MEDICAL SCHOOL: THE
BASICS, SOME TIPS, AND
HOW WE ENDED UP HERE
A talk by UCSF students
Sharon Orbach
Jonathan Robbins
9/21/11
ABOUT US
3rd Year UCSF Medical Students
 In Salinas at Natividad Medical Center,
currently completing our Family Medicine
clerkship
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OUTLINE
Topics you want us to cover
 Basic requirements/Timeline
 Alternate paths
 Tips from Sharon
 Jonathan
 Sharon
 Questions
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GENERAL PREMED REQUIREMENTS
A year of Chemistry along with the appropriate laboratory
courses
A year of Organic Chemistry along with laboratory courses
A year of Biology along with laboratory courses
A year of Physics along with laboratory courses
A year of English
A year of Calculus or other advanced math classes, including
Statistics
MCAT: computerized, multiple-choice test
Offered monthly at Prometric testing sites throughout the
country
Four sections: Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Writing
Sample, and Biological Sciences
SAMPLE TIMELINE FOR
APPLICATION DIRECTLY AFTER
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
First and second year – finish premedical
requirements, participate in prehealth activities
such as volunteering, research,
 Third year – continue prehealth activities,
maintain a strong GPA, take MCAT, and find
recommenders
 Summer after third year – apply online using the
AMCAS, the earlier the application is submitted,
the better!
 Fourth year – Secondary applications, received
invitations to interview, matriculate by May 15
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ALTERNATIVE TIMELINE
A year off between undergraduate and medical
school
 Post bac programs – finish your pre-med
requirements!
 Strengthen your application
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working in a medical field, Teach For America, MPH,
Research, Volunteer work, and travel abroad
ABOUT THE AMCAS
The AMCAS (American Medical College
Application Service) is a common online
application used by all medical schools during the
application process
 Required sections include

Undergraduate transcript
 Activities & Awards
 Personal statement explaining desire to go to medical
school
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Secondary applications vary by school
Questions tailored to school
 Short answer questions about ethics
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FINANCIAL AID
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Medical school tuition generally costs $50k per year
Most schools offer financial aid
The federal government offers loans through the Stafford
program, which don’t have to be paid back until after
graduation and accrue interest with a fixed, subsidized
rate
Physician salaries depend on specialty, but here are
some averages:
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Family practice: $204k
Pediatrics: $175k
Emergency Medicine: $216k
General surgery: $291k
Radiology $354k
MORE THAN GRADES AND TESTS
 Extracurricular
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Activities
Volunteering/shadowing/Jobs
Teaching Role
Leadership Role
Community engagement
Sports
Hobbies—eg music
Research
 Letters
of Recommendation
**TIPS**
•Keep a CV
•Do what YOU love (it’s your time)
•Show interest/Take initiative/Be Curious
•Be proactive
•Collect Mentors (advocates)
JONATHAN’S PATH
University of Virginia, 2005, Political and Social
Thought, minor in biology
 Most certainly NOT pre-med in college

TO MED SCHOOL OR NOT TO MED
SCHOOL
PhD vs. MD
 MD vs. MD/PhD vs MD/MS or MD/MPH
 Post-bac requirements
 The interviewing trail
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Joint Medical Program
5 year, UC-Berkeley, UCSF combined MD/MS
 No lectures!
 Small group, case based learning
 Serious thesis

“YOU ARE
EXCHANGING YOUR
YOUTH FOR THIS
SECRET
KNOWLEDGE.”
DR. WILLIAM P.
SCHECTER
TRAUMA SURGEON
SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL
HOSPITAL