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InsertMemberNameHere’s 10 Tips on Getting into Medical School
I will preface all of this by saying that I am by no means an admissions expert. In fact, many of the users on SDN are indeed experts (by my account) and can give you much more detailed and experienced advice. SDN is a fantastic resource!
However, I have recently been accepted into medical school, and I’d like to share a couple things that I have learned along the way as a Pre-Med student. This is not a comprehensive guide into gaining a medical school acceptance, but rather a collection of tips and thoughts regarding a variety of major Pre-Med topics and milestones. Each subheading contains a concise, summarized list of tips (SparkNotes version) designated by an asterisk, and under the concise tips are more detailed and lengthier thoughts, advice, and opinions. Additionally, I tried to include helpful links under each topic.
This guide ended up much lengthier than I originally thought it would, so it might be best just to read the SparkNotes (*****) summary under each subheading because it may start to become a little too tl;dr-ish!
1) Choosing a College
******Pick the college you think you will be most successful and comfortable at. This college may or may not be the highest ranked college that accepts you. State schools can be excellent choices, too.
-Select the college or university that you feel you will be most successful at. What do I mean? Pick the place where you could see yourself happy at for the next 4 years and where you would feel most comfortable learning and succeeding.
-One implication of the above advice is that this may or may not be the highest ranked school that accepts you. Your college’s reputation does matter for medical school admissions, but not that much. GPA is far more important. Therefore, pick the college that you think you will do your best at.
-There is absolutely nothing wrong picking a solid state school over a more prestigious private school. Scholarships, cost of attendance, and distance from home are all important factors, too. Everyone has different preferences, but make sure you put yourself in a comfortable position so that you have the best ability to succeed in the classroom and be happy.
Useful Links:
How to Choose a College: http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-a-College
Choosing the Right Fit: http://www.petersons.com/college-search/colleges-universities-choosing-fit.aspx
How to Choose: http://www.education.org/career-guidance/how-to-choose-the-right-college-or-university.html
2) Selecting a Major
*****Choose the major that you are most interested in and feel you could make good grades in. It doesn’t have to be a science major, though science majors usually make it a little bit easier to fulfill all the medical school pre-requisites.
-Pick the undergraduate major that interests you the most! You will be focusing on your area of study for 4 years, so pick something that you are passionate about and feel like you could be successful in. Who knows, you might decide that medicine is not for you, so picking an area of study you are most interested in is usually the best idea.
-Your undergraduate major is a very small factor in medical school admissions. They don’t really care that much what you major in, as long you meet all of the pre-requisites.
-That said, science majors such as biology, chemistry, and biochemistry (it also depends on what your college offers) often have all or most of the medical school pre-requisites built into their curriculum, so that is very nice and means you will have to take less hours. That is just something to consider.
Useful Links:
Choose the Right Undergrad Major: http://www.usnews.com/education/blo...-right-undergraduate-major-for-medical-school
5 Ways to Pick the Right College Major: http://www.usnews.com/education/bes...5-ways-to-pick-the-right-college-major?page=2
3) Succeeding in the Classroom
*****Make an effort to go to office hours with good questions. Build quality relationships with professors. If your college or university gives you access to professor evaluations and grade distributions, research them extensively when signing up for classes each semester. For science classes, practice problems are a great method of study.
-I’ll preface this topic by saying everyone has unique learning styles. However, one thing that seems to benefit most students is going to a professor’s office hours. Going to office hours is an invaluable opportunity to learn and get to know your professor better. Don’t be a suck-up. Come prepared with good questions. Every professor is different, so it’s up to you to gauge if you are being annoying or not.
-In addition to your own academic benefit, some professors award office hour visits in a variety of ways (some even grade bump if are on a grade letter borderline). Also, if you form a good relationship, your professor could be one of your letter of evaluation writers in the future (more on this later).
-When you register for classes each semester, do lots of research on professor evaluations, course evaluations, and grade distributions for different courses and professors. Talk to upperclassmen and listen to what they have to say, too. If you have choices, pick the professor with the most favorable reviews and grade distributions. Making as many A’s as possible is extremely important for getting into medical school. If you have the ability to take the same course with an easier professor, jump on it. Sometimes this type of research can be exhausting, but it will make your life easier and benefit your GPA.
-For science classes, specifically, practice problems are an invaluable method of study. Reading through and digesting notes and content are important, too, but sometimes you can make the most progress by doing practice problems. You can find them in most textbooks, a good google search, or even from your professor. (By the way, if your professor gives you any review notes or practice problems before a test, review them extensively!)
