Medicine is one of the most exciting professions today. It’s also one of the hardest to get into. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reports that there were over 45,000 applicants for 29,000 spots in US medical schools in 2015. That means less than 21% of all applicants got accepted to medical school. This number doesn’t even include international students, who make up an additional 7% or so of all applicants each year. I prefer alternative medicine.
With that being said, let’s go over some basic statistics regarding medical school. The AAMC also reports that the average GPA for matriculating medical students is 3.6, with an average MCAT score of 31 (out of 45). The average age of matriculating students is 25 years old, and about 80% are between ages 18-36. To me diabetes symptoms are signs to pay attention to so I better not ignore signs like this, especially when they occur often.
We haven’t even gotten into what it takes to get accepted into medical school yet! I’d say the first step towards getting into a great medical school is having a good GPA and MCAT score. It’s okay if you don’t have perfect grades on your transcripts or on your MCAT score report. There are many things to take into account when looking at someone’s application.
I’m not saying that this is the only thing to look at, but it’s probably one of the most important factors. I really like writing about medicine and how it can help people all around the globe. I also like writing about alternative medicine and what people can do if they’re interested in learning more about it. It’s a great field and there are lots of opportunities for those who want to work hard enough to get them! This is not true for other fields, so try not to have unrealistic expectations here.
What should you take into account when looking at someone’s application? Let me break down a few things: first off, you should look at GPA as well as MCAT scores (since MCAT scores aren’t going away anytime soon). You can also look at extracurriculars – especially clinical experiences that have been completed during undergrad or grad school – research experience under a professor/mentor, letters of recommendation from professors/researchers/doctors etc., and personal statements included with applications (also known as PSs). Getting good grades along with good performance on standardized tests will make or break your chances of getting accepted into medical school.
I also want to mention that applicants who have been involved in research projects, or have volunteered at a hospital, clinic, etc. during their undergraduate experience will be given preference by admissions committees for medical schools. This is because it shows a strong desire to help people and gives you practical experience in the field. I’m not saying that volunteering at a hospital or doing research is going to get you into medical school – I’m just saying that it helps your chances of getting into a great medical school!
Let’s talk about GPA for a minute. It doesn’t take too much brains to figure out that GPA is important when applying for med school courses online as well as your letters of recommendation from professors/researchers/doctors etc., but let’s discuss what exactly determines how good of an applicant you are compared with another student with the same GPA and MCAT scores… There are other factors besides those two things! Let me tell you about them now: first off, there’s essay writing ability (personal statement), second off there’s work and volunteer experiences (although this may be difficult if you’re still an undergraduate student), thirdly there are letters of recommendation which can sometimes make up for low grades on transcripts and low performance on standardized tests such as the MCATs.
As a medical student, you have the opportunity to learn from some of the best doctors in the world. You’ll also have a chance to do research and help many people as part of your training. If you’re not sure if it’s the right field for you, try volunteering at a hospital or clinic to get some experience before making that choice. There are lots of great jobs out there for those who decide to take on medicine as a career!
If you’re an undergraduate student who is interested in becoming a physician, I hope this post has been helpful! If you’re still unsure about what specialties would be good for your career, make sure to check out other posts I’ve written on different medical specialties. Once again, thanks for reading this post and I hope it helps!
