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What Medical Schools Are Looking For In Applicants

Basically, medical schools want everything: empathy, compassion, achievement, dedication to service, altruism, lifelong learning, intellectual curiosity, good judgment, ability to balance priorities, and a passion for science. They have, however, no magic formula. They evaluate each student's credentials and weigh the student's background and judge the fit between the student and the medical school. They want well-rounded students with broad academic interests and backgrounds. They need students who are interested in learning and who will be life-long learners. You should have good communication and interpersonal skills, a record of community service and leadership, a variety of extracurricular activities, and experience with shadowing a physician.

One thing to keep in mind is that you need to establish a record of interest in healthcare. When you write your application essay, you will likely be trying to tell them how much you want to be a doctor. This should be clear in your record of work and activities as well. You must backup your claims of interest in medicine with clear action that shows your interest.

Two information sources you should be aware of to make sure you fit the requirements for various schools:

For information on requirements at MD programs: Medical School Admission Requirements (fondly known as the MSAR—pronounced em-sar). Published by the AAMC (Association of American Medical College), this book comes out annually, but does not change much from year to year.  It contains a description of each school, information about the median* test scores and grades of matriculated students (remember this is different from what the numbers would look like for all those who apply), and statistics on in-state and out-of-state applicants. You can order a copy through the AAMC, but it is probably easier to order it at a more user friendly website like Amazon (if you type in MSAR there this book pops up). Generally the price is about $25.

*a median is the middle value in a distribution 

For information on requirements at DO programs: The DO materials similar to those found in the MSAR are available free on the AACOM (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine) website. Go to http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/cib2008.pdf

 

Some of the Experiences/Credentials Sought by Medical Schools

Prerequisite courses/grades: Some schools do have specific requirements beyond the basic 1 year biology, 1 year general chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry, 1 year physics, and 1 year English. Typically by 1 year, schools mean 8 semester hours. Most also look for several social science and humanities courses. One program even requires 24 credit hours in behavioral science (medical schools define this differently). They may define the number of credit hours necessary in each subject. To see if you have everything you need for the schools to which you want to apply, check the schools website and/or the MSAR.

GPA: MD schools will look at your science GPA (the BCPM=Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math) and your non-science GPA, as well as the overall GPA. DO programs do the same but do not consider math grades in your science GPA. Ideally, they don't want to see a huge difference between your science and non-science course performance. The most competitive range to be in is a 3.6 or better. Indiana University is competitive enough that a 3.8 makes you more competitive there. Osteopathic programs will take somewhat lower GPAs. Nationally, their overall GPA average is a 3.45 with a non-science average of 3.55 and a science average of 3.37.

Course load: Medical schools will expect to see a couple of semesters in which you have taken 2-3 lab courses at the same time. They need to know that you can handle a heavy load and still manage good grades. You should also be careful about taking summer science courses to lighten your science load—this does not impress them. You can still take summer courses, but you want to make sure you have science-heavy semesters as well.

MCAT scores: To be most competitive you want a 10 in each of the 3 sections for MD programs (a 30 overall) or an 8-9 in each section for DO programs (a 24-25 overall). A lot of students ask me if a formal test prep course is necessary, my answer is that it depends.  Personally, if I get involved with a student early enough I recommend by a good MCAT prep book and using it as a supplemental study guide while you are taking the prerequisite courses in Biology, Chemistry and Physics – this way, you can learn the format of the MCAT exam while you are working hard to learn the material.  That, in my opinion, is the best option of all. 

Health care experience: If you want to show a medical school that you are interested in being a doctor, you need to have provided yourself with opportunities to see doctors in action. If you haven't already done so, you need to observe (shadow) a physician. This assures medical schools that you are keenly interested and that you have a more realistic sense of what it means to be a doctor. Osteopathic schools generally require that you have shadowed an osteopathic physician and ask for a letter verifying this.

Service/Volunteerism: Medical Schools see health care as a service field so doing volunteer work is important. They do not care what it is, only that you have been doing it on a regular basis and show a commitment to it. Showing up to work at a blood drive during the spring of your junior year will not cut it. It just isn't enough evidence that you are committed to helping others. A number of osteopathic medical schools emphasize volunteer work and use it as a major factor in their decision making. Remember schools are looking for problem solvers, critical thinkers, active listeners, teaching ability, motivators, and those who appreciate the importance of touch in communication and treatment. So seek out service opportunities where you can develop and hone these skills. Consider nursing homes, hospice, crisis centers, programs assisting persons living with HIV/AIDS, tutoring/mentoring at risk kids, coaching, etc.

Leadership: Take charge of a program or student organization event. Work toward a leadership position in your fraternity/sorority/sports team, etc. Medical schools need you to be a leader and a solid team player. 

Research: Though research is not required more and more applicants have some research experience so it is a great thing if you have the opportunity and the inclination. The medical schools don't care what kind of research it was—it is really about what it shows them about your academic development. If you participated in research, you generally were able to balance this with other responsibilities, to work without supervision, and to see both your portion of a project and the bigger picture. The elite schools (Harvard, Stanford, etc) will have a higher percentage of students with published research and/or presentations at conferences. 

Hands-On Patient Care: Again, not a requirement, but is seen very favorably. This is often difficult experience to get as it generally requires additional training. Some students get their experience through working as a phlebotomist (doing blood draws), working as a certified nurse assistant or as an EMT.

Extracurricular activities: Medical schools like to have interesting people as part of their classes. They are looking for people with interesting backgrounds and experiences. They also need to know that you can balance your life. Taking part in extracurricular activities helps to show them this.

Follow the steps, include each factor in the same manner you include macronutrients and vitamins into your diet – covering the bases every day consistently will produce the best long term results. 

About the Author

Kenneth fuller enjoys helping college students overcome academic challenges.  He is a senior contributor and quality manager for http://www.grademakers.com, a college-level academic editing, writing and tutoring service.  You can visit http://www.grademakers.com to learn more about their performance-enhancing, grade-saving service offerings.

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