Understanding the Medical School Application Process
So, you’re an aspiring doctor! Have you ever thought to yourself, “What is the process of applying to medical school?” Does the medical school application process seem daunting or intimidating to you with its many stages and intricacies? Do you want more clarification on each part of the application process timeline? In this blog, Dr. Vapiwala, a Professor of Radiation Oncology and Dean of Admissions at UPenn Perelman School of Medicine, helps address these questions, and more. Read on to see how she breaks down the medical school application, and gives valuable insight from an admissions director perspective as to how you can best put your best foot forward on your application.
Choosing a College
An important first step in your medical school journey is choosing a college that is the right fit for you. Dr. Vapiwala recommends to pick a conducive environment that will best support your long term goals. Consider how many students apply to medical school from that university. Consider also how many students are admitted to medical school, and to which one. Additionally, examine the school’s research infrastructure and local community service opportunities or organizations. These are essential to your medical school application, so ensure you have lots of options! You can also examine the breadth and depth of the pre-health advising program at the school. It’s imperative that you have quality mentors and guidance along the way. Finally, investigate the location and class size of the college. Does it have an affiliated medical school or teaching hospital? Is the class size large enough or small enough to harbor various relationships with peers and faculty? All in all, make sure that your university is a good fit for your personal medical journey!
Start planning your path to medical school
Once in college, your medical school application begins right away. Find and get to know your academic advisor so you can understand each others’ strengths. This will help you understand where they could best support your application in the long run. Seek out faculty mentors and/or peer mentors. This could be extremely valuable in locating research experiences and summer programs. Lastly, prepare to apply to medical school by completing course requirements, achieving academic excellence, and studying for your MCAT.
When finally applying, first decide if you want to do early decision or regular admission. Read ALL directions and stay organized. Pay attention to deadlines and give yourself and others, such letter of recommendation writers, enough time to do a good job on your application. Establish an overall narrative and keep the process as simple as possible. Consider, “How many med schools should I apply to?” Have a big enough list, but don’t have so many that it overwhelms you. Eliminate schools from your list, if needed. Work with mentors and advisors to help you pare it down. Be thoughtful and consider your own needs. If you are certain you do not want to live in a certain area geographically, for example, do not apply to that school!
Leading Outside the Classroom
Another major factor in your medical school application is following your passions outside of the classroom, including outside of science and medicine entirely. This could include getting involved in laboratory research, volunteering in a healthcare field, or doing clinical work. It can also include joining and holding leadership in organizations around your school campus. But, ultimately, do not forget about your interests outside of science. Explore different interests and learn about yourself. Develop leadership skills and show commitment to the activities you choose. Continue to participate in nonmedical/nonclinical volunteering, and community-based service projects. If you’re passionate about sports, music, art, etcetera, remain dedicated to those pursuits throughout your college experience! The most crucial part of your application is diving into your own passions and staying true to who you are.
So, how does med school application work?
7 Steps to Applying to Medical School
Complete undergraduate course requirements
No matter what major you are, all pre-med students must complete the list of prerequisite courses to enter medical school. Look up your desired school’s medical school application requirements. Usually, this list includes biology, chemistry, biochemistry, math, physics, English, and science lab requirements. Different schools have different prerequisites, so be sure to investigate further into your specific dream school early on. Strive for high academic performance, as a high Grade Point Average is essential to your success. If needed, obtain help from tutors or a learning center if you begin to suffer from outside issues or academic stress. What is a competitive GPA to get into med school? The average GPA for matriculants into medical school continues to hover around 3.7, so strive to do your absolute best in the classroom. The goal is to demonstrate your ability to handle the intellectual rigors of science and your selected major, even if it is non-science related.
Majoring in something unique could actually benefit your application by helping you stand out from other applicants and adding diversity to the medical school class. In fact, according to Dr. Vapiwala, in the 2015-2016 application cycle, nearly half of the accepted matriculants majored in something unrelated to science.
2. Take the MCAT exam
Practice, practice, practice! Begin studying for the MCAT early on. Give yourself ample time to prepare adequately for this 7.5-hour exam. If a prep course would best supplement your learning and you have the resources to take one, definitely do. But, the most important thing is to do as many practice exams as possible to get an accurate sense of the time management required on the test. The average MCAT score is around 511 for matriculants into medical school, so really work hard on this. This test is another core aspect to your application!
What year do you start applying for med school? Essentially, the year you take your MCAT. If you are a student who wants to enter medical school right out of college, you should take your MCAT by the spring of your Junior year and submit your application by that May. If you want to take one or more gap years before medical school, you can take your MCAT your senior year of college or later!
