There's no way around it: medical school is competitive! Many students do not get into med school the first time they apply, and the average age of a new medical student in the U.S. is around 26. To be competitive as a med school applicant, undergraduate college students need to prepare themselves as best as they can. Here are some important steps to keep in mind.
1) Take the medical school prerequisites. Most schools do not have a premedicine major. Instead, there are a set of courses that generally are prerequisites for getting into medical school. Take these classes, and make sure you do well, because medical schools will look at your grades in these classes carefully. The pre-med prerequisites are as follows:
- At least one year of general biology
- At least one year of calculus (Calculus I and II)
- At least one year of general (inorganic) chemistry with lab
- At least one year of organic chemistry with lab
- At least one year of physics with lab
- English composition
In addition, some schools recommend psychology, cell biology, genetics, and additional writing courses.
2) Find a school with an excellent pre-med advising program. Although premedicine majors are uncommon, it's not uncommon to find a school that has advisors trained to help students get into medical school. If you're in high school and thinking about med school, investigate pre-med advising programs as you look for the right school.
3) Have a high GPA, especially in your pre-med classes and your major. At some schools, you need a 3.5 to even apply -- and realistically, you probably need a higher GPA than that. Make sure you do well in your major, as that demonstrates a commitment to a field of study. (Here's a few tips for improving a college grade point average.)
This brings up a much-debated questions: should you major in the sciences? As you think about choosing a major, keep this in mind: you can major in anything, as long as you take the prerequisite classes for medical school. Some people argue that it's helpful to major in something unique because then you'll stand out in the pool of chemistry and biology majors. Others argue that science classes are beneficial to med students and for the MCAT exam, and that medical schools recognize that it's generally harder to get a high GPA in a science major than a liberal arts major. Whatever you major in, do well.
4) Volunteer in a medical area. Get lots of experience volunteering at a hospital, clinic, or other medical facility. Medical schools like to see people who have committed to a volunteer assignment over a long period of time. Another good experience is shadowing a doctor. This generally doesn't look as impressive as volunteer work, but it is important, and it's a great way to get a feel for what this career is all about.
5) Get some research experience. Assist a professor with a research topic that's related to medicine. It's not uncommon for undergraduates to become co-authors on published research, and this can help your application quite a bit.
6) Do well on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The MCAT is rigorous-- it takes over five hours to complete! What kind of score do you need on the MCAT to get into medical school? It depends on the school and the strength of the rest of your application, but generally a score of 30 is considered fairly competitive. Take time to prepare for the MCAT! Seriously consider investing in a prep class, software, and/or a prep book.
Naomi Rockler-Gladen - Instructional designer and freelance writer, Naomi Rockler-Gladen writes some of Suite101's most read work.
