Taking the MCAT, passing organic chemistry and completing volunteer hours are some of the first steps toward getting ready to apply to medical school.
Each year, more than 50,000 students submit applications to medical school, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Experts recommend planning ahead and speaking with a premed adviser to determine the right time to apply.
While filling out American Medical College Application Service forms, commonly known as AMCAS applications, aspiring doctors should determine how they want to tell their authentic story. More than 150 med schools use AMCAS to streamline the application process.
The AMCAS application has nine parts:
1. Identifying information
2. Schools attended
3. Biographic information
4. Coursework
5. Work and activities
6. Letters of evaluation
7. Medical schools
8. Essays
9. Standardized tests
The AMCAS application is detailed and lengthy, so experts advise prospective medical students to begin preparing at least a year in advance. Waiting too late to apply will result in an automatic gap year for students wishing to go straight from undergraduate school to med school. Some students choose to take a gap year for various reasons, including to dedicate more time to preparing materials for their application.
[Read: Pros and Cons of Waiting to Attend Medical School]
Prepare Key Materials Before You Start
To best prepare for medical school, you should follow a premed track in undergrad and collaborate with your premed and prehealth adviser, some experts say. However, many experts note that you don’t need to major in biology, chemistry or another science course to be on the premed track as long as you complete the prerequisite science courses during college. Many schools actually look for diversity in majors.
Applying to medical school is expensive and highly competitive, so being prepared can increase your chances of a positive outcome.
“The adviser is going to be an expert in not only what information they’re going to need, but in how they should be packaging it to present themselves in the most positive light,” says Dr. Tracy Kedian, associate dean for admissions at the University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine. “And the adviser will give them that critical piece of information, which is, are they ready to be applying to medical school?”
Gathering materials should begin well in advance of May 1, the date the application opens.
“Ask your letter writers early, because that can oftentimes be the one thing that students don’t have control over,” says Kevin Kidder, professor and assistant dean for admissions at the Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.
Use the Work and Activities Section to Help You Stand Out
The personal statement and work and activities sections are the most demanding parts of the medical school application, some experts say. Students should plan accordingly, leaving time to draft and revise these responses before submission.
Prior to applying to medical school, applicants will have participated in a variety of experiences. Kidder recommends taking notes of your more memorable moments “so that way, when you’re filling out your application, you’re not trying to pull everything from memory.”
Simply stating that you want to help others is not a compelling enough reason to apply to med school. Instead, experts recommend highlighting stories about patient care, such as volunteering, acting as a medical scribe, being an EMT or running a blood drive.
“The activities, including patient care activities, should really reflect the way you want to make a change in health care in general,” says Dr. Rachel Rizal, co-founder and CEO of Cracking Med School Admissions and an author of U.S. News’ Medical School Admissions Doctor blog.
[Read: Why It’s Still Hard to Get Into Medical School Despite a Doctor Shortage]
Craft a Personal Statement That Reflects Your Values
When crafting your personal statement, authenticity and honesty are key.
“I don’t want to have to even ask myself whether this page I’m reading was generated by AI or not, because it is so specific to the applicant and expresses their passion and tells me how their experiences made them who they are,” says Kedian, who is also a professor of family medicine and community health at UMass Chan Medical School.
Spend time reflecting on why you want to be a doctor and emphasize patient care stories whenever possible.
“Really give the why,” Kidder says. “Why do you want to pursue medicine? Why did you choose this deal? It’s a long journey to becoming a physician, so really telling the why and allowing the reader to really understand and feel your passion” is important.
Before submitting the application, carefully check your work.
“If there are mistakes of grammar, spelling (and) punctuation, those are, in general, pretty seriously considered,” Kedian says. “They sound minor, but it is often considered by medical schools as a proxy for how attentive this person is to fine details, which is, of course, a really important skill for being a physician.”
Be Intentional About School Selection
Take time to review application requirements and each individual school’s data, mission and values to determine where to apply.
Your GPA and MCAT scores should be in the range of many of the med schools where you intend to apply so that not every school is a reach for you, experts say. Utilizing the MSAR tool on AAMC’s website allows you to compare information about different U.S. medical schools.
“Think about the problems in health care medicine that you want to solve and then try to pursue those,” Rizal advises.
And reflect on what you’re most excited to do in medical school, she adds. “For instance, if you really want to do global health, you should apply to enough medical schools that have global health opportunities.”
When it comes to cost, experts recommend applying to medical schools in your home state to take advantage of lower, in-state tuition if available.
[READ: Most Common Reasons Medical School Applicants Get Rejected]
Avoid Common Mistakes That Delay or Hurt Your Application
AMCAS applications usually take at least five hours to complete, so plan accordingly. Before medical schools can begin reviewing your application, AMCAS uses a verification process that can take between four and six weeks. It is important to enter all information accurately, as you don’t want to delay this process.
A common applicant mistake is omitting a requirement, experts say. Applicants should not only review AMCAS requirements, but check individual school requirements.
Another mistake is failing to accurately report all of your college courses taken post-high school, which can lead to a rescinded acceptance offer, says Dr. Rosemary Hardin, a pre-professional adviser and lecturer at San Jose State University in California.
“Students don’t realize that they have to put in every single class that they have taken after high school, at a community college or a university,” she says. “Even if they took a class, let’s say in the summer at a community college and withdrew from that class, you still have to report it on AMCAS.”
Know When to Apply
Deadlines for medical school applications vary but are typically between Oct. 15 and Dec. 1.
Interviews begin in the summer, so students who apply early will have an edge over those who wait to apply in the fall, experts say. As the application season goes on, interview spots become more limited.
“This is more than a year’s process,” Kedian says. “Plan ahead, complete your application as early in the cycle as you can and don’t apply before you’re ready.”
Medical school is a serious undertaking, so students must be dedicated and show it.
“They’re looking for a true commitment because it’s a long journey,” Hardin says. “It’s not only med school, it’s residency. So schools are looking at students that know it’s going to be a difficult and long process.”
Searching for a medical school? Get our complete rankings of Best Medical Schools.
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How to Use AMCAS to Apply to Medical School originally appeared on usnews.com
