ABOUT
Mission
Founded in 2016, Ottoscopes is a Syracuse University Alumni networking group comprised of physicians and physicians-in-training. Our primary mission is to provide a resource for pre-medical students to bridge the gap between the application process and the seemingly mysterious life of medical students. We understand the journey to medical school is a long and formidable one, and we are here to provide advice and information about the career path. While the Health Professions Advising department works diligently to offer assistance with AMCAS applications and Committee Letters, Ottoscopes serves to answer your questions regarding the next level of education. Additionally, medical students may seek advice from, and establish connections with fellow alumni in medicine regarding residency and research programs. Whether you are curious about a particular medical school, program/curriculum, field of medicine, area of research, or other aspects of the career path, we are here to help.
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Scroll through some of the topics listed below that you may want to know more about. Then, read the profiles of Ottoscopes members outlining their distinctions, interests, and involvements in the medical field to see which Ottoscopes member may be best to contact.
Topics
Application Process
Please consult Health Professions Advising for questions regarding the AMCAS application process. If there is something that you need more information on that cannot be otherwise addressed by the wonderful HPA team, feel free to contact the Ottoscope members. Please do not inquire about any deadlines or other application advice that can be better answered by other sources.
Fields of Interest
From residency programs such as Pathology or Emergency Medicine to sub-specialties like Sports Medicine or Aerospace, there is a plethora of career paths to choose from. While we may not be specialists yet ourselves, we can provide experiences that we may have working in your field of interest.
Life Outside of the Wards
Studying is not the only thing we do at school, and moreover, it is vital to have a hobby to occupy yourself when medical school can inevitably get overwhelming. Ask us about how we balance school with fun, what non-medical clubs are offered, or even questions regarding housing/logistics that you may have.
Interviews
Interview days seem ever-so-stressful, but we are here to help discuss what you should expect. Further, we can give you a background of our experiences interviewing. Before asking these questions, visit our Frequent Q&A section to see if it is sufficiently discussed there. Please do not expect specific details of the interview or insight on how to perform well, as the integrity of the interview day is of utmost importance to the respective AdComs.
Research
Is it mandatory? What does it mean to do basic, clinical, or translational research? How does one find time to perform research while maintaining good grades? We can help you gauge how research by medical students works at our respective institutions to give you a better look into what is to come.
Medical Clubs
Information regarding medical clubs and career interest groups can be found on the school's website, but if there is a particular interest in joining an interest group that an Ottoscope member is involved in, please reach out with questions you may have regarding the events and activities that are involved.