Steps to guarantee a medical school acceptance?

[JoyKim456]

So I have a serious question. I don't care whether it is a top 20 med school, or one that is unranked. I don't care whether it is MD or DO, but what necessary steps should someone take to maximize the chances of an acceptance at least somewhere?

Here is what I've had so far from looking online:

-At least 1 year of clinical experience
-Compassionate, helpful personality [which I have ]
-Applying to 15-20 schools where your stats are significantly above the average admitted (at least .1 above average GPA and 2 points above average MCAT)
-Carefully giving each secondary it's own sweet time and thought

Anything else or any tips from you guys?

The reason I am asking this is rather personal. I remember living is despair when I was a young child and remember my dad suffering from unemployment. Because of that, I think i've sort of feared ever being unemployed. Once I get a medical school acceptance at least somewhere, I can better make sure that doesn't happen. But don't get me wrong, I want to be a doctor to help people end their pain, not because of job security.

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[NonTradJp]

In general there is no certainty, but there are steps to take to be highly probable of success. In no particular order except first one:

1. Do well in school. If you are still a student, do well. While that may not be everything, I think it's the most important as foundation. If you don't do well you can still make it, but it would be more work then doing well the first time.
2. Get solid MCAT scores and have truly meaningful experiences (volunteering, art, leadership, or other).
3. Have clinical experience that you can talk about. The duration matters for some schools and not for others. But the value of it matters.
4. Brain storm or pre-write secondaries and personal statement. Not vital but helps in all steps from primary to interview.
5. Develop a mature attitude and know what you really want in life. This is important for the interviews.
6. Apply broadly and take serious consideration of both where you would want to go to school, live, and where you have decent chances.
7. Avoid wasting time and avoid getting worked up by reading SDN. Just skim the school specific threads and the articles to help you along.

IMO, I think it's a combination of first grades and MCAT to show you can handle it, then personality and aptitude to show in secondaries and interviews that you are a good fit as a physician. Being prepared is already going to put you in a good position.

BTW, I'm a pre-med. So that's only based on my opinion.

 

[Flamen04]

To be honest:
1. MCAT
2. Grades
3. EC

 

[Ismet]

Moving to pre-allo

 

[referee3]

the only guarantees in life are death and taxes.

That being said, the med school admission process can be one of the most unpredictable things you'll experience in your life.

 

[tar_heel]

don't cheat or commit a felony. everything else seems to be recoverable.

 

[karayaa]

So I have a serious question. I don't care whether it is a top 20 med school, or one that is unranked. I don't care whether it is MD or DO, but what necessary steps should someone take to maximize the chances of an acceptance at least somewhere?

Here is what I've had so far from looking online:

-At least 1 year of clinical experience
-Compassionate, helpful personality [which I have ]
-Applying to 15-20 schools where your stats are significantly above the average admitted (at least .1 above average GPA and 2 points above average MCAT)
-Carefully giving each secondary it's own sweet time and thought

Anything else or any tips from you guys?

The reason I am asking this is rather personal. I remember living is despair when I was a young child and remember my dad suffering from unemployment. Because of that, I think i've sort of feared ever being unemployed. Once I get a medical school acceptance at least somewhere, I can better make sure that doesn't happen. But don't get me wrong, I want to be a doctor to help people end their pain, not because of job security.

Some of these ideas seem contradictory:
- maximize the chances vs At least 1 year of clinical experience
- stats are significantly above the average vs at least .1 above average GPA
If you want to maximize your chance, you have to go beyond minimums. And a .1 difference - 3.7 vs 3.8 - doesn´t seem significant. I'd aim for at least .2 for GPA, and 3+ for MCAT to really stand out.
- Carefully giving each secondary it's own sweet time and thought vs applying early, which I would suggest is super important whenever you're dealing with rolling admissions.

I hope you've realized on your own, that the best way to maximize the possibility of success, is to simply, honestly, persistently try your best. Go for a 4.0/37. Go for meaningful contributions in your ECs. Go for relationships with professors that generate strong LORs. Go for time management to get all this done and still have fun in other areas.

Think about what field of medicine interests you - maybe you want to stay away from chronic problems and paeds, and steer towards surgery or EM or palliative care or anesthesiology. If you have an interest within medicine, you can develop cohesive ECs and write a more compelling PS.

 

[Spinach Dip]

I am so glad to see all the pre meds asking how they can improve their app rather than how they can help people.

How about you focus on being a good person and graduating college over checking off every box that you think med schools want to see? Or am I making no sense?

 

[FutureOncologist]

Some of these ideas seem contradictory:
- maximize the chances vs At least 1 year of clinical experience
- stats are significantly above the average vs at least .1 above average GPA
If you want to maximize your chance, you have to go beyond minimums. And a .1 difference - 3.7 vs 3.8 - doesn´t seem significant. I'd aim for at least .2 for GPA, and 3+ for MCAT to really stand out.
- Carefully giving each secondary it's own sweet time and thought vs applying early, which I would suggest is super important whenever you're dealing with rolling admissions.

