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Success Tips for Applying to Medical School

Where do you start?

Firstly you need to make contact with your school’s pre-professional or pre-health office to identify yourself as someone interested in medical school. While in college you should have your professors write recommendation letters or fill-out committee form recommendation letters. These are then saved in your pre-professional file, if your committee does this. If not, then save the recommendations in a file for yourself. These letters will be used later when applying to medical school. If the committee asks if you would like to see these recommendation letters, you are encouraged to waiver your rights to them, but this is your choice. I waived my rights because I figured I was going to have people who knew me best write these letters and felt they would write a strong letter for me.

What major should you choose?

Now let’s keep this real. You are told to choose any major that interests you. I’m going to give your some of my mama’s advice, which has never done me wrong. You should really pick a major that you know will help you get a job after undergrad, just in case you don’t get into medical school. Now never think you will not get in, because you will, but it is always nice to have something to fall back-on. Look at industries that you are interested in, and look at the majors in your school. Envision how you could use your degree to help you get a job after college. Medical schools look for people who are responsible and mature. By choosing a major this way you are proving you are mature to think this way and have a commitment to being a responsible citizen.

What about medical school requirements?

The requirements for medical school are pretty rigid. You have to take them in order to apply. Requirements usually include:

• Two semesters of English
• Two semesters of biology
• chemistry
• organic chemistry
• physics (all with labs)
• calculus

Sometimes it is just easier to pick a major that incorporates these requirements. My own personal list of majors I suggest are:

• biology
• chemistry
• computer science
• organic chemistry
• economics
• math
• neuroscience
• engineering (biochemical, biomedical, chemical, mechanical, environmental or industrial)

Don’t let this list limit what you choose as a major. I just listed from experience some majors that I know fit the dual criteria of applying to medical school and the "just in case" fall back plan.

What type of grades do I need?

Now this is no joke, you need good grades. Strong grades commiserative to your major. For someone who is a philosophy major, medical school admissions committees will be wanting close to straight A’s, but if you an engineer or science major the admissions committee will know these are harder majors and will understand if your grades are not as high as a philosophy major. However, no matter what major or if you decide to take some time off between undergrad and graduate school, work as hard as you can to get good grades.

If you are in a class that you are doing poorly, go to the professor after class or during office hours and ask she/he what you can do better in order to improve your grade. Professors don’t bite. They may bark, but they don’t bite. Remember that you are paying for them to teach you. Make sure they do. If you show that you are putting in effort the professor will remember you, and it may make the difference between a B+ or an A-. Also, remember to be sincere that you are interested in what they are teaching. You may be taking only one class in this subject, but they have dedicated their lives to the subject.

When do I take the MCAT and how do I prepare?

You should take the MCAT either April of junior year or the April the year before you want to go to medical school. If you feel you didn’t do well, you will still have time to take test over again in August. The goal, though, is to take them once and do as well as you can. This is not like the SAT’s where they will average the best grades to get the highest score, with the MCAT the most recent score is what medical schools look at.

Now how should you prepare? Some can study from a review book out of the library, which may suffice, but I am not one of those people. I need structure. This is when I would encourage you to apply for scholarship, take out a loan or beg family members for money to take a review course. Many people recommend Kaplan, but there are others, and they can be pretty pricey. However, some test prep companies do offer discounts if you qualify, so don’t hesitate to ask them. You should look at this as an investment. You are buying stock for the big payout, acceptance to medical school. Another advantage of these courses is that they are taught by people who did in the top 10 percent of the nation. They know how to ace the exam, and they can give you tips on how to do this too.

What about taking a year or two off?

If you are going to take some time off between undergrad and graduate school you must do something that you know will make you a stronger candidate. You must be able to show it was a learning experience and something that can help set you aside from other candidates applying. Taking a year to vacation through South Africa doesn’t cut it, but working for the Peace Corps to teach about HIV/AIDS, for example, will shine bright on an applications. If you had to take a year off to help take care of a sickly parent or support a family that is understandable too. Just remember you will be asked about it on interviews, and you will have to be honest with your answers. Doctors are skilled interviewers and they know when someone is sincere or not.

