THE JOURNEY TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

Medicine Needs YOU  … African Americans, Latinos/as, and Native Americans comprise 25 percent of the U.S. population, but only 16.1 percent of first year medical students in taken from  So we’re offering our advice in hopes that you will be able to join our ranks thereby increasing the percentage.

 There is no magic formula for getting into medical school.  We, Penn Med students, didn’t have an identical journey to medical school. Important Considerations:

In spite of variability, here are some basics which helped all of us succeed: THE PREGAME Gather Information & Utilize Resources Rule #1: Get Organized!!! Rule #1: Get Organized!!! Estimate COSTS (and SAVE if you can) Estimate COSTS (and SAVE if you can) Learn the Application Process Learn the Application Process Know the Deadlines Know the Deadlines

Gather Information & Utilize Resources Get the FACTS! Know where you stand and establish goals. Review the AAMC web site link - Information on Medical School Applicants, Matriculants and Graduates: by institution, race and ethnicity, legal residence, gender, MCAT scores and GPA

Gather Information & Utilize Resources Register with for information, guidance, and inspiration about preparation for medical school and medical careers. Register with AspiringDocs for information, guidance, and inspiration about preparation for medical school and medical careers. Read (MD)2: Monetary Decisions for Medical Doctors which assists premedical and medial students in their planning for the financial aspects of the medical education. Read (MD)2: Monetary Decisions for Medical Doctors which assists premedical and medial students in their planning for the financial aspects of the medical education.

Gather Information & Utilize Resources Read AAMC publications and admissions web sites for medical schools of interest * Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) – become familiar with admission requirements, curriculum, school’s mission, first year class profile, financing, etc. * Minority Student Opportunities in US Medical Schools (MOUSMS) – learn about recruitment, applicant and matriculant data by gender, race and ethnicity; summer programs, educational partnerships, etc.

Confer with premed advisors, mentors, and medical students who can support you through the application process. Attend a medical school recruitment fair to learn from representatives about their schools Gather Information & Utilize Resources

Join a student group such as the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Boricua Latino Health Organization (BLHO), Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), or American Medical Student Association (AMSA) all of which help premed students. Join a student group such as the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Boricua Latino Health Organization (BLHO), Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), or American Medical Student Association (AMSA) all of which help premed students.

THE NUMBERS

The Numbers The Numbers Medical School Admission Committees WILL NOT read every applicant’s personal statement and the rest of the application. Every school has to screen its applications to reduce the number of applications they actually have to read Once the screening process is done, then they start reading the applications

What Do They Screen? GPA MCAT (Medical School Admissions Test)

But what if???  I am a wonderful, amazing person who rescued children from burning houses built 50 houses with my bare hands by myself for 50 different families volunteered in the ER holds leadership positions in 10 different organizations it doesn’t matter that I have a 2.9 GPA and a 25 MCAT score, right???

Sorry, It Does Matter Sorry, It Does Matter Don’t bank on being the outlier case It’s stressful to take that risk (both financially and emotionally) 9 times out of 10, it will lead to you getting in nowhere No one will see how wonderful you are unless your numbers get by the screening

Penn Med URM Median Applicant Pool and Matriculants URM Applicants GPAScienceAll OtherOverallMCATVRPSBSWS 2008/ / P URM First Year Matriculants GPAScienceAll OtherOverallMCATVRPSBSWS 2008/ / P Max GPA 4.0 Max MCAT 45 T (15 each section)

Questions? Amanda Crichlow, MS Presenter: