Just as preparation for college begins long before your junior year of high school, long-term planning for medical school begins early.
There is no magic or one-size-fits-all applying process, but there are some basic steps that all prospective medical students need to follow. By gathering online statistics on medical schools and accepted students as well as by using resources available on your college campus, you can successfully navigate these steps.
— Understand the academic bar: As you begin your undergraduate education in pursuit of medical school, you need to know the academic bar you’ll have to meet — or exceed — to get into your target medical schools. Use online resources and data to help you become well-informed.
First, become familiar with the Association of American Medical Colleges website, which can help you throughout your journey. Use this site and other resources to comprise a list of medical schools that have a history of graduates from your state and undergraduate institution, noting the acceptance rate.
Next, review the graduation rates at the medical schools you are interested in. Although the majority of medical students graduate, some do not. While you compare schools, it’s important to know which schools have a lower graduation rate.
Educating medical students is expensive, and institutions have a vested interest in successfully getting students to graduation. Differences in graduation rates can help you form interview questions about academic support. A lower graduation rate may point to a less supportive medical school or indicate that students have transferred to another institution or pursued additional degrees.
[Get tips on choosing the right undergraduate major for medical school.]
Then review the mean GPA and MCAT scores for accepted students, and remember that these don’t prohibit students with slightly lower scores from gaining acceptance, since each applicant is evaluated on his or her own merit. Rather than focusing on the scores and creating pressure on yourself for each course and exam you take during your undergraduate studies, use these as an aspiration to lead you in your preparations for medical school.
Finally, review the AAMC’s data section to identify the tuition costs and potential debt burden you’ll face in medical school. And have a clear idea of how much debt you could potentially incur during medical school. This will be invaluable information that may help you shape the list of medical schools you apply to.
— Seek out mentors: It’s critical that you have the academic guidance and support to achieve your goal of reaching medical school. During the first few months of your freshman year or as soon as you have an inkling that you want to pursue a career in medicine, contact the preprofessional students office for programs aimed at premed students.
[Know what questions to ask your premed adviser.]
Find a counselor who will be an ideal fit to best guide you on your path to medical school. Notice how you feel in this person’s presence. Does the individual listen to you? Do you feel he or she will support your ultimate goal through mentorship? We all gravitate to some people more than others; listen to your inner gut feeling.
You will rely on a mentor for guidance during good and bad times. Consequently, having a relationship that is anchored in trust and authenticity is important — this will allow you to be candid and get the most out of the relationship.
— Get involved: Medical schools look beyond academics when reviewing students’ applications, so it’s critical that in addition to establishing a strong academic footing that you also become involved in different activities.
Find the campus premed society for information and resources on summer premed and research experiences. Ask about volunteer opportunities as well as MCAT preparation tools.
[Explore ways to participate in research as a prospective medical student.]
Visit the volunteer services office and participate in activities that resonate with you. Not all of your activities need to be directly related to health care. Through volunteer work, you can learn lessons that will garner you skills in leadership, altruism and communication.
But plan to go beyond just checking off the volunteer box for the American Medical College Application Service application, since doing the bare minimum won’t make you stand out among the sea of applicants. Participate in activities that challenge you and move you out of your comfort zone.
You may be surprised at what you learn about yourself. Write these lessons and experiences down so that down the road you can prepare to passionately speak about them during your medical school interview or describe them in your personal statement or essay.
Your undergraduate education is the time to explore, have fun and discover niches that interest you. Endeavor to excel in and out of the classroom.
Medical school admissions committees are seeking interesting, well-rounded individuals who will add to the medical school community with a variety of interests and diverse experiences. Students control the application and medical schools determine acceptances. All you can do is position yourself to submit the best application.
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Prep for Medical School Applications as a College Student originally appeared on usnews.com
