increase health habits): Major health issues include high rates of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity/obesity related diseases, respiratory diseases like COPD and chronic lower respiratory disease, cancer, stroke
-Lack of emphasis on behavioral health (Significant substance abuse problem and mental health strategies)
Tell me about your interest in community service
I have an immense passion for community service. I was raised in a large Dominican family, where in a lot of Latino cultures, family and community are really important. Because of that I’ve always had an innate ability and desire to want to connect with the people around me. Being able to give back to my community who has given me so much means everything to me and it is something I hope to continue in medical school. Our community can be not only our biggest ally, but also our biggest resource and learning tool. What better way to learn about the community you serve than from gaining real world experience and hearing real stories from real people. When we interact with our community and listen to them face to face, they aren’t just stories that we can keep at an arm’s length the way we do when we read about them in a book or learn about them in the classroom. They become real and are happening all around us. It motivates me to want to do more, to be better, and want to give back to my community.