I hope you've realized on your own, that the best way to maximize the possibility of success, is to simply, honestly, persistently try your best. Go for a 4.0/37. Go for meaningful contributions in your ECs. Go for relationships with professors that generate strong LORs. Go for time management to get all this done and still have fun in other areas.

Think about what field of medicine interests you - maybe you want to stay away from chronic problems and paeds, and steer towards surgery or EM or palliative care or anesthesiology. If you have an interest within medicine, you can develop cohesive ECs and write a more compelling PS.

1. It's not the 1980's anymore. There's more to it than GPA and MCAT. I'm not denying that they're important, but forcing yourself to get the perfect GPA and stellar MCAT can cost you when you don't focus on other things.
2. You don't need a 4.0 and a 37 to get in. It would be great, but this idea is why numbers are so overstated on SDN.
3. As a premed, you shouldn't be thinking of what specialty you want to do when you finish medical school. You need to focus on getting in first. Medical school will show you what you're interested in (unless you're like some and go in for bad reasons.)

I agree with everything else.

 

[litotes]

I am so glad to see all the pre meds asking how they can improve their app rather than how they can help people.

How about you focus on being a good person and graduating college over checking off every box that you think med schools want to see? Or am I maing no sense?

cmon now man are you serious? getting into med school is about a lot more than helping people. for example, getting a 520 on your MCAT is probably the single best thing you can do to improve your application, but no one is benefitted by you acing the test.

 

[karayaa]

1. It's not the 1980's anymore. There's more to it than GPA and MCAT. I'm not denying that they're important, but forcing yourself to get the perfect GPA and stellar MCAT can cost you when you don't focus on other things.
2. You don't need a 4.0 and a 37 to get in. It would be great, but this idea is why numbers are so overstated on SDN.
3. As a premed, you shouldn't be thinking of what specialty you want to do when you finish medical school. You need to focus on getting in first. Medical school will show you what you're interested in (unless you're like some and go in for bad reasons.)

I agree with everything else.

Haha sorry that I wasn't clear. I didn't mean that 1 or 2 are necessary or guarantees to admission - I meant that they should be goals, while not sacrificing other areas of OP's life. OP, please don't sacrifice too much for grades/scores - there's much more to you than that. But since grades and scores are some of the things OP has the most control over, they should make sure they do well.
Totally agree with #3 - I meant that a cohesive story (ECs, research, future goals, backed up by LORs) sounds more attractive than disconnected experiences. Of course OP should be flexible

 

[NickNaylor]

cmon now man are you serious? getting into med school is about a lot more than helping people. for example, getting a 520 on your MCAT is probably the single best thing you can do to improve your application, but no one is benefitted by you acing the test.

And once again, the fallacy of numbers are objective therefore they are everything rears its head.

 

[Goro]

Go dig up my post on guide to applications, and then my guide to interviews.

So I have a serious question. I don't care whether it is a top 20 med school, or one that is unranked. I don't care whether it is MD or DO, but what necessary steps should someone take to maximize the chances of an acceptance at least somewhere?

Here is what I've had so far from looking online:

-At least 1 year of clinical experience
-Compassionate, helpful personality [which I have ]
-Applying to 15-20 schools where your stats are significantly above the average admitted (at least .1 above average GPA and 2 points above average MCAT)
-Carefully giving each secondary it's own sweet time and thought

Anything else or any tips from you guys?

The reason I am asking this is rather personal. I remember living is despair when I was a young child and remember my dad suffering from unemployment. Because of that, I think i've sort of feared ever being unemployed. Once I get a medical school acceptance at least somewhere, I can better make sure that doesn't happen. But don't get me wrong, I want to be a doctor to help people end their pain, not because of job security.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I am so glad to see all the pre meds asking how they can improve their app rather than how they can help people.

How about you focus on being a good person and graduating college over checking off every box that you think med schools want to see? Or am I making no sense?

Goes on to premed forum

Complains about premeds asking how to get into medical school

.....

 

[caffeinemia]

1. Fake death.
2. Transform self from Over-represented minority (asian) to less over-represented majority (white)
3. Become a billionaire and build a giant space mirror made of diamonds and threaten to laser the earth.
4. Kill parents
5. Have Secret agent sleep with then kill your girl during igloo house party.
6. Write about it in your personal statement as world's most interesting supervillain.
7. Write about it in your personal statement, but don't forget to include your emt experience and how the electric shocks from the defibrillators made you realize a life of supervillainy was not as rewarding as saving lives.

 

[Goro]

Spinach, please don't become another Glallblad [sp?]

