How to Get into Medical School: Getting into Medical
School
Getting into medical school is very difficult these days,
especially if you plan on matriculating upon graduating from
college. What follows are some helpful steps to improve your chances
of getting in.
STEP 1: Are you qualified?
- Are your GPA and MCAT scores adequate? The average
medical school applicant's GPA and MCAT scores are 3.5 and
27, respectively. The average medical school matriculant
has a GPA and MCAT scores of 3.7 and 30, respectively. If you're
numbers fall significantly below these (e.g., GPA < 3.3 and MCAT <
25) chances are you will NOT even get an interview, much less get
into medical school. If you are below average, save your
time/money and improve your credentials before applying.
- Do you have significant volunteer and research experiences?
Most medical schools expect applicants to have significant
volunteer and research work; in fact, some expect you to have
published something! A single directed study will not be
sufficient, nor will a long list of superficial extracurricular
activities. You must demonstrate to the committee that you have
accomplished something meaningful.
- Have you completed the necessary pre-medical coursework?
Almost every medical school requires the following courses, and
though not explicitly stated, expect you to have obtained an A
in each of them: Introduction to Biology (two semesters), General
Chemistry (two semesters), Organic Chemistry (two semesters), and
Physics (two semesters). A significant number of schools also
require 4-6 courses in the humanities (e.g., English, History,
Philosophy, etc.), and a few require a year of calculus. You
should always determine a school's requirements before you apply.
STEP 2: Taking the MCAT
- What is the MCAT? The MCAT is a daylong, standardized
test that tests your knowledge in a wide variety of subjects. The
test is broken down into four sections. The first is Verbal
Reasoning (65 questions in 85 minutes) which is similar to the
verbal portion of the SAT except much more challenging. The second
is Biological Sciences (77 questions in 100 minutes) which covers
biology courses and organic chemistry. The third is Physical
Sciences (77 questions in 100 minutes) which covers physics and
general chemistry. The fourth is the Writing Sample (2 essay
questions in 60 minutes) which asks you to write an essay on two
very broad statements.
- When do I take the test? The MCAT should be completed
in the spring of your junior year (April), or during the summer
(August) at the latest, otherwise, you will not be able to enter
medical school directly after college. Both dates have their
advantages and disadvantages. Taking the test in April allows you
to obtain your scores by June and begin the application process
sooner; however, you may not have sufficient time to study for the
test because of your college coursework. Taking the test in August
gives you more time to prepare, but your scores (needed to
complete the application process) won't be available until
October. If you do poorly on your first MCAT, do not retake until
you have fully mastered the material. Medical schools believe that
those students who have consistently poor grades on the MCAT will
also do poorly on the USMLE (a national, standardized test given
to medical school students which must be passed in order for
graduation from medical school). Registration materials are
available in the biology secretary's office; the registration
deadline for the April test is in early March, and the deadline
for the August test is in early July. The cost of the MCAT is
$170.00.
- How do I prepare for the test? You have three choices:
(a) don't prepare and try to “wing” it, (b) go to the bookstore,
get a MCAT study book, and prepare by yourself, or (c) take a
Kaplan or Princeton prep-class. The first option is
certainly not recommended. The MCAT is a very difficult test—the
majority (95%) of the questions are analytic, and tied to several
paragraphs of introductory information/data/results. The second
option is recommended for those who are diligent in their
studies and already have a basic understanding of science
material. Prep-books are usually 700-1000 pages long and every
page is completely filled with crucial information; remember
that the publishers are trying to cover all of organic chemistry,
general chemistry, physics, biology, and reading comprehension in
one book! If you want to do well, you should begin studying this
material (3-6 hrs/wk) at least two months before the test. The
cost of prep-books is $50-100. The third option is for
those who think they need some basic assistance in studying, or
for those who don't require basic assistance but want to score
very high on the MCAT. Taking a prep-class means more time—NOT
less—preparing for the MCAT. In addition to doing all of the
necessary studying you must do in option #2, you have to go to
prep-classes (6 hrs/wk), and take supplementary practice tests and
quizzes (2 hrs/wk). If you take a prep-class and don't make use of
the prep-classes or practice tests/quizzes, you will not do any
better than if you pursued option #2. The cost of prep-courses is
$1000-2000. Again, regardless of which option you decide to
choose, you should begin studying 3-6 hrs/wk at least two months
before the test.
STEP 3: Researching Schools
- How many medical schools are there? There are 122
allopathic (MD) medical schools in the US, 3 in Puerto Rico, and
16 in Canada. There are also 19 osteopathic (DO) medical schools
in the US.
- How many schools should I apply to? Assuming you are an
average applicant (i.e., GPA = 3.5 and MCAT = 27) your probability
of being accepted to a particular medical school is 1-2%.
The more schools you apply to, the better your chances of being
accepted. If you are average, it is recommended that you apply to
10-15 schools. (If you are below average and still want to apply,
20+ schools is best.)
