Being a pre-med student can be difficult and confusing at times. Sometimes you don't know what, or who, to ask. In this article, I will give advice and inform you of what is necessary to get into medical school.
1. Choosing Your Major
In the past, undergraduate students believed that choosing a science major would give them an advantage when applying to medical school. However, as time progressed, more medical schools have accepted people who were non-science majors. Studies even show that non-science majors do just as well as science majors when applying to medical school and taking the MCAT. Are being accepted just as much as science majors. In other words, major in whatever you want. All that really matters is that you are completing your prerequisites and that you’re getting a good score on the MCAT!
2. Prerequisites
Prerequisites are classes you must take in order to be a candidate for medical school. You will take them at the same time as your general education requirements. In total, you must take one year of general chemistry and organic chemistry with labs, biology, physics, English and college-level math (Calculus and/or Statistics). They appear on the MCAT, so don’t take these classes too lightly.
(It is important for you to double check which courses the medical schools you are interested in are requiring, as the requirements vary).
3. Extracurricular Activities
While school is in session, strive for leadership roles in your extracurricular activities. Whether it be sports, student government, or a health-related club. Taking up a leadership role demonstrates your ability to lead and cooperate with people, which is an essential skill in the hospital.
During the summer, you should partake in various opportunities. For example, volunteer at a hospital. By doing this, you will be able to see the work that goes into taking care of patients. You will see doctors frantically running from room to room and nurses struggling to get to all their patients on time. If you want a taste of patient care, you can apply to become a candy striper, which is a volunteer who visits patients and keeps them company.
In addition, doing a preceptorship is highly suggested. A preceptorship is basically the same thing as "shadowing" a doctor. This will allow you to get mentored by a physician and essentially get clinical experience. It also lets you know if pursuing a career in the medical field is meant for you.
I know you'd rather use your summer to relax by the beach, hang out with friends, and binge watch Netflix all day. You will still have time for that, and you will get more insight into the career(s) you're interested in.
4. The MCAT
The MCAT https://www.princetonreview.com/medical/mcat-information(Medical College Admission Test) is a standardized test which helps medical school admission officers assess your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Moreover, it assesses your knowledge of the concepts you have learned in your prerequisite classes. The maximum score you can get is a 528 and the test is seven hours and 30 minutes. In most cases, the MCAT is taken a year before you plan to attend medical school. For example, if you plan to attend medical school the Fall of 2021, you should take your exam in 2020. Also, you are allowed to take the MCAT up to 3 times in a year. Although, you should aim to get a good grade the first time.
This test consists of biology, biochemistry, physics, organic chemistry, general chemistry, psychology, and sociology. Many people opt for MCAT prep courses as they find it to be more structured than if they studied on their own. However, it is very feasible to study on your own; Buy a good practice book and set a schedule for yourself. I recommend that you start studying months in advance because the MCAT is not something you can cram for. Even though you will have already taken those classes in your first three years of college, you will forget key concepts as time progresses.
5. Applying To Medical School
Applying to medical school is the part where a lot of pre-meds get worried. They often feel as if they are going through the process aimlessly and unsure.
The first thing you should do before applying to medical school is getting your personal statement done. But this autobiography helps the admission officers get a better idea of who is applying to their school. Your personal statement should answer this prompt: “Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school.” It's a fairly simple request. All you have to do is write about what initially interested you in the health field and why you want to pursue medicine as a career.
In "The Heartbeat of Success" by Alexa M. Mieses, I read that you should start writing your personal statement your freshman year. You should add onto it as you go through each year, and finally finishing it before the medical school application opens up. After the essay is finalized, reach out to someone who has already applied to medical school and have them read it. Have about three people skim through your statement, but don't have too many people look at it since it will lose your authenticity.
https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/applying-medical-school-process/applying-medical-school-amcas/how-apply-med-school-amcas/The AMCAS is the application that you will use to apply to medical school. It opens up in June which is when your personal statement should be completed by. You will also have to submit your MCAT grades. When you send out your application, a secondary application may be sent to you to complete. It will require a letter of recommendation, another personal statement, and additional forms.
If you receive an interview invitation, then rejoice! You've piqued the admission officers interests, and they are considering you as a candidate.
Before your interview, have a mock interview with your pre-med committee. If you don't have a pre-med committee at your school, you can review the questions online and practice them before your big day.
6. If You Don't Get Into Medical School
If you don't get into medical school, don't give up. There are Post-bac (After you graduate) programs that are created specifically for students who didn't get into medical school their first try. If you weren't able to get into medical school because of your grades in science, or because your MCAT wasn't high enough, these programs will assist you. They offer you a chance to improve your GPA and your MCAT scores while providing you with advising, a committee letter, lab research, shadowing, and community involvement opportunities.
The path to becoming a doctor is a long and arduous journey, but if you stay focused on your goal you can do it!
Additional Resources
Medical School Application Process
Heartbeat to Success by Alexa M. Mieses (Highly Recommended!)
Associate of American Medical Colleges (Med School Application and MCAT Scores)
Student Doctor.net (Info for Pre-Meds)
