Must know to do list before applying to med school!!!:)

[PreMedHopeful]

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Please answer one or more of the questions and help people out, this is SDN...🙄

1. When should I take the MCAT? (After talking to people and my premed adviser, I'm still very confused...)

2. What classes should I take besides the med school-pre-reqs...any other beneficial classes for mcat or med school?

3. What are some good places to volunteer besides usual places like ER?

4. What are some cool ideas to shadow besides family practice and hospital, and how do you find a doctor in a hospital to shadow?

5. What is important to know regarding letters of recommendation?

6. What is important in regards to personal statements: what to include and how to write it and who should check it?

7. What is important to know in terms of applying to medical school with aamsas or aacomas?

8. How do you prepare for the interview and how much should you practice?

9. How do you study for MCAT and what's the best way to do well: which review course, which mcat prep book, how many hours/schedule?

10. What else is important in knowing before applying to medical school?? Any question I didnt' ask🙂

Please answer one or more of the questions and help people out, this is SDN...🙄

 

[Omni]

I'll pick and choose the questions I can best answer. I'm still an entering junior working on my MCAT.

1- You'll get many responses for this. The best I can give you is a suggestion on when the best time frame is. Lets say you graduate on the Spring of 2011, and you want to start med school on the Fall of 2011. The best time to take the MCAT is some time in between the Summer of 2009 and May of 2010.
So if you started college on the Fall of 2007 (you are class of 2011), you will have just finished your sophomore year by the time you are ready for the MCAT, course wise. By your second year, you should have finished gen chem 1+2, orgo 1+2, bio 1+2 and an advanced bio class like physiology, and physics 1+2. At the end of your second year, you've pretty much learned all you can from your college on the MCAT and after that, you should start looking into when you want to take it. You can take it the summer of, or you can take it by May 2010 as the absolute latest if you want to start med school by Fall 2011 after you graduate. The end date is going to differ people to people--some will say that by June will be fine, but keep in mind. Towards the end of your junior year, you will need to start sending out applications.
If you want, you can take the MCAT during the summer, stop all activities and just concentrate on the exam. Or, if you think you can, you can juggle semester work while studying for the MCAT.

SO in summary, sometime in between the summer of your Junior Year and May of your Junior year.

3-
EMS. You need training, (About 100 hours) and then further training depending on the squad you join, but its fun, and very enriching.

9- Really dependant on the person. Look at the MCAT forum for these questions.

 

[mvenus929]

1) Depends when you want to apply. You probably shouldn't take it later than July in the year you apply (though you can take it as late as September) and you shouldn't take it much earlier than the summer before you apply.

2) I liked Human Physiology and Immunology, but that's cause my professors were awesome. Take what sounds interesting to you; you'll get more out of your classes if you enjoy them.

3) For clinical experience, I've heard free clinics are good places to volunteer, and I really would've liked to be a cuddler in the NICU when I volunteered at the hospital (but, I wasn't old enough). But volunteer somewhere you'll enjoy yourself. Again, you'll get more out of it if you aren't doing it out of a sense of obligation. Be a Big Brother/Sister.

4) I'm not sure what you mean by 'hospital', because there are dozens of different kinds of doctors working in the hospital. Hospitals have different regulations regarding shadowing; I know one hospital I went to wouldn't let you shadow unless you had workmen's comp through your school (so basically you had to shadow through a class), but the hospital I work in now just requires that you have a physician's signature taking responsibility for you, as well as an up-to-date TB test. Check your local hospital's website.

5) Best to get them from professors/people who know you well. If you don't get a committee letter, you should get 2 science, 1 nonscience letters from professors (one should be from your major), and then another letter from either a volunteer coordinator, a supervisor at work, a physician you shadowed, etc.

6) Why do you want to be a doctor?

7) Fill out the whole application before you submit. You can't change it.

8) Mock interviews. Answering lots of questions. Practice for as long as it takes.

9) Depends completely and totally on you. My method of studying wouldn't work for most people. There's a 30+ thread in the MCAT forum that'll give you an idea of how different people studied.

 

[runrunrudolph1]

Please answer one or more of the questions and help people out, this is SDN...🙄

1. When should I take the MCAT? (After talking to people and my premed adviser, I'm still very confused...)

2. What classes should I take besides the med school-pre-reqs...any other beneficial classes for mcat or med school?

3. What are some good places to volunteer besides usual places like ER?

4. What are some cool ideas to shadow besides family practice and hospital, and how do you find a doctor in a hospital to shadow?

5. What is important to know regarding letters of recommendation?

6. What is important in regards to personal statements: what to include and how to write it and who should check it?

7. What is important to know in terms of applying to medical school with aamsas or aacomas?

8. How do you prepare for the interview and how much should you practice?

9. How do you study for MCAT and what's the best way to do well: which review course, which mcat prep book, how many hours/schedule?