Useful Links:
10 Tips for Better Grades in College: http://www.quintcareers.com/getting_better_grades.html
4 Ways to make most of Office Hours: http://www.campusexplorer.com/colle...ake-the-Most-of-Your-Professors-Office-Hours/
4) Extracurricular Involvement
*****Get involved in a couple of extracurricular groups that you are interested in, whether it’s related to medicine or not. Involvement earlier in your Pre-Med career is generally better. Step outside of your comfort zone from time to time. Quality over quantity. Long, spread-out commitments mean much more than short, condensed commitments. Get involved into at least one research project. Keep a detailed log of all extracurricular activities.
-Get involved in something on your campus or community that you are interested in or passionate about. This may or may not be something that is related to medicine. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your normal comfort zone and become a part of something you haven’t done before. College is a tremendous time to grow and meet new people.
-The earlier you become involved in something, the more time you will have to figure out what it is exactly that you want to do. If you are a freshman, try and find just one group to get involved with so that you don’t hurt your grades while adjusting to your new college life.
-In general, it is better to be more heavily involved in a few extracurricular activities than it is to be less involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. Being more involved in a particular extracurricular activity gives you a better chance at being in a leadership position someday. Also, these activities will be major talking points during interviews (more on that later), so it’s better to have invested quality time into a couple of activities so that you can meaningfully talk about each one. Shallow resume-building rarely benefits you or your future medical school application.
-Also generally speaking, it’s better to be involved in an extracurricular activity over a long period of time that a short period of time with an equal but condensed number of hours. It shows that you can stay committed to something over a long timeframe, even if it’s something that meets just once a month.
-Research involvement has become nearly a necessity for medical school applications. Get involved in at least one project you are interested in. Simply email or knock on the door of a professor whose research you are interested in and ask if they have any smaller projects. Try and present at a research conference. A publication is a big bonus, but by no means necessary.
-Keep a detailed log of all activities you are involved in, as well as the amount of hours and timeframe of your activity. This goes for all activities that will eventually go on your application. It will make your life a lot easier when you apply to medical school and help you apply sooner (more on this later).
Useful Links:
Achieving Extracurricular Efficiency: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2010/06/achieving-extracurricular-efficiency/
Get into Undergraduate Research: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2011/04/how-to-get-into-research/
5) Volunteerism
*****Become a regular member of at least one non-medical volunteer organization and do something to help your campus and/or local community. Also, become involved in at least one medical volunteer opportunity. Again, long, spread-out commitments are much more meaningful than short, condensed ones with the same amount of hours. Keep a detailed log of all volunteer hours and activities.
-Volunteerism is arguably the most under-appreciated aspect of a good medical school application. Most Pre-Meds are way too caught up in research, academic awards and other honors. Medical schools strongly value volunteerism; they are interested in seeing if you genuinely want to help people.
-Becoming a regular volunteer at a particular volunteering site is very valuable to both your community and your application. An extensive volunteering history at a particular site makes for an excellent talking point at an interview and demonstrates your compassion for other people.
-Get involved in at least one medical volunteering activity. Check and see your options with your local hospital, hospice, or other clinics. Apply to medical volunteer positions early in the semester, as these positions in college towns at health care settings can sometimes fill up quite fast.
Useful Links:
How do I find health-care volunteer opportunities: https://www.aamc.org/students/aspir...healthcare-relatedvolunteeropportunities.html
Tips for Volunteering: http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/VIA_tips_volunteering_college.pdf
6) Physician Shadowing
*****Do not be intimidated to ask to shadow physicians as a Pre-Med. Just give doctors’ offices in your local area a polite call and see if they will let you observe them. Ask doctors you shadow for any recommendations to shadow other physicians that they know. Try and shadow at least one family physician. Act professional when shadowing and try and build good relationships.
-Don’t be afraid to ask to shadow a physician. Doctors are people, too. All of them have been in your shoes as a Pre-Med at some point. It can be as easy as calling a doctor’s office and seeing whether or not they will let you observe them for a couple hours.
-Once you have shadowed a doctor a couple of times, feel free to ask them if they know of any of their colleagues that will let you shadow them, too. This will help you get your “foot in the door” for another shadowing experience, so to speak. A doctor is much more likely to get you into good contact with another physician than you are on your own.
-Make an effort to shadow at least one family physician. Many medical schools are placing an emphasis on primary care, and some even require a certain amount of family practice shadow hours.
-When shadowing a physician, dress and act professionally and ask good questions. Doctors are busy people, and you don’t want to be a burden whilst they are practicing. Try and build a good relationship with at least one doctor, as they can give you great advice as a Pre-Med and also write you a favorable letter someday (more on this later).
