Preparing for Medical School
Questions to Consider

What is medical school like?

What are the types of medical school?

Why go to medical school?

What preparation is necessary?

What experiences should I have?

What does a strong applicant look like?
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
Traditional physicians and surgeons who practice medicine,
and are concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring
human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of
disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments
including invasive treatments.

Over 125 schools in U.S.
• Some acceptable foreign medical schools
• Admission can be easier overseas

M.D. accepted world-wide
• The best option for international work
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
 Can pursue any specialty training
 Can teach in M.D. medical schools
 Requires USMLE (three parts)
 U.S. Medical Licensing Examination
 Tests science and clinical skills
 Do not refer to as “allopathic”…
Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
Fulfill all the roles of an M.D. within the philosophy of Andrew
Taylor Still. Osteopathic physicians use all conventional methods
of diagnosis and treatment, but are trained to place additional
emphasis on the achievement of normal body mechanics as central
to maintaining good health.

D.O. degree after 4 yrs. req. to take the USMLE
 May not be accepted in some foreign countries

Basic sciences & rotations same as M.D.
Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)

Includes osteopathic philosophy & techniques
 Holistic, “hands-on” approach with patients
 Musculoskeletal manipulation
 Other non-surgical, non-drug therapies

Can pursue all medical specialties

Most schools in Eastern US

2/3 of D.O. grads pursue residency in M.D. setting
Podiatry, D.P.M.

1st & 2nd years. – sciences, labs, intro to podiatry

3rd & 4th years. – core rotations, orthopedic &
podiatry rotations, and podiatric surgery rotation

2 year residency required to become podiatric surgeon

3 year residency to become podiatric surgeon including
rear foot and ankle

Licensing exams required throughout training
Med School Curriculum
Year 1 & 2: The Healthy Body
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology,
etc.
Intro to clinical interviewing
Some patient contact (more at some schools)
Some schools use a ‘case study’ approach
Science electives
General topic electives
Can begin research projects
Take Part One of USMLE (science knowledge)
Med School Curriculum
Year 3 & 4 “The Sick Body”
 Core rotations in clinics & hospitals (1-2 mos. each)
 Surgery, family, pediatrics, emergency, psychiatry, OBGYN, internal medicine, etc.
 Elective rotations in subspecialties, e.g.
Oncology, orthopedics, dermatology, neurosurgery, etc.
 Elective time for research, public health project,
experience abroad, study at other med schools
 Apply & interview in 4th year for internship/residency
 Take Part Two of USMLE (Clinical Skills)
After Medical School

One year internship in general medicine

Part Three of USMLE after that year

required for medical license

2 to 5+ years residency in specialty area

Can then work as specialist (e.g., OB/GYN)

2 to 3+ years fellowship for “sub-specialty”

Can then work as sub-specialist
e.g., pediatric oncologist, neurosurgeon, etc.
Length of Specialty Training
For all M.D. & D.O. graduates:
3+ years: pediatrics, internal medicine,
family medicine, emergency
medicine, general practice medicine
4-5+ years: psychiatry, general surgery,
orthopedic surgery, dermatology,
radiology, others
6-7+ years: neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, others
Cost of Medical Training
You pay for medical school, 4 yrs:
 $20K to $60K/year, $30-40K average tuition
 Some financial aid available
 Students generally borrow significant amount
You are paid for:

Internship year (general medicine)
~ $35K to 40K per year

Residency years (specialty)
~ $40 to 45K per year

Fellowship years (sub-specialty)

More $$$ than residents make
Why Go To Medical School?

To help others through knowledge of science

Your love of science, especially biology + chemistry)

You are a problem-solver

Your intellectual curiosity

You want lifelong learning

You enjoy teaching others

It is a “calling” and becomes your “identity”

