MD2B

Significantly reduce your debt. AAMC research indicates that the median education debt for the class of 2013 was $175,000.

Provide a major boost to your residency application, and set you apart from your peers. Awards can be placed in the application, MSPE (Dean's Letter), letters of recommendation, and CV.

We have found that interviewers often ask about awards during residency interviews. "The [American Society of Clinical Pathology Academic Excellence Award] was a common topic during my residency interviews," says Alexander Gallan, a medical student at the Boston University School of Medicine. "I believed it helped my residency application immeasurably by providing justification for all the hard work I have done."

Elevate your profile with competitive specialties and residency programs. After Brian Caldwell, a medical student at the University of Arkansas, won the Dr. Constantin Cope Medical Student Research Award from the Society of Interventional Radiology, Dr. William Cup, his mentor, had this to say. "I am so pleased that he won the national SIR award, because his participation in the conference introduced him to national leaders in interventional radiology, and will help jumpstart his career."

Raise your stature in your medical school.

Make you more attractive for other awards and scholarships.

Further your professional reputation and enhance your credibility in the areas that form the basis for the award.

Solidify the support of faculty who become reference letter writers. Strengthening these relationships over time allows faculty members to write strong letters of recommendation for residency.  More than just an extensive list of awards and scholarships, this resource delves deep into the strategies for success.