Do med schools only go for numbers?

[Dr.Jekyll]

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My question is about GPA and MCAT scores. I have heard people say that med schools don't only go on numbers (i.e., it's possible for someone with a 3.6 and average MCAT scores to make it into med school). Is this at all true? What can make your application look better? What did you do to get accepted that was different than others?

Any help is appreciated. 😀

 

[AStudent]

Simple answer:

Some schools are number-******, some schools are not.

 

[rpkall]

Some only go by numbers, and some don't. The next year, the same ones that didn't go by numbers the previous year, will go by the numbers. Conversely, the one that previously had been concentrating only on GPA/MCAT might see that they want to round out the class with people who have more clinical experience (ex-nurses, radiology techs, EMTs, etc) but lower stats.

Schools that historically look at the "whole picture" are the private ones and the second-place state schools (usually, the top private schools and the top state school in a particular state can afford to only go by numbers to make their admissions criteria averages look more impressive).

Some stuff to round out your application:

- volunteer, and be able to speak intelligently about how the experience enriched your life and focused your desire to pursue medicine;
- health care job - if you don't volunteer, sometimes having a paid job in healthcare with cool responsibilities (IVs, blood pressures, patient care CNA stuff) can be just as good.
- Explore your interests at college--whether it's Asian Caucus or theater arts, join clubs which say something about you and your personality/hobbies. A well rounded physician who has had a weath of varied experiences often has better abilities to relate to patients in a variety of situations (I think that's the adcom's theory, anyway).
- Consider taking a year off to study something medically-related (EMT, paramedic, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy) or do a research fellowship with a group like the NIH--if you feel like you need some application padding.
- Write an awesome personal statement that stands out. Quirky, funny, real, thoughtful and thought provoking--prove to them that medicine is truly what you want, and that you have a realistic idea of what it's *really* about.

And lower your expectations--not CRAZY low, mind you. But don't have the mentality that if you don't get into Harvard or Yale or the BEST state school in your area that you haven't achieved anything. Getting into *a* school is an achievement. The nice thing about the US medical system is that you can always do well in med school and come back and apply to whatever residencies that suit your abilities/interests.

Hope that helps. Good luck to you. 🙂

 

[Dr.Jekyll]

I'm not worried about getting into the Best Medical School (House of God reference), I'll be perfectly content going to any medical school, as long as it's in the U.S. As far as clubs to join, you're saying that anything is good, even if it's as far from medicine as possible?

Also, about getting a job medically related, I have an idea for this.
To go to Wayne State Med School, I need a BA degree, in any feild I choose.
I was thinking of going for a Biochemical/Biomedical degree, or a degree in infectious diseases, because it's science related, and even if I don't get into med school, I can continue my education in something I remotely have interest in. Would it be a good idea to get this degree, or would med schools frown on it, or not care one way or the other?

Thanks for your help.

 

[skypilot]

Also, about getting a job medically related, I have an idea for this.
To go to Wayne State Med School, I need a BA degree, in any feild I choose.
I was thinking of going for a Biochemical/Biomedical degree, or a degree in infectious diseases, because it's science related, and even if I don't get into med school, I can continue my education in something I remotely have interest in. Would it be a good idea to get this degree, or would med schools frown on it, or not care one way or the other?

Thanks for your help.

They would generally not care but it is good to go for a degree you are really interested in so you can have some passion for your studies.

Hands on clinical care will generally make a difference.

 

[Law2Doc]

My question is about GPA and MCAT scores. I have heard people say that med schools don't only go on numbers (i.e., it's possible for someone with a 3.6 and average MCAT scores to make it into med school). Is this at all true? What can make your application look better? What did you do to get accepted that was different than others?

Any help is appreciated. 😀

No schools go only by the numbers. But some schools weight the numbers more heavilly than others. Others get so many applicants above a numerical threshold that they can do a preliminary cut by the numbers and then evaluate applications by mostly non-numerical things. But if you don't have decent numbers to meet the threshhold cut - whether explicit or not, it's unlikely that the other stuff in your app will get you in.

 

[Dr.Jekyll]

Hands on clinical care will generally make a difference.

How can you do this while you're still in school, earning a non-patient care degree?

Also, what does it mean to "shadow a doctor". Wouldn't the privacy of the patients be an issue here?

 

[lexrageorge]

Law schools go strictly by the numbers. They calculate an index based on your undergrad GPA and LSAT, and essentially make 90% of their admissions decisions based on that index. The rest of the application is just window dressing to make sure applicants are motivated to jump through the requisite hoops.

Med school is different, in that they do look at all the pieces of your application. Due to the sheer number of applicants for limited spots, there is a significant element of randomness. However, the GPA/MCAT numbers do matter in the aggregate. For example, if the rest of your application (recommendations, extra-cirruculars, etc.) is up to par, and you break 35 on the MCAT, you will most likely get in somewhere, assuming you apply to enough schools and get your apps in on time. There are just no guarantees where. You could get a 40, get rejected by Albany and GWU, but get accepted to Hopkins and Duke. Go figure.

On the other hand, if you score below, say 30, you may very well be wasting your time and money if you decide to apply to too many of the top MD schools (e.g., Harvard, Hopkins, Stanford, Yale, WashU, etc.), unless the rest of your application is truly extraordinary. Nothing wrong with a reach, just don't blow your budget on reaches. But you still have a shot of getting in somewhere.

Look at mdapplicants.com; you can screen by GPA and MCAT. What you will learn is that most people, even those with the best numbers, had many more rejects than acceptances. Of course, you only need 1 to say YES.