The journey toward getting into the best medical schools will be a long and challenging one. You’ll have to go through pre-requisite classes, study the MCAT, pursue different research opportunities, all of which are only the tip of the iceberg! The admissions process for medical schools is known to be demanding, but worth the time and effort spent, with thousands of students working hard for that acceptance letter.
If you are one of those students, read on as we show you helpful tips on how to get into medical school, and more importantly, get accepted into your dream school.
- Get Medical Experience
You may want to get a job shadowing medical professionals. Admission committees are interested to know if you have spent some time learning more about what you may be doing in the future. There are also other non-shadowing job opportunities you can take, such as becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant, a hospital scribe, or even volunteering as an emergency medical technician.
- Perform Research Projects
Doing research projects will show a student’s hands-on knowledge of the sciences. Medical schools are interested in students who are just as interested in research. You can show them your interest by already doing some research jobs already.
You can either do small parts of research projects or prioritize research as an undergrad.
- On Selecting a Major
While grades aren’t everything, they are still absolutely crucial. When applying for your dream medical school, select a field of study that can yield a competitive grade point average (GPA). For those applying to medical schools, the recommended GPA is 3.4 and higher, depending on the field you plan to take.
It doesn’t matter if you come from a pre-med track or not, as you need to do well in all of your subjects in college. If you aren’t doing well in one or two subjects, make a change and get help to raise your grades and GPA.
- Study, Study, Study
MCAT scores would range between 472 to 528, with the accepted medical students averaging around 508. The recommended study time is between 300 to 350 hours.
With that in mind, it’s time to study for these medical college admission tests. Take courses and invest in books, studying on your own using a technique that works best for you.
- During Interviews
Before you are called for an interview, prepare ahead! Research about your dream medical schools and learn its mission statements, practice interview questions, and always be polite to everyone in the school. They don’t only look at your knowledge, experience, and skills, they will also look at your attitude to see if you are a suitable fit for their school.
And of course, be ready with a great answer on why you would like to study medical school and why you want to be a doctor!
There are a lot of things to do and experience during the application period of medical school itself! It may be exhausting now, but give your all and it will all pay back in time. Good luck!
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