Applying to Medical School in 2014
and Beyond
• Lee Witters
• Sarah Berger
• Annette Hamilton
Some Medical School
Admission Statistics:
Dartmouth
# applicants: 139
% alumni: 83%
2012 Matriculants
% lst time applicants accepted: 84%
# schools/applicant: 19
# acceptances/applicant: 2.7 (1-10)
GPAs accepted:
•# applicants: 43, 542
– Overall: 3.59 (2.78-4.00)
•# accepted: 19, 597 (45%)
– BCPM: 3.54 (2.91-4.00)
•GPA all applicants: 3.54
• GPA not accepted:
(3.44 BCPM)
– Overall: 3.27 (2.5-4.00)
•GPA accepted: 3.68 (3.63 BCPM)
– BCPM: 3.06 (1.8-4.00)
•MCAT all takers
• MCAT
– Accepted :
8.4VR/8.8PS/9.3BS/26.5/O
•10.6VR/11.8PS/11.7BS/34.1/Q
•MCAT accepted applicants
– Not Accepted:
9.3VR/9.9PS/10.3BS/29.5/P
•8.9VR/9.6PS/9.5BS/28/Q
National
•
•
•
•
•
•
BCPM=Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Math
(also Neuroscience (not Psych), Some Engineering)
VR=Verbal Reasoning, PS=Physical Sciences, BS=Biological Sciences
Factors Influencing Admission Statistics
•
•
•
•
•
•
OVERALL GPA
– >3.3 overall GPA 95% of ‘accepted’; 70 % of ‘not accepted’
BCPM GPA
– >3.3 BCPM
85% of ‘accepted’; 37% of ‘not accepted’
MCAT
– >30 MCAT
90% of ‘accepted’; 57% of ‘not accepted’
Timeliness (Application verified before Sept 1 (= early August submission date)
–
80% of ‘accepted’; 63% of ‘not accepted’
OTHER DATA
–
Science GPA < 3.3; MCAT <30: Only 3% accepted
Other factors:
–
–
–
–
Clinical Experience/Exposure
Community Service
Research Experience
List of Schools (# and appropriateness relative to
credentials)
– Personal statement & Interview
– Letters of evaluation
– Utilization of advising services
Elements of a Successful Application to Medical School
MCAT
Letters of
Evaluation
Courses
(GPA,
Science
GPA)
Extracurricular
Experiences
Personal &
Professional
Characteristics
Skills &
Abilities
Clinical Exposure
Altruistic Service
Scholarly Activity
(outside classroom)
Evaluating Beyond Grades,MCAT Scores and
Prior Experiences in Health
Skills & Abilities
• Active listener
• Problem solver
• Communicator
(oral, written)
• Critical thinker
• Multilingual
Personal & Professional Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Resiliency
Integrity/Judgment
Adaptability
Reliability/Dependability
Persistence
Motivation
Intellectual curiosity
Empathy
Altruistic service
First Things First
• Make your intention to possibly apply known to
our advising system..i.e. SIGN IN
• Have an individual conversation with an advisor
as to whether 2014 is the optimum time for you
to be applying to medical school or whether you
should consider delaying till 2015 or later
• Familiarize yourself with all the sources of
information
• KEEP TO ANNOUNCED DEADLINES!
Applying to Medical School in 2014
and Beyond
•Overview: Where is help?
•Important web sites:
– NSS (www.dartmouth.edu/~nss)
• Several links in “Medical School” section including Alumni Advice
network &‘Medical School Application 2014-2015’(podcasts, documents)
– NSS Blackboard site (need to self-enroll; see
instructions on NSS home page)
• All important documents and podcasts to be posted here in ‘Pre-Health
Information’ >>>>’Medical School’ folder
– American Association of Medical Colleges
(www.aamc.org/students/applying/start.htm)
• Links on right: AMCAS, MCAT, Aspiring Docs.org, Medical
Schools/More Resources
Applying to Medical School in 2014
and Beyond: A POP QUIZ!
•Should I apply in 2014?
•When should I take the MCAT exam and how
should I prepare for it?
•When should I begin to ask for letters of
evaluation and how does the Dartmouth letter
system work?
•How does the actual AMCAS application
process work and what dates am I aiming for
to complete it?
Applying to Medical School in 2014
and Beyond: A POP QUIZ!
•Should I apply in 2014?
EVERYONE needs to have an individual one-onone conversation with Sarah or Lee now to
select an application year that best fits your
credentials and your aspirations
Applying to Medical School in 2014
and Beyond
• The MCAT exam, registration and preparation
– When/where? Cost? ($240) Details: Official Guide
– How to prepare? MCAT Survey: ‘How NSS Prepares’
– Other issues: testing accommodations; fee assistance
Posted
on NSS home
page
The Application
•AMCAS application (released early May; earliest
submission early June; ideal by late June/early July)
–Personal information (issue of institutional
action/misdemeanor/felony)
–Grades from all institutions (with transcripts (paper))
–Personal statement
–Activities & Experiences
–School list (how to decide?)