I am so glad to see all the pre meds asking how they can improve their app rather than how they can help people.

How about you focus on being a good person and graduating college over checking off every box that you think med schools want to see? Or am I making no sense?

 

[medic86]

1. Fake death.
2. Transform self from Over-represented minority (asian) to under-represented minority (any)
3. Become a billionaire and build a giant space mirror made of diamonds and threaten to laser the earth.
4. Kill parents
5. Have Secret agent sleep with then kill your girl during igloo house party.
6. Write about it in your personal statement as world's most interesting supervillain.
7. Write about it in your personal statement, but don't forget to include your emt experience and how the electric shocks from the defibrillators made you realize a life of supervillainy was not as rewarding as saving lives.

FTFY

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Do well in school, do stuff you like and learn from it, get experience in medicine, don't be awkward, and stay out of trouble

 

[deleted577188]

1. Fake death.
2. Transform self from Over-represented minority (asian) to less over-represented majority (white)
3. Become a billionaire and build a giant space mirror made of diamonds and threaten to laser the earth.
4. Kill parents
5. Have Secret agent sleep with then kill your girl during igloo house party.
6. Write about it in your personal statement as world's most interesting supervillain.
7. Write about it in your personal statement, but don't forget to include your emt experience and how the electric shocks from the defibrillators made you realize a life of supervillainy was not as rewarding as saving lives.

hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa that last one!

 

[JoyKim456]

Is it ok not to have any EC's your first year and just focus on school?

 

[litotes]

And once again, the fallacy of numbers are objective therefore they are everything rears its head.

??

all I said was that having a great MCAT score is probably the single factor that would most strengthen an application. obviously scores aren't everything and I'm not sure where I said that?

this is where most people on SDN would make a snide remark about reading comprehension, but I'm not about that, so... have a nice day sir

 

[NickNaylor]

??

all I said was that having a great MCAT score is probably the single factor that would most strengthen an application.

Yes, and that is patently incorrect. You didn't directly state what I said, but that's the obvious implication - otherwise, how would it be "the single factor that would most strengthen an application?"

 

[NickNaylor]

Is it ok not to have any EC's your first year and just focus on school?

It's not going to harm you, but obviously it's preferable to have activities ASAP. That said, your academics should be your focus. Being involved in things at the expense of your academics is not the goal. However, you should also understand that there are plenty of people that are able to do both.

 

[caffeinemia]

It's not going to harm you, but obviously it's preferable to have activities ASAP. That said, your academics should be your focus. Being involved in things at the expense of your academics is not the goal. However, you should also understand that there are plenty of people that are able to do both.

The absurdity of this thread and the premise of fool proof acceptance is only equal to your guys' serious-much. Fight more about the same old boring dichotomy please: "grades/scores or ECs? Which is it gais?"

 

[Spinach Dip]

Goes on to premed forum

Complains about premeds asking how to get into medical school

zing!

You got me.

Spinach, please don't become another Glallblad [sp?]

I dont have a problem with people asking for help. (Hell, I've done it myself tons of times.) Nor do I have a problem with people trying to flesh out their app by adding extra activities.


I DO have a problem with people thinking there is a 'magic formula' to get into med school. As if checking off these 15 'magic' items will somehow 'earn' a ticket to med school. It's what leads to the plague of pre-med freshmen who join volunteer gigs SOLELY for the purpose of adding it to their list of ECs and not because they actually want to help people.

Thus the 1 premed who actually joins a soup kitchen out of the kindness of their heart is overshadowed by the 99 who are doing it just to check another box.

 

[Goro]

I'll agree with you on that one!

I DO have a problem with people thinking there is a 'magic formula' to get into med school. As if checking off these 15 'magic' items will somehow 'earn' a ticket to med school. It's what leads to the plague of pre-med freshmen who join volunteer gigs SOLELY for the purpose of adding it to their list of ECs and not because they actually want to help people.

 

[JoyKim456]

@Spinach Dip

Maybe I do come off shallow. But this is the internet. You don't sven know me. So don't you think it's a bit judgemental to be making these types of claims?

And second of all, if you are calling us shallow, you are calling medical school admissions shallow. Don't medical schools have a checklist as well?

-Has this person done community service?
-Has this person helped sick people and volunteered at a hospital?

There are things that give people an edge to medical school admissions that I think is unfair:
-being a division 1 athlete
-being nationally recognized for research

Are those things REALLY necessary?

I just want to be a local doctor who helps people in their time of need. So what does being an athlete or professional researcher have anything to do with that? I want to make a difference and help people. In my heart, I am doing it because I want to help peopl. In my brain and my resume, I am doing it to look good to medical school admissions. Why is that such a crime?