How do I shadow a Doctor: https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/experience/280582/shadow-doctor.html
Pre-Med Shadowing: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/
7) The MCAT
*****Make an organized and detailed study schedule and stick to it. Don’t necessarily get bogged on with all of the tiny details of the content; it is more important to know the key concepts and high-yield/frequent topics. Different testing companies (Kaplan, Princeton, ExamKracker,etc) work better for different people, and usually a combination of them is the best approach. Take a lot of practice tests and take them as you would the real thing. Review practice tests and practice sections extensively after you finish them.
-I cannot speak to how the new MCAT will be, but the test itself will be the same in principle as the old one: a very difficult, timed, high-pressure test designed to weed Pre-Med students out of medical school. Similar to the “Succeeding in the Classroom” section, each person is different and has their own unique learning style. Stick to whatever has worked best for you during your undergraduate classes. Just because you are studying for the MCAT does not mean you need to completely change the way you study (unless you have particularly bad habits!)
-After you have researched what is on the MCAT and have analyzed your strengths and weaknesses, spend a day or two making a comprehensive study schedule (on this day I'll review chemical solubility, on this day I'll take AAMC Practice Test 4, on this day I'll take a practice biology section and review it, etc etc). Once you make a study schedule, stick to it (and revise if necessary). No exceptions! The more detailed your study schedule is, the better. It is so easy to procrastinate for this test, despite how important it is.
- Don't get bogged down with all of the tiny details. Know the key concepts really, really well. Focus on high-yield problems and concepts that come up frequently on the test.
-Usually a combination of different testing company materials is best. A general (but by no means definitive) consensus for each MCAT section is: Biology - ExamKracker Biology (content) + Berkley Review Biology (passages + more depth), Physics – Berkley Review, Verbal - ExamKrackers 101 Verbal, General Chemistry – Berkley Review, and Organic Chemistry – Berkley Review. Of course, this is highly dependent upon the individual and just an example. I have no idea which study materials will be best for the new MCAT coming in 2015.
-Practice tests are a godsend, but use them appropriately. Take the practice tests exactly as you would during the real test. Don’t give in to temptations to pause or search for answers to boost your score during a practice test. Taking the practice tests very seriously will teach you to handle the high pressure situation you will encounter on the real MCAT. Once you are finished with a practice test, review it extensively. In fact, you should spend more time reviewing it than you did taking it. Review and read through everything, including questions you got right.
Useful Links:
3 Month Study Schedule (Don’t know how useful this will be with new MCAT): http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/breaking-down-the-mcat-a-3-month-mcat-study-schedule.623898/
30+ MCAT Study Habits: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/30-mcat-study-habits-the-cbt-version.503250/
8) Letters of Evaluation
*****Ask for favorable letters of evaluation from qualified people that know you well or can speak highly of you. Ask for the letter at least two months in advance and come prepared with all of the information he/she may need. Receive at least 3 letters and make sure to include at least one PhD (and probably two). An MD letter can be nice, but only if they know you well and will speak highly of you. Investigate if your university offers any letter packet or committee packet services.
-It’s better to ask someone for a favorable letter who knows you very well than someone who is simply in a position of power (of course, both is even better). The best letters come from people who can speak extensively of your academic ability and/or positive character traits.
-Ask for the letter at least two months in advance. You want to give your evaluators a good amount of time so that you don’t burden them with a last-second request and also so they have time to write you a good letter. Give them a reasonable deadline and don’t be afraid to remind them of your letter as that date approaches. Also, be sure and ask for a “favorable” letter, so that you run less of the rare but devastating risk of receiving an unfavorable letter.
-When you ask for a letter, come prepared. Bring a resume, a personal statement, or any other information that you feel will help them write you a good letter. Be sure to specify where you want the letter to be delivered and what needs to be included. Including the addressed envelope and stamps are a nice gesture.
-Get at least 3 letters. Get at least one PhD (many schools require two of these) and one MD to write you a letter. Physicians who you have shadowed, faculty who have taught you, and faculty you have done research with are all examples of good candidates, as long as you have built good relationships with those people.
-If your university offers a committee letter or letter packet service, investigate and research those options. Many of the large universities’ Pre-Health offices offer Pre-Meds a letter packet service that bundle and upload your letters of evaluation onto your application. Many medical schools prefer this option if it is available to you.
Useful Links:
Official SDN Letters Guide: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...mendation-questions-thread-2014-2015.1061937/
Getting Letters of Rec: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/04/pre-med-preparation-getting-letters-of-recommendation/
AMCAS FAQ: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/146562/letters_questions_landing_page.html
9) The Application
*****Apply early, broadly, and realistically. Before the application opens in early May, create a school list and compile all of the information you will need to include on your application. Invest a good amount of time into writing a unique and thoughtful personal statement. Push through your medical school application exhaustion and submit quality secondaries in a timely manner. Take advantage of all optional portions and essays of applications.
