Applications 101

Are you a current pre-medical student who KNOWS you want to become a physician? Are you thinking about applying next cycle but don't know where to start? Keep reading because I'm going to give you the inside scoop on what the application process looks like.

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So the basics you should know first: you need to keep your GPA decent, you need an MCAT score, you're going to need between 2-3 letter's of recommendation, and TONS of extra-curricular activities. Also, the application process is basically a year long process (if you are looking to begin school in the summer/fall of 2020, you should be applying NOW). And you're going to need to $ave.

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GPA: yes schools have "averages" and all that means that a lot of people were around that number but they have accepted students who were above and below those averages. So don't stress about trying to achieve a 4.0 by the end of your undergraduate career. Medical schools today are working to use what's called a holistic approach to reviewing applicants (more on that later). Admission committees will value upward trends in grades more than what your final GPA was. So maybe you did have a rough start to undergrad, an upward trend shows you learned from your mistakes.

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MCAT: schools will also have average MCAT scores. Some will even have a minimum MCAT score that they will use to screen applicants (I can get into that later). You do not need to get a 528 or be in the 100th percentile to be a competitive candidate. People have gotten into school with having below a 500 (follow @medschoolmilah for more topics related to this). Try your best, retake it if you must, but the MCAT is a different type of beast that isn't worth the stress of trying to get a perfect score.

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Letter's of recommendation (LOR): So all schools will require a LOR. Some will require 2 and some will require 3. A lot of osteopathic medical schools will require a physician letter. My best advice is to build those relationships early on. This will require stepping out of your comfort zone and networking (something I know is difficult for a lot of STEM majors). You're going to have to ask for those letters EARLY; your professors will forget and it's better to give them a date of when you need the letter so that you're not waiting around for them. Your primary application (I'll tell you what that is later) will not get verified without your letters. You especially will need to keep reminding your physician writer because as we know, they are busy and will totally forget.

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Extra-curricular: honestly just get those hours in. You're going to need clinical experience, meaning you need to be interacting with patients. And clinical experience will let you know if the medical field is right for you. Scribing is one of the easiest experiences you can get that is worth it. Some schools will not consider scribing as physician shadowing however. So to be on the safe side you may want to shadow a physician for a few weeks as well, you may even get to scrub in for a surgery if they are a surgeon. However, be well-rounded. Get involved in activities that YOU enjoy. For example, I play the violin and that makes me unique from the next person who will probably be unique from me. Everyone applying to medical school will have very identical applications, so you need activities that will make you stand out. They also give great talking points when you're invited for an interview. My sorority, for example, has been mentioned in my essays because it's something I care about and am able to draw to attention for my personality and characteristics. Do you like mentoring? Vlogging? These are GREAT things to get involved with. But also, don't be well-rounded just because that's what the admission committees want. They can tell when something is insincere. You also want to be involved in things that will keep your spirits up. The application process (and eventually med school) is long, tiring, and draining emotionally, physically and spiritually.

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If you want to keep reading on the details of the actual application process, click here.

So there you have it, the basics of what goes into applying to medical school. I am currently applying, I've submitted primary applications for 16 schools, received 6 secondaries so far, and 2 rejections. It's real, and I'm ready to share anything I learn on the journey.