10. What else is important in knowing before applying to medical school?? Any question I didnt' ask🙂

Please answer one or more of the questions and help people out, this is SDN...🙄

1. Generally, most people take it junior year summer.

2. I have heard that taking statistics, calculus, a few english classes, anatomy and physiology helps a lot.

3. EMS, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Soup kitchen, Kids hospital/ elementary schools...

4. Shadow a trauma surgeon, it is the most incredible experience... or any surgeon for that matter. You could just call a couple of surgeons from your local hospital and most will not mind you shadowing them, so take the opportunity.

5. They have to be STRONG and add to your application. Get them from someone who really had the chance to know you and can comment on your critical thinking, learning ability, leadership etc...

6. There are a ton of threads on this that could give you some details you need.

7. Triple check it because once you submit it its in and there is nothing you can do about it.

8. There is actually a place on here where people list questions that they were asked at their interviews based on the different school. Its really helpful. There are a couple of good books out about questions to theoretically know that they could possibly ask.

9. There is another thread that has some awesome info on this.

10. Enjoy undergrad 🙂

 

[PreMedHopeful]

thanks trying to balance enjoying college and being a premed student...lol its fun, challenging, chaotic...its college😉

keep the advice and answers coming, thanks, I'm sure it is helping dozens of people🙂

 

[PreMedHopeful]

bump....come on people let's COMMENT, it's important and would mean a lot if I got more responses, thanks to those who already responded!!!!

 

[dw2158]

bump....come on people let's COMMENT, it's important and would mean a lot if I got more responses, thanks to those who already responded!!!!

there are entire threads devoted to most of the things you asked about. you'll get more information if you search and read those than you will from people's condensed answers here. we even have a whole forum devoted to the MCAT. remember-- if you have a question, the overwhelming odds are that someone has asked it before.

 

[Snoopy2006]

there are entire threads devoted to most of the things you asked about. you'll get more information if you search and read those than you will from people's condensed answers here. we even have a whole forum devoted to the MCAT. remember-- if you have a question, the overwhelming odds are that someone has asked it before.

Agree completely. It just gets redundant to come on here and create a thread asking questions that have been asked many, many times before. Just use the 'search forum' function and you can get a lot of information that way.

 

[BlackSails]

Doctors are expected to be able to look up readily available information.

 

[DoctorDeMan]

Please answer one or more of the questions and help people out, this is SDN...🙄

1. When should I take the MCAT? (After talking to people and my premed adviser, I'm still very confused...)

2. What classes should I take besides the med school-pre-reqs...any other beneficial classes for mcat or med school?

3. What are some good places to volunteer besides usual places like ER?

4. What are some cool ideas to shadow besides family practice and hospital, and how do you find a doctor in a hospital to shadow?

5. What is important to know regarding letters of recommendation?

6. What is important in regards to personal statements: what to include and how to write it and who should check it?

7. What is important to know in terms of applying to medical school with aamsas or aacomas?

8. How do you prepare for the interview and how much should you practice?

9. How do you study for MCAT and what's the best way to do well: which review course, which mcat prep book, how many hours/schedule?

10. What else is important in knowing before applying to medical school?? Any question I didnt' ask🙂

Please answer one or more of the questions and help people out, this is SDN...🙄

1. Between Jan and May of the year you apply.
2. Whatever you are interested in.
3. Whatever organization/cause you are passionate about.
4. Emailing them. Previously established contacts.
5. Get good ones from people who know you.
6. Answer the question "why medicine?" in a unique and memorable way.
7. Huh??
8. That's for you to figure out.
9. That's for you to figure out.
10. Advice: Don't be cookie cutter.

 

[PreMedHopeful]

I'm trying to be original, and hopefully my personality shines through during the interview because I feel like I'm so damn typical with my biology major, chemistry minor, and typical activities....How do I set myself apart!!!?

 

[airplanes]

I'm trying to be original, and hopefully my personality shines through during the interview because I feel like I'm so damn typical with my biology major, chemistry minor, and typical activities....How do I set myself apart!!!?

Everyone has their own story and rationale for medicine, as well as their own unique interests. Be passionate about something. Come off as genuine and you are golden.

 

[PreMedHopeful]

is being passionate about volunteering and just loving to travel/medicine/science/and helping people heal?...I dont wanna come off as being generic and ordinary...like how can they distinguish people from one another from applications...just from essays and letters of rec?

 

[RySerr21]

I'm trying to be original, and hopefully my personality shines through during the interview because I feel like I'm so damn typical with my biology major, chemistry minor, and typical activities....How do I set myself apart!!!?

is being passionate about volunteering and just loving to travel/medicine/science/and helping people heal?...I dont wanna come off as being generic and ordinary...*like how can they distinguish people from one another from applications*...just from essays and letters of rec?

thats a good question. Its seems almost impossible to pick one application over another because they are reading thousands of them and there is surely some overlap. Especially once theyve rejected the ones that just dont meet certain requirements (ie the lower gpas/mcats), why is person Xs volunteering at place Y more impressive than person As volunteering at place Z?

I think one of the things that is important is that you show you have a personality and a life outside of medicine. Do you have interests outside of medicine/volunteering? Do you play sports? Play an instrument? Has there been anything else in your life that has helped shape who you are today? Dont think they just wnat ot know about the stuff youve done thats related to medicine. Put everything you have done that is important to you. That is what is going to make you stand out and that is where you add that uniqueness to your application. If you have this aspect ON TOP of the other stuff they are looking for (grades/mcat/etc), then you are in business.