- Where should I apply? You're the only person that can
answer this question. In order to make an informed decision, you
must do a significant amount of research on the medical schools.
It is recommended that you purchase the Medical School Admission
Requirements (MSAR) which provides a large amount of information
on all medical schools—the information in this book comes from the
medical schools themselves. The book can be purchased from most
bookstores at a cost of ~$25.00.
- What should I look for in a school? You should become
familiar with a school's general information, curriculum,
admissions requirements (pre-med. coursework), selection factors
(GPA/MCAT scores), tuition, financial aid, application/acceptance
policies, and reputation. Do NOT rely on the US News and World
Report “top medical school” list as primary information.
- Where can I get all of this information? The following
web-sites should provide you with a great deal of information: (a)
Association of American Medical Colleges,
(b) American Association of Colleges of
Osteopathic Medicine, (c) American Medical Association,
(d) Kaplan Medical, (e) National Institutes of Health, (f)
National Library of Medicine, (g) Medical School Web Pages,
STEP 4: Narrowing Down Your List
- I have done all of the research, but my list is still too
long. How do I narrow my choices? As we shall see later, due
to time constraints, as well as money and effort, you should not
apply to more than 25 medical schools. To narrow down your list of
choices, compare (in greater detail) the schools' competitiveness,
cost, organization of preclinical years, primary care/specialty
focuses, innovative educational approaches (problem-based
learning, etc.), student evaluation and grading, United States
Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Policies, special programs
and opportunities (international internships, etc.), affiliated
teaching hospitals, geographic location, campus safety and
housing, and proximity to family/friends.
STEP 5: The Primary (AMCAS) Application
- What is the AMCAS Application? The American Medical
College Application Service (AMCAS) provides a standardized
primary application service for most (>95%) of allopathic medical
schools. Schools that do not accept the AMCAS have their own
individual applications. (Note: If you are interested in
osteopathic schools, you must instead complete an AACOMAS
Application.) Starting in the year 2001, the AMCAS and AACOMAS
must be completed electronically (by computer). You download
software from a website, complete the application on your
computer, save it to disk, and then send the disk to AMCAS/AACOMAS.
The software for the AMCAS-E and AACOMAS-E can be downloaded from
, and , respectively.
- When should I begin filling-out my AMCAS Application?
The AMCAS becomes available in April for the class entering in the
fall of the following year. AMCAS begins accepting applications on
June 1. Before your application is complete, AMCAS must receive an
official transcript from every college you have attended; AMCAS
begins accepting transcripts on March 15. You can verify if AMCAS
has received your materials via telephone. You should complete the
AMCAS as early as possible, and submit it no later than
mid-September (otherwise, you may miss the application deadline of
some medical schools). Assuming you have correctly filled in all
application information, it takes AMCAS about one month to process
your application and send it to the medical schools. Medical
schools differ in their deadlines for receiving the AMCAS; they
require it by October 15, November 15, or December 15, depending
on the school.
- Why should I apply early? First, medical schools
require your AMCAS Application, MCAT scores, letters of
recommendation (and sometimes other things) before they consider
your application; if any of these materials is not sent, they
won't even look at your application—so get your AMCAS in early!
Second, most schools have a “rolling admissions system” in which
those who apply first get the first interviews, and consequently,
will be granted admission before other applicants. If you send in
your application late, the school may have already accepted a
large number of people, reducing your chances of getting in. Third
(assuming you will get an interview), in the early interview
season there are few people interviewing, whereas later in the
season, you may find yourself as part of a herd of
interviewees—the admissions committee will have less time to look
at your application, and it will be harder to stick out of the
crowd. Fourth, admissions committees usually meet once per month
to review applications; if you submit your application early, it
may be brought before the committee five or six times which
increases your chances of getting in.
- What are the components of the AMCAS? The AMCAS
consists of three main sections: (a) General Information
(education, work, activities, and honors), (b) Personal Statement
(one page), and (c) Course work and GPA calculations.
- What are some tips in completing the AMCAS?
General Information: Space in this section is very
limited. Avoid trying to mention all of your activities and stick
to those that are medically-related and significant. Also, always
list the information in descending order of priority. Remember
that medical schools often try to verify if this information is
correct; if they think for any reason that you are trying to
deceive them, your application will be rejected and a notice will
be sent to all other medical schools regarding your dishonesty.
Personal Statement: Initially, this is your only chance
to show the admissions committee your personality. Though there is
no single, correct way to complete this section, avoid the
following: re-listing your activities/honors, being too creative,
delving into controversial topics, and making apologies/excuses
for bad grades or a lack of accomplishments. Also, do not come
down with the “Mother Theresa Syndrome” in which you fill your
essay with generalized, vague statements such as “I want to heal
the world,” and make sure your spelling and grammar are correct!
