Besides grades, what do Medical Schools like JHU, UMich, NYU, etc. look for? Are there any programs that I should take in college that Medical Schools like to see. What classes should I take and what should I major in that will prepare me for Medical School.
Also I’ve been looking at colleges like Stony Brook, Fordham, UAlbany. Does it matter what college I go to? Or do some colleges offer more programs and such. Also will some colleges prepare me better than others?
Thanks
Read thru the very informative FAQ at http://www.rhodes.edu/hpa/15890.asp They also have a nice writeup in the PreMed Essentials link on the left side of that page. There is also an excellent online handbook at Amherst I recommend to get an understanding of the process and what really matters
I always ask kids that say they want to be doctors, why an M.D? Not that I know it is wrong for you, it may be the right fit, but have you actually looked into the medical field and considered the alternatives? From the day you start college it will be 11-15 years before you are a practicing doctor, depending on what field you go into. In other words, think back to 1st grade; all those years since then matches the minimum it will take to become a practicing doc! Its almost a reflex action among HS kids, they think of a career in medicine and its “I’m pre-med!” Doctors are far from the only ones in the health field that help people. Physical therapists, radiology techs, nurses, speech pathologists, to name but just a few. Before you go heavily into debt and commit so many years I suggest you explore the alternatives.
Doesn’t matter what you major in…you just have to take the med school pre-req courses (I am sure explained in the link above).
You can major in anything you want to. But there is a set list of classes that most medical schools will require that you complete as an undergrad, before you apply. I don’t have the current list off the top of my head, but as I recall it was 2 years of bio, a year of inorganic chem and organic chem, a year of higher level math, a year of physics - and now, I think it includes a semester of bio chem. There may be one or two other classes. Most schools offer all these courses - and you’ll still need to self-study for the MCAT so it’s all fresh in your mind for the test. There are no ‘programs’ at schools that you need to take and prestige is really not of great significance.
To get a sense of how competitive admission is, check out the AAMC stats for admission to medical schools:
https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/157998/mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html
Hope this helps.
In addition, you will need Psychology and Sociology for the new MCAT.
I would like to add comments about 8). Most pre-meds care greatly about medically related ECs. these students are absolutely passionate about them, both in regard to learning opportunities as well as a pride of being able to provide a helping hand and actually make a difference. The “distinguishing” part is overrated. Being passionate about everything you do is NOT overrated though. it will come thru during interview cycle. I mentioned it many times and can repeat here again. Do not do anything solely for the Med. School consideration, do it if you passionate about it, it iwll make a difference. In addition, you may pursue your personal interests outside of medically related activities, UG should be used for personal growth and varitey of activities may bring along a variety of people around you, this is important factor that overlooked by many. Use any chance for personal gorwth, being outside of your comfort zone will bring positive results while it may not seem so at the first look.
Just wanted to highlight this. Well said.
Agree with the being passionate part. I’m not so sure having something distinguishing is overrated. Every single med school D applied to in some way or another wanted to know “how will you bring diversity to our school?” What if on the surface you really aren’t diverse? You aren’t an URM, you are middle class, your life has been pretty uneventful - stable family, no personal tragedies, or maybe just ones that would ring false compared to those who’ve had real challenges. Yes you can talk about your diverse thoughts or diverse friends or diverse experiences shadowing, but when a school gets thousands of applicants, many with similar stats are saying the same thing. To be noticed you MUST distinguish yourself. D has an EC that she has done her whole life that has nothing to do with medicine, but it is an integral part if who she is. She wrote about it in her personal statement, tied it to why she wants to be a Dr. This very activity and her personal statement seemed to make an impression on several interviewers.
"Every single med school D applied to in some way or another wanted to know “how will you bring diversity to our school?” "
I think the issue is many people hear that they need to “distinguish” themselves and they think that means they need to go out of their way to do something better or different from the rest of the applicants. I don’t think that’s true. I think you’ll automatically distinguish yourself if you excel at the things (inside and outside the classroom) you’re passionate about in school. That’s why I prefer the way MiamiDAP says it.