Getting into Medical School For Dummies

Carleen Eaton

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781118460047
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Medical Education

Your plain-English guide to getting into the medical school of your dreams

Getting accepted to medical school is a long and rigorous process and many students find they need help. If you're one of these students, Getting into Medical School For Dummies is the perfect tool to help you through the process and realize your dream.

By providing you with concise information about preparing for and applying to medical school, Getting into Medical School For Dummies prepares you for the application process. Written by an industry expert, it gives you a distinct advantage in the competitive medical school admissions process, preparing you for every step and helping you create your best application.

• Takes you through the often-overwhelming process of applying to medical school
• Explains what medical schools and admissions committees are really looking for
• Provides plain-English explanations of complicated medical school admissions processes

If you're one of the over 40, 000 students who apply to medical school each year and need help sorting through the admissions schedule, writing statements of intent, and preparing to take the MCAT, Getting Into Medical School For Dummies has you covered!

Part I

Planning the Premedical Years

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In this part . . .

Explore the pros and cons of a career in medicine, check out different practice settings, assess your chances of med school acceptance, and decide whether medicine is right for you.

Survey the steps to become a practicing physician: college, medical school, residency, and (for some specialties) fellowship.

Go through the premedical years by choosing an undergraduate school, selecting a major, and planning your course work.

Discover the importance of taking part in extracurricular activities, such as clinical and research experiences, community service, and clubs and organizations.

Chapter 1

Turning Your Dream of Going to Medical School into a Reality

In This Chapter

Considering a career as a physician

Getting an overview of the premedical years and the medical school application process

Investigating osteopathic medical schools and other programs

Looking at issues affecting nontraditional and other applicants with special situations

Gearing up to start medical school

Medicine is one of the most attractive and competitive professions to enter. However, with perseverance and a strong commitment, you can achieve your goal of becoming a physician as long as you’re willing to work hard. To get you started, this chapter gives you the big picture about what becoming a physician entails, surveys the medical school application process, and provides you with tips for getting ready for medical school. The later chapters of this book delve deeper into these topics to help you as you undertake your quest to get into medical school.

So You Want to Be a Doctor: Thinking about Medicine as a Career

Among the many benefits of a career in medicine is the opportunity to be part of a profession that is intellectually satisfying, personally rewarding, and constantly changing. Physicians have a unique opportunity to impact people’s lives in a positive way on a daily basis in the context of a job with a high level of responsibility and autonomy. But these advantages come at a price. One of the major drawbacks to a medical career is that it takes at least 11 years of post-secondary education and training to become a full-fledged, practicing physician. The three phases you undergo are

College (4 years)

Medical school (4 years)

Residency (3 years or more depending on specialty)

Some highly specialized fields require an additional year or more of training through a fellowship.

Premedical students traditionally take the courses required for entry into medical school during their undergraduate studies. However, for those who develop an interest in medicine after receiving a bachelor’s degree, a post-baccalaureate premedical program offers a route to completing the basic science classes needed to be admitted into medical school.

Admission to medical school is highly competitive. Your academic record and scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) are typically the most important factors in the admissions process; however, schools also consider many other factors such as your extracurricular experiences, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and interpersonal skills.

Explore the medical profession carefully before you make your decision about whether to pursue a career as a physician. The self-assessment tool in Chapter 2 helps get you thinking about whether the medical profession is a good fit for you.

Mapping Out College and Participating in Extracurricular Activities

During college, you complete your prerequisite coursework for medical school and obtain your bachelor’s degree (only in rare cases do students enter medical school without a bachelor’s degree). When choosing a college, focus on finding one that’s the right fit for you and that offers an academic program you’re interested in and opportunities for involvement in activities outside the classroom.

You also need to determine which major to pursue as a premedical student. Medical schools don’t require a particular major; as long as you complete the prerequisite coursework, you can choose any major, including one in a discipline outside the sciences. However, even if you major in a nonscience field, taking some upper level science classes is a good idea; doing so enhances your application and helps prepare you for med school.

If you discover your interest in medicine after you’ve already obtained your bachelor’s degree, you can take the coursework needed to enter medical school as a post-baccalaureate student. Post-bac options range from highly structured career-changer programs to taking courses independently through a local college or university. (For a list of required and recommended premedical coursework for both traditional and post-bac applicants, flip to Chapter 3.)

Taking your prerequisites at a four-year institution rather than a community college is strongly recommended. Med schools generally prefer that prereqs be completed at a four-year school, and some programs won’t accept ones completed at a community college.

Schools seek students who are not only academically qualified but also well rounded. Demonstrating that you’ve explored medicine is especially important, so gaining experience in the field of medicine before applying to medical school is essential. Volunteering at a hospital or in an outpatient setting, doing physician shadowing, and participating in research are ways to gain exposure to the medical profession so that the schools (and you) know that you’re confident about your career choice. Admissions committees also take into account employment, community service, leadership, and other nonmedical experiences when assessing an applicant. Check out Chapter 4 for details on making the most of extracurricular activities.

Assessing the Medical School Application Process

Securing a seat in medical school requires aspiring physicians to go through a very comprehensive admissions process. By completing each aspect of the application early and well, you maximize your chance of ending the cycle with an acceptance in hand.

Looking at the timeline

If you plan to go directly from college to medical school, you apply to medical school at the end of your junior year of college. The three major steps of the application process are

Submitting your primary application

Completing secondary applications

Going to interviews

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application is the application service used by most allopathic (MD) schools in the United States. Most osteopathic (DO) medical schools use the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS). Public medical schools in Texas (MD and DO) use the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). The AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS applications are known as primary applications.

AMCAS and AACOMAS applications become available online in May and may be submitted beginning in early June; TMDSAS opens in early May, and applications may be submitted starting then. Admissions to most medical schools are rolling, which means that schools evaluate applications as they receive them. That’s why submitting your application early in the cycle is ...