-Before the medical school applications open up in early May, research schools that you are interested in and would realistically attend. Be practical in forming your school list; schools often offer interviews and acceptances to students with GPA’s and MCAT’s similar to their previous years’ class (the MSAR is an invaluable resource for this). Fifteen schools is typically a solid number to apply to, though that number will vary based on your stats and your location.
-Apply early and broadly! In order to apply early, you need to get an early start on your application. Compile all of your personal information, employment history, volunteer history, extracurricular activities, leadership, and etc into an organized and easily readable list.
-Make sure to send out transcripts and letters of evaluation as soon as you can, as the medical school application services will become very, very busy. Applying as early as you can is very beneficial to your chances of receiving more and earlier interviews.
-Spend quality time writing your personal statement. It will probably be the most looked at part of your application outside of your GPA, MCAT, and letters of evaluation. Your personal statement will be frequently brought up during interviews, so make it unique and speak to why you will make for a good physician. Spend a lot time editing and drafting it, and let friends, relatives and others read over it and help you edit it.
-Get a head start on secondary applications. Schools often reuse the same questions each year, and you can find those on the internet and on SDN. Invest good energy into writing quality essays for each school. You will be exhausted with the application process by the time you are completing secondaries, but push through it! In general, it is best to submit secondaries two weeks after you receive them (some have deadlines, too).Many schools have their secondaries available to you on their websites and will not send them to you.
-If a school or application offers any optional parts or essays, do them! You want to take advantage of every opportunity you get to explain why you are a highly qualified applicant for their school.
Useful Links:
2014-2015 Applicant Sticky (tons of useful links inside): http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-ps-amcas-secondaries-interviews-etc.1061881/
The Official SDN PS Guide: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...l-statement-guide-and-ps-readers-list.375844/
MSAR ($25 – more than worth it!): https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/requirements/msar/
10) Interviews
*****Be very prepared for your interview –research the school and the questions you may be asked. Rehearse your answers with a friend or a mock interviewer, but do not sound formulaic. Be yourself during the interview. Act and dress professionally during all of the interview events. Attend any night-before socials if you are able to.
-Come to the interview very prepared. Research the school before you interview so that you can learn more about the school for both your own purposes and for the interview. Research and prepare for all of the standard and typical interview questions you may face (Why do you want to be a doctor? Tell me about yourself. Strengths/Weaknesses, etc). Make every question an opportunity to explain why you are a good applicant for this school.
-Be yourself! People like to talk with genuine and sincere individuals. Don’t try and be someone you are not. Smile, sit up, and be polite. Interviewers want to see if you are a human being that can communicate and feel compassion toward others.
-Be prepared to ask excellent questions. Every interviewer will give you an opportunity to ask about the school at the end of your interview. The more interested you seem in attending the school, the better your chances are of receiving an acceptance.
-Research to see if your college offers any mock interviews. Mock interviews may seem silly, but they make for extremely valuable practice. Also, practice common questions with friends and relatives.
-Dress and act professionally during the entire interview day. Be polite and courteous to everyone you meet. Do not be tacky and talk about other schools and interviews when you are visiting and touring another school. Small and brief thank you notes to your interviewers can be a nice gesture and follow-up after interviews.
-Many schools offer a “night before” social or meal. Attend this event if you can. It gives you a good chance to talk to current medical students and learn more about the school. It’s important to try and determine if you see yourself fitting in with the culture of the medical school, and lots of the information you gather can be useful during your interview the next day.
Useful Links:
Youtube: Kevin Ahern's Guide to Acing a Medical School Interview
Preparing for the Interview: https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/basics/280914/interview.html
5 Step to Preparing for you Interview: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2014/06/5-steps-to-preparing-for-your-medical-school-interviews/
Interview/Acceptance Factors: https://www.aamc.org/download/261106/data/aibvol11_no6.pdf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like I mentioned at the very beginning (disclaimer alert!), I am by no means an admissions expert and this is not a comprehensive guide of how to get into medical school! These are just a few bits and pieces that I picked up on along my Pre-Med journey from picking a college all the way to gaining a medical school acceptance. I intend to edit these sections and links from time to time.
And please, anyone, feel free to add any additional pieces of information or advice, even if it is contrary to my opinion! I’d love to see what others have to say, especially medical students, physicians, faculty, and some of the “rockstars” of SDN. Yall’s opinions and wisdom are nearly infinitely more valuable and experienced than mine. Also, feel free to send me a message anytime you have any questions regarding the Pre-Med journey.
Thank you! 🙂
I will preface all of this by saying that I am by no means an admissions expert. In fact, many of the users on SDN are indeed experts (by my account) and can give you much more detailed and experienced advice. SDN is a fantastic resource!
However, I have recently been accepted into medical school, and I’d like to share a couple things that I have learned along the way as a Pre-Med student. This is not a comprehensive guide into gaining a medical school acceptance, but rather a collection of tips and thoughts regarding a variety of major Pre-Med topics and milestones. Each subheading contains a concise, summarized list of tips (SparkNotes version) designated by an asterisk, and under the concise tips are more detailed and lengthier thoughts, advice, and opinions. Additionally, I tried to include helpful links under each topic.
This guide ended up much lengthier than I originally thought it would, so it might be best just to read the SparkNotes (*****) summary under each subheading because it may start to become a little too tl;dr-ish!
1) Choosing a College
******Pick the college you think you will be most successful and comfortable at. This college may or may not be the highest ranked college that accepts you. State schools can be excellent choices, too.
-Select the college or university that you feel you will be most successful at. What do I mean? Pick the place where you could see yourself happy at for the next 4 years and where you would feel most comfortable learning and succeeding.
-One implication of the above advice is that this may or may not be the highest ranked school that accepts you. Your college’s reputation does matter for medical school admissions, but not that much. GPA is far more important. Therefore, pick the college that you think you will do your best at.
-There is absolutely nothing wrong picking a solid state school over a more prestigious private school. Scholarships, cost of attendance, and distance from home are all important factors, too. Everyone has different preferences, but make sure you put yourself in a comfortable position so that you have the best ability to succeed in the classroom and be happy.
Useful Links:
How to Choose a College: http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-a-College
Choosing the Right Fit: http://www.petersons.com/college-search/colleges-universities-choosing-fit.aspx
How to Choose: http://www.education.org/career-guidance/how-to-choose-the-right-college-or-university.html
2) Selecting a Major
*****Choose the major that you are most interested in and feel you could make good grades in. It doesn’t have to be a science major, though science majors usually make it a little bit easier to fulfill all the medical school pre-requisites.
-Pick the undergraduate major that interests you the most! You will be focusing on your area of study for 4 years, so pick something that you are passionate about and feel like you could be successful in. Who knows, you might decide that medicine is not for you, so picking an area of study you are most interested in is usually the best idea.
-Your undergraduate major is a very small factor in medical school admissions. They don’t really care that much what you major in, as long you meet all of the pre-requisites.
-That said, science majors such as biology, chemistry, and biochemistry (it also depends on what your college offers) often have all or most of the medical school pre-requisites built into their curriculum, so that is very nice and means you will have to take less hours. That is just something to consider.
Useful Links:
Choose the Right Undergrad Major: http://www.usnews.com/education/blo...-right-undergraduate-major-for-medical-school
5 Ways to Pick the Right College Major: http://www.usnews.com/education/bes...5-ways-to-pick-the-right-college-major?page=2
3) Succeeding in the Classroom
*****Make an effort to go to office hours with good questions. Build quality relationships with professors. If your college or university gives you access to professor evaluations and grade distributions, research them extensively when signing up for classes each semester. For science classes, practice problems are a great method of study.
-I’ll preface this topic by saying everyone has unique learning styles. However, one thing that seems to benefit most students is going to a professor’s office hours. Going to office hours is an invaluable opportunity to learn and get to know your professor better. Don’t be a suck-up. Come prepared with good questions. Every professor is different, so it’s up to you to gauge if you are being annoying or not.
-In addition to your own academic benefit, some professors award office hour visits in a variety of ways (some even grade bump if are on a grade letter borderline). Also, if you form a good relationship, your professor could be one of your letter of evaluation writers in the future (more on this later).
-When you register for classes each semester, do lots of research on professor evaluations, course evaluations, and grade distributions for different courses and professors. Talk to upperclassmen and listen to what they have to say, too. If you have choices, pick the professor with the most favorable reviews and grade distributions. Making as many A’s as possible is extremely important for getting into medical school. If you have the ability to take the same course with an easier professor, jump on it. Sometimes this type of research can be exhausting, but it will make your life easier and benefit your GPA.
-For science classes, specifically, practice problems are an invaluable method of study. Reading through and digesting notes and content are important, too, but sometimes you can make the most progress by doing practice problems. You can find them in most textbooks, a good google search, or even from your professor. (By the way, if your professor gives you any review notes or practice problems before a test, review them extensively!)
