Veritas video demystifies medical school interviews
As the director of the 2014 admissions video, Keegan Guidolin, Medicine Class of 2017, developed a unique method for capturing elaborate shots. And all it took was a pair of rollerblades and plywood.
“We built a camera dolly out of whatever materials we could find and had a lot of fun working it into the production,” said Guidolin. The dolly was created to satisfy the director’s penchant for motion shots. “After the first day it became clear I liked fancy shots,” he said.
Veritas, the 2014 admissions video, took two months to shoot, with six hours of footage collected. Guidolin estimates he spent at least 100 hours dedicated to the project. He is both excited and relieved that it will finally be made public on YouTube in early April.
Guidolin’s interest in filmmaking started in high school and continued through his undergraduate studies in Life Sciences at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. It’s an artistic talent he brought with him to medical school.
The first year medical student says he’s always been drawn to medicine, despite an interest in film. “Medicine is about curiosity,” he explained. “And it’s a way of combining my interest in the human body and science with interpersonal relationships.”
“Schulich Medicine was my top choice. I was thrilled to even get an interview given the School’s reputation and the incredible opportunities for hands-on learning here.”
As an applicant, the admissions process was mysterious and intimidating for Guidolin. “You spend a lot of time trying to figure out what the admissions committee is looking for and how to be the perfect candidate,” he explained.
In the fall, Guidolin was elected as a student representative on the Admissions Committee, a position he will hold for all four years of his undergraduate medical education. Working with the admissions office has given Guidolin a new perspective on the medical school applications. “I’m now guiding interviewees through the same process I went through only a year ago,” he said. “It’s a completely different experience being on the other side.”
The video helped express this new perspective. “It represents very well what the Class wants to say to the candidates – just be yourself,” he said.
The most important and challenging component of producing the video was creating a good story and screenplay. The production team divided up scenes to write, working collaboratively to finish the script. “I couldn’t have done this video without the cast and crew, their help with preparation, logistics and filming was vital to our success.”
As for his own future success, Guidolin will be working with the Summer Research Training Program (SRTP) for the next two summers and has an interest in surgery.
And while his future goals in medicine are still taking shape, Guidolin has one primary objective in his sights. “I’d like to get in a nice vacation at some point.”
