Medical School Admissions image

Medical school admissions are more competitive than ever, requiring more than just strong grades and test scores. A standout application highlights your passion for medicine, clinical experience, research, and dedication to service. Our expert team offers personalized guidance at every stage of the process—from MCAT preparation and application strategy to crafting compelling personal statements, secondary essays, and other written materials, all the way through to interview preparation.

Elizabeth LaScala specializes in medical, dental and veterinarian school admissions, taking only a small number of clients for each degree path each cycle to ensure personalized attention every step of the way. Clients benefit from have a single expert eye review all their writing, helping to ensure their writings are free of redundancies and excess detail and full of interesting and unique layers that reveal qualities and competencies in different writing compartments to present a full and compelling picture of the candidate.

The Medical School Admissions Process

Step 1: Elizabeth works with potential applicants to review an individual’s credentials and experience to evaluate if their current profile is strong enough to be successful. Elizabeth provides written objective and subjective reviews, paired with a specific set of recommendations.

Step 2: Assuming the applicant’s profile is strong enough to be successful, Doing College offers the following services as needed:

  • Provide specific recommendations and support for submission of strong, cohesive applications to each school or program selected
  • Provide advice for preparation for the MCAT if needed
  • Assist with personal statement creation through brainstorming sessions, working outlines, and editing support services
  • Assist with supplemental essays (secondaries) as well as short and long activity descriptions, resumes and any other required or optional written responses
  • Assist with development of full mock application, as applicable
  • Beyond the actual application, provide editorial support for all written materials related to recommendations, internships and employment (such as email communications, cover letters, resumes and statements)
  • Assist with interview preparation
  • Help with deferred admissions and waitlists

Contact Doing College to set up a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation with Elizabeth LaScala to discuss our services.

Doing College offers educational consulting services to students and their parents in Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda and greater California, as well as nationally and internationally.

"When researching opportunities for assistance with my medical school candidacy, Elizabeth's transparency and personalized approach stood out, in addition to her curated list of clients. Throughout the entire process, from speaking about my motivations to pursue a career in medicine, to preparing for interviews, Elizabeth provided meaningful opportunities for me to engage with weaknesses in my application and highlight my strengths. Her candor, and sincere drive to see all of her clients succeed, meant that I never felt as if I was "going it alone" during the oftentimes uncertain medical school application process. While there are many resources that claim to support applicants throughout the cycle, Elizabeth provides counseling that is personalized to your unique profile as an applicant. 

If I were to apply to medical school again, the only thing I would change is seeking out her invaluable advice sooner!"

James Suggitt
MS1
NYU Grossman School of Medicine

"When I decided to go to veterinary school, I was intimidated by everything I had heard about the competitive admissions process. I knew I was meant to work with animals, but the steps to get there seemed very daunting. Elizabeth helped me realize that the process was something that I could conquer! She prioritized getting to know me, my background, and my goals first, and then worked with me extensively to put my best foot forward in each of my applications. As I started to hear back from schools, Elizabeth continued to make herself available to me for questions and admissions updates even though our contract had ended. I am so grateful to have someone so knowledgeable, honest, and enthusiastic on my side throughout this past year! Because of Elizabeth’s guidance, I was accepted to Tufts, UPenn, K state, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Oregon state. I ultimately chose Kansas State University due to the quality of the program that totally fits my goals and needs!"

Lauren Wittek
Kansas State University
Class of 2028

"Elizabeth truly went above and beyond to support me throughout the long and stressful medical school application process. She spent time reviewing all the supplemental material and essays I sent her in great depth to help craft a personal statement that best captures my strengths and unique attributes as an applicant. Although we were never physically together to work on my application, she was always very responsive and reliable with her communication through phone calls and emails.

In addition to her helpful comments on all my primary essays and activities section, Elizabeth also helped polish all the minor grammatical errors and check the overall flow of my writing. Even after I had submitted the essays, Elizabeth showed no hesitation in sending me additional material to best prepare for my interviews. She has been very understanding and accommodating throughout the cycle, and I could not express my gratitude enough. I highly recommend working with Elizabeth to anyone applying to medical school!"

