What Type of Student is the Ideal Med School Applicant?

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Mikedavis

Mikedavis

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I will be a freshman this fall, majoring in Biochemistry and I want to achieve every possible thing that would make me standout when I apply to med school. What should the best med school applicant look like and please give me advice on how I can make the most out of my undergrad years.

Thanks in advance!
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Mikedavis said:
I will be a freshman this fall, majoring in Biochemistry and I want to achieve every possible thing that would make me standout when I apply to med school. What should the best med school applicant look like and please give me advice on how I can make the most out of my undergrad years.

Thanks in advance!
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Well, lets start with... don't major in biochemistry - unless you really LOVE it and would consider pursing it as a backup in the case you don't get into medical school.
 
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Mikedavis said:
I will be a freshman this fall, majoring in Biochemistry and I want to achieve every possible thing that would make me standout when I apply to med school. What should the best med school applicant look like and please give me advice on how I can make the most out of my undergrad years.

Thanks in advance!
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One who does what they love and loves what they do, knows what they're getting into, is resilient, and make good choices.
 
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The ideal applicant is someone who gets a 4.0, aces the MCAT, and still manages to cure cancer while they're at it. It's not useful focusing on what's ideal but rather focus on what you, in your specific circumstances, can do to challenge yourself and explore your interests. It's too early to be thinking about this other than focusing on doing well in your classes. You're a freshman so you have plenty of times to explore and take classes that interest you on top of starting pre-med pre-reqs.
 
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Someone who focuses on being healthy and doing what they love. Someone passionate and can convey that passion. Have fun doing what you love and find what you care about and help the community like that. Please don’t check boxes, it makes people and the whole system miserable.


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The one with a 4.0, 528 MCAT and Has done a lot of unique and challenging things
 
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puahate said:
The one with a 4.0, 528 MCAT and Has done a lot of unique and challenging things
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You forgot to add - one who can articulate those 'unique and challenging things' well.
 
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Mikedavis said:
I will be a freshman this fall, majoring in Biochemistry and I want to achieve every possible thing that would make me standout when I apply to med school. What should the best med school applicant look like and please give me advice on how I can make the most out of my undergrad years.

Thanks in advance!
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The mind of Albert Einstein
The heart of Mother Theresa
The visionary foresight of Steve Jobs.
 
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Mikedavis said:
I will be a freshman this fall, majoring in Biochemistry and I want to achieve every possible thing that would make me standout when I apply to med school. What should the best med school applicant look like and please give me advice on how I can make the most out of my undergrad years.

Thanks in advance!
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Definitely make sure you have a solid bench press before walking into any interview, jk jk, but seriously, have hobbies outside medicine that’ll keep you balanced.
 
Have you ever read Hamlet? You know that speech Polonius gives that seems to be full of contradictions? That's kind of how I view applying to med school (and life in general). I've come up with my own list and I hope people can add to it:
  • Be wise, not just smart
  • Work hard, but take time to relax
  • Focus on your studies, but don't neglect your family and friends
  • Be eager to help, but don't be overbearing
  • Tell people about your accomplishments without bragging about them
  • Along with the point above, don't fake humility
  • Engage in lots of interests, but don't spread yourself too thin
  • Be nice to everyone because you never know who's going to help you out in the future, but don't use people
  • Be open to making friends who are different from you, but be discerning about their character
  • Ask for advice and help, but listen to your heart
  • Take your premed advisor's words with a gargantuan grain of salt
 
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Someone with strong time management and stress management skills.
 
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Develop yourself as a person as best as you can- maturity is the thing that matters most come interviews. Keep your grades up, cultivate your interests into meaningful ECs, and engage in research you are passionate about.
 
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Wait, what is a gold donor?
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Yikes
There is no ideal medical school applicant. It just depends on what kind of individual the school needs.
 
The ideal applicant is a rich celebrity who can literally buy the entire med school and admit their own self.

If that doesn’t apply to you: grades/mcat > letters > volunteering > shadowing > research/jobs.

Good luck!
 
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