Johns Hopkins Medical School admission?

Question

I wish to be accepted and enter the Johns Hopkins Medical school, but this school is one of the best medical schools a person can attend, and I don't know if I have the necessary prequisites to be accepted. I heard that in order to be accepted into any medical school, I should attend one of the best colleges I can get into to get my bachelors degree, but the college I will be attending is not what you can call a "hard to get into school". Almost anyone can get into this school. Do I stand a chance at medical school? Will hard work ultimately help me get into Johns Hopkins?

Answer 1

Guess what? You are lucky. Medical schools in the United States put a heavy emphasis on the MCAT. At the undergraduate level, the SAT is only one of many factors of admissions. At the graduate level, however, the two most important factors are your recommendations and your MCAT score.

So if you get a good score on the MCAT, then you will probably get into Johns Hopkins, Mayo, Harvard, Penn, or any other medical schools.

Best of luck to you.

Answer 2

Johns Hopkins Medical School Admissions

Answer 3

I think you need to clearly understand the difference between a medical school and residency training. Where you attend medical school is not as important as where you do you residency.

I frequently tell prospective students that a medical school is the equivalent to teaching a foreign born student English. A medical school simply teaches you the basic sciences of medicine, much like an English as a Second Language program teaches basic English. It doesn't matter where you learned to speak the language, as the end result is that you speak English, or in the case of medicine, that you understand the basic sciences. So, do yourself a favor and attend the least expensive medical school in the US that you can get into. All are excellent schools--the variances in how they are rated have nothing to do with the education program. The variances are affected by cost, amenities, location, etc.

Now, where you do your residency does matter. I worked at Johns Hopkins and of course I am biased in favor of it. Most believe that it is the Mecca of medicine. But in truth, there isn't a dime's bit of difference between Hopkins, Harvard, Tulane or Emory. But the prestige of attending a top tier residency program does affect the salary that is offered to you.

And, if you didn't know this, hear it here first. Getting in doesn't mean that you'll remain. For example, the General Surgery residency at Hopkins might admit 10 interns each June. The next year, there are only six slots available for first year residents--which means four people have to scramble for another residency program. Not fun--and it carries the stigma that Hopkins didn't think you were good enough to continue in its program. But each year, there are fewer and fewer slots available...until the fifth year, where there's only one. That person has bragging rights....but the other nine all had to find another program that would accept them.

But, that's true at every school.

Bottom line, save your money and attend a state sponsored medical school. Bust butt and pray you get into a prestigious residency.

Answer 4

I think more attention should be focused on doing well at whatever school you earn your bachelor's degree in, and doing well on the MCAT. The requirements for John Hopkins (and almost all other medical schools) are basically the same. One year each of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics and Biology. At Hopkins you will also need to take calculus and 24 credit hours of humanities and social science courses. The average GPA of accepted students to John Hopkins is 3.8 and the average composite MCAT score is a 33. This may change year to year slightly, but it gives you a goal to aim for. I wish you the best of luck and a little advice. If you are are freshman, make sure you keep the goal of medical school in mind because it's easy to get distracted. You don't want your GPA to suffer, especially in your science and mathematics classes. Again, good luck

Answer 5

I assume you've checked the Johns Hopkins website.

While hard work always helps, you may need to reconsider your strategy. What would happen if you transfered from your "ordinary" undergrad program to an elite one, perhaps in another state, for your last two years?

Of course, you've have to have near top grades to do this, and you'll need near top grades to get into JH Medical anyway, absent some special considerations [which you find out about on the JH website.]


:-)

Answer 6

Keep your GPA up to at least a 3.5 and above. When applying, it would be helpful to obtain letters of recommendation from most or all of your professors at your current school.

Another positive would be to write a narrative to JHU explaining your career/personal goals and why you feel you would be an important asset to the college itself.

My cousin attends JHU and I have heard that it is a marvelous university. Keep following your dreams. Good luck to you.