You enjoy being a leader or making decisions

You enjoy being in“authority” position
Personal Characteristics Needed
Maturity & ethical integrity
Motivation and determination to succeed
Interpersonal & communication skills
Demonstrated interest in helping others
Willingness to accept responsibility
Energy, enthusiasm, physical stamina
Compassion, empathy, altruism
Personal Characteristics Needed
Problem-solving skills & good judgment
Awareness of the medical profession
Exposure to various cultures & life problems
“Cultural competency”is stressed
Able to accept constructive feedback & criticism
Ability to lead, teach or influence others
Academic Preparation
General Biology: BIOL 110 and BIOL
240W
Microbiology: BIOL 230W
General Chemistry: CHEM 110/112
General Chemistry Laboratory:
CHEM 111/113
Organic Chemistry: CHEM 210/212
Organic Chemistry Laboratory:
CHEM 213
Biochemistry: CHEM 472 and B M B
402 (MCAT 2015 requirement)
Anatomy BIOL 421
Physiology BIOL 472
Physics: PHYS 250/251
Calculus: MATH 140/141
Statistics: STAT 250 (MCAT 2015
requirement)
Psychology: PSYCH 100
English (3 -6 credits): ENGL 15, 202C
Sociology (3-6 credits): SOC 001
(MCAT 2015 requirement)
Although not required, many in the
health professions run their own
practices. Business courses (3-6
credits) are strongly encouraged!
Your Transcripts
AP units can count for
required courses
Better to get “W” than to
repeat “D” or “F”
All grades count in GPA,
except APs
Not too many “W” or
“CR/NCR” grades
Original grades of
repeated courses count
Upward GPA trends look
good
No B-, C, D or F grades.
Isolated instances only.
Light course loads do not
look good; <12 credits
Medical College Admission Test
Test of general biology, chemistry, organic chemistry,
physics, verbal reasoning, writing
As of January 2015, MCAT will change into an areabased test
Need average or better scores to be admitted – top 33%
Repeated MCAT scores are not averaged
Many take commercial MCAT prep course
Medical College Admission Test
MCAT2015 has new components that should be addressed
by your academic preparation:
Sociology – freshman level course will suffice
Biochemistry – CHEM 472 is necessary
Statistics – STAT 250 or equivalent is suggested
Medical College Admission Test
4 Sections, 4 scores:
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
Chemical & Physical
Foundations of
Biological Systems
Psychological, Social,
& Biological
Foundations of
Behavior
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
Biological & Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
What it tests:
Combine knowledge of foundational concepts in the
biological and biochemical sciences with your scientific
inquiry, reasoning, and research and statistics skills to solve
problems that demonstrate readiness for medical school.
Biological & Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
Exam content in this section typically taught in:
•
•
•
•
Introductory biology
Introductory general chemistry
Introductory organic chemistry
First semester biochemistry
Chemical & Physical
Foundations of Biological
Systems
What it tests:
Combine your knowledge of foundational concepts in the
chemical and physical sciences with your scientific inquiry,
reasoning, and research and statistics skills to solve problems
that demonstrate readiness for medical school.
Chemical & Physical
Foundations of Biological
Systems
Exam content in this section typically taught in:
• Introductory biology
• Introductory general chemistry
• Introductory organic chemistry
• Introductory physics
• First semester biochemistry
Psychological, Social, &
Biological Foundations of
Behavior
What it tests:
Knowledge and use of the concepts in psychology, sociology,
biology, research methods, and statistics that provide a solid
foundation for learning in medical school about the
behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health and
health outcomes.
Psychological, Social, &
Biological Foundations of
Behavior
Exam content in this section typically taught in:
•
•
•
Introductory psychology
Introductory sociology
Introductory biology
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
What it tests:
This section asks you to critically analyze, evaluate, and
apply information presented in a passage.
Comprehension
Evaluation
Application
Incorporation of Information
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
Passages from humanities & social sciences*:
• Ethics
• Philosophy
• Cross-cultural studies
• Population health
*Specific knowledge of these disciplines is not required for this section
Experiential Preparation
Demonstrated commitment of service to others:
Working, interning, or volunteering to help others
Medically related experience highly suggested
Hospital, clinic, nursing home, public health clinic
Clinical research through a medical school
Teacher’s aide or tutor (any school level)
Community agencies (homeless shelter, geriatric)
Leadership on or off campus – sports, SGA, etc.
Medical mission work, other church work
Emergency Medical Technician
Experiential Preparation
One or two highly involved experiences are far more important than a
laundry list of ‘hit-and-run’ experiences where you barely played a
part!!!
Keep record of your service hours
Keep supervisor’s name, address, phone for reference letter
when applying
START YESTERDAY!!!
Scientific Research
Research exp. required for M.D./Ph.D. program
Pre-med research experience shows:
Independent interest in science
Dedication & initiative in independent work
Intellectual curiosity
Can be a good source of faculty reference letter
Summer research programs
Desire to contribute to scientific knowledge
Length and breadth most important
Scientific Research
Research does not/should not:
…Take time from a higher GPA
…Be a replacement for people-contact experiences
…Make up for deficiencies in MCAT or GPA
What are Admissions Committees Looking For?
THEY WANT YOU SUCEED IN MEDICAL SCHOOL
They don’t want to waste their time or YOURS
To predict success in 1st & 2nd years of medical school:




Total college GPA (from all colleges)
Science GPA:
all math, biology, chemistry, and physics grades
MCAT scores
Rigor of academic experience
Including caliber of bachelor’s degree institution
 Course load difficulty

