The Average MD Applicant 2011

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Techmed07

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What do you guys the average MD applicant will look like in 2011.
I am guessing with the big boom of medicine related shows, it will be alot more competitive....
 
What do you guys the average MD applicant will look like in 2011.
I am guessing with the big boom of medicine related shows, it will be alot more competitive....


Probably. Larger number of applicants means larger number of MCAT takers, and consequently larger number of high-scoring students. I would guess that the average MCAT of accepted students to be around 31-32, compared to current 30.
 
I say avg for those accepted would be MCAT 31.4, GPA 3.64 (BCPM 3.65) and age 24.5 yrs old
 
What do you guys the average MD applicant will look like in 2011.
I am guessing with the big boom of medicine related shows, it will be alot more competitive....

But if you take into account the realities of health care right now, there might actually be less people applying to medical school. With the perception of increased competition and the persistence of the problems in health care that have warranted discussion about socialized medicine, people might not want to apply. I'm guessing averages might just stay where they are.
 
in what corner of your ass did you find those numbers?

I said " WOULD BE. "

I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers actually end up higher at that time. The increase in the number of competitive applicants is projected to be much higher than the number of med school seats available
 
In all seriousness, the average matriculant's MCAT score will go up, since one can take it ten times more during the course of the year. Bad score? No prob, take it next month. It wasn't an option last year; if you did poorly in April you were screwed because you couldn't take it again until August, at which time you'd be really late.
 
I said " WOULD BE. "

I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers actually end up higher at that time. The increase in the number of competitive applicants is projected to be much higher than the number of med school seats available

I saw the "would be." I meant like, how exactly did you determine those numbers? They were very exact for a guesstimate.
 
In all seriousness, the average matriculant's MCAT score will go up, since one can take it ten times more during the course of the year. Bad score? No prob, take it next month. It wasn't an option last year; if you did poorly in April you were screwed because you couldn't take it again until August, at which time you'd be really late.

I think you'd need a permission from AAMC to take it more than 3 times.
 
In all seriousness, the average matriculant's MCAT score will go up, since one can take it ten times more during the course of the year. Bad score? No prob, take it next month. It wasn't an option last year; if you did poorly in April you were screwed because you couldn't take it again until August, at which time you'd be really late.

Max is 3 times per year. Besides, you can't sign up for another one while you have one reserved and spots disappear quickly, so there's no way to can take the test so many times.
 
I think you'd need a permission from AAMC to take it more than 3 times.


Yes, but it isn't that hard to get that permission. I was told that the only thing you need is like a letter from your pre-med advisor who would usually be more than happy to write one for you. The problem is that more than three times that you take the MCAT, the score loses its credibility, even if it improves.
 
I think you'd need a permission from AAMC to take it more than 3 times.

yeah that's true. i was thinking more along the lines of people being more inclined to take it a second time and when they're most ready for it.
 
Keep in mind, AAMC is also recommending a 30% increase (4,900 additional students) in the number of matriculants to US allopathic medical schools by 2015, as compared to 2002's enrollment of 16,488 new students. This is pursuant to concerns of a pending physician shortage, due in part to flat 16k enrollment numbers since 1980 (which was the result of reports from 1980 to the mid-1990s warning of a physician surplus).

And no, I did not pull that number out of my ass. Here's the source: http://www.aamc.org/workforce/2006medschoolexpansion.pdf
 
Max is 3 times per year. Besides, you can't sign up for another one while you have one reserved and spots disappear quickly, so there's no way to can take the test so many times.
I was under the impression that with the shift to CBT, they removed the limit of 3 MCAT administrations.
 
I was under the impression that with the shift to CBT, they removed the limit of 3 MCAT administrations.




There couldn't have been a 3 MCAT max prior to that, since it was only offered twice a year on paper.
 
I was under the impression that with the shift to CBT, they removed the limit of 3 MCAT administrations.

the limit is 3 PER YEAR now, so u have to wait another year if u want to take it more than 3x
 
the limit is 3 PER YEAR now, so u have to wait another year if u want to take it more than 3x
Well that's practically a non-issue, it seems. Why would anyone want to take it 3 times in a year? I guess if you know your stuff and something catastrophic happened the first two times...
 
Wait wait I thought the old rule was 3 times in total. As in... ever. No?



Oh, you used to have to write the AAMC for permission after 3 ever just to make sure they know you're not a test prep worker or something. But now there's a 3 time per year limit, I believe.
 
Oh, you used to have to write the AAMC for permission after 3 ever just to make sure they know you're not a test prep worker or something. But now there's a 3 time per year limit, I believe.

Ah gotcha! Thanks for clearing it up.
 
Our med school saw a jump in MCAT score this year. Looking over AAMC stats, I noticed that there is a steady increase in MCAT and GPA over the course of the past 15 years or so. This could be due in part to the baby boomers' children graduating from college as well as more people going to college (and therefore more people eligible for med school). With increasing number of spots, we may finally see the stats hold steady.
 
I was under the impression that with the shift to CBT, they removed the limit of 3 MCAT administrations.