If you have any other questions you can PM me.

 

[apumic]

1. When should I take the MCAT? (After talking to people and my premed adviser, I'm still very confused...)
Sometime between now and when you go to med school.

2. What classes should I take besides the med school-pre-reqs...any other beneficial classes for mcat or med school?
Whatever you need to graduate.

3. What are some good places to volunteer besides usual places like ER?
There are no other places to volunteer, but I hear previous candidates have spent a lot of time tutoring their autistic brother.

4. What are some cool ideas to shadow besides family practice and hospital, and how do you find a doctor in a hospital to shadow?
I like to shadow the idea that I'll be a doctor someday.
I found a doctor to shadow by sneaking into the Doctor's lounge and stealing someone's scrubs... but I wouldn't suggest it -- I got my *** hauled out by Security pretty quick!

5. What is important to know regarding letters of recommendation?
They usually talk about things that really happened.

6. What is important in regards to personal statements: what to include and how to write it and who should check it?
I would include things that are generally true about yourself; however, there are times when this may not be the best approach. I will leave it up to you to figure them out.

7. What is important to know in terms of applying to medical school with aamsas or aacomas?
AMCAS is for MD candidates
AACOMAS is for DO candidates
Oh yeah...and aamsas stands for American Association of Medical Students (who) Ain't Spellers

8. How do you prepare for the interview and how much should you practice?
About 5 minutes the night before, but it was okay because my uncle was on the board.

9. How do you study for MCAT and what's the best way to do well: which review course, which mcat prep book, how many hours/schedule?
Do some practice problems, lots of them. I'd spend a lot of hours/day practicing.

10. What else is important in knowing before applying to medical school?? Any question I didnt' ask🙂
Nope, I think you covered it, but in case I'm wrong, you might try using the search function next time and do your own research.
Actually, come to think of it, doing your own research and problem-solving might be a good answer for #9 as well....

 

[Jolt21]

Must know to do list before applying to med school!!!🙂

Enjoy your life.

Applying to med school is the beginning of long and arduous journey.

 

[PreMedHopeful]

I am enjoying my life and I have a passionate interest in medicine....deal with it and dont respond if you have nothing positive to say, apumic

 

[apumic]

I have plenty positive to say. This time, my advice is simply to look for the answers yourself. You didn't ask a single new or even semi-original question. A little sarcasm never hurt anyone. Best of luck with your apps. Glad to hear you have a passion for medicine. Demonstrate some of it through the things you asked about. That's where you can shine.

 

[JJMrK]

bump....come on people let's COMMENT, it's important and would mean a lot if I got more responses, thanks to those who already responded!!!!

Entitlement can turn people off.

You can find the answer to every one of your questions if you look around this site for an hour or two. 👍
​

 

[PreMedHopeful]

yeah this thread was just me trying to have one thread of concise answers to all my questions in one window, and I HATE searching on SDN and looking at past threads because I feel like it's old news and time has changed and I just need to learn to do that more...

 

[plsletmein]

Entitlement can turn people off.

You can find the answer to every one of your questions if you look around this site for an hour or two. 👍
​

just to reiterate. and it won't even take an hour... more like 5 minutes

 

[mmmcdowe]

yeah this thread was just me trying to have one thread of concise answers to all my questions in one window, and I HATE searching on SDN and looking at past threads because I feel like it's old news and time has changed and I just need to learn to do that more...

While you might get concise answers, you will not get in depth because people lose interest by the time they answer ten questions that each deserve a detailed answer. So if you are afraid of nuances changing since the last time a question was asked (there have been no changes btw), you won't be able to detect them anyways in a skin and bones answer.

I agree about being passionate. This isn't a collect ECs race, its about doing things you love and care about. They know when someone is truly interested in the standard pre-med stuff and someone who is doing it to try and be a perfect applicant. Be among the former, include things in your resume that are important to you.

 

[Jolt21]

I am enjoying my life and I have a passionate interest in medicine....deal with it and dont respond if you have nothing positive to say, apumic

where did that come from. calm down dude. my response was probably the most positive one yet.

what i'm saying is dont lose your interest in other things as well. its good to show you are well-rounded. have other things to talk about besides medicine.

 

[Jolt21]

yeah this thread was just me trying to have one thread of concise answers to all my questions in one window, and I HATE searching on SDN and looking at past threads because I feel like it's old news and time has changed and I just need to learn to do that more...

things do not change change that quickly. you wont get a full list in this thread either, because no one does EVERYTHING you could possibly do. there are books you can go check out. The Not So Short Introduction To Getting Into Medical School by Ryan Aycock for one....

 

[PreMedHopeful]

I have read the SDN version of that, and in the end I am trying to be that "PERFECT" premed student that all med schools want...and lets just say I'm stressed about it, next year I plan on living life based on my likes and desires and not just going all crazy about medical school....in the end, you live life and medicine is a part of your life not the main thing in life....I'm learning that slowly:/