What are Admissions Committees Looking For?
To predict success in 3rd & 4th years & beyond:
Reference letters (from faculty and others)
Application essays, including life experiences
Answers to specific application questions on:
Challenges and hardships
Diversity of background and experience
Handling of ethical dilemmas
Goals for the future
Interview the applicant to learn:
What is motivating the student
Their interpersonal skills
The sincerity of their goals
Many applicants take one or
more years off after college
graduation before applying to
medical schools
This is becoming the preferred
route – apply once, apply right
The Screening Process
Medical School Admission Committees WILL NOT read
every applicant’s personal statement and the rest of
the application.
 Every school has to screen its applications to reduce
the number they actually have to read.
 Once the screening process is done, then they start
reading the applications.
AAMC Data
AAMC Data
AAMC Data
Grades Matter
I am a wonderful, amazing person who…
 Rescued children from burning houses
 Built 50 houses with my bare hands by myself for
50 different families
 Volunteered in the ER
 Holds leadership positions in 10 different
organizations
“It doesn’t matter that I have a 2.9 GPA
and a 25 MCAT score, right???”
WRONG! Grades matter.

Don’t bank on being the outlier case.

It’s stressful to take that risk (both financially and emotionally).

No one will see how wonderful you are unless your numbers get by
the screening.
What criteria are used to screen
applicants?
GPA
(Grade Point Average)
MCAT
(Medical School Admissions Test)
Fact and figures can be found at: https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/
Table 19: MCAT scores and GPA’s for Applicants and Matriculants to US
Medical Schools by Race and Ethnicity, 2009
What To Do If You Are Rejected?
Take a deep breath, then
Call the schools and find out why
Assess your chances for reapplication
Assess what you need to improve
Ask yourself how determined you are
Choose best course of action
Should you consider alternate careers?
Maybe You Need More Experience, or ?
Peace Corps, Americorps, or ?
More exposure to health care?
More time helping others ?
Could research experience help ?
Should you repeat some courses ?
Should you repeat the MCAT ?
Do you need stronger reference letters ?
Evidence of maturity & responsibility ?
Post-baccalaureate programs ?
Post-baccalaureate Programs

1 to 2 year programs after B.A./B.S. degree

To show potential to succeed in med school

Can be a Master’s degree or just courses

Some courses are with medical students

MCAT prep included

Research project usually included

Strong programs at:

Georgetown, Boston U., Chicago Medical College, Drexel U.

Some programs for underrepresented applicants

Good admission rates to medical school
Gather Information & Utilize Resources

Rule #1: Decide to devote a significant time commitment
to preparing for medical school.

Rule #2: Research national medical school acceptance data
based upon GPA and MCAT scores.

Rule #3: Seek advice from those well-versed in the medical
school application process.

Rule #4: Get to know your pre-med office!
Gather Information & Utilize Resources
 Confer with premed advisors, mentors, and
upperclassmen who can support you through the
application process.
 Attend a medical school recruitment fair to learn from
representatives about their schools.

AAMC Calender: http://www.aamc.org/calendar/careerfairs
Gather Information & Utilize Resources
 Register with AspiringDocs for information, guidance,
and inspiration about preparation for medical school
and medical careers.

http://www.AspiringDocs.org
 Read “Monetary Decisions for Medical Doctors”
which assists premedical and medial students in their
planning for the financial aspects of the medical
education.

http://www.aamc.org/md2
Helpful Links
To start your journey to medical school, you should visit the
American Association of Medical Colleges and the American
Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Here you will
find free guides to medical programs, statistics on application
rates and acceptances, and information on the many medical
career opportunities. AACOMAS is the application service for
D.O. medical programs.
Resources for students interested in M.D.
Association of American Medical Colleges
Students Association of American Medical Colleges "Road
to Medicine" booklet The Student Doctor Network (sdn The Student Doctor Network contains forums for students
in all areas of medicine)
Helpful Links
Resources for students interested in D.O.
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA - includes
D.O. search feature; helpful for shadowing contacts) What
is Osteopathic Medicine (American Association of Colleges
of Osteopathic Medicine) About Osteopathic Medicine
(America Osteopathic Association)
The Osteopathic Medical Student Website (Student
Osteopathic Medical Association) Frequently Asked
Questions (AACOM) Osteopathic Medical College
Information Book (AACOM) The Student Doctor Network
(sdn - The Student Doctor Network contains forums for
students in all areas of medicine)
Gather Information & Utilize Resources
The MSAR aka Your Best Friend
 The
Medical School Admissions Requirements
(MSAR) profiles every medical school in the US
and Canada.
 Check the
MSAR before applying to get a sense
of what a school’s numbers are, their
requirements, and their curricula.
 For
example, more and more schools require
biochemistry, and same require two semesters of
calculus.