3. Write a stellar personal statement
The personal statement is your chance to tell your own compelling story. Begin brainstorming and writing this essay early, around a year before your application is sent in. This is your written explanation of your metaphorical “distance traveled.” What was your journey to this career decision? How do you know you want to pursue a career in medicine? What barriers did you face along the way to get to this point? Did you overcome them? How? Be honest in your personal statement and really let your passion shine through. Show, don’t tell! Don’t make it too long/wordy and do not write anything generic. Yes, you want to help people, but this is a sentiment that almost all pre-meds share. Stand out! Proofread it as many times as possible, both on your own and with a trusted peer or advisor. Don’t let a silly typo diminish your application.
It can be helpful to identify three of your most meaningful experiences or activities that lead you there, even if you don’t have many “hours” for that activity. You can write about health-related work experience, past science courses, family influence, physician role models, personal experience with illness, the intellectual challenge of medicine, or whatever your personal story is.
Finally, be prepared to discuss your personal statement in your interview. It is likely that your interviewers will bring it up, so remember what you wrote and be prepared to elaborate on it. You do not want to be caught off guard!
4. Obtain letters of recommendation
Be aware of your schools’ timelines and requirements for letters of recommendation. Schools vary in the number of letters and what kind of letters they require. Meet with your pre-health advisor to discuss this. Develop faculty mentors who can really speak to who you are, what you’ve done, and what you’re capable of in the future. Only request letters from people who know you well. A generic letter of recommendation can really hurt your application. If the letter is way too short, very nonspecific, or overall unconvincing as a recommendation, that would not look good to admissions committees.
Getting involved in honors programs, research, and extracurricular activities can help you facilitate these kinds of relationships properly. Also, give guidance to those writing your letters. Help them out by providing them with an updated CV and discussing areas that they should focus on. This will strengthen their letter, and your application, significantly!
5. Complete your primary application
So, what is the primary application for medical school? It’s a combination of your transcripts, MCAT scores, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and your personal statement. Gather all of the things you’ve worked hard on over your college years to create an application that is honest, authentic, and compelling. This is the first step in the application process. Do NOT overinflate your application. Don’t put more hours or activities than is accurate to make your application “look better.” Admissions committees can tell.
You may be wondering, “How long is a med school application cycle?” And the answer is, it takes about a year to complete the cycle after you submit your primary application. What do you apply to med school on? Aspiring MDs will submit an AMCAS application (American Medical College Application Service), while aspiring DOs will apply on the AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service).
6. Complete your secondary application
What is a secondary application? In the months following your primary application submission, you may receive a secondary application if the institution chooses to proceed. This is the next step in the AMCAS application timeline. The school will send you a variety of additional essays to complete. Be sure to send them in on time and pay attention to instructions. Again, brainstorm what makes you tick. Show the admissions committee your personality and genuine interest in the school. Don’t be afraid to share vulnerability or explain your own shortcomings on the application.
7. Nail the interview
The final step to applying to medical school is the interview. Be prepared and be on time. Be well informed about the school you are interviewing for. Be ready to ask thoughtful questions. It can be helpful to prepare questions prior to the interview, but also be open to questions that come up organically along the way to show engagement with the interviewer. But, make sure you don’t ask basic questions that can be answered with a simple search on their website; dig deeper. Check all other resources first and then ask questions that cannot be answered anywhere else.
There are a variety of different types of interviews. They can be individual (faculty and student) or in a small group. You may also do Mini Multiple Interviews, a series of six to ten interview stations that each focus on a different question or scenario. The goal is to measure competencies like interpersonal communication, social/nonverbal skills, and teamwork. Remember, good body language and a positive attitude is essential in making a great impression at your interview.
What determines medical school acceptance?
All in all, the medical school admissions process is a holistic process. Admissions committees will consider all that you’ve accomplished, your personal attributes, and your potential down the road. This includes considering your academics, MCAT, activities, experiences, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and interviews. But more than that, this multifaceted approach seeks to truly understand the person under the application. How do you contribute value as a medical student and as a future physician? What have you done with the resources made available to you? How do you demonstrate your commitment to medicine, as well as your resilience, maturity, and values? Embedding your answers to these questions throughout your application is what, in the end, will make you the strongest candidate you can be for acceptance to medical school.
Bottom Line
In the end, medicine is a very rewarding career. It takes a lot of time and dedication to get there, but, ultimately, it’s a noble and intellectually stimulating pursuit that many find personally gratifying. William Osler said, “The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.”
With that in mind, remember to work hard and work smartly. Find your team of supporters and honest advisors. Be thoughtful about your choices and the story you are creating for yourself. Find out who you are. Try, try, and try again. Continue to grow, learn, and follow your passions every day. They will never steer you wrong.
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