Useful Links:
10 Tips for Better Grades in College: http://www.quintcareers.com/getting_better_grades.html
4 Ways to make most of Office Hours: http://www.campusexplorer.com/colle...ake-the-Most-of-Your-Professors-Office-Hours/
4) Extracurricular Involvement
*****Get involved in a couple of extracurricular groups that you are interested in, whether it’s related to medicine or not. Involvement earlier in your Pre-Med career is generally better. Step outside of your comfort zone from time to time. Quality over quantity. Long, spread-out commitments mean much more than short, condensed commitments. Get involved into at least one research project. Keep a detailed log of all extracurricular activities.
-Get involved in something on your campus or community that you are interested in or passionate about. This may or may not be something that is related to medicine. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your normal comfort zone and become a part of something you haven’t done before. College is a tremendous time to grow and meet new people.
-The earlier you become involved in something, the more time you will have to figure out what it is exactly that you want to do. If you are a freshman, try and find just one group to get involved with so that you don’t hurt your grades while adjusting to your new college life.
-In general, it is better to be more heavily involved in a few extracurricular activities than it is to be less involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. Being more involved in a particular extracurricular activity gives you a better chance at being in a leadership position someday. Also, these activities will be major talking points during interviews (more on that later), so it’s better to have invested quality time into a couple of activities so that you can meaningfully talk about each one. Shallow resume-building rarely benefits you or your future medical school application.
-Also generally speaking, it’s better to be involved in an extracurricular activity over a long period of time that a short period of time with an equal but condensed number of hours. It shows that you can stay committed to something over a long timeframe, even if it’s something that meets just once a month.
-Research involvement has become nearly a necessity for medical school applications. Get involved in at least one project you are interested in. Simply email or knock on the door of a professor whose research you are interested in and ask if they have any smaller projects. Try and present at a research conference. A publication is a big bonus, but by no means necessary.
-Keep a detailed log of all activities you are involved in, as well as the amount of hours and timeframe of your activity. This goes for all activities that will eventually go on your application. It will make your life a lot easier when you apply to medical school and help you apply sooner (more on this later).
Useful Links:
Achieving Extracurricular Efficiency: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2010/06/achieving-extracurricular-efficiency/
Get into Undergraduate Research: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2011/04/how-to-get-into-research/
5) Volunteerism
*****Become a regular member of at least one non-medical volunteer organization and do something to help your campus and/or local community. Also, become involved in at least one medical volunteer opportunity. Again, long, spread-out commitments are much more meaningful than short, condensed ones with the same amount of hours. Keep a detailed log of all volunteer hours and activities.
-Volunteerism is arguably the most under-appreciated aspect of a good medical school application. Most Pre-Meds are way too caught up in research, academic awards and other honors. Medical schools strongly value volunteerism; they are interested in seeing if you genuinely want to help people.
-Becoming a regular volunteer at a particular volunteering site is very valuable to both your community and your application. An extensive volunteering history at a particular site makes for an excellent talking point at an interview and demonstrates your compassion for other people.
-Get involved in at least one medical volunteering activity. Check and see your options with your local hospital, hospice, or other clinics. Apply to medical volunteer positions early in the semester, as these positions in college towns at health care settings can sometimes fill up quite fast.
Useful Links:
How do I find health-care volunteer opportunities: https://www.aamc.org/students/aspir...healthcare-relatedvolunteeropportunities.html
Tips for Volunteering: http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/VIA_tips_volunteering_college.pdf
6) Physician Shadowing
*****Do not be intimidated to ask to shadow physicians as a Pre-Med. Just give doctors’ offices in your local area a polite call and see if they will let you observe them. Ask doctors you shadow for any recommendations to shadow other physicians that they know. Try and shadow at least one family physician. Act professional when shadowing and try and build good relationships.
-Don’t be afraid to ask to shadow a physician. Doctors are people, too. All of them have been in your shoes as a Pre-Med at some point. It can be as easy as calling a doctor’s office and seeing whether or not they will let you observe them for a couple hours.
-Once you have shadowed a doctor a couple of times, feel free to ask them if they know of any of their colleagues that will let you shadow them, too. This will help you get your “foot in the door” for another shadowing experience, so to speak. A doctor is much more likely to get you into good contact with another physician than you are on your own.
-Make an effort to shadow at least one family physician. Many medical schools are placing an emphasis on primary care, and some even require a certain amount of family practice shadow hours.
-When shadowing a physician, dress and act professionally and ask good questions. Doctors are busy people, and you don’t want to be a burden whilst they are practicing. Try and build a good relationship with at least one doctor, as they can give you great advice as a Pre-Med and also write you a favorable letter someday (more on this later).