–$$$ ($160 (one school); $35 for each additional school)
•Letters of evaluation
•MCAT Score
•Secondary applications (more essays; more $$)
•Interview invitation (Sept to mid-March)
Composite Letter of Evaluation
• REQUIRED unless you are class of 2011
or previous
• No more than six (6) writers including
your composite writer.
• 3-5 writers will write supporting letters
(these + your composite letter = composite packet)
• Who will be your letter writers?
– TWO science faculty who’ve taught you
– Major professor
– Extracurricular letter
Credentials
Consult Documents in “Medical School
Application 2014-15 ” on NSS web site
• Open your Interfolio account
– https://account.interfolio.com/dossier/signup?instit
ution_id=4849
– Waiving your rights of access
• Ask letter writers – give them timelines
• Create & upload supporting documents
– Autobiographical Sketch
– Resume
– Transcript (“official” from Registrar (order on-line))
• Release to Composite Writer
• Additional letters (after composite) – talk to
Annette
• Timelines/Deadlines (Agreement form)
Questions About Interfolio?
Send e-mail to credentials@dartmouth.edu
Timeline
1314
1415
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
- Is this the
best year for
you to apply?
-Ask for
LETTERS
-Sign up for
early MCAT
-Workshops
-Ask for
LETTERS
-Early MCAT (or
sign up for
spring/summer)
-Open Interfolio
account
-Workshops
-LETTERS
-MCAT
-Begin AMCAS
application,
incl. personal
statement &
school list
-Transcript
(after spring
term)
-Submit AMCAS
application
target date
6/30
-Begin
secondary
applications
-Send LETTERS
- Update Letters
-Complete 2°
by early Sept
-Schools to have -Interviews &
everything by
Offers
now
-Interviews &
Offers
-Decision Day:
May 15
-Get ready for
med school
classes!
Timeline
1314
1415
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
- Is this the
best year for
you to apply?
-Ask for
LETTERS
-Sign up for
early MCAT
-Workshops
-Ask for
LETTERS
-Early MCAT (or
sign up for
spring/summer)
-Open Interfolio
account
-Workshops
-LETTERS
-MCAT
-Begin AMCAS
application,
incl. personal
statement &
school list
-Transcript
(after spring
term)
-Submit AMCAS
application
target date
6/30
-Begin
secondary
applications
-Send LETTERS
- Update Letters
-Complete 2°
by early Sept
-Schools to have -Interviews &
everything by
Offers
now
-Interviews &
Offers
-Decision Day:
May 15
-Get ready for
med school
classes!
Summary of Deadlines
(Ideal (i.e. target) & Final)
Task
Ideal (target)
date
Taking MCAT
By mid-June
Submitting AMCAS June 30
Submitting 2o Apps Sept 1
Documents Due (to HPP Office or
Timeline Agreement ASAP
Composite Letter End of winter term
Worksheet classes
Final
deadline
August dates
Sept 1
Oct 1
Interfolio)
April 1
May 1
Supporting Documents May 1
July 1
Supporting Letters May 1
July 1
Release to Composite May 15
Writer
July 1
Composite Letter July 1
September 1
Timeline Agreement Sheet
Please review, sign and return by the
end of this meeting or to HPP office
in Carson Advising Center
Composite Letter Work Sheet
Submit by end of winter term
to Annette Hamilton
Applying to Medical School in 2014
and Beyond
A Few More Things
• Medical Application Newsletter
• Winter/Spring Term Workshops
– How to Ask for Letters, Getting Started on a
Personal Statement, Filling out the AMCAS
Application, Choosing Schools, Interviewing, PostBacc/Gap Year Options
• Fee Waivers
• Investment of your time to do all of this
Early Assurance Program for
Dartmouth College Class of 2015
Web site for application:
https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/admissions/early_assurance/
Geisel Admissions Officers Andrew Welch, Bill Brown &
Aileen Panitz willing to speak to interested students
• Streamlined application to identify up to five students
a year
• Evidence of potential to become outstanding physicians
• Character, experiences, academic skills, broad
education (holistic evaluation)
• Potential to work with patients from a variety of
backgrounds
• Need not have completed all of med school course
requirements, but a sufficient number to give a good
basis for evaluation of overall performance
• MCAT examination not required
• Opportunity for gap year experience
TIMELINE
Application Deadline
1 October 2015
Application Fee
$130
Letters of Reference
2-5, suggest two from
science faculty
Interview Notifications
By late October
Interviews
November – first week
January
Program Decisions
Late January
CONTINGENCIES
• Candidate reply within two weeks
• Binding unless candidate withdraws from program OR
applies to other programs
• Commensurate academic performance
• Commensurate involvement in activities
• Completes following year AMCAS Application (no fee)
• Criminal background check