Lastly, be truthful—though there is nothing wrong with bending the
truth! Coursework and GPA calculations: You are
required to enter every class you took in college/grad school, the
credits, and the grades received. You should get a copy of your
transcript(s) and be familiar with your college's grading system,
as you will have to convert your grades to AMCAS grades. Be very
careful in this section; it is far from explanatory and difficult
to comprehend. Any mistake in this section could cause AMCAS to
return the application and request you to correct it (which could
cause you to miss many AMCAS deadlines), or, if the mistakes are
not caught by AMCAS, could result in your application being
terminated by the medical schools themselves. Remember that the
burden is always on you to meet deadlines and provide accurate
information; do not expect others to do this for you.
- How much will all of this cost? About $30-40 per
school.
STEP 6: Letters of Recommendation
- How important are letters of recommendation? They are
very important, and are one of the “big four” things the
admissions committee refers to when reviewing your file (the other
three are GPA/MCAT scores, primary/secondary applications, and the
interview).
- How many letters do I need? Most schools require only a
committee letter written by the faculty of your major department
(at Stonehill, you must submit a request form for this letter).
However, some schools accept additional, supplementary letters,
whereas others do not. Do not send additional letters to schools
that don't want them; the letters will be thrown out and/or your
application may be rejected (there is nothing worse than an
applicant who can't follow simple directions). These supplemental
letters can come from
extracurricular/research/sports/work/volunteer supervisor, or from
faculty outside your major department. You should always waive
your right to see the letters.
- When must I submit these letters? Most medical schools
do not require letters of recommendation until they send you a
secondary application; so you should have all letters on-hand by
late-October.
STEP 7: Secondary Applications
- What are secondary applications? A secondary
application is additional application materials (sent by an
individual medical school) which must be completed and returned to
them (usually within two weeks) to continue the application
process.
- Who gets secondary applications? Some medical schools
send secondaries to all candidates who submit an AMCAS
application, whereas other schools are more selective. Generally,
50-75% of the applicant pool gets a secondary. Some schools (e.g.,
Boston University and some New Jersey State Schools) do not
require secondaries at all!
- What do the secondaries entail? They can vary from very
demanding to easy. Generally, you are required to complete 3-4
additional essays on a wide range of topics, re-print your
completed pre-medical coursework/grades, and provide more detailed
biographical information. Remember that secondaries are very
important in the application process—a poor secondary shows that
you have little interest in the school and a stellar secondary
demonstrates your enthusiasm for the school. If you want to make a
good impression on the committee, you should spend a great deal of
time on your secondary application (use a typewriter to fill-in
the application).
- How much do secondaries cost? Generally, you must pay
$50-100 per secondary.
STEP 8:
Interviews
STEP 9: Handling Acceptances/Wait-lists/Rejection
- I've been accepted to a medical school(s); what do I do?
You will have about two weeks to respond to a school's offer of
admission. Asking a school to reserve a seat in their class for
you does not force you to go to that particular school. In fact,
you can hold multiple acceptances simultaneously (i.e., you can
reserve a seat in more than one school). If you get accepted by a
school which you decide against attending, withdraw your
application promptly; if you don't, you'll be depriving someone
else of their chance to attend medical school.
- How long do I have before I must to definitively make up my
mind? You can hold multiple acceptances until May 1; after
that time, you must withdraw your application from all schools but
one. If you do not adhere to this policy, the schools will most
likely retract their offers of acceptance, and you won't be going
anywhere.
- I got wait-listed; what does this mean? The school has
not accepted you, but has not rejected you either; in essence,
you're in medical school limbo. Your chance of getting into
medical school if wait-listed is between 1-25% depending on the
school. Generally, even if you're wait-listed, you'll know by the
end of May whether you've been accepted, but the school may tell
you the day before classes begin!
- I was rejected by everyone; what do I do now? Sometimes
the best candidates are rejected for no apparent reason. You can
take time off to get more medically-related work/volunteer
experiences, or you can go to graduate school and obtain a Masters
Degree/Ph.D., then reapply when your credentials are stronger. DO
NOT reapply until you have significantly improved your
credentials; most schools have a policy of accepting a maximum of
2-3 applications from the same candidate. Also, be prepared to
resubmit a new AMCAS application, secondary applications, and new
letters of recommendation (note that some medical schools will
allow you to use parts of your original application when applying
for a second time).
STEP 10: Post-acceptance Plans/Financial Aid
- I know where I'm going to medical school, what now? Now
you must start looking for an apartment/condo (many schools don't
have on-campus housing) and provide the school with the additional
financial-aid information needed to complete your request for aid.
(Note that your FAFSA should be renewed by mid-February to be
considered for Federal assistance. You should complete the FAFSA
even if you have not yet been accepted to medical school by this
time.) Since every medical school's financial aid policy is
different, you must contact individual schools for more detailed
financial information. Note that 99% of aid received is in the
form of loans, many of which have interest rates attached to them.
The average amount borrowed by medical school students is
$75,000-150,000 and the average indebtedness of medical school
students is $150,000-300,000 (this higher figure is due to the
compounding of interest).
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