It’s that time of year again! Primary medical school applications have been available to submit on the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) as of June 7. Many people are going through the process of applying to medical school for the first time, so Dr. Perry Cox from "Scrubs" thought he would help you out.
1. Don’t submit your application late.
This is obvious -- never submit anything late. Submitting your primary and secondary apps early can actually help you take advantage of the rolling admissions process. Medical schools will see your application earlier than others and, therefore, may be more likely to have an interview spot available for you.
2. Don’t leave anything out or use only part of the space allotted.
Medical school admission committees want to see those text boxes filled up, otherwise, they may think you are just cutting corners. Make sure to use all the space provided to you when writing your essays! This goes for your primary and secondary applications.
3. Don’t randomly assign your recommendation letters to schools.
You want to make the best impression to medical schools with the recommendation letters you submit. Make sure you check if the schools to which you are applying need letters from non-science professors or other types of people before submitting. Speaking of which...
4. Don’t assume all schools have the same requirements and prerequisites.
Some schools need varying types of rec letters, different or more prerequisites, etc. If you don’t meet the requirements for a certain school, why not save money and leave that school out instead of testing your luck? Medical schools do not have time to deal with applicants who fail to meet their requirements.
5. Don’t apply to only a few schools:
If you had more tickets in a raffle drawing, you know it would increase your chances of winning. Use the same logic for medical school apps. It is more expensive to apply to more schools, but it may be worth it when you get that acceptance!
Pro tip: determine which schools tend to accept students from your undergraduate college to increase your chances of acceptance! Check with your career services department to find a list like this.
6. Don’t be a hermit or go at this alone.
Getting advice and opinions from current doctors and students who have gone through the application process is crucial. Join your pre-med society on campus and talk to doctors who have mentored you during your clinical experiences. There are also plenty of blogs and articles about the whole process online, including Student Doctor Network. You can even follow AMCAS on Twitter for live updates!
7. Don’t lose hope.
After all is said and done, you may find yourself without an acceptance to a med school this time around. Don’t give up! Many people have had to apply several times before getting accepted. Keep trying new things, volunteering in more places, trying different strategies, and even getting more advanced degrees to make your application better for next time.
Thanks, Dr. Cox!
