Hello there! I am currently a first-year medical student at the University of Toronto. I was by no means the perfect applicant from the start and it took me three tries to get that coveted acceptance letter.

However, despite my challenges, each passing cycle taught me valuable lessons that I used to improve over time. During my first cycle, I ended up with zero interviews. I meticulously reviewed my ABS and received an interview invite to the University of Ottawa in my second...

Hello there! I am currently a first-year medical student at the University of Toronto. I was by no means the perfect applicant from the start and it took me three tries to get that coveted acceptance letter.

However, despite my challenges, each passing cycle taught me valuable lessons that I used to improve over time. During my first cycle, I ended up with zero interviews. I meticulously reviewed my ABS and received an interview invite to the University of Ottawa in my second cycle, only to be waitlisted and eventually rejected. I began to question whether medicine was for me, but after being treated by the most compassionate of physicians for a life-threatening illness, my motivation was reignited.

During the following application season, I tirelessly consulted mentors for feedback that helped me convey why I would make a great doctor through my essays. When I received my first interview invite of the cycle, I again turned to others for feedback and practiced daily to compensate for not being naturally gifted in interview settings. In my third cycle, I finally managed to pull everything together, receiving acceptances at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia with an interview at Western University.

Reflecting on my failures and successes, I believe the biggest difference lies in how you write or talk about your experiences. My GPA, MCAT, and ECs remained constant, but how I communicated through my essays, applications, and interviews improved. My goal is to ensure the lessons I learned along the way can immensely help in your journey towards a medical career.