Dear Student,
It’s been a while since our last exchange. I hope all is well with you and you’re getting off to a good start this semester. This letter is in response to your missed appointment.
During the faculty’s professional development week, a senior physician said, “the hardest part of being a doctor is showing up!” He emphasized the importance of professionalism and being available to address the needs of patients. This physician shared his insights with us to emphasize the value of encouraging students to attend class, small group facilitation sessions, advising meetings, and lab on time.
I bring this to your attention now because, without notice, you missed our appointment on Thursday. We planned to discuss creating a study schedule inclusive of personal and professional obligations. I hope that you used the time of our meeting to make a comprehensive schedule.
Do not expect to perform at your best in medical school without a disciplined approach to your studies. Your schedule should include attending class, being present in small group sessions, reviewing multiple-choice questions, teaching your peers the content, and engaging in self-care activities.
You might also want to include time allocated for advising appointments!
Medical school is practice for your future career. You will need to keep track of your time after graduation to ensure productivity in your work and personal responsibilities. A disorganized physician’s life is a recipe for a mental breakdown.
I want to see you become successful. We need you in our community. I work for AUA, because of their mission to provide underserved populations with the opportunity to become doctors.
Many schools in the US, Canada, and China are highly selective. Some do not admit students below a 3.7 GPA and 515 scores on the MCAT. They only choose the top-performing students and disregard structural barriers that can limit academic performance in underserved communities.
I want you to make the most of this opportunity. We will have to work together to ensure you finish this program. Your enrollment at this medical school at this time is not luck. You are here as part of a larger plan for your life. Yes, it is indeed divine alignment.
I hope this letter encourages you to get more organized and make future appointments. After you finish reading this, please send me an email and let's reschedule our meeting.
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I look forward to seeing you this week.
Dr. Lindsay