The whole process

[opheracco]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I'm relatively new to the whole process of getting into med school and I'll have some questions as I go along.

My first questions are:
Can you apply to a school with just a Bachelors or do you need to have all of the schools pre-reqs done too?

The reason I ask is because so many schools have so many different sets of educational requirements. How can someone possibly meet them all?

I know this question will probably seem ignorant, but please answer honestly.

 

[ensuii]

For a vast majority of schools, you will need a bachelor's degree to matriculate. In addition, you need to satisfy the pre-reqs for each school for which you apply. Although different schools have different requirements, they in general, do not vary a whole lot. Generally speaking, you should aim for 1 year of Bio, 1 year of General Chem, 1 year of Organic Chem, 1 year of math, 1 year of physics, 1 year of english, and recommended courses of statistics and behavioral sciences. To gain specifics for each school, you can either look on their website, purchase the MSAR (http://www.amazon.com/Medical-Schoo...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247201908&sr=8-1) or look at the school selector spreadsheet (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527971).

In addition, you also need to take the MCAT (standardized exam) that tests reasoning in biological sciences/physicial science/verbal.

Extra-curricular's like research, hospital volunteering, shadowing, etc., are also very beneficial.

 

[opheracco]

For a vast majority of schools, you will need a bachelor's degree to matriculate. In addition, you need to satisfy the pre-reqs for each school for which you apply. Although different schools have different requirements, they in general, do not vary a whole lot. Generally speaking, you should aim for 1 year of Bio, 1 year of General Chem, 1 year of Organic Chem, 1 year of math, 1 year of physics, 1 year of english, and recommended courses of statistics and behavioral sciences. To gain specifics for each school, you can either look on their website, purchase the MSAR (http://www.amazon.com/Medical-Schoo...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247201908&sr=8-1) or look at the school selector spreadsheet (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527971).

In addition, you also need to take the MCAT (standardized exam) that tests reasoning in biological sciences/physicial science/verbal.

Extra-curricular's like research, hospital volunteering, shadowing, etc., are also very beneficial.

Does that mean that I have to satisfy the school specific pre-reqs after I get accepted or before?

 

[quiltlady]

You have to satisfy the requirements before you matriculate. You can apply without satisfying them all, but they have to be done before school starts in August. When you apply you can list the courses you intend to take in the coming semesters.

 

[opheracco]

You have to satisfy the requirements before you matriculate. You can apply without satisfying them all, but they have to be done before school starts in August. When you apply you can list the courses you intend to take in the coming semesters.

So they'll accept me without all of the pre-reqs as long as the pre-reqs are finished by August? Then how do they take into account the adjusted GPA from the pre-reqs that haven't been done (or does that not matter in certain cases)?

 

[Mattabet]

Right, you can apply before (they don't make you sit there another year for no reason). But it reflects poorly on you if you put off all the important things until the end. If they're waiting on a semester of English, no problem. If you tell them you're going to try to get Physics, Bio, and Orgo II done in your last year - that's going to raise some eyebrows. Plus, you want the sciency stuff done for the MCAT.

And the requirements aren't that different. You need Bio, Chem, Orgo, and Physics everywhere (and for the MCAT). If you toss in some math and a year of English (required for most majors anyway, then you've hit the requirements pretty much everywhere (but some will want a semester of biochem).