What type of community service should I do?

Do something you like. Something that you are interested in or something you think you can make a difference. Volunteering in a hospital is never a bad choice. You get to see what it's like to be in a hospital, what it is that doctor’s do, and it will help you reaffirm your decision to apply to medical school. Many teaching hospitals take care of patients who may never be able to afford treatments. Moreover, medical schools like to see this because they know you will be committed to helping those who may otherwise not be able to afford healthcare.

How many medical schools should I apply to and when should I apply?

"The early bird catches the worm," is such a true statement here. You should apply to medical school as early as you can. AMCAS opens up in June, and most schools have rolling admissions. Classes fill up by December and January. There are a couple of schools that do not participate in AMCAS, they either have online applications or you may have to call them to send you one. Also make a copy of all the secondary applications you sent in for later reference, and to keep track of the schools you applied to.

Apply to as many school’s as you can afford. You may have to take out a loan for this if you do not qualify for application fee deferment. Again I must reiterate this is an investment in your future. Businesses take out loans to start up, you can do this too. Honestly, the more schools you apply to the better your chances of getting in. Also, don’t be afraid of applying to top medical schools. The worst they can tell you is no. Don’t be your own judge.

Who should write my letter of recommendation?

Most schools have pre-professional advisory committees that take into account all of your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation collected along the way. The committee will compile this information to write a letter of recommendation for you. If your school does not have a pre-professional committee you should ask two-to-three professors who really know you to write a letter for you. Ask them if they can write you a strong, positive letter. If they cannot commit to that then they are not who you want to write the letter and you should ask someone else who can.

How do I go about writing my personal statement?

Your personal statement gives you an opportunity to show the admissions committee what an interesting and deserving person you are to be accepted to their school. There are three basic ideas you want to get across in your personal statement:

1. What influenced you to choose a career in medicine.
2. What aspects of your character or capabilities will make you a good physician.
3. How well you can weave these ideas together in a concise, creative, and well-written way.

Don’t waste this wonderful opportunity for admission committees to know the real you by re-writing your resume in essay format. Be sure to use plenty of personal details. Also, you can use the essay explain any shortcomings in your application and put a positive spin on it. For example, your GPA might not have been that great but you had to work full time throughout college to support your family, which shows that you have a certain level of maturity, dedication, and life experience. Lastly, it is extremely important to proofread and revise your essay lots of times. Ask friends, professors, or other suitable people to proofread it and give you feedback on ways to make it the best essay you ever wrote. Your personal statement could make the difference between whether or not the admissions committee calls you in for an interview.

There are tons of Web sites out there that give good tips on writing your personal statement. Many of these sites include sample essays to give you a better idea of what a good essay looks like. Here are a few (some of them are commercial sites, CMCA does not specifically endorse any of these sites):

• Yahoo Educations: Medical School Personal Statement Secrets
• www.accepted.com
• Alex’s Illicit Guide to Medical School Admissions

I have an interview, now what do I do?

Take a deep breath! Half the battle is won. With interview in hand you have an even greater chance of getting into medical school. You should go out and buy an interview suit (or borrow one) if you have not done so. This is not a time to show off your individuality. Black, navy or grey suits are standard. Ladies, if you are going to wear a skirt make sure it is an acceptable length, at the knee or below when you stand. Conservative is key. Wear comfortable shoes; you will most likely go on a tour of the medical school and hospital. The night before, review what you wrote in your application and make sure you have answers for any discrepancies on your transcript.

The interview is basically a session where the schools can sell themselves. Make sure you have questions ready to ask the interviewer. Looking at the school’s website can help you formulate questions. Also, this is a chance for the school to get to know you in person, not just on paper. Remember to smile when appropriate, shake hands, and show enthusiasm for the school.

I can’t afford medical school. What do I do?

You should apply for as many scholarships as you can. However, there is just so much money to go around. Take out loans. Don’t be scared of them. Doctor’s are known for paying back their loans, so you a "safe barrower" in many banks eyes. Again, this is an investment in your future. You will be able to make enough money later to pay the loans back, and then some.