Why Medical School Advisory?
Does a school of fish know where it’s going? Their comfort is in moving together. Admission to medical school is not synchronized swimming. Candidates need to follow their own unique path. Medical School Advisory will help you navigate uncertain waters by charting a course that will get you reeled in by the best school for you.
Our Story
That Midwestern boy grew up to become Dr. James Weiss, renowned cardiologist and the Associate Dean for Admissions at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
In his book, “The Rare Find, How Great Talent Stands Out” author George Anders writes of Dr. Weiss, “Without that illness, ‘bedside manner’ might never have been more than a passing phrase to him. Without that illness, he might have taken the easy route of guiding Hopkins’s admissions committee toward picking strictly the candidates with the best grades and scores, rather than looking for the ones with the most caring souls, too.”
In his leadership role in overseeing admissions at Hopkins, Dr. Weiss personally reviewed thousands of medical school applicants and in so doing, the school earned a national reputation for detecting the spark in candidates that other schools would overlook. (Indeed, that expertise is why he was featured in Anders’ book.)
Dr. Weiss has been recognized as an early pioneer and champion of diversity, receiving an award from the Association of Black Cardiologists in 2004. A few years ago, at a celebration honoring Dr. Weiss’s work in Admissions, a colleague wrote of him, “A tireless champion of diversity in the admissions process, Dr. Weiss emphasized that reviews of each candidate go beyond GPA and MCAT scores, taking into consideration the individual’s life circumstances, community service and leadership activities.”
Medical School Advisory was borne of his experience as an eleven year-old, and his career passion to find and champion the candidacy of the best future doctors from, as Dr. Weiss puts it, “Every walk of life.”
His co-founder is Paul T. White, a friend and former colleague at Hopkins. “I initially began working in admissions after I was recommended by my dean, who knew of my extensive involvement in both the campus and city activities, to be a summer interviewer for my alma mater’s admissions office. I saw it as a way of staying connected to the college.
“After working in admissions, I enrolled in law school to begin my ‘real’ career, but I realized that even after only three years in admissions, I had already had an impact on many people. I also saw it as a way of giving a voice to people who might not have access to institutions like the one I attended.”
Rounding out MSA’s leadership team is Jon Higgins, an award-winning campaign strategist, editor and writer.
The combined experience and skills of Medical School Advisory, with the care and specialization of an intentionally small, dedicated family practice, is unlike any other. To learn more about its founding partners, see below.
About Us
“I have had the rare privilege of helping thousands of medical school candidates achieve their medical school dreams. In my experience, these are the key qualities of successful physician: equanimity in the face of adversity; expecting the unexpected; compassion under stress.”
— Dr. James L. Weiss
Dr. James L. Weiss
Co-Founder
Before co-founding Medical School Advisory, Dr. Weiss was a distinguished and highly respected member of the Johns Hopkins Cardiology Division and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for 50 years and beloved by his patients. He retired from Johns Hopkins in June, 2022.
A career snapshot:
- Dr. Weiss received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1963 and his M.D. from Yale University School of Medicine in 1968. He trained as an intern and first-year medical resident at the University of Michigan Medical Center and then worked as a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health.
- In 1972, Dr. Weiss joined the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, first as a senior assistant resident and then as a cardiology fellow. He was named the first Frank T. McClure Fellow in Cardiovascular Research at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. In 1975 he joined the faculty at Hopkins as an Assistant Professor and was appointed Director of the Heart Station, a position he held until 2022. Dr. Weiss was promoted to Full Professor in 1990 and was named the Michael J. Cudahy Professor of Cardiology in 1997.
- Dr. Weiss has played a major role in cardiac imaging at Johns Hopkins. In 1976 Dr. Myron Weisfeldt appointed Dr. Weiss as the first Director of the Echocardiography Lab, charging him with creating a program devoted to cardiac imaging. Dr. Weiss established and expanded the echo lab over the next 20 years, hiring sonographers, nurses, and cardiologists.
- Dr. Weiss is devoted to training the next generation of leaders in cardiology. He served for twenty years as the Program Director for the Cardiology Fellowship program. In recognition of his talent, Dr. Weiss was appointed Associate Dean for Admissions at the School of Medicine.
- Dr. Weiss played a leadership role in the recruitment of over 2000 medical students and was a champion of diversity in the admissions process. This portrait of Dr. Weiss now resides in the admissions office, a reminder of his legacy that includes the many, many medical students, residents, and fellows whom he has interviewed, selected and trained over the past 20 years.
“After working in admissions, I enrolled in law school to begin my ‘real’ career, but I realized that even after only three years in admissions, I had already had an impact on many people. I also saw it as a way of giving a voice to people who might not have access to institutions like the one I attended.”
— Paul T. White, J.D.
Paul T. White, J.D.
Co-Founder
- Paul T. White co-founded Medical School Advisory in Oct. 2023, upon retirement from a distinguished 40 year career at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). His affiliation with JHU began in 1994, first as director of Undergraduate Admissions and then as the Assistant Dean for Admissions at JHU’s School of Medicine. In addition to his admissions position at the School of Medicine, he also served as the Assistant Dean for Financial Aid. His responsibilities include overseeing the Hopkins Admissions Office, serving as a voting faculty member on the Admissions Committee, and he is a member of the Financial Aid Advisory Board at Hopkins and also the MD/PhD Admissions Committee.
- From 2006 until 2012, Paul served as the Associate Dean of Admissions at the University of Minnesota Medical School before returning to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 2012. White’s professional career began at Yale University in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, where he was an Assistant Director of Admissions for Yale College. He later served as an Associate Dean of Admissions at Hamilton College and as Senior Associate Dean of Admissions at Colgate University.
- White received his Bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Yale University and his Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He has served as a member of the National Merit Corporation Scholarship Selection Committee, and he is a member of the Educational Testing Service’s Scholarship Review Committee. He has also served as a member and as a past chair of the board of trustees for the SEED School of Maryland, a state-wide public boarding school, and he has been a director of volunteer services for the Yale Day of Service for Yale alumni in Maryland and Virginia. He is a past president and co-founder of the Black Faculty and Staff Association of Johns Hopkins University and a past president of Hightower Scholarship, Inc. His speaking engagements have included regional and national conferences on such topics as using social media in admissions; admissions, legal matters and affirmative action and using financial aid strategically.
“To paraphrase the author Anna Quindlen, … the thing that is really hard, and also really amazing, is to forget about being perfect and begin the work of being yourself.”
— Jonathan M. Higgins
Jonathan M. Higgins
Partner
I hate it when you go to an About page and you don’t get a sense of what that person’s really about. Let’s not do that. About me, Jon Higgins:
- Co-created Medical School Advisory with an eye on a societal need and a heart that’s biased to helping the next generation. I hope our passion for assisting deserving students to achieve their medical school dreams is as obvious to them as it is a genuine calling for Jim
- My skill is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate’s personal brand. What attributes should be accentuated? What gaps need shoring up? How will we help you to tell your story with impact?
- Began my career in brand marketing as the summer intern at a PR agency in Southern California. Its founder is a second father to me. He taught me that personal integrity and striving to be indispensable to clients and colleagues alike, matters most. And that a good burger starts with the quality of the meat.
- I’m an award-winning campaign strategist, editor and writer. I provide C-suite level counsel and thought leadership about how to build a sustainable brand.
- As the International CEO of a global agency, I have interviewed hundreds of candidates and reviewed thousands of resumes. I know what cuts through and how to get to “Yes.”