The average age for a first-year medical student (known as an M1) is 24. This means that if you are currently a 15-year-old high school freshman and are an aspiring doctor, you have approximately nine years to learn, explore, and discover as much as you can about the field of medicine! So, if you are …
In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Dr. Valerie Wherley speaks with Dr. Jonathan Tolentino about the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s innovative three-year Accelerated Pathway to Residency Program. Designed for students with a clear specialty focus, this program allows participants to earn their MD in 36 months while maintaining rigorous academic …
Planning to apply to medical school in the upcoming cycle? With so much to do and so many deadlines to stay ahead of, the next few months can be a hectic time. These ten tips will help you hit the ground running. Table of Contents: 1. Get cozy with AMCAS and AACOMAS (and TMDSAS, if …
The University of Connecticut School of Medicine (UConn SOM), founded in 1961, is a public medical school located in Farmington, Connecticut. Located at the University of Connecticut Health Center, the UConn SOM also includes the School of Dental Medicine, graduate programs in Biomedical Science and Public Health, the UConn John Dempsey Hospital, research buildings, and …
If the application season isn’t going as you’d hoped, your thoughts might turn to alternative routes for your medical education. Perhaps you’re thinking about retaking the MCAT, boosting your GPA with postbaccalaureate coursework, or spending a year in a clinical or research environment. Or you might be thinking about warm, tropical breezes and the island …
In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Dr. Valerie Wherley welcomes Dr. Glenn Cummings, associate dean and director of health professions advising at Bryn Mawr, for an in-depth look at one of the nation’s oldest and most respected career-changer post-bac pathways. Dr. Cummings explains the distinctive mission and history of the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program – …
The Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine is located in Hanover, New Hampshire, and is the fourth-oldest medical school in the United States. On its website, the school sums up its mission as follows: “We address the world’s health problems through research and discovery, the evaluation and improvement of systems of healthcare, and the education of …
The Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) is an online platform where prospective students can apply to multiple physician assistant (PA) programs with one application. Competitive CASPA applications highlight both hard skills and soft skills learned, applied, and demonstrated in a variety of settings. For many PA applicants, showcasing hard skills – or skills …
Choosing the right physician assistant (PA) program can feel overwhelming. There are more than 300 accredited programs in the United States, each with different strengths, cultures, and expectations. According to data provided by the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), the acceptance rate in the 2024-2025 cycle was roughly 36%. With medical schools boasting a 42.9% …
In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, host Dr. Valerie Wherley sits down with Dr. Reynold Jaglal, program director of the Sacred Heart University Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program, for an in-depth look at Sacred Heart’s values-focused approach to physician assistant (PA) education. Dr. Jaglal breaks down the program’s 27-month curriculum, …
Rush Medical College (RMC) is the medical school of Rush University, located in Chicago, Illinois. In 2025, RMC received more than 13,000 applications and matriculated 144 students. What makes the school interesting to such a vast number of applicants? RMC’s mission emphasizes developing “empathetic, proficient physicians” committed to clinical practice, research, education, and service. The …
When premed students contact us about guiding them through the medical school application process, many of their questions relate to timing. “When should I…?” is a frequent question starter. Although no single answer applies to everyone, here are the guidelines we at Accepted use when advising our medical school clients. When Should I Apply to …
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