question for med students?

Question

i just graduated last year with a psychology degree, i started out with a BS in psych then shifted to BA with a minor in something else. now i want to get in to med schl, i did miss a couple of science units like org chem and physics but i do have the others like biology, zoology, botany and inorganic chems 1 and 2. How do i apply to get in to med schl? what would be my frist-last step? how about financial aid? i dont have GREAT gpa's but i do have the determination. thanks!

Answer 1

Here's what you're going to have to do, in a nut shell:

1. You're going to have to take some post-bac classes to make up for the pre-med requirments you missed (they all require a year of chem, ochem, physics, and bio). That sounds pretty bad if you're missing a lot, but there are some great 1 or 2 year post-bac programs that are specifically designed for people like you. They are offered by schools all over the US (where I'm assuming you live). So its doable!

2. You'll then have to take the MCAT, which you'll be at least partly prepared for by taking all those science classes (an MCAT prep course may be well worth it as well).

3. To help boost your odds further, get involved in some volunteer work, or try to find some kind of research position. Even if its just entry level, med schools go gaga over research experience, and some just assume you have it.

Worry about financial aid after you get an acceptance. There's plenty of loans you can take out, both federal and private. Its a long haul, but if you are determined you can do it! I did a similar turn around type deal, and went from being a substance abuse counselor to going to med school. Just one step at a time; don't worry about how long it takes, just have a good time while you do it and it goes by fast!

Answer 2

There is some great, if lengthy advice above, suffice it to say, go back to school to get the requirements. Get top grades in this endeavor, which will bump your GPA somewhat. Do FANTASTIC on the MCAT exam. With your spare time, do volunteer work, particularly around elderly or infirm people (ie nursing home), as well as some sort of research project.

I had to go back to get some of the basics, like Calculus, in order to apply, took the GRE as practice, did not take the MCAT prep courses, but did buy several books, and studied them. You should take your time before you apply as this is the last free time you will have for many years to come. Enjoy, work some, save some, study some, get some living under your belt. Med schools like that also.

The field of medicine needs people of varying interests and backgrounds, let not the hard core scientists dissuade you. Stay with it, if you are dedicated, you have much to offer humanity.

Answer 3

the two. without med scholars, the regulation scholars could be at a lost for evidence of their circumstances e.i. blood attempting out..subsequently they could suck as attorneys. without regulation scholars, there could be a handful of med scholars in reformatory because of the intense sue value or mal prepare-w.e.

Answer 4

No offense, but if you don't have a high GPA, don't even bother trying. It's very competetive.

Answer 5

medical student or practice not for just anyone, it takes skill and talent, empathy and intuition not just scholastics

Answer 6

Frequently Asked Questions - Applying to Medical School

(For detailed explanations, see ourGuide for Applying to Medical School for Swarthmore Undergraduates and Alumni/ae.)



What are medical schools looking for?

Medical schools are interested in applicants with excellent academic abilities (as shown in grades and MCAT scores), strong interpersonal skills (often demonstrated in volunteer, leadership and employment situations), clear motivation for medicine (as shown by significant involvement in medical settings), and demonstrated compassion and concern for others.



What kind of grades will I need to be accepted to medical school?

Currently, applicants with a B+ average and a 30 MCAT can be reasonably confident that they will get into medical school. The top schools typically look for students with A- averages or higher. You can get an excellent medical education at any U.S. medical school.



How is my GPA calculated?

AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) takes all the grades you've ever earned from any U.S. or Canadian college or university, and calculates one GPA for all courses taken, and another for all biology, chemistry, physics and math courses taken. The Swarthmore Health Sciences Advisory Committee will also look at the grades you've earned at Swarthmore College, to see how you've performed in relation to others in your class.



Do medical schools make allowances for Swarthmore's rigor and lack of grade inflation?

