Getting ready to apply to medical school? This can be a hectic time as you try to stay on top of everything. Here are ten tips to help you hit the ground running:
1. Get cozy with AMCAS/AACOMAS.
These two services – the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) – are the primary gateways for future physicians. If you’ve taken the MCAT or applied for fee assistance, you might already be registered with the AMCAS; if not, you should register immediately.
You’ll spend lots of time on these websites this year – whether you’re inputting your primary application, adding programs for submissions, or checking the status of your applications – so take some time now to register with and explore them. In particular, look at their guidelines for completing your applications:
Note: Texas medical schools have their own application service – the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) – and provide their own application guidelines.
2. Get ready to spend a lot of money.
Applying to medical school is expensive, and each program you target comes with a hefty price tag. But don’t let the costs unfairly limit your choices. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Fee Assistance Program and the AACOMAS Application Fee Waiver can help defer the costs of applications and the MCAT.
Apply early, and make sure you’re approved before you submit, or you won’t be reimbursed.
3. Decide where to apply.
One of your biggest decisions will be how many programs to target. With 52,577 unique applicants submitting nearly a million applications to allopathic schools during the 2023 cycle, the average candidate submits applications to 18 programs. If your GPA and MCAT score are above average, then you’re safe targeting fewer schools, but if in doubt, spread your chances out. To guide your decision, be sure to study each program’s website to understand its specific admission requirements and, in the case of allopathic schools, the Medical School Admissions Requirements.
You can find additional program information compiled in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 list of the best medical schools, but be sure to take such rankings with a grain of salt. Many medical schools do not participate in the rankings, and deans are quick to point out that any accredited North American medical school will provide a comprehensive medical education.
4. Register for the MCAT.
If you haven’t already done so, go claim your MCAT slot – spring and summer dates are in high demand. And if you require any accommodations, be sure to get your request in early.
If you’re waiting to get your MCAT score before submitting your application, don’t! You only need your MCAT score to identify your target schools. Submit everything else for verification as early as possible. This will make the process go much more quickly once your scores are available.
5. Apply early.
Schools set their own deadlines, and some of those deadlines might seem far away. But don’t wait! There is less competition early in the season, so applicants who wait to apply until later are at a disadvantage. Also, keep in mind that your application must be verified by AMCAS and AACOMAS before it’s even forwarded to the med schools. This can take up to six weeks during peak season – and longer, if any issues arise – so budget that time into your timeline.
6. Sort out your recommendation letters.
Hopefully, you’ve already contacted the people you would like to write your letters of evaluation. If not, think about who can write about your suitability for medical school. When you request their help, supply them with an up-to-date copy of your resume or CV, along with notes as to any specific areas you’d like them to address. While each school has its own requirements for letters, AMCAS allows you to collect up to ten letters. You can then pick which letter goes to which schools.
Don’t postpone submitting your application while you’re waiting for your recommenders to complete their letters. If a recommendation arrives after your application has been verified, it will be sent immediately to your selected medical schools.
7. Start completing secondary essays.
You might be tempted to take a break after submitting your primary application, but a better use of your time would be getting started on your secondaries. Although some programs “screen” and invite candidates to submit secondaries only after reviewing their application, most programs automatically send you their secondaries if you select their school. This means that you’re likely to get a deluge of secondaries shortly after you apply. Heed the “apply early” rule here, too – the general guideline is a two-week turnaround, but some programs have even shorter turnaround times. Prewriting some of your secondaries will ensure that you don’t miss a deadline or get flooded with a lot of new essay work all at once.
8. Prep for interviews.
If you applied early in the season, you should start getting interview invitations by late August, and September-November is usually the peak of interview season.
Getting your first interview invitation is exciting, but it can also be nerve-wracking. Interviews do get easier with practice, which is why we always recommend that you start preparing early. Answering questions in the car, in the shower, while washing dishes, or wherever else you are can increase your level of comfort in talking about yourself. Practicing with someone who will give you honest feedback can help even more.
9. Don’t worry until you need to.
The medical school application process is long – it’s often compared to a marathon rather than a sprint – and your patience will be tested. In most cases, there is little you can do but wait. But what happens if January rolls around and you haven’t heard anything? Chances are you’ll need to start thinking about reapplying. However, there’s still one tactic at your disposal: submitting update and interest letters. This should not be done indiscriminately, though. Only submit additional materials if the program allows, and focus on substantive updates rather than repeating what you’ve already said.
10. Carry on carrying on.
Don’t put your life on hold while you apply for medical school. Keep doing what you love, whether that’s sports or volunteer work or community activities. Not only will you be a lot happier and a lot less anxious about the whole admissions process, but you’ll also have something to share if and when you get those coveted interviews.
If you’re applying to medical school in the 2024-2025 season, this next year could change your life forever. Get started right, and stay on top of things, and you’ll be able to make sure the year is both enjoyable and momentous.
Since 2001, Cydney Foote has advised hundreds of successful applicants for medical and dental education, residency and fellowship training, and other health-related degrees. Admissions consulting combines her many years of creating marketing content with five years on fellowship and research selection committees at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She’s also shared her strategy for impressing interviewers in a popular webinar and written three books and numerous articles on the admissions process. Want Cydney to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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