How do I shadow a Doctor: https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/experience/280582/shadow-doctor.html
Pre-Med Shadowing: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/
7) The MCAT
*****Make an organized and detailed study schedule and stick to it. Don’t necessarily get bogged on with all of the tiny details of the content; it is more important to know the key concepts and high-yield/frequent topics. Different testing companies (Kaplan, Princeton, ExamKracker,etc) work better for different people, and usually a combination of them is the best approach. Take a lot of practice tests and take them as you would the real thing. Review practice tests and practice sections extensively after you finish them.
-I cannot speak to how the new MCAT will be, but the test itself will be the same in principle as the old one: a very difficult, timed, high-pressure test designed to weed Pre-Med students out of medical school. Similar to the “Succeeding in the Classroom” section, each person is different and has their own unique learning style. Stick to whatever has worked best for you during your undergraduate classes. Just because you are studying for the MCAT does not mean you need to completely change the way you study (unless you have particularly bad habits!)
-After you have researched what is on the MCAT and have analyzed your strengths and weaknesses, spend a day or two making a comprehensive study schedule (on this day I'll review chemical solubility, on this day I'll take AAMC Practice Test 4, on this day I'll take a practice biology section and review it, etc etc). Once you make a study schedule, stick to it (and revise if necessary). No exceptions! The more detailed your study schedule is, the better. It is so easy to procrastinate for this test, despite how important it is.
- Don't get bogged down with all of the tiny details. Know the key concepts really, really well. Focus on high-yield problems and concepts that come up frequently on the test.
-Usually a combination of different testing company materials is best. A general (but by no means definitive) consensus for each MCAT section is: Biology - ExamKracker Biology (content) + Berkley Review Biology (passages + more depth), Physics – Berkley Review, Verbal - ExamKrackers 101 Verbal, General Chemistry – Berkley Review, and Organic Chemistry – Berkley Review. Of course, this is highly dependent upon the individual and just an example. I have no idea which study materials will be best for the new MCAT coming in 2015.
-Practice tests are a godsend, but use them appropriately. Take the practice tests exactly as you would during the real test. Don’t give in to temptations to pause or search for answers to boost your score during a practice test. Taking the practice tests very seriously will teach you to handle the high pressure situation you will encounter on the real MCAT. Once you are finished with a practice test, review it extensively. In fact, you should spend more time reviewing it than you did taking it. Review and read through everything, including questions you got right.
Useful Links:
3 Month Study Schedule (Don’t know how useful this will be with new MCAT): http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/breaking-down-the-mcat-a-3-month-mcat-study-schedule.623898/
30+ MCAT Study Habits: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/30-mcat-study-habits-the-cbt-version.503250/
8) Letters of Evaluation
*****Ask for favorable letters of evaluation from qualified people that know you well or can speak highly of you. Ask for the letter at least two months in advance and come prepared with all of the information he/she may need. Receive at least 3 letters and make sure to include at least one PhD (and probably two). An MD letter can be nice, but only if they know you well and will speak highly of you. Investigate if your university offers any letter packet or committee packet services.
-It’s better to ask someone for a favorable letter who knows you very well than someone who is simply in a position of power (of course, both is even better). The best letters come from people who can speak extensively of your academic ability and/or positive character traits.
-Ask for the letter at least two months in advance. You want to give your evaluators a good amount of time so that you don’t burden them with a last-second request and also so they have time to write you a good letter. Give them a reasonable deadline and don’t be afraid to remind them of your letter as that date approaches. Also, be sure and ask for a “favorable” letter, so that you run less of the rare but devastating risk of receiving an unfavorable letter.
-When you ask for a letter, come prepared. Bring a resume, a personal statement, or any other information that you feel will help them write you a good letter. Be sure to specify where you want the letter to be delivered and what needs to be included. Including the addressed envelope and stamps are a nice gesture.
-Get at least 3 letters. Get at least one PhD (many schools require two of these) and one MD to write you a letter. Physicians who you have shadowed, faculty who have taught you, and faculty you have done research with are all examples of good candidates, as long as you have built good relationships with those people.
-If your university offers a committee letter or letter packet service, investigate and research those options. Many of the large universities’ Pre-Health offices offer Pre-Meds a letter packet service that bundle and upload your letters of evaluation onto your application. Many medical schools prefer this option if it is available to you.
Useful Links:
Official SDN Letters Guide: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...mendation-questions-thread-2014-2015.1061937/
Getting Letters of Rec: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/04/pre-med-preparation-getting-letters-of-recommendation/
AMCAS FAQ: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/146562/letters_questions_landing_page.html
9) The Application
*****Apply early, broadly, and realistically. Before the application opens in early May, create a school list and compile all of the information you will need to include on your application. Invest a good amount of time into writing a unique and thoughtful personal statement. Push through your medical school application exhaustion and submit quality secondaries in a timely manner. Take advantage of all optional portions and essays of applications.
