The journey to medical and dental school can be arduous, especially for students facing financial or socio-cultural barriers. Recognizing the challenges, a group of compassionate students at Schulich Medicine launched ACCESS Inc. in 2021, a non-profit organization providing free application and interview guidance to underrepresented students.
Jayneel Limbachia, a third-year medical student and five-time medical school applicant, understands the struggles firsthand. With a supportive community and mentors by his side, Limbachia aims to make the admissions process more equitable for those who lack similar support.
ACCESS Inc. officially registered as a non-profit organization in August 2021, focusing on applicants to the School’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program. The initiative, led by medical students, expanded its services to include the School’s Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program in the 2022-2023 application cycle.
The organization targets under-represented students, including those from racialized or LGBTQ+ communities, facing socio-economic challenges, and those with disabilities or medical conditions. Students applying to ACCESS Inc. are paired with mentors who provide comprehensive support throughout the application process, covering aspects like GPA and MCAT scores, personal statements, references, and interview preparation.
Limbachia, co-founder and president of ACCESS Inc., stated, “For us, it just made sense to help those in similar positions.” In its first year, the initiative recruited 70 medical student mentors to support 70 applicants. In the subsequent cycle, the number increased to 120 mentors assisting applicants, with 64% receiving offers of admission.
This year, ACCESS Inc. expanded its reach to dental students, with 14 DDS applicants benefiting from mentorship focusing on written components of the application. Daniel Han, a second-year dental student and ACCESS Inc. leader, emphasized the importance of creating a supportive community for under-represented students in dentistry.
The initiative collaborates closely with the School’s admissions office to align programming with official policies and timelines. Dr. George Kim, associate dean, Admissions, commended the initiative, stating, “This is real, substantive action taking place to help students realize they can achieve their dreams.”
Schulich Medicine & Dentistry has been actively working to mitigate barriers for under-represented populations in the medical school admissions process. Dr. Kim affirmed the school’s commitment to contributing to a more diverse and representative healthcare workforce.
Looking ahead, Limbachia and his peers aim to expand ACCESS Inc. to other medical and dental schools, making the programming free of charge and accessible to those in need. Limbachia emphasized, “There’s always more that can be done regardless of the results we achieve, but it’s rewarding to receive positive feedback from mentees and watch their success; it makes this work worthwhile and pushes us to keep going.”
