Shadow various healthcare providers: physicians, nurses, physicians’ associates, etc. to distinguish the differences between each. There are many providers that take part in caring for patients, and understanding each role can aid in deciding which route is best for you. Understand that the road to becoming a physician is a 10+ year process- you want to make sure that it is something you are passionate about. Understanding specifically why the physician’s role is what you want to pursue will help carry you through the process. Is it autonomy? Is it the leadership aspect? Or is it something more personal? Determining your reasoning for wanting to be a doctor will help solidify your decision when things get tough down the road. Explore the costs of medical school. On average, it costs over $200,000 to attend medical school[2] X Research source . Clearly, this is an expensive process. Make sure that medicine is the right path for you- it will be challenging to pay back debt without at least having an attending physician’s income! Take the job outlook into account. Although there is projected to be an increase in jobs for physicians, the increase is slower-than-average when compared to other career fields[3] X Trustworthy Source US Bureau of Labor Statistics U. S. government agency that collects and reports labor-related information Go to source . Make sure that you are okay with this!
There are two main application portals (with the exception of Texas): AMCAS[5] X Research source (allopathic) and AACOMAS[6] X Research source (osteopathic). The timeline is generally the same, but keep in mind if you plan on applying to both types of schools, you will need to submit both applications. The primary application for both allopathic and osteopathic schools opens at the beginning of May, with secondary applications getting sent out about one month after the primary application is received by the school. Invitations for interviews typically go out from October-January, but this can vary by about two months. Acceptance or waitlist spots vary significantly between programs, so it is best to check with each school you interview at to see what their relative timeline is.
Find out the average accepted applicant statistics. There are two main databases that give this information: MSAR (allopathic)[7] X Research source and the Choose DO Explorer (osteopathic)[8] X Research source give invaluable information pertaining to the type of applicant that a program accepts. Take note of the average MCAT score and GPA for the programs that you may consider. Applying to medical school is expensive and you do not want to waste time and money on applying to unrealistic schools!
Some schools have GPA cutoffs (e. g. a minimum of 3. 0 GPA) and will not send secondary applications to students who do not meet that cutoff. Prioritize your grades in your STEM-related classes. Many of these classes will compose your science GPA (sGPA), which is something that is heavily considered by admissions committees.
If you work or volunteer in a healthcare field, ask one of the physicians you work with if they will allow you to shadow them. If you don’t already work in healthcare, cold-calling doctor’s offices or asking your primary care physician if you can shadow them is a great place to start!
Whether you are a medical scribe, EMT, patient care technician, or medical assistant, this is another critical aspect of the application. If you cannot dedicate the number of hours that most clinical positions require, try reaching out to a local hospital or doctor’s office. Oftentimes, these places allow members of the community to volunteer once or twice a week. This is a great, low-time commitment way to build connections while still prioritizing your grades.
A general rule of thumb is 1-2 letters from a science professor and 1 letter from a non-science professor. In addition to professor letters, a strong letter from a physician who knows you very well is beneficial. You want to make sure that the people who write your letters can speak on your work ethic, quality of work, and dedication. Note: some osteopathic schools require a letter from an osteopathic physician.
Having a significant research background is a must if you plan on applying to public or private research universities. If you do not currently have any research connections, try speaking with one of your science professors to see if they know anyone looking to fill a research assistant position. Research can be both paid and unpaid, so make sure you take this into consideration prior to committing to a position.
In addition to letters of recommendation, this is a key component in helping the admissions committees understand who you are as a person. The personal statement is so crucial that Dr. Ryan Gray wrote an entire book on it[11] X Research source ! This is the place where you will elaborate on why you chose to become a doctor. Was it from a memorable experience with a patient during your clinical work? Did you fall in love with medical research and never looked back? Did you have your own memorable experience as a patient that led you to pursue medicine? Write about it! Allow yourself plenty of time to curate your personal statement. This is another aspect of your application that can either make or break you!
