Part II picks up where Part I left off.  If you feel like you're not competitive enough for med school, read on for more tips and advice!

The admissions committee loves diversity

And if it’s too late to improve your GPA or MCAT score, there are other ways to shine as an applicant.  Medical schools aren’t just looking for the typical Bio major who has fulfilled all the research, patient contact, and GPA checklists.  Ad coms love diversity.  Applicants who are musicians or former high school teachers are refreshing to read about and interview.  Schools are looking for people with a span of experiences, students with other majors besides science, and applicants with a varied range of interests expanding outside of medicine.  (Two of our most successful INQUARTA clients this year were not typical pre-meds: one was an art history major, while the other was a professional surfer.  Read one of their interviews at www.inquarta.com/content/view/165/1).  In addition, these kinds of extracurricular activities and hobbies not only can be, but should be used in your work/activities section in the AMCAS application.  Research publications and volunteer positions are not the only suitable categories—you want to show the committee that you’re well rounded!

Not only will a diverse background add to your work/activities section, but it will also enhance your personal statement.  The people on the ad com do not want to interview Joe Shmoe medical school applicant who sounds like every other Joe Shmoe medical school applicant.  In contrast, talk about the business you ran for the last few years or the reading club that you started for your son and his friends at your community library.  Show how these activities relate to your future career in medicine.  Perhaps you discovered, while leading the book club, that you have a love and talent for teaching—a skill that is necessary for a doctor to possess.  The average Anatomy major right out of college won’t have this scope of experience. 

Be early

Finally, do your paperwork.  Your chances increase dramatically just by submitting within the first days you are permitted to submit your AMCAS.  Many students are so absorbed with finals and wrapping up the school year that they procrastinate on getting their stuff together.  Have your application ready (with no typos) by May, and you’ll be ahead of schedule.  Many students with less than 3.4 GPAs have received interviews and acceptances because they applied early.  Since there’s not much you can do about a low MCAT or GPA at the last minute, at least filling out your paperwork on time is something that will automatically boost your chances.

Don’t forget about secondaries!

And remember: your application doesn’t end when you submit your AMCAS.  Writing strong secondary essays is a second chance to sell yourself.  This is your love note to the school: show your personality and enthusiasm, and tell them why you love them.  “I love your educational mission, I love so-and-so faculty member, I love your opportunities for clinical internships that no other school has, etc.”  Excel in your secondary essays, have them proofread, and send them out as early as possible!

Pick the right school

Many applicants make the mistake of shooting too high.  They think: if Harvard and John Hopkins are the top medical programs in the country, why not apply to them?  The problem is that these schools have more rigorous requirements, while there are several schools that accept lower scores.  Drexel, Virginia Commonwealth, University of Vermont, and Rosalind Franklin all have lower GPA and MCAT requirements.  Rather than applying to all the top-tier US medical schools, stick with the schools that are more realistic for you to get into.

Have you considered osteopathic schools?  The osteopathic route is perfect for those with less than outstanding GPAs and MCAT scores.  There are 24 accredited osteopathic medical schools.  D.O.’s are just as competent as M.D.s, but have a more holistic approach to medicine, with the philosophy of treating the whole person, not just the initial medical problem.  (For more information about osteopathic medicine, visit the American Osteopathic Association’s website at www.osteopathic.org.) 

Be a better applicant next year

And if all else fails, there’s always next year.  Take a year off and retake that physics class you didn’t do well in.  Sign up for an MCAT prep course that will help you improve your score on the next test.  Get more clinical experience and volunteer at the local hospital.  Delay and be a better applicant later.  Even though it will cost you a year, med schools will have to respect a wise applicant who does it right the first time.

 

For more information about becoming a qualified applicant, contact INQUARTA via the link below, at +01 949-417-1295 or email info@inquarta.com. INQUARTA is the leading medical and allied health school admissions advising service in North America.