My sophomore is applying to an early admit med school. They require 3 LOR’s, one will be high school as required, a clinical rec, and last is college professor with science “highly encouraged”.
Given larger science classes up to this point options are Orgo or non-science PH. They have had same professor for Orgo 1 last spring and in Orgo 2 presently. A’s in both, sits near front, goes to group office hours, but no depth beyond that. Allegedly writes good recommendations, but likely to be more generic as no relationship beyond strong student.
Other option is public health which would be very strong and personal with a lot of depth. Could speak to many angles including work ethic, passion, above and beyond norms, character, etc.
I always say to show you can follow directions and do what they ask, but the science rec is “highly encouraged” versus required, but still say that’s strong language.
One last thought, many a top student will likely also apply to this program, knows several, and all likely to choose Orgo prof given all will have had for two semesters so most depth at this stage given timing of applying.
Adding one other thing in case relevant, they have had A’s in all science courses and bypassed intro bio and chem classes, so proven that side of equation in terms of academic readiness. Don’t know full scope of why they prefer a science rec though.
They prefer a science rec because the course load (until the student starts rotations) leans heavily on science topics. And since the accelerated programs are brutally competitive, the adcom’s want the perspective of a science teacher as to the student’s intellectual curiosity, academic potential, etc. in the sciences. I think kids are better off when they follow the “suggestions”.
Agree with everyone above. In med school speak “highly encouraged /recommended” = required.
A science letter is necessary because the adcomms are looking for a direct comparison of the student’s strengths/weaknesses in the biological and chemical sciences with the other strong students in the class(es) and in the classes that the professor has taught in the past.
AAMC has a list of some of the topics a recommender is expected to touch on when writing a letter of evaluation for med school.
NOTE: the for med school admission, letter writers are providing a letter of evaluation, not a letter of recommendation. They are different entities and encompass different format and content.
Professors who are not familiar with the expected letter format and content often write weak letters which will not help a student during the admission review process.
FWIW, Ochem profs write med school letters All. The. Time. and are quite familiar with what’s expected.
Thanks all, ended up going with orgo as everyone suggested and got an interview.
Follow-up question, obviously there are many pros (and some cons losing flexibility and the what if factor), but one major pro is no MCAT. However, they are already studying and scheduled to take in August with med school result out in July, so they’ll have to commit full-force regardless.
I can’t help but wonder if getting to this point shows they are on track to do well traditional path as program is very selective? They didn’t want to ED in college as wanted to see all options, so this is a departure from their norm. I’m following their lead, not involved, but feel so clueless on med school landscape in the background other than how competitive it is. We also have a strong state school so that’s always a consideration in my mind too.
Is the school of thought these days to take the sure thing if you have that chance?
Some (actually many) folks who enter college thinking they want to be doctors actually change their minds and pursue other options. So…a sure thing to medical school might not be a sure thing for your kid in the end.
Does this early program guarantee acceptance to the medical school portion…or does it just guarantee an interview. Check.
Costs…once your student hits the medical school portion, the costs will likely be $100,000 a year…or more. Federally funded loans are now limited to $200,000 total…which won’t fund medical school in full. So…have a plan for that.
the student is happy with the med school they were admitted to
AND
the student is able to pay for the med school they are being asked to commit to
The student needs to be able to “let go” of the idea they could have gone to a “better,” “more prestigious,” “different” med school. Just like ED, early assurance means the student will never know what other med schools they may have been accepted to. If that’s not an issue, then EA is a great idea. Much less stress than applying traditionally.
Finances are now the big issue w/r/t med school admission. With the new cap on federal student loans, students need to be more price conscious. Starting this summer, med students can only borrow a maximum of $50K/year for medical school. Since the student is “locked in” at the EA school, there is no incentive for the med school to offer anything else in FA–even if there any discretionary grants or low interest school loans available.
If the EA med school COA is more than $50K/year, are you, the parent, willing to co-sign private loans for the balance of the costs? Or can you, the parent, pay OOP from your income/assets the balance of the cost their medical education?
I always find it kind of amusing when people list this as a pro. The MCAT is just the first --and easiest-- of the many, many career-determining standardized exams that physicians take.
Med students still need to take pass national board exams (USMLE or COMLEX or both). Those are 8 solid hours long each. They need to take and pass the NBE (National Board of Medical Examiners) exams for each clinical rotation they do in med school. Don’t pass a NBE exam and you fail the rotation. Failing a rotation is major black markand can lead to being dismissed from med school. Even if not dismissed, a failed rotation will take a student out of consideration for competitive specialties, even mid-competitive specialties like general surgery, anesthesia, radiology or Ob/GYN.
During residency, there are ITEs (in-training exams–different specialties use different names for these exams) every year. Don’t pass one of those–you can be dismissed without being allowed to remediate.
And then there are specialty boards which include oral and written multi-hour long standardized exams. The written portion of the specialty board exams have to be repeated every 5-8 years for the rest of their career.
Med schools give students dedicated time off to study for their USMLE/COMLEX exams, but residency sure as heck doesn’t. Neither do employers.
And to add to this fine and comprehensive post- I’ve written before about a physician friend of mine who used up her vacation allotment to study for what she hopes is the final rounds of exams in her specialty. She’s mid-60’s, has been practicing for decades, sees patients, teaches at a prominent academic medical center, is in charge of the entire group of fellows at her hospital even those who get assigned to a different attending. And researched, published and presented a major study at a national conference last year.
AND SHE’S STILL TAKING TESTS. She was worried about her “cognitive absorption” as she put it- just slower in studying than she was at age 26 or 35, so she opted to use her vacation for a more comprehensive and thorough review (not the slapdash “any hour I can find” that used to work when she was younger).
She’s hoping to continue practicing into her 70’s (no mandatory retirement at her hospital) but even if she opts for a “half retirement” by moving into a private practice that will allow her a three day a week, no on call, no teaching, etc. , she can’t maintain her license without passing yet another set of tests.
So to all the parents of premeds out there- your kid really really really needs to get used to high stakes testing!!!
I hear you on the MCAT, those were my words and not theirs. They’re already preparing and like the challenge, so part of me thinks they won’t like not taking it. it’s just humorous timing with result month just before the test. So they’d void it nearly immediately if they accept and then take test.
One can only void a MCAT during the exam itself–before a test taker gets up from their seat to leave and before hitting the done/submit button. Even then AMCAS will record (but not score) the MCAT attempt.
Voided MCAT exams ARE counted toward one’s number of annual and lifetime allowed tests.
You child can get their $175 testing fee refunded if they cancel their MCAT at least 30 days in advance of their scheduled testing date. 29 days or less–no refund!
Sorry, meant if they decide to follow through with taking MCAT then their assured med school spot is lost, not voiding the MCAT test. I’m clearly doing a bang up job of explaining things today!