updated:
2/ 2005
Next update: 2006
Copyright 1999-2006
Alex Shteynshlyuger
Master.com.content
"Getting in is 99% perspiration and 99% inspiration."
Medical School Admissions: The Process
Getting in into a medical school is not easy, yet scholars of mysticism do not find it to be a subject worthy of study. This is good news since it implies that you can control your destiny...
The truth is that if you do extremely well academically: that is, if you get (1) high GPA, (2) obscenely high MCATs, (3) write Pulitzer-worthy personal statement and (4) do well on the medical school admissions interview, your admission to medical school is virtually guaranteed if in addition to that you (a) have good recommendations, (b) have done community service--helped others, (c) have an uncle who is the chair of an admissions committee...
Of course, even if it seems that everyone but you fits that profile you're not alone. In fact no one manage to do all these tasks with success since you can't fit all of that in a 24 hour day. The truth is that no one on the admissions committee really expects you to do all of that. Doing some of the things well is good enough.
The secret to success is to control the variables that you can control--you can blame your uncles for not being chairs of the admissions committee at your cherished medical school but that would only dampen your inspiration, which should always stay at 99%! So forget about your uncles (or aunts)--unless any of them is really in a position to get you in. But then stop wasting your time reading this and go watch Pinky and the Brain as they take over the world!
For the rest of us, success depends on setting the right goals and priorities and relentlessly following the path to success. Yet life is not linear, and despite our intentions, your GPA or MCAT score may be less than you wish it were. And with all the expectations, how is one to fulfill all of them when there are only 24 hours to a day and no more than seven days in a week?
Based on my successes and failures as a premed, and failures do serve a role--they teach valuable lessons about life <A Good Interview Question>), I am offering suggestions on how to stay on top of the Pre-Med Game. I hope that you will adapt the lessons I share here for your own winning Pre-Med Game Strategy.
First some clarifications:
- MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test): Consists of FOUR Sections:
- a physical sciences section which consists of Physics and Freshman/Introductory (Inorganic) Chemistry questions. (Graded on 1-15 scale)
- a Biological Sciences section which consists of Biology and Organic Chemistry Questions. (Graded on 1-15 scale)
- a Reading Comprehension section, which consists of passages and questions about them. (Graded on 1-15 scale)
- a Writing Sample Section which consists of Two Essay Questions, half-hour each (not as important as the other three sections, Graded with letters O,P, Q, R, S)
GPA: The reality is that for the purposes of medical school admissions there are actually TWO GPAs that you need to keep in mind:
- Science GPA: Calculated by taking into account all classes you took in Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc. You do not choose what classes you want to count for Science GPA, but remember you CAN choose the classes you take! This is certainly more important than your Non-Science GPA but your Non-Science GPA is very important==>If it sounds like Catch-22, it is.
- Non-Science GPA: Calculated by taking into account all other classes that are not used in calculating your Science GPA.
