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How does a medical school prepare students to care for individual patients while also understanding the communities and health systems surrounding them? In Episode 632 of Accepted’s Admissions Straight Talk, host Dr. Valerie Wherley speaks with Dr. Donald Batisky, associate dean of medical student admissions and special programs at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Dr. Batisky explains how Cincinnati Medicine connects foundational science with early clinical learning, teamwork, communication, advocacy, and community engagement. He discusses the school’s Learning Communities program, the “Physician and Society” course, work with community organizations, and the role of standardized patients in helping students practice clinical and communication skills before the stakes become higher.

The conversation also explores how the physician’s role is changing. Future doctors must be strong diagnosticians, but they must also understand social determinants of health, communicate across different levels of health literacy, work effectively within complex systems, and advocate for patients who face barriers to care.

For current and future medical students, Dr. Batisky shares advice on moving beyond survival to genuine growth: remember your reason for pursuing medicine, maintain relationships and interests outside school, find a personal approach to wellness, and stay connected to service. He also identifies underused opportunities, including dual-degree programs, and explains what Cincinnati Medicine seeks in applicants: academic readiness, mission alignment, teamwork, service, authenticity, and a cohesive story rather than a collection of checked boxes.

00:00 Meet Dr. Donald Batisky and Cincinnati College of Medicine

02:14 The Changing Role of the Physician

07:33 Early Clinical Learning and Standardized Patients

12:40 Learning from Cincinnati’s Communities

20:15 Building Connection and Preventing Burnout

22:42 Underused Opportunities for Cincinnati College of Medicine Students

26:27 Moving from Surviving to Thriving

34:48 What Cincinnati College of Medicine Looks for in Applicants

Related Resources:

• Donald Batisky, MD, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Office of Medical Admissions
• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Pre-Clerkship Curriculum
• “Physician and Society” Course Service-Learning Experience
• Accepted’s Medical School and Healthcare Admissions Consulting

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What attracts more than 5,300 applicants to a medical school with 120 seats? In Episode 631 of Accepted’s Admissions Straight Talk, Dr. Valerie Wherley speaks with Laurel Poole, director of MD program admissions at the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine, about the program’s curriculum, student outcomes, and holistic admissions process.

Poole explains how UCF’s location in Orlando, its Health Sciences Campus, career advising, and strong residency match outcomes have helped this newer medical school build a national reputation. She also takes listeners inside the curriculum. Every student completes the two-year Focused Individualized Research Experience (FIRE), which provides structured research time and faculty mentorship. Through the Community of Practice program, students begin applying clinical and communication skills with patients during the first year.

The conversation also covers UCF’s student-run free clinics, community service opportunities, and developing discussions about technology and AI in healthcare. Finally, Poole describes what the admissions committee wants to see in a competitive applicant: academic readiness, meaningful clinical exposure, research, shadowing, and sustained volunteerism. UCF seeks students who have both the “head and the heart for medicine”—people whose actions support the qualities they claim in their essays.

If UCF is on your medical school list, this episode offers a practical look at the program and the preparation needed to demonstrate a strong fit.

00:00 Introduction to UCF College of Medicine

00:44 UCF’s Growth in Orlando

04:02 Student Outcomes Attract a Competitive Applicant Pool

06:48 The Required FIRE Research Experience

11:21 Clinical Learning Begins in the First Year

14:11 Service Through Student Organizations and Free Clinics

16:13 Technology, AI, and the Human Side of Medicine

18:48 What UCF Looks for in Medical School Applicants

Related Resources

• UCF College of Medicine MD Admission Requirements
• UCF Contact MD Program Admissions
• 2026-2027 AMCAS Work and Activities Section: What to Include (with Examples)

Related Episodes

• Episode 625: Inside COMP: What the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Looks for in Applicants
• Episode 619: From Street Clinics to Neurosurgery: How TUCOM Trains Physicians Who Stand Out
• Episode 618: Inside Baylor College of Medicine: Admissions, Curriculum, and What Makes a Strong Applicant

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www.accepted.com
support@accepted.com
+1 (310) 815-9553

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What does it look like to leave a successful career in book publishing and build a new path to medical school? In this episode of Accepted’s Admissions Straight Talk, Dr. Valerie Wherley speaks with Sarah Shirley, an osteopathic medical student at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, about her journey from English and comparative literary studies to book publishing, premed coursework, and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) school.

Sarah shares how hospital volunteering helped her test whether medicine was the right fit, why career changers need to take their doubts seriously without letting fear make the decision for them, and how she built a med school application around authentic experiences rather than a “checkbox” list. She also discusses letters of recommendation, the value of staying fully present while shadowing, and the journaling habit that helped her make stronger recommendation requests.

The conversation also explores osteopathic medicine, including what drew Sarah to the DO philosophy, how osteopathic manipulative medicine shaped her understanding of patient care, and why applicants should learn the tenets of osteopathy before writing their secondary essays. If you are a nontraditional applicant, a humanities major considering medicine, or a premed wondering whether your path is too different, this episode offers practical advice and honest encouragement.

00:00 Meet Sarah Shirley: From Humanities to DO School

03:21 Finding Medicine Through Hospital Volunteering

05:14 Deciding to Pursue the Premed Path

08:10 Self-Doubt, Failure, and Changing Careers

14:34 Building a Meaningful Med School Portfolio

22:29 Asking for Strong Letters of Recommendation

30:30 Why Osteopathic Medicine Was the Right Fit

Related Episodes

• From Med School Reapplicant to Current M1 [Episode 609]
• Inside COMP: What the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Looks for in Applicants [Episode 625]
• How to Get the Most Out of Your Premed Shadowing Experience [Episode 620]

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www.accepted.com
support@accepted.com
+1 (310) 815-9553