Manjima Sarkar

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Stanford University
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Starting at 10:30 PM UTC

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My name is Manjima, and I'm a current MD-PhD student at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Before UNC, I was a biomedical engineering and neuroscience student at the University of Southern California, and a master's student at the University of Oxford. My path to medical school was definitely not a straight line, and it took me a lot of time to recognize and accept that this was my dream. There were a thousand moments during this journey where I worried that my GPA was too low, or my clinical experiences not impactful enough, or research not high-profile enough for me to get to where I wanted to be. But, I knew that if I could craft a compelling narrative around my experiences and background, and communicate this story authentically to admissions committees, that I'd have a shot at success. And eventually that paid off! My first cycle applying to medical school, I received 11+ interviews to a combination of MD, MD/PhD, and MSTP programs. I know from personal experience how grueling the MD and MD/PhD admissions experience can be. But, I also know that with the right strategy, story-telling, and support system, the challenge is very surmountable. I hope that I can use this insight to help you realize your dreams as well.

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Why do I coach?

I personally relied heavily on coaches and mentors to get me through my admissions process. As a non-traditional applicant, I did not have the support of pre-professional advising through universities. And many other "advisors" were quick to dismiss me based on what they saw as my perceived weaknesses. But I was lucky enough to find coaches and mentors who spent many hours working with me to craft my story, swamping through drafts and re-drafts of hundreds of essays, helping me with mock interviews, refining my elevator pitch, and listening to my research talks. Without their support, I would not be where I am today, and I hope to pay that forward to future generations of aspiring physician scientists.