Tips for Getting into Medical School High School and College Preparation

The High School Years Start thinking about if you want to pursue a medical career. Medical school is a long-term commitment. Get good grades. Participate in volunteering and other activities or groups which can give you life experience and set you apart.

College Pre-Med Choose any pre-med school, and any major you think will suit you. Do not worry too much about if your pre-med school is prestigious. Be careful about taking pre-med courses at a community college or as an AP class in high school, as medical schools may not accept these credits. Keep getting good grades. Volunteer as much as possible.

Important Steps While Pre-Med Review pre-med general education requirements and make sure you meet them. Start meeting with a pre-med advisor, and take their advice. Volunteer in a health care environment. Prepare thoroughly for the MCAT, then take it. (Prep courses are recommended.) Request letters of recommendation from your professors. Fill out the AMCAS application. Complete secondary medical applications you are sent. Interview with potential schools. Look into how you will be paying for medical school. Choose your school and go!

The MCAT The MCAT is the Medical College Admissions Test, which must be completed before applying to med school. Acceptance rates differ based on score and GPA combination. Acceptable scores may differ, based on medical degree program type (MD vs. DO) Studying for this test is EXTREMELY time consuming and important. This test can make or break your chances at medical school.

Applications There are 3 main medical school application services to consider : 1. AMCAS (The American Medical College Application Service) 2. AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service) 3. TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service) Once you have submitted your first application, you will receive secondary applications. These can cost from $40 to more than $120 each to submit, so choose wisely.

Interviews If you have gotten an interview, congratulations! You are being considered as a candidate. Interviews are another measure medical schools take to separate the good candidates from the bad. Make sure you are courteous, well-dressed, and enthusiastic. Think of answers to the prompts: –Why do you want to be a doctor? –Why do you want to attend this school? –Discuss your clinical and research experiences. –How long have you wanted to become a doctor? –Discuss the ethical topic of _______. (This could be about any number of ethical dilemmas in health care.)

Tuition and Scholarships Remember, medical school is expensive! According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the average debt of graduating medical students in 2011 was $161,290. Look for scholarships to help you!

Need more information? Feel free to ask me your questions at this point.