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Tonight’s topic is Everything You Need to Know Before Applying to Med School. The webinar will last about 45 minutes to an hour, covering a lot of details such as application timelines, GPA and MCAT, building a strong application, extracurriculars, research, interviews, and financial planning. We’ll finish with some final tips and a Q&A session.
Getting ready for medical school is more than just the application year you’re hoping to apply. It ideally starts much sooner than that. Sometimes you figure out what you want to do a little later, but since you are here as pre-meds, you're already in a strong starting position. Really, one to two years or even further before applying, you should start thinking about your research, volunteering, and clinical opportunities. The year before, when you’re thinking about applying, you should start preparing for the MCAT, which is important for scores when applying.
Clinical and research experience and building relationships should be happening ideally throughout your undergrad. The more longitudinal you can show your interest in this field, the better for your application. We’ll dive more into detail later in this presentation about how to do that. In June of your application year, you'll be submitting your primary application through AMCAS or ECOMAS. This includes all your school information, work and volunteer experiences, and scores.
Then, during the summer, you’ll receive secondary applications from the schools you applied to. These are more school-specific and essay-based. Complete those as quickly and efficiently as possible, return them, and then interviews typically come out later in the summer into the fall. October through April is when admissions decisions are released, and this is a rolling process based on interview timing.
Admissions committees look at your GPA as one of the main numbers. Ideally, a GPA of 3.5 or higher is desired. Most schools have median or mean GPAs higher than 3.5, but it reflects your ability to handle a challenging workload in pre-med courses and predicts how you'll do in medical school. Organize your courses in undergrad by balancing harder science courses with easier ones so you can dedicate appropriate study time. I was a tutor in undergrad and medical school, and seeking out resources like tutoring centers, study groups, or professor office hours is helpful. Building relationships with professors is crucial because you need strong letters of recommendation. Developing these relationships early will help your letter stand out beyond "they came to class and did well."
Regarding MCAT prep, there’s a cutoff for how long is too long to prepare. I wouldn’t recommend preparing for longer than eight or ten months. Your brain can only retain so much. Some people study for 12 months, but by the time you take the test, you might not remember what you learned a year ago. I suggest limiting your dedicated study time to eight to ten months. You can start reviewing materials earlier, but your intense study and practice test sessions should happen within the three to six months leading up to your test. In the last one to three months, focus on high-yield content and weak areas, and simulate test conditions by taking practice exams. This helps ensure you’re ready and not wasting time or money taking the MCAT before you’re prepared.
One mistake I made as a student was trying to juggle too many things at once. I was working 60 hours a week and still had a full course load. I thought I could fit MCAT prep into my evenings, but that approach didn’t work. This test needs to be a priority. It plays a huge role in the application process, so it’s important to take some time off if possible, to focus on studying.
There are many study resources available, including practice tests and question banks that can either be purchased or found online. Creating an organized study plan is almost crucial. You need to know what subjects to cover, how much time to dedicate to each, and where your weak areas lie. I highly recommend taking practice exams to build up the mental stamina needed for the real test.
Research experience is always helpful. It doesn’t have to be in your specific field of interest, but it demonstrates your ability to engage in scientific inquiry, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Research also teaches you how to troubleshoot and overcome obstacles, which is a valuable skill in medicine. Ideally, having some kind of publication or presentation from your research experience is impressive, though not always necessary.
When showcasing your strengths and experiences on your application, it’s important to be authentic and humble. Highlight your achievements, but acknowledge the help you’ve received along the way. Demonstrating fit with the school’s mission and values is also important. Admissions committees want to know why you’re a good fit for their specific institution, not just that you’re willing to attend any school.
Writing your personal statement is one of my favorite things to help clients with. It’s an opportunity to craft your narrative and tell your unique story. Start early, as this is not something that can be written in a week or even a month. It requires time to edit and refine. Be specific about your experiences and try to "show" rather than "tell." Put the reader in your shoes and describe your journey in detail.
Stay focused on your narrative. This isn’t the place to list your accomplishments—that’s what your CV and application are for. Instead, focus on your journey and how it led you to medicine.
Avoid clichés and generic statements. For example, saying you want to help people is not specific enough. Many professions help people, so you need to explain why medicine is the right field for you. Avoid starting with quotes or definitions, as these are overused and don’t add value to your narrative. Focus on staying genuine and authentic to yourself.
Letters of recommendation are crucial in the application process. They provide someone else’s perspective on your ability to succeed in medical school and as a future physician. It’s important to develop relationships with professors and mentors early, as you’ll need letters from at least two science faculty members. Clinical supervisors and research mentors can also provide valuable letters.
When asking for letters of recommendation, be sure to give your writers enough time (at least two months) and provide them with any materials they may need, such as an up-to-date CV or personal statement.
