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February 5, 2024
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The path to medical school is more akin to a long-distance marathon than a quick sprint, starting well before you even submit your applications. In your premed years, every aspect, from how you perform academically to the extracurricular activities you engage in, serves as the bedrock for your medical career.
In this blog post, we'll discuss how to navigate these years effectively, ensuring you're not just going through the motions but actively paving your way to medical school.
We’ll answer some frequent questions, including:
Plus, we'll share 10 common misconceptions about medical school admissions.
Let’s get started.
A Pre-Med major, often referred to in the context of undergraduate education, isn't typically a major in itself but rather a track or a set of courses that students take to prepare for medical school.
Most medical schools in the United States don't require a specific major to apply. However, there are common prerequisites that students must complete, which usually include courses in biology, chemistry (both general and organic), physics, and mathematics. Some schools also require coursework in the humanities, social sciences, and sometimes biochemistry.
Students on a Pre-Med track can major in any field, but many choose science majors like:
These majors already include the required courses for medical school and will prepare you for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). Nevertheless, it's important to remember that you can get accepted without a science bachelor’s degree, as long as you fulfill the required courses. So, for example, if you’re majoring in philosophy or music, you’ll need to take extra classes to complete such prerequisites.
While medical schools have slightly different prerequisites for premed coursework, they usually require:
The key for Pre-Med students is not just the major they choose but also:
The pre-med phase typically spans the duration of an undergraduate degree, which is usually around four years. However, 62.6% of premeds take at least one gap year to:
Overall, the actual time is 4+ years and can vary depending on your course load, academic planning, and any additional requirements you may need to fulfill.
The difficulty of a pre-med track can vary based on individual circumstances, but it is generally considered challenging for several reasons:
It's important to note that while the pre-med track is challenging, many students find it manageable and rewarding with the right preparation, support, and time management strategies. Plus, with the right strategy and mentorship, you can succeed in premed and get into medical school.
Standing out in a crowded field of medical school applicants can be challenging without crafting a purposeful journey in premed school.
Here is where premed mentorship can be a true lifesaver. After all, there are many myths and misconceptions about premed school and medical school admissions.
Overall, premed mentorship is ideal for you if you think that...
Securing a strong GPA and MCAT score is just the starting point for gaining admission to medical school. Beyond academic excellence and test performance, medical schools seek candidates who exhibit six key qualities:
When applying to medical school, your academic performance at any post-high school institution is important. This also applies to courses taken at a community college during high school. The AAMC organizes your GPA in the following sequence:
All grades from these educational stages, if completed before your application, contribute to your GPA. Therefore, your freshman-year grades are very important.
This belief holds some truth, but mostly in rare circumstances. Let's say a student has a 3.4 GPA, a low score for premed, but a 520 MCAT. This student stands a reasonable chance at allopathic medical schools, largely because a 3.4 GPA isn't disastrous, and a 520 MCAT places them in the top 1% of scorers. However, for most, an excellent MCAT score (between 514 and 518) won't compensate for a significantly low GPA, such as anything under 3.2 for premeds.
Conversely, a high GPA doesn't necessarily balance out a low MCAT score. A student with a perfect 4.0 GPA may struggle to gain admission with an MCAT score of 492. Since course difficulty varies across universities, the MCAT serves as a standardizer. Medical schools seek students who excel academically and on the MCAT. Therefore, admissions committees assess both scores together.
The table presented below illustrates acceptance rates for applicants and accepted applicants from 2021-2022 through 2023-2024, categorized by various MCAT and GPA levels.
Source: AAMC
Med school admissions committees are aware of and generally disapprove of this approach. For life science majors at a university, this tactic is often unfeasible since you’re required to take courses at the same institution to graduate. In contrast, for those majoring in non-science subjects, particularly individuals who choose to pursue medicine post-graduation, this strategy may draw less attention.
Overall, you don’t want to take community college pre-requisite courses at your community college while you’re pursuing your degree at another institution. Nevertheless, if you do so after completing your degree elsewhere, it's perfectly acceptable.
A challenging major doesn't compensate for lower grades. There could be a small degree of consideration (around 0.1 to 0.3 points) for more challenging majors. However, choosing your major is up to you, and medical schools typically don't adjust their expectations of your GPA based on your field of study.
Having a second major alone doesn’t inherently make you more competitive than other candidates. In fact, it could potentially be counterproductive, as managing two majors might negatively impact your GPA.
Many premed students pack their early college years with courses, believing they must complete all pre-med prerequisites before applying to medical school. This often leads to a decline in their GPAs. However, there's no need to rush through your pre-med requirements. It's acceptable to have most of them completed at the time of application, with a plan to finish the rest before starting medical school.
On the other hand, while completing all prerequisite courses before the MCAT can be beneficial, it's not essential for success on the exam. College courses typically cover more material than what's required for the MCAT. You can prepare for the MCAT by studying with MCAT preparation books.
Competitive candidates typically engage in numerous extracurricular activities, with volunteering being just one of them. It's important to be involved in activities like research, medical shadowing, non-medical community service, student clubs, and interest groups. Aim to go beyond just meeting the minimum requirements.
While achieving a 3.8 GPA at an Ivy League institution might be seen as more remarkable than the same GPA at a community college, a strong GPA holds its value regardless of the school.
The reputation of an undergraduate institution doesn't significantly influence medical school admissions, especially not enough to compensate for a weak GPA or MCAT score.
A common misconception revolves around the idea that focusing on a specific "theme," such as psychiatry, might make an applicant appear less well-rounded. Contrary to this notion, it’s entirely possible to maintain a well-rounded profile while emphasizing a particular area of interest. The key to gaining admission to medical school lies in crafting a compelling narrative. In other words, a purposeful journey that elucidates why you want to become a physician and that you’ve worked towards that goal.
By accumulating leadership experiences and clinical exposure, even within a specific field, applicants can showcase their commitment to their chosen path and their potential to make meaningful contributions to the broader medical community. Specialization in a specific area can often enhance an applicant's overall competitiveness.
These are just a few of the most common misconceptions that many pre-med students hold, yet there are many more. Navigating your journey to medical school can be challenging without the right mentorship and guidance. Making the most of your pre-med years is crucial to securing a place in medical school. Luckily, we’re here to help.
At Premed Catalyst, we’re experts in leading the way to medical school. It is our goal to help you create a strong foundation and a distinctive narrative for your medical school application.
We provide personalized mentorship and advice, tailored to your specific journey. To get started, just fill out a simple form (it won't take more than two minutes), and take your first step towards wearing the white coat!