-Before the medical school applications open up in early May, research schools that you are interested in and would realistically attend. Be practical in forming your school list; schools often offer interviews and acceptances to students with GPA’s and MCAT’s similar to their previous years’ class (the MSAR is an invaluable resource for this). Fifteen schools is typically a solid number to apply to, though that number will vary based on your stats and your location.
-Apply early and broadly! In order to apply early, you need to get an early start on your application. Compile all of your personal information, employment history, volunteer history, extracurricular activities, leadership, and etc into an organized and easily readable list.
-Make sure to send out transcripts and letters of evaluation as soon as you can, as the medical school application services will become very, very busy. Applying as early as you can is very beneficial to your chances of receiving more and earlier interviews.
-Spend quality time writing your personal statement. It will probably be the most looked at part of your application outside of your GPA, MCAT, and letters of evaluation. Your personal statement will be frequently brought up during interviews, so make it unique and speak to why you will make for a good physician. Spend a lot time editing and drafting it, and let friends, relatives and others read over it and help you edit it.
-Get a head start on secondary applications. Schools often reuse the same questions each year, and you can find those on the internet and on SDN. Invest good energy into writing quality essays for each school. You will be exhausted with the application process by the time you are completing secondaries, but push through it! In general, it is best to submit secondaries two weeks after you receive them (some have deadlines, too).Many schools have their secondaries available to you on their websites and will not send them to you.
-If a school or application offers any optional parts or essays, do them! You want to take advantage of every opportunity you get to explain why you are a highly qualified applicant for their school.
Useful Links:
2014-2015 Applicant Sticky (tons of useful links inside): http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-ps-amcas-secondaries-interviews-etc.1061881/
The Official SDN PS Guide: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...l-statement-guide-and-ps-readers-list.375844/
MSAR ($25 – more than worth it!): https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/requirements/msar/
10) Interviews
*****Be very prepared for your interview –research the school and the questions you may be asked. Rehearse your answers with a friend or a mock interviewer, but do not sound formulaic. Be yourself during the interview. Act and dress professionally during all of the interview events. Attend any night-before socials if you are able to.
-Come to the interview very prepared. Research the school before you interview so that you can learn more about the school for both your own purposes and for the interview. Research and prepare for all of the standard and typical interview questions you may face (Why do you want to be a doctor? Tell me about yourself. Strengths/Weaknesses, etc). Make every question an opportunity to explain why you are a good applicant for this school.
-Be yourself! People like to talk with genuine and sincere individuals. Don’t try and be someone you are not. Smile, sit up, and be polite. Interviewers want to see if you are a human being that can communicate and feel compassion toward others.
-Be prepared to ask excellent questions. Every interviewer will give you an opportunity to ask about the school at the end of your interview. The more interested you seem in attending the school, the better your chances are of receiving an acceptance.
-Research to see if your college offers any mock interviews. Mock interviews may seem silly, but they make for extremely valuable practice. Also, practice common questions with friends and relatives.
-Dress and act professionally during the entire interview day. Be polite and courteous to everyone you meet. Do not be tacky and talk about other schools and interviews when you are visiting and touring another school. Small and brief thank you notes to your interviewers can be a nice gesture and follow-up after interviews.
-Many schools offer a “night before” social or meal. Attend this event if you can. It gives you a good chance to talk to current medical students and learn more about the school. It’s important to try and determine if you see yourself fitting in with the culture of the medical school, and lots of the information you gather can be useful during your interview the next day.
Useful Links:
Youtube: Kevin Ahern's Guide to Acing a Medical School Interview
Preparing for the Interview: https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/basics/280914/interview.html
5 Step to Preparing for you Interview: http://www.studentdoctor.net/2014/06/5-steps-to-preparing-for-your-medical-school-interviews/
Interview/Acceptance Factors: https://www.aamc.org/download/261106/data/aibvol11_no6.pdf
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Like I mentioned at the very beginning (disclaimer alert!), I am by no means an admissions expert and this is not a comprehensive guide of how to get into medical school! These are just a few bits and pieces that I picked up on along my Pre-Med journey from picking a college all the way to gaining a medical school acceptance. I intend to edit these sections and links from time to time.
And please, anyone, feel free to add any additional pieces of information or advice, even if it is contrary to my opinion! I’d love to see what others have to say, especially medical students, physicians, faculty, and some of the “rockstars” of SDN. Yall’s opinions and wisdom are nearly infinitely more valuable and experienced than mine. Also, feel free to send me a message anytime you have any questions regarding the Pre-Med journey.
Thank you! 🙂
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