Yes, many medical schools are aware of Swarthmore and the excellence of its students and its academic program. They are often willing to consider our applicants with grades that are slightly lower than those of their typical admitted students. It normally makes sense to apply to schools where your GPA is within 0.2 points of their average GPA for accepted students.



When should I apply to medical school?

You should apply to medical school when your candidacy is at its strongest. That means good grades, good scores, and good non-academic experiences. Most Swarthmore students are choosing to take time in between graduation and medical school, to either strengthen their candidacies or to spend time doing other interesting things. If there is a weakness in your application, it is a wise strategy to take some time to correct it, rather than to go ahead and waste your time and money applying.

If you plan to attend medical school immediately after graduation, you would apply in June after your junior year.



Don't medical schools look down on people who don't go directly to medical school from college?

No. The average age of people starting medical school is 24, and the vast majority of Swarthmore applicants take some time off. Taking time off allows many applicants the chance to do interesting things, like research, teaching, travel or community service, that makes them even more impressive to medical school admissions committees. It also allows your senior year grades to be included in your AMCAS GPA.



What are AMCAS and AACOMAS?

AMCAS is a centralized application service that you must use to apply to nearly all U.S. allopathic (M.D.) medical schools. (There are a few allopathic schools that you must contact directly for an application.) AACOMAS is a similar centralized service that is used for all but one of the osteopathic (D.O.) medical schools.



What is the Health Sciences Committee Letter?

The Swarthmore College Health Sciences Advisory Committee produces a letter of recommendation for each Swarthmore student and alum who applies to medical school through our process. The actual letters are written by Gigi, using recommendations you solicit from your professors, coaches and supervisors, and information you provide to her directly. The Health Sciences Office sends the Committee letter directly to the medical schools you select.



How does the process work?

You submit your AMCAS application, and have all your transcripts sent to AMCAS. They process your application and then send it on to the schools that you indicate. When they receive your AMCAS application, most schools will automatically send you a secondary application, which should be completed and sent back within 2 weeks. A handful of schools only send secondaries to applicants who make it through an initial cut. We will send your Committee letter to the schools you indicate on your yellow "Medical Schools List" form. Once schools have received your completed secondary application and your Committee letter, they will evaluate your application and decide whether to invite you for an interview. After the interview, they will accept you, reject you, or put you on "hold" or on a wait list. This may happen within a few weeks, or you may not hear anything at all for months.



When should I send in my application?

APPLY EARLY! You can submit your AMCAS application in early to mid-June, and that is what you should aim for, no matter when the actual medical school deadlines are. Most schools evaluate applicants on a rolling basis, so naturally, it is best to have your application complete when there are many seats to fill. Also, you will find it easier emotionally to be one of the first to have interviews and acceptances, rather than one of the last.



How should I choose schools to apply to?

Most students apply to about 15 schools. You may know that you would prefer a case study approach to learning, or a focus on research, or an urban setting, and these considerations should enter into your decision-making. You should plan on a mix of schools where you are likely to be a very strong candidate, schools where it is a bit of a reach, and a handful of "dream" schools. Your best resource is the Medical School Admissions Requirements guide, which is published every year by the Association of American Medical Colleges. There is a description of each medical school, which includes median grades and scores of the first year class. You should apply to all the schools in your home state, and not to schools in other states that accept few out-of-staters. You can get an excellent education at any U.S. medical school.



How do I get an application?

You can access the AMCAS application through the AAMC website at http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm and the AACOMAS application at https://aacomas.aacom.org/. Both online applications should be available in early May, and may be submitted in June.



How much does it cost to apply?

Applying to medical school is very expensive. AMCAS charges $160 for the first school and $30 for each additional school that you apply to, and most schools then have additional fees as part of their secondary applications. You should plan on spending about $1800 on application fees alone. If you have extreme financial limitations, you can apply for a waiver of those fees, but waivers are rarely granted. You must also plan on the cost of traveling to interviews.



When will I find out whether I got in?

The earliest medical schools can accept you is October 15. The latest is the first day of classes in the fall.