Julie Hwang
University of North Carolina

"The medical school application process is long and difficult. But, with Elizabeth I was able to get ahead on the primary and secondary applications for medical school. Elizabeth was integral to my application process. She helped me craft a personal statement that turned my experiences into cohesive stories that showcased my strengths and my desire to become a physician. She also helped me address some "red flags" in my application in a way that I could show my academic and personal growth. Additionally, she helped guide me on how to respond to secondary prompts and how to make them the most effective with limited word counts. Elizabeth’s help minimized my stress during this process and need to endlessly search the internet for best medical school application tips. I highly recommend her services for anyone applying to graduate school!"

Kendall Gardner
Touro University of California

"I chose to work with Doing College and Beyond specifically because Elizabeth takes very few clients each cycle to ensure she has ample time to devote to each individual applicant. But the main reason I decided to work with Elizabeth is because of her candor in speaking to the positive and negative aspects of my application. Elizabeth’s comments helped me to shape a meaningful personal statement and concise, poignant answers to secondary prompts which made my application stand out in the large, highly competitive applicant pool.

Finally, Elizabeth provided emotional support and perspective through the ups and downs of the application process, providing timely answers to questions which just can’t be found roaming through internet blogs. For those applicants looking for an honest opinion on their medical school application and the help needed to turn a good application into one that truly projects your best self, I highly recommend looking no further than Elizabeth LaScala and Doing College and Beyond."

Byrnn Sargent
UC Irvine School of Medicine
Class of 2023

I did not know that I wanted to be a doctor until after graduating from college. My undergraduate institution did not provide much pre-medical advising and, so I searched for someone to help me navigate the application process, both with general guidance and more specific advising related to personal statements and written components. I was incredibly happy with my overall advising experience. Elizabeth was always responsive to whatever questions I had, answering them with her own knowledge and expertise or guiding me to the resources that answered my questions. She provided me with structured opportunities and exercises to reflect personally and academically, which was tremendously helpful in formulating a personal statement I was very proud to submit. I would definitely recommend Elizabeth to anyone that is looking for personalized advising for their graduate school applications.

Karen Bryan
UCLA School of Medicine
Class of 2023

"Elizabeth was an incredible mentor in helping to guide me through the entire medical school application process. She not only took the time to really familiarize herself with my application, but she also put in the effort to get to know me on a more personal basis.

Through our conversations, I came to realize my many strengths, which ultimately allowed me to succeed. I am very thankful for her help and the relationship we have built."

Michelle Liu Shu
UCLA School of Medicine

"I did not know that I wanted to be a doctor until after graduating from college. I thought about getting an MPH or going to nursing school, but after working in a clinical setting, I decided on medicine. My undergraduate institution did not provide much pre-medical advising and, so I searched for someone to help me navigate the application process, both with general guidance and more specific advising related to personal statements and written components.

I was incredibly happy with my overall advising experience. Elizabeth was always responsive to whatever questions I had, answering them with her own knowledge and expertise or guiding me to the resources that answered my questions. She provided me with structured opportunities and exercises to reflect personally and academically, which was tremendously helpful in formulating a personal statement I was very proud to submit. I would definitely recommend Elizabeth to anyone that is looking for personalized advising for their graduate school applications."

Karen Bryan
UCLA School of Medicine
Class of 2023

"Elizabeth, Thank you so much for your wise guidance and support throughout this whole process. My daughter couldn’t have done it without your help. She has accepted admission to UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine!"

Virginia Crisp
Daughter, Becca Crisp
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

"Elizabeth and I worked closely to develop a well-researched and balanced list of schools. She informed me that when it came to choosing a medical school, it wasn’t about the name but instead whether it was the right fit for me.

In college I majored in chemical engineering and I knew I wanted to take a gap year after graduation. During that gap year, I thought I should take an engineering job, but Elizabeth encouraged me to see that this would be a misstep. Instead she guided me to work in a health care setting before applying to dental schools—volunteering as well as shadowing in a dental office. Ultimately, I was hired to work full-time in a dental office and I believe this made all the difference in the strength of my applications. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is interested in attending a graduate or professional degree school."

Jennifer Xu
Columbia College of Dental Medicine

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