Medicine is among the most prestigious career paths, but it comes at the cost of many study hours and perseverance. Even though it pays off eventually, the journey is rigorous, and it all begins with earning Medical School admission. However, you shouldn’t make the application superficially; choose your institution wisely and ensure the preconditions are in order.
Requirements
Aspirants have to meet various admission requirements to enroll in a med school. The vital ones include the following.
Degree
You need a 4-year bachelor’s certification to qualify for med school. However, you can complete the degree in less time if you combine more courses each semester.
Prerequisite Courses
Course restrictions tend to vary across different schools. So you should confirm the specific courses needed by your chosen institute. Some of the disciplines that the AAMC recommends applicants to have include chemistry, biology, English, and mathematics.
Some science majors may demand additional requirements. But generally, accomplishing the above courses should meet the prerequisites to join any med school in the U.S
GPA
Many institutes don’t set a minimum GPA for aspirants but demand high grades. Even though they’ll not declare a minimum GPA, some do deploy a cutoff when reviewing applications. So having a solid GPA would give you an upper hand.
Med School MCAT
Aspirants must do a Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and submit their scores. You can take the tests as early as your sophomore year. However, those who take it in their junior year can apply for a medical course of study shortly after. Most institutes offering medicine prefer recent MCATS, so aspirants who do the tests years before applying may have to redo them.
To be safe with the MCAT, target a score of 508 and above. Your GPA complements the MCAT marks. So a higher GPA will help to balance out a lower MCAT mark.
Noncollegiate Undertakings
The competition for med school spots is stiff, so your academics might not be strong enough to set you apart from other contenders. Thus, the board analyzes applicants’ non-educational contributions as a differentiating aspect.
Some of the extracurriculars that can prove valuable include:
- Social services; volunteering
- Shadowing experience; observing physicians in clinics
- Clinic experience; volunteering to help patients, e.g., as an EMT assistant
- Research experience gained from clinical labs
Recommendations
LoR requirements vary among institutions. For instance, there could be a variance in the number of LoRs to present and the persons who should provide them. To be safe, get two from science instructors, one from a non-science lecturer, and another two from persons you’ve worked with in a non-educational setting, such as physicians.
Noteworthy, some institutes compose committee LoR for their students, but it’s not a requisite. So don’t worry if your institution doesn’t. It’s also common for students to be asked to craft their LoRs. But, again, don’t panic if you encounter such because it’s easier compared to writing personal statements for residency.
Casper
Applicants also take the Casper test, which involves analyzing scenarios and answering questions in a limited time. Casper has evolved recently to include two other assessments, Duet and Snapshot, but they are not mandatory.
Admission Requirements for Various Medical Schools
Different institutions set varying requirements for aspiring students. Here are examples from two popular ones.
Harvard Medical School
Admissibility conditions for Harvard Med School include:
- Bachelor’s certification
- Fluent in written and spoken English
- Prerequisite courses include behavioral sciences, writing, biology, and physics
- Academic excellence; no minimum grade point for MCATs
- Up to 6 LoRs; two from science lecturers, one from a non-science university teacher, and all research supervisors
Harvard uses virtual interviews. Thus, if you meet all the preconditions, be prepared for an online assessment.
Dartmouth Medical School
Acceptability conditions for Dartmouth School include the following:
- At least three years of post-secondary education and a bachelor’s certification
- Written and spoken English
- Prerequisite courses include organic chemistry, biochemistry, and biology
- Candidates should achieve a minimum of 503 in MCATs
- 3-5 LoRs
If everything is in order, you’ll be scheduled for an assessment. It will entail two one-on-one interviews conducted by current students and faculty, plus a group exercise.
Singing Off
Enrolling in a medical course of study isn’t easy. It demands a lot from aspirants academically and in extracurriculars. However, some requisites vary depending on the institution to which an individual applies. So you should check with the school to confirm your eligibility.
We hope our guide has helped you determine what it takes to become a medical student should you pick that path. Good luck!
