The year’s end is naturally a time of reflection, when we take stock of the progress that’s been made in the last 12 months. It was a great year for the Kaplan MCAT team. As we look back at 2013 we can note several important milestones – not the least of which is the development of new materials and resources for the 2015 MCAT.
However, in my book I will always remember 2013 as the year that we launched an ambitious new venture, The Pulse. For those unfamiliar with the idea, The Pulse is a live, monthly online event geared towards pre-medical students and the struggles they face in their journey to become physicians. It was conceived as a way to put students in direct contact with deans, physicians, advisors, and similar experts who can give them real answers to the questions that impact their futures. In a world where blogs and message boards are rapidly proliferating and one has good reason to question the validity of some of the advice received online, The Pulse serves as a free, reliable resource for any interested student.
In the nine months since we launched the show, we’ve been thrilled with the results; not only have we seen a regular audience of thousands of students for each episode, we’ve managed to go beyond the usual scope of admissions topics with episodes exploring subjects like the Affordable Care Act and Diversity in Medicine. We’ve heard directly from students that the show has been helpful not just in preparing their medical school applications, but in reinforcing their commitment to medicine and belief in their ability to achieve a lifelong dream.
Of course, as we look forward to 2014 and the second season of The Pulse, our aim is to continue improving and evolving the show in a way that directly benefits the students. Towards that end, I’d like to invite the pre-health advising community to join us in shaping the experience; what topics or challenges do you see your students struggling with? What would you like to see in future iterations of the show? And what can we at Kaplan do to continue assisting you as advisors?
In the spirit of year-end reflections, I’ll encourage you to view our Best of The Pulse 2013 playlist on YouTube, which includes highlights from the first season to spur your creative juices. Please feel free to email any suggestions or concerns to us at thepulse@kaplan.com, and don’t forget to tune into the 2014 premier episode exploring Clinical and Research Experiences.
Wishing you a healthy and happy new year,
– Owen and the Kaplan MCAT Team