I might be misinformed here, but I thought the MCAT was supposed to be a one-shot deal, not with regards to the cost and prep time (which would make it ideally a one-time thing, from the perspective of applicants) but that multiple retakes of the MCAT aren't looked upon favorably by med schools. Or am I wrong?
 
it depends on the school. soem avg while some don't. but most schools don't mind up to the 3rd one. There was one student at UC SOM that took the MCAT 4 times. Going from 24 --> 29--> 32 --> 34
 
I was under the impression that with the shift to CBT, they removed the limit of 3 MCAT administrations.

It used to be 3x per lifetime and you had to ask after that. But I'd say that it's pretty hard to plan on taking it more than 3x per year. You'd need to predict that you'd fail taking the test again, and then I'd ask why not delay instead...
 
I might be misinformed here, but I thought the MCAT was supposed to be a one-shot deal, not with regards to the cost and prep time (which would make it ideally a one-time thing, from the perspective of applicants) but that multiple retakes of the MCAT aren't looked upon favorably by med schools. Or am I wrong?

You're supposed to approach it as a one-shot thing. This means delay until you are ready. In the beginning, I had the idea of taking the MCAT once as a "practice" run for the real time I'd take it. That's what we want people to avoid doing.
 
Keep in mind, AAMC is also recommending a 30% increase (4,900 additional students) in the number of matriculants to US allopathic medical schools by 2015, as compared to 2002's enrollment of 16,488 new students. This is pursuant to concerns of a pending physician shortage, due in part to flat 16k enrollment numbers since 1980 (which was the result of reports from 1980 to the mid-1990s warning of a physician surplus).

And no, I did not pull that number out of my ass. Here's the source: http://www.aamc.org/workforce/2006medschoolexpansion.pdf

just because the AAMC recommended it, doesn't mean its going to happen. many private schools are not going to increase class sizes (my school isn't, it would ruin the nice class size and would crowd the physical space). in reality the increase will come from DO schools which are popping up all over the place these days.
 
I am guessing with the big boom of medicine related shows

The big boom has already come, and is going...We are that generation.
 
just because the AAMC recommended it, doesn't mean its going to happen. many private schools are not going to increase class sizes (my school isn't, it would ruin the nice class size and would crowd the physical space). in reality the increase will come from DO schools which are popping up all over the place these days.

If this is indeed true, it will be interesting to see how the DO-MD dynamic changes.

Are there fewer barriers to establishing a DO institution?
 
What do you guys the average MD applicant will look like in 2011.
I am guessing with the big boom of medicine related shows, it will be alot more competitive....

IDk, but I'm applying in 2012 :hardy:😍
 
I was under the impression that with the shift to CBT, they removed the limit of 3 MCAT administrations.

There couldn't have been a 3 MCAT max prior to that, since it was only offered twice a year on paper.

the limit is 3 PER YEAR now, so u have to wait another year if u want to take it more than 3x

Wait wait I thought the old rule was 3 times in total. As in... ever. No?

Well that's practically a non-issue, it seems. Why would anyone want to take it 3 times in a year? I guess if you know your stuff and something catastrophic happened the first two times...

Oh, you used to have to write the AAMC for permission after 3 ever just to make sure they know you're not a test prep worker or something. But now there's a 3 time per year limit, I believe.

it depends on the school. soem avg while some don't. but most schools don't mind up to the 3rd one. There was one student at UC SOM that took the MCAT 4 times. Going from 24 --> 29--> 32 --> 34

It used to be 3x per lifetime and you had to ask after that. But I'd say that it's pretty hard to plan on taking it more than 3x per year. You'd need to predict that you'd fail taking the test again, and then I'd ask why not delay instead...


All that is nice to know but... what will the average MD applicant look like in 2011?
 
All that is nice to know but... what will the average MD applicant look like in 2011?
Thread hijacking is inevitable on SDN.

The simple answer to your question is how are we supposed to know?

But in fairness, here's my best guess:

Brown eyed, black haired 22 year old female

Height: 5'8''
Weight: 105 lb
Chest: 35 inches
Waist: 23 inches
Hip: 34 inches
 
I am going to apply in 2009 (hopefully)
 
Probably. Larger number of applicants means larger number of MCAT takers, and consequently larger number of high-scoring students. I would guess that the average MCAT of accepted students to be around 31-32, compared to current 30.


Look here..looks like somebody was right on. This was a thread I started three years ago
 
Blue eyed, brown haired, 27-year-old female, one-time nurse, hottie

Height: 5'10''
Weight: 120 lb
Chest: 35 inches
Waist: 23 inches
Hip: 34 inches

Hey, and that's me!!!! :laugh:

Wow, that one person got it right on. Freaky deaky.
 
Thread hijacking is inevitable on SDN.

The simple answer to your question is how are we supposed to know?

But in fairness, here's my best guess:

Brown eyed, black haired 22 year old female

Height: 5'8''
Weight: 105 lb
Chest: 35 inches
Waist: 23 inches
Hip: 34 inches

Dat_ass.jpg
 
But by 2015, 5000 more slots will be open for med school admissions, and thats not including the new medical schools that are recently opening up
 
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