What is PreMedley?

Harshil Shah, MCAT Tutor (131 B/B)Hi all, my name is Harshil and I am a final year medical student in Canada who enjoys teaching! I scored a 131 in the B/B section and predominantly teach MCAT biology with a focus on gaining a deep understanding of the high-yield organ systems tested. I am also open to answering any questions about how my medical school experience in Canada has been thus far. In my free time, I like practicing martial arts (especially Tae Kwon do and Muay Thai) and listening to ebooks! Looking forwards to meeting all of you!

Ritika Jhawar, MCAT Tutor (132 B/B)Hi everyone! My name is Ritika, I graduated from UC Davis in 2022 and am currently working as a clinical researcher in the Hematology/Emergency Medicine department. I joined PreMedley in February 2024 as a MCAT tutor, specifically for the B/B section. By mastering a few methods during my study period, I was able to score a 132 in this section! Overall, I have mentored both children and adults since high school, and I love getting to know each student. I highly value catering educational content to students' specific needs, such as trying new teaching methods to better help recall content. In addition to MCAT tutoring, I can provide help setting up timelines as a traditional/non-traditional premed, along with potential gap-year jobs. Outside of medicine, I enjoy modeling part-time and cooking new recipes!

Tiffany Husman, Application Advisor (20 interview invites)My name is Tiffany, and I have been working with PreMedley for over a year. I am a rising MS2 at my top choice medical school and in the 22-23 cycle, I received 20 interview invites (T3, T15, T20 included), attended 12, and was accepted to 10 schools. I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 200 students including those who have been accepted into T3, T5, T10, and T20 schools. As a first-generation student, I understand how overwhelming the medical school application process can be, and I am passionate about helping others who may feel the same way. Besides medicine, I enjoy baking, painting, and pets!

Erik Soby, MCAT Tutor (132 P/S)Hello, my name is Erik, and I am a Canadian resident thrilled to be a part of the PreMedley community! I scored a 519 on the MCAT (130/125/132/132) . I am a PreMedley instructor for the psych/soc section, and offer additional tutoring for bio/biochem, and chem/phy, and help with MCAT scheduling logistics. I am interested in psychiatry and love all things clinical, education, and research. It’s my goal to fundamentally change the way mental illness is diagnosed and treated by collaborating with like-minded individuals.

Haley Dahlhoff, Application Advisor (5 MD acceptances)Hi! My name is Haley! I am a nontraditional student and incoming MS1. I have a Master’s in Vectorborne and Infectious Disease from Notre Dame, and I currently work as the Virology Lab Supervisor at my state department of health. I am an MCAT retaker who was able to achieve an 11-point jump in one month, and I scored 4th Quartile on CASPER. I applied both AMCAS and TMDSAS, and I was accepted to 5 MD programs (one in Texas as an OOS applicant). I will be attending UAB Heersink School of Medicine in the fall on a scholarship. I have been an interview coach for almost 10 years, and I really enjoy helping students learn how to present their unique journeys in an interview. I look forward to working with my PreMedley students!

Cadi Creager, MCAT Tutor (132 CARS)Hi! My name is Cadi! I am currently a senior at UCLA about to graduate. I was able to score a 132 on the CARS section of the MCAT and have loved being able to help out our PreMedley students with that section so far! I am currently applying to med school this cycle and am starting to plan out my gap year for after I graduate. I love watching football and gymnastics and love going shopping or thrifting. I look forward to seeing you all in my sessions soon!

CJ Moore, Application Advisor (Multiple interviews and accepted to top choice program)I think PreMedley was vital in helping me establish a support system when it came to applying to medical school. With excellent tutors, students, and sessions I was able to confidently apply during the cycle. Now as a mentor I strive to give the same support to future students and to help them reach the goal of being accepted into medical school!

Ally Mercado, MCAT Tutor (496 to 516 MCAT score)Ally was an original PreMedley member turned mentor and applied to 18 schools, attended 8 interviews, and was accepted at schools such as Yale, Kaiser/Cal Tech MD/PhD, and Stanford MSTP!

Valeria Jimenez, Application Advisor (13 Acceptances)Hi everyone! I'm Valeria and I am a rising MS2! During my application cycle, I received 18 interview invitations (3x T3) and 13 acceptances - including multiple full-ride scholarships. I scored a below-median MCAT for 13 of the schools I interviewed at and scored in the 4th quartile for Casper. As a first generation, I understand that this process can be daunting and I am excited to help our PreMedley community with Casper and application advising, in both group and one-on-one sessions! Outside of medicine, I enjoy going on walks, working out and binge-watching TV shows!

Dionna Williams, Application AdvisorHi everyone! I’m excited to join PreMedley and give a faculty perspective on MD and MDPhD admissions. My primary role is mentorship, personal statement and secondary application edits, interview preparation, and also providing my perspective on gap years/postbac programs/research opportunities as a pathway towards medical school. I have been faculty at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine since 2018 and I will soon begin at Emory University School of Medicine. In this capacity, I have served on admissions committees and interviewed numerous MDPhD and PhD applicants. Additionally, I serve on the Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program where I evaluate future MD and MDPhD students, help prepare them for their future academic endeavors, and edit personal statements. Finally, as a Principal Investigator of my own research lab, I’ve helped my own technicians and students pursue their educational goals and have Williams Lab alumni as current MD, MDPhD, and PhD students. My hobbies include martial arts (Muay Thai), reading, and cooking!

Mya Lax, MCAT Tutor (23 Point Increase on MCAT)I was able to increase my MCAT by 23 points and was accepted at my first choice Canadian Medical School after third year of undergrad. I focus my sessions on B/B and C/P strategy, content integration, and overcoming MCAT anxiety. PreMedley has allowed me to connect with so many incredible students and both gain support throughout my application process and support others throughout theirs. I am excited to meet more of you and help you reach your goals!

Katrina Maktaz, MCAT TutorHi everyone! My name is Katrina. I graduated in 2023 from Nova Southeastern University and am applying to medical schools this year. As a first generation student, I know how daunting the medical school application process and studying for the MCAT can be. I have been mentoring/tutoring all throughout high school and college and it is so exciting to help others along this journey! Outside of medicine, I am passionate about my faith and working out! I'm excited to begin tutoring & be part of this amazing community.

Matan Berkovsky, MCAT Tutor (132 B/B, 130 C/P)Hey guys, I'm Matan! I am an MS1 attending the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In May of my junior year, I was fortunate enough to score a 130 in C/P, 132 in B/B, and 131 in P/S. Since then, I began tutoring for PreMedley and have led Biology/A&P and Organic Chemistry sessions. When teaching, I approach concepts and explanations in a very peer-to-peer like manner and I also love to share my approaches to the content and other study strategies that I still have fresh in my mind. Super excited to start helping you all achieve your MCAT dreams!

Saisavat Phommavongsa, MCAT Tutor (131 C/P)I am a Florida International University alumni who will be starting medical school in Fall of 2024. As an undergraduate student I had the opportunity to work with hundreds of students as a Learning Assistant and Teaching Assistant for courses like Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry. I took my MCAT in January 2023 and I scored a 516, with a 131 in C/P and I am very excited to share tips and strategies I used to do well in this section. Although my focus will be in C/P, I am also open to meeting with students on 1-1 sessions to answer questions about the pre-med path. In my free time I enjoy playing sports and taking pictures! Looking forward to working with you all.