MedTalk Series: Tips On Completing The OMSAS Application

In this MedTalk Series, I'll be giving some tips on completing the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) application. For applicants interested in applying to medical schools within the province of Ontario, this is the application service that you will be using. You can visit this website: http://www.ouac.on.ca/omsas/ for more information as well as downloading the 2013 OMSAS information booklet.

The two most important aspects of the OMSAS application is 1) the autobiographical sketch (aka. ABS) and 2) references. I'll be giving some tips on how I went about completing these sections.

1. Autobiographical Sketch

According to OMSAS, the ABS is a "comprehensive list of the pertinent details of an applicant's activities since the age of 16, within the categories that apply to the applicant: Formal Education, Employment, Volunteer Activities, Extracurricular Activities, Awards and Accomplishments, Research, and Others...Applicants should include all experiences, both structured and non-structured that demonstrate an ability to determine needs in their community and a willingness to play a part in filling those needs."