Is there a basic "checklist" of what I should do to get into Medical School?

[wubtella]

I'm starting college in the fall and I will be majoring in Biology with a pre-med focus. I was wondering if there is standard way of doing things to get into med school. Such as when to start volunteering, getting clinical experience, studying for the MCAT, taking the MCAT, applying to med school, etc.

I know anytime is good to do volunteering but how much should I aim for? How many hours of clinical experience should I aim for? I really have no idea.

edit: I know every path is a little different but I guess I'm just looking for a very general path.

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[halodos]

Here's a long post that's pretty helpful: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/a-compilation-of-essential-sdn-wisdom.1177034/ (from @Lawper signature)

In terms of checkboxes,

3.7+ GPA
514+ MCAT (Take after sophomore year during the summer, start studying the beginning of the summer and take it near the end)
Start EC's now -

• Clinical volunteering (150+ hrs)
• Leadership roles in groups
• non clinical volunteering (not 100% necessary)
• Shadowing (50 hours, no need to go over, can do whenever before senior year)

Start your app January of junior year if you're not taking a gap year.

Get in touch with a premed committee now if you have one, and go to office hours with your basic science or advanced science professors so you can get letters of rec. Use interfolio to save them so that they can write them while you're still fresh in their mind.

I think those are the basics.

 

[Hopeful_vet]

Definitely start volunteering right away. Clinical and non clinical. If you're looking for a magic number, you'll likely get a different number from everyone. If you consistently volunteer throughout undergrad, you'll have plenty of hours. Try to do something unique.

Never put anything before your GPA though.. Don't stretch your time so thin that your GPA suffers.

For the MCAT, if you don't want to take a gap year the latest you should take it is May of your junior year. Start studying for it several months ahead of time.


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[eteshoe]

Agree w/ most of what has been said but I'd say take the first semester to just focus getting a high GPA your first term. The jump from high school to college often gets many students.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Agree with above, focus on making good grades then start to gradually add in extra curricular a and other non-scholastic activities like work, shadowing, etc.

 

[Lost In Transcription]

Agree w/ most of what has been said but I'd say take the first semester to just focus getting a high GPA your first term. The jump from high school to college often gets many students.

This worked for me. I got involved with EC in 2nd quarter and this propelled my ECS throughout college.

 

[MaxPlancker]

Well...don't forget the most important and largest checkbox there is....submitting your application 😉

 

[ed*26]

The University of Utah has a pretty solid one. Note that their minimums/averages are for their acceptees, not the national.