Premedical students aspiring to attend and excel in medical school focus on academic excellence, research achievements and clinical experiences — rightfully so, as these are crucial to gaining admission.
However, along the way, the observant premed student (and the reflective doctor looking back years later) will come to understand that emotional intelligence is critical not only for the admissions process, but throughout a career in health care. Emotional intelligence is an overlooked but important aspect of the medical school admissions process, and it is essential to effectively demonstrate it throughout the application process.
Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important for Premed Students?
Emotional intelligence, or EI, is the capacity to recognize, understand, manage and effectively use emotions in ourselves and in our interactions with others. In the context of med school admissions, EI plays a substantial role.
Medicine is a people-oriented profession. Doctors must empathize with patients, communicate effectively and navigate unique, emotionally charged situations that do not exist in other fields. Med school admissions committees look for evidence — direct or indirect — that applicants possess the interpersonal skills required for success in this field.
[READ: 5 Key Characteristics of Successful Medical School Applicants.]
Even for students interested in nonpatient-facing specialties such as radiology and pathology, life as a physician will require interfacing frequently with many other health care providers, even if you don’t specifically interact with patients. These interactions can also be emotionally demanding.
How to Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence in the Application Process
Personal Statement
The personal statement is one of the best opportunities to describe your aptitude in EI due to its open-ended nature. Use your essay to narrate experiences that showcase EI, in addition to your academic talent, perseverance and dedication to the field. Choose a moment or two along your journey where you demonstrated empathy, sensitivity or effective communication.
EI is a broad category, and many classic “this motivated my decision to pursue medicine” moments that carry the weight of your personal statement can be described with EI in mind. Share stories that highlight your ability to connect with and support others, communicate difficult news, empathize with a patient or deal with a difficult interpersonal situation with maturity and sensitivity.
Letters of Recommendation
If possible, choose recommenders who can speak to your EI. Professors or supervisors who have witnessed your compassionate interactions with patients or colleagues, particularly in the clinical or laboratory setting, can provide valuable insights into your emotional intelligence.
[Med School Recommendation Letters That Helped Applicants]
It is often helpful to choose at least one recommender who knows you quite well and can speak to who you are on a personal level. Ask this recommender to incorporate aspects of EI into their description of your strengths and attributes. It often helps to remind the recommender of concrete examples of when you have demonstrated an attribute, rather than simply communicating that you “have it.”
Interview Preparation
Before your medical school interviews, reflect on your EI experiences and be prepared to discuss them. Practice answering questions related to your ability to work with diverse teams, handle stress — including interpersonal conflicts — and communicate with individuals from various backgrounds and professions.
You are nearly guaranteed to receive at least one question relevant to EI in your interviews, so be prepared with concrete examples in order to construct a strong, persuasive response.
Volunteer and Clinical Experiences
Engage in volunteer work and clinical experiences that allow you to interact with a diverse range of individuals. These experiences will not only help you develop your EI, but also provide concrete examples to draw upon in your application and interviews. Most importantly, they will help reinforce your desire to pursue medicine and ascertain if this career and long training period are right for you.
The Benefits of Emotional Intelligence During and After Med School
In medical school and throughout your career, your ability to connect with patients on an emotional level will improve patient trust and outcomes, and your own professional fulfillment.
As a doctor, you’ll also work in multidisciplinary teams — more so than many premed students anticipate before they begin significant clinical experiences. Focusing on developing, expanding and extending your capacity for emotional intelligence will help you navigate interpersonal challenges, communicate effectively with colleagues and contribute effectively to patient care.
Medical school and the practice of medicine can be highly stressful. This is exaggerated by widespread mental health challenges, including high rates of depression and anxiety among physicians. The pandemic exacerbated these existing underlying trends, contributing to significant feelings of burnout not only in medical school but among practicing physicians. A solid foundation of emotional intelligence equips you with coping strategies, resilience and the ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance that will benefit you before, during and beyond medical school.
[READ: Evaluate Priorities to Balance Personal Life, Medical School.]
In such a highly competitive field, the ability to demonstrate emotional intelligence can be a differentiator that sets you apart from other high-achieving applicants. Demonstrating EI in your application and cultivating it throughout your medical education will not only enhance your chances of gaining admission but, most importantly, will prepare you for a fulfilling and successful career in medicine.
On this long journey into medicine, don’t forget to nurture and expand your emotional intelligence alongside your academic pursuits. It is an investment that will pay dividends throughout a long career as a doctor.
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The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Medical School Admissions originally appeared on usnews.com