 

[NeuResurgens]

Step 1: realize that medical school acceptance is not guaranteed for anyone, no matter what
Step 2: cry and be depressed for a week
Step 3: after climbing out of your depression, resolve to be the best you can be
Step 4: absolutely destroy physics, gen chem, ochem and biology
Step 5: make the MCAT your B
Step 6: do a bunch of really cool stuff that you like [to be completed concurrently with 4 and 5]
Step 7: gain people skills to prep for the interview [to be completed throughout]
Step 8: apply and interview
Step 9: cheer and dance when you get in

Foolproof.

 

[prdv]

This is kind of a random question but I was reading another thread that mentioned credit scores...

Could your acceptance be affected because of your financial situation at the moment (i.e.- bankruptcy, yours or your parents' credit scores)...just curious. I know at interviews, they bring it up but I imagine it is solely for financial aid reasons...

 

[cactus8910]

@Spinach Dip
There are things that give people an edge to medical school admissions that I think is unfair:
-being a division 1 athlete
-being nationally recognized for research

Are those things REALLY necessary?

I just want to be a local doctor who helps people in their time of need. So what does being an athlete or professional researcher have anything to do with that? I want to make a difference and help people. In my heart, I am doing it because I want to help peopl. In my brain and my resume, I am doing it to look good to medical school admissions. Why is that such a crime?

Where are you getting this stuff? I've never heard of being a D1 athlete giving someone an "edge" in med school admissions. It might look good in the same way that managing to do anything incredibly time-consuming while keeping up with coursework and other ECs looks, but there's not "extra bonus" for being an athlete.
Schools that what to produce physician scientists/clinical researchers like to see some research background. Most schools don't care if you don't have research. So if you want to be a local doctor, you probably won't be applying to research-focused schools, and any "edge" that other applicants might get won't affect you.

 

[Mad Jack]

Solid clinical experience+MCAT+GPA+volunteering+well written personal statement+good interview skills will usually be enough.

 

[Goro]

Most of my fellow Adcom members, including me, have no idea what D1 means.

There are things that give people an edge to medical school admissions that I think is unfair:
-being a division 1 athlete

The idea of training clinician-scholars is not some pie-in-the-sky ideal meant only for Harvard and Yale grads. there's a reason why we value research...we expect people to have an understanding of the scientific process. that way, clinicians have the ability to be able to discern what works, what doesn't and what's BS. Further, things happen fast in Medicine. For example, doctors need to be able to recognize that that sudden influx of people with dyspnea, upper body paralysis and , Y and Z symptoms are suffering from botulism, meaning someone's food is spoiled, or a terrorist has poisoned something.

And further, people who can do all this AND maintain a high GPA are giving evidence that they're good time managers. It's hard enough for grad students to get a paper; for a UG student taking a full load, and volunteering and still acing classes...this is someone we want in med school.

In order to be a good doctor, one first has to be a good med student, and we need [proof of that. A scholar-athlete who can still ace things is going to be a good med student.

-being nationally recognized for research

So, yeah.
Are those things REALLY necessary?

You could do the same thing by being a good PA or nurse.
I just want to be a local doctor who helps people in their time of need. So what does being an athlete or professional researcher have anything to do with that? I want to make a difference and help people. In my heart, I am doing it because I want to help peopl. In my brain and my resume, I am doing it to look good to medical school admissions. Why is that such a crime?[/QUOTE]

 

[JoyKim456]

@Mad Jack

Thank you. That's really all what I needed to hear. Sorry to anyone if I came off as shallow. It's just difficult to enjoy EC activities and do them from the heart when you have pressure.

For example, when I volunteer, I feel this pressure that I have to gain a leadership position, or organize some big event, or go to China to volunteer to prove that I really do care. When in reality I just want to focus on helping people in need when I meet them.

 

[Mad Jack]

@Mad Jack

Thank you. That's really all what I wanted to hear. Sorry to anyone if I came off as shallow. It's just difficult to enjoy EC activities and do them from the heart of when you have pressure.

For example, when I volunteer, I feel this pressure that I have to gain a leadership position, or organize some big event, or go to China to volunteer to prove that I really do care. When in really o hair want to focus on helping people in need when I meet them.

The real problem you'll have if you do activities you don't want to do just to build your resume is that you won't come off as genuine when you're talking about them at interviews. That can kill your interview, and thus your app. I chalk up a lot of failed interviews to cognitive dissonance- they say they want to be here but don't, they say we're their number one but we aren't, they say they enjoyed volunteering and did it out of the goodness of their heart but they were just trying to build their resume, etc. People pick up on that, because you say way more with your eyes, voice, and mannerisms than you do with your words. So be careful about what you do just for the bullet points, because it will come up later, and if you can't sell it and have an adcom believe it, you're going to burn your own interview straight to the ground.

 

[JoyKim456]

@Mad Jack

Thank you very much. I'm glad that I've realized that as long as i do it genuinely, it will come across.