No pre med advisor at my university

[floatingribs]

My friend doesn't have a pre med advisor in her university and I'm fairly sure I read about the AMCAs providing more specific info/advising to these sorts of students, but I can't find any good hits on google or the older posts on here so any info on it will be super helpful.

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[Coltuna]

Tell her to just use the search engine on SDN. Seriously. I never had a premedical advisor and am much more familiar with the process than any of my friends with advisors due to SDN. As far as classes to take, tell her to look at the websites for her state schools for requirements and such.

 

[Turkishking]

Use the SDN function. It has good advice.

 

[Kkshake]

Never had a good advisor in my life. It's a wonder that they still have jobs.

 

[GodComplex]

Had I listened to the only premed advisor I spoke with I would have been an entire year behind simply because I didn't have "enough lab experience." I chose to ignore her advice, got more interview invites than I could attend and had some financial aid thrown my way.

I say that to reiterate what has already been said. Just use SDN.

 

[jurisburger]

I wouldn't be in med school now if I had listened to my premed advisor. SDN and figuring it out with my premed friends was all it took.

 

[Dog&CatLover]

SDN has good advice. MSAR is a good website that will give you an idea of where you can expect to get in based on your GPA and MCAT etc. She can also ask older students and members of the Biology and Chemistry Department (or other related departments) who have taught a lot of Pre-meds and are likely to be familiar with the system so she has some good advice.

As the for the committee letter that most undergraduate schools offer, they might ask if your school offers one out not. If she just says her undergrad doesn't offer it, she will be totally fine (provided its a legitimate well respected undergraduate school).

 

[Prometheus123]

When I asked my adviser how much shadowing I needed, she said "There's no specific amount, but more is better. Some people apply with none, so if you have any, you're fine." As a result, I didn't prioritize it before applying and got about 14 hours. Turns out the unspoken minimum is 50 hours, which I found out after applying from SDN. Moral of the story: just use SDN.

 

[ODea]

I don't have one either but like someone said SDN is your best friend, I'm learning more and more each day I'm here.

 

[LizzyM]

Start with the stickies at the top of this forum. Then use the search functions for anything else. Also pay for the MSAR... well worth it if you avoid even one unwise secondary application.

 

[tiramisucheese]

When I asked my adviser how much shadowing I needed, she said "There's no specific amount, but more is better. Some people apply with none, so if you have any, you're fine." As a result, I didn't prioritize it before applying and got about 14 hours. Turns out the unspoken minimum is 50 hours, which I found out after applying from SDN. Moral of the story: just use SDN.

I actually think that may have been true just a few years back. One of my friends who matriculated in 2013 said that she had no shadowing. She went to a top 20. It obviously doesn't apply today, and n=1.

 

[Prometheus123]

I actually think that may have been true just a few years back. One of my friends who matriculated in 2013 said that she had no shadowing. She went to a top 20. It obviously doesn't apply today, and n=1.

Interesting. Yeah, while shadowing a cardiologist last week, I was chatting with her and her fellows. Somehow it came up that I was shadowing in part because I wanted direct experience with different specialities and because SDN says I need 50+ hours. They were surprised, as they all got in with way fewer than that. I wonder if there's been significant stat inflation over the past few years for some reason.

 

[Coltuna]

Interesting. Yeah, while shadowing a cardiologist last week, I was chatting with her and her fellows. Somehow it came up that I was shadowing in part because I wanted direct experience with different specialities and because SDN says I need 50+ hours. They were surprised, as they all got in with way fewer than that. I wonder if there's been significant stat inflation over the past few years for some reason.

Yeah medical school has become much more competitive than it was 10+ years ago. I have yet to meet an attending doctor who set aside time for dedicated MCAT prep lol. Most of them can't even remember what they got on it... Also saying that they only applied to 2-3 schools lol.

Edit: Realizing that bolded was the most SDN comment I've ever made.

 

[Prometheus123]

Yeah medical school has become much more competitive than it was 10+ years ago. I have yet to meet an attending doctor who set aside time for dedicated MCAT prep lol. Most of them can't even remember what they got on it...

I don't remember the numbers, but someone posted recently that the cost of US medical school has risen astronomically in the past decade or so, while wages have remained stagnant (just like for most professions)....the stats and other requirements to get in have also inflated quite a bit...and if I'm not mistaken, @gyngyn reported recently that US med schools actually teach students at a loss. What a strange pattern. I wonder why, and where's all the money going?

 

[Goro]

I don't remember the numbers, but someone posted recently that the cost of US medical school has risen astronomically in the past decade or so, while wages have remained stagnant (just like for most professions)....the stats and other requirements to get in have also inflated quite a bit...and if I'm not mistaken, @gyngyn reported recently that US med schools actually teach students at a loss. What a strange pattern. I wonder why, and where's all the money going?

Usually it goes to other parts of the university. As an example, the Art school or the OT school.

 

[Prometheus123]

Usually it goes to other parts of the university. As an example, the Art school or the OT school.

Thanks for reminding me, I couldn't find the thread.

 

[floatingribs]

you can also go to
AAMC/AMCAS AMCAS® Tools and Tutorials
NAAHP Find an Advisor

Thank you! The second link was the one I was trying to find.