Vinicio A. de Jesus Perez, MD
Associate Dean of MD Admissions
Professor of Medicine (PACCM)
Stanford School of Medicine
Dr Holly Caretta-Weyer
Associate Dean of MD Admissions and Assessment
Stanford School of Medicine
Saturday November 22, 2025,
10am-11:30am PST
Click on the YouTube link below to view this webinar. Once you have viewed the presentation, you can log back in and take the Quiz for this event. A score of 70% or above will earn you a Certificate for 2 hours of Medical Mentorship.
Workshop Description:
Aiming for Stanford Medicine but unsure how to stand out from a community college or university starting point? In this strategy-first session, Vinicio A. de Jesus Perez, MD, Associate Dean of MD Admissions, explains how holistic review truly works—how academics, competencies, service, research, leadership, and lived experience come together to form a compelling story. Learn how GPA and MCAT are weighed in context, what meaningful clinical exposure looks like (clinical volunteering, scribing, caregiving), and how to choose activities with purpose over prestige. We will translate setbacks into resilience, align your narrative with mission and impact, and map concrete steps for letters, secondaries, and interviews. Expect myth-busting on “must-have” labs, perfect timelines, and secret checklists, along with guidance for transfer, nontraditional, first-gen, and gap-year applicants. This is your chance to come, ask your questions and get answers tailored to your situation. Most importantly, come hear directly from the source instead of second-hand or bad information or people who have no clue about the admission process. Whether you are early in prerequisites or finalizing your application, you will leave with clear next moves, reflection prompts to strengthen your story, and renewed confidence that many paths can lead to one white coat—yours.
About the Speakers:
Dr. de Jesus Perez is Associate Dean of MD Admissions and holds the rank of Professor of Medicine with tenure in the Division of PACCM. His academic journey began with an MD from the University of Puerto Rico Medical School, followed by a distinguished residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Subsequently, he pursued specialized pulmonary and critical care medicine training in Denver, complemented by postdoctoral research at Stanford University.
Dedicated to advancing knowledge in pulmonary hypertension (PH), Dr. de Jesus Perez leads a multifaceted research program spanning basic and clinical domains. His investigations encompass diverse aspects of PH, ranging from genetics and vascular biology to drug-induced complications and clinical outcomes. At the forefront of his research agenda are two pivotal areas: elucidating the role of Wnt signaling in maintaining and restoring pulmonary microvasculature and exploring genetic modifiers as predisposing factors for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Through mentorship, research collaborations, and networking initiatives, he empowers trainees and early career investigators to thrive in their respective fields and contribute meaningfully to the scientific community globally
Dr Holly Caretta-Weyer is Associate Dean of MD Admissions and Assessment at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She holds the rank of associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. She attended the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health where she graduated with Honors in Research. She then stayed at the University of Wisconsin for her emergency medicine residency where she served as chief resident. Holly pursued specialty training in medical education at Oregon Health & Science University, combined with a master’s in health professions education at the University of Illinois – Chicago. She is additionally completing her PhD in medical education at Maastricht University focused on postgraduate selection and competency-based assessment.
View for Free:
What: Many Paths, One White Coat: Stanford Med Admissions Demystified
When: Saturday, November 22, 2025, 10 AM (Pacific Standard Time)
YouTube link:
Coming soon…