There are several extracurricular activities valued by medical schools, including:
Balancing extracurricular activities with academic responsibilities can be challenging, especially for students who are working as well. Prioritize what’s necessary for your application—cclinical experiences, volunteer work, and research. Try to keep a balance without burning out. If you feel overwhelmed, it’s okay to cut back and make adjustments.
Start early and be proactive when seeking clinical experience. Keep a running tally of your experiences in a document so you don’t lose track of your hours. This will also be helpful when it’s time to fill out your application.
Research shows your ability to engage in scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving. If your university offers research opportunities, take advantage of them. Cold emailing professors or asking them about research opportunities can also help you get involved. Ideally, this research experience can lead to publications or presentations, though it’s not always a requirement.
Once your application is strong enough, you’ll start receiving interview invitations. This is another one of my favorite parts to help with because I enjoy working with clients to fine-tune their interview skills. There are two main types of interviews:
You can never be too prepared for these. The more you practice, the better. Reach out to family members or friends to practice with. The more uncomfortable the practice scenario, the better prepared you’ll be for the real thing. Make sure you know your application inside out, as interviewers will ask specific questions about your experiences, such as your research or volunteer work.
Unfortunately, the application process isn’t cheap. It often requires additional loans for travel and application fees. Your school’s financial aid office can help you understand your options, create a budget, and minimize debt. Though it’s an investment, the application process is worth the cost.
Start early. If you have some extra time, find something that interests you, whether it’s volunteering, clinical experience, or research.
Be Authentic. The best applications are genuine and reflect who you are, rather than what you think admissions committees want to hear.
Stay Focused. Keep your goal in mind and take the necessary steps to achieve it.
Professors you only have for a semester may not be the best for letters of recommendation, especially if it’s an introductory course or early in your undergrad. It’s better to ask professors from higher-level, major-specific courses, as they will know you better academically. Even though you’re only in their class for a semester, that doesn’t mean the relationship ends there. You can continue to attend their office hours, ask questions, or discuss research opportunities. Over time, you can build a multidimensional relationship. Start fostering these connections early in the semester by engaging with the professor about the course material or other topics that interest you.
Both are valuable options. Shadowing a single physician over an extended period helps you build a relationship, which is useful for letters of recommendation. It allows the physician to see your growth and advocate for you. However, shadowing multiple physicians for shorter periods shows scientific curiosity and allows you to explore different areas of medicine. If possible, try to build a longer-term relationship with one physician and shadow others for shorter periods to gain diverse experiences. Just keep in mind that physicians you shadow for a shorter time may not be ideal for writing recommendation letters.
It’s ideal to have both paid and volunteer clinical hours, but I understand it can be hard to balance everything. Paid positions, such as medical assistant or scribe roles, can demonstrate responsibility and commitment. Volunteer roles, especially longitudinal ones, show dedication to serving your community. Both are beneficial for your application. If you can’t manage both, having one is fine, but I recommend doing both if possible.
Absolutely not! Starting clinical experience in your freshman year is not too late at all. Many people don’t even discover their interest in medicine until later in college. The earlier, the better, but spring of freshman year is still a great time to start. Don’t stress about it being too late; just do what you can to gain relevant experiences.
Shadowing NPs and PAs can definitely be valuable, especially if you’re in a rural area where MDs are harder to access. You can learn a lot from them, but medical schools generally prefer to see shadowing of MDs or DOs because they want to know you understand the specific role and responsibilities of a physician. If possible, I recommend trying to find an MD or DO to shadow for your application, but shadowing NPs or PAs is still beneficial for learning purposes.
For the first part of your question, you don’t need to provide a signature or formal documentation for your experiences. It’s an honor system, but schools might ask for contact information for your experiences, and there’s always a possibility they could follow up to verify. As for when to take the MCAT, it’s very case-specific. If you can adequately study and prepare during your junior year, that’s fine. Some people prefer to take it in their senior year when they have more time to focus, but either option is okay as long as you’re prepared.
There’s no set number of hours required, but ideally, you want to show a well-rounded commitment to all three areas. I’d say aim for a few hundred hours of shadowing, volunteering, and research combined. However, every application is different, so don’t worry too much about hitting specific numbers. Focus on doing what you enjoy and what aligns with your goals.
Both are valued equally, but paid positions may carry slightly more weight because they typically come with more responsibility. Volunteering shows a commitment to giving back, while paid positions demonstrate that you can handle clinical responsibilities in a professional setting. Both are important, and it’s great if you can do both.
There’s a specific section on the application to list your shadowing hours. This is separate from letters of recommendation. It’s important to document your shadowing hours so that schools can see the extent of your clinical exposure.
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