I plan to travel or live abroad after college. Can I apply from overseas?

Yes, you can apply from overseas, especially now that the AMCAS application is web-based, but it will be much more complicated, and will require very careful planning and attention to detail. It will be much easier if you choose a place with reasonably good computer (check the AMCAS website for browser requirements), phone, mail and travel access. You will also need to designate a responsible person (usually a parent) who will serve as a U.S. contact point between you and the medical schools.

You will have to figure out a way to handle interviews, perhaps by planning to be in the U.S. for several weeks in December to travel to a number of schools. (For all these reasons, it can be difficult to apply during Peace Corps service.) Be sure to meet with Gigi long before you leave the country, to carefully map out your strategy, and to make sure all your administrative tasks are completed before you go.



Should I apply early decision?

Probably not. Unlike undergraduate school, there is no advantage to applying to medical school early decision. In fact, it puts you at a disadvantage, because if you are rejected, it is then very late to apply to a broader list of schools. The only people who should contemplate early decision are those with a very concrete and compelling reason why they could only attend one particular school.



What transcripts are required? Where/when should they be sent?

You must request transcripts from ALL U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities you’ve attended, including those you may have attended in high school, even if those courses are on your Swarthmore transcript (with the exception of Bryn Mawr and Haverford courses taken during the academic year). If you have studied abroad, you must request a transcript from the American college that sponsored your program. You should have the Registrar of each school send the transcript directly to AMCAS or AACOMAS, with a downloadable Transcript Request form for AMCAS.

It makes sense to request transcripts in May from schools where your work is complete, as there may be some bureaucratic delay. If you are a current student, you should wait for your spring semester grades to be on your transcript before having it sent.



Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation?

You will need about 5 letters of recommendation. You should ask professors in whose courses you've done very well (B+ or higher.) You should get at least 2 letters from science professors in different disciplines, a non-science letter, and if possible, a letter from a coach or a supervisor in a job or a volunteer experience. Do not get letters from family friends, "important" physicians, congressmen, or others who you may think would be impressive. If you have any sense that a faculty member has any dissatisfaction with your work or your behavior, it is wise not to ask them for a letter. The individual letters are photocopied and attached to your Health Sciences Committee letter.



Can I see the letters?

Although you are not required to, it is advisable for you to sign the recommendation waiver, giving up your right to see the letters of recommendation, so they will have more credibility with the medical schools. Once you've done that, Gigi cannot give you any hint of the contents of the letter.



Should I apply to osteopathic schools?

Osteopathy is a branch of medicine focusing on healing the whole person, and using physical manipulation as one form of diagnosis and treatment. While osteopathic physicians are in every medical specialty, most are oriented towards primary care. Osteopathic training is similar to allopathic training, with 4 years of medical school leading to a D.O. degree, with residency following. Osteopathic schools are often slightly easier to get into, so if you think you may be interested in this approach, you should investigate osteopathy further.



When should I take the MCAT?

The MCATs are offered in 2006 on April 22 and August 19. Because it is important to have a complete application as soon as possible, the latest you should take the MCAT is April before the June when you apply. If you take the August MCAT, your application won't be complete until those scores are sent out in October, which puts you in a less advantageous position.



Should I take an MCAT prep course?

For the convenience of students who are interested in taking it, there is a Kaplan MCAT prep course that is offered on campus, starting the first weekend of the spring semester. It takes place most weekends until the exam, for a total of about 75-95 hours of class time, and costs $1349. Some students find the structure of a prep class and the frequent practice tests very useful. Others have the discipline to study on their own, and do well without it.



What if I'm determined to be a doctor, but my grades aren't good enough?

Many applicants take a few years after graduation to strengthen their academic records. They sometimes choose to take additional science courses at a local university, or enroll in a formal postbaccalaureate program for students interested in medical school who need to improve their credentials. If you feel that your credentials may not be strong enough, be sure to consult with Gigi about your situation.