Advice on Medical School Admissions
From Paul T. White, J.D., Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine:

A strong candidacy for medical school admission encompasses preparation in a variety of areas. Developing a strategy that strengthens these areas is one of the keys to success.

  • What is successful undergraduate preparation?
    • Excellence in Academics
      • A cumulative GPA of 3.5, and a 3.5 in the sciences
      • A diverse course of study, including the fine arts, the humanities, social and behavioral studies, English, and foreign languages, in addition to the sciences
    • Strong reading, writing and communication skills
    • Strong recommendations from academic faculty that address your personal as well as academic attributes
    • Human service experiences, volunteer experiences
    • Knowledge of the field of medicine
    • Research experiences (optional)
    • A rigorous curriculum that prepares students for the MCAT
    • Following the advice of pre-medical advisors
    • Participation in:
      • Pre-health student organizations
      • Workshops with guest speakers on campus
      • Field trips to professional schools
      • Seeking role models from your school site who have pursued medicine
  • What are some of the personal attributes used in selection?
    • Positive self-concept
    • Demonstrated leadership
    • Demonstrated ability to work with diverse people
    • The ability to deal with stress
    • Evidence of maturity
    • Demonstrated sensitivity to others
    • Demonstrated motivation for a career in medicine
    • Positive and well-developed communication skills
  • Requirements to be considered by the Admissions Committee
    • An applicant must hold an earned baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation
    • An applicant must have taken the MCAT.
    • An applicant must have completed the required courses identified on the courses requirements sheet.
    • An applicant must have completed at least two years of academic coursework at an accredited U.S. institution.

 

Non-cognitive selection factors, from the University of Minnesota Medical School :

  • Positive self-concept and self-confidence
    • Strong feeling of self
    • Strength of character
    • Determination
    • Independence
  • Realistic self-evaluation
    • Recognized deficiencies
    • Works hard at self-development
    • Recognizes need to broaden individuality
  • Prefers long-term goals to short-term or immediate needs
  • Consistency in academic work
    • Course load
    • Solid performance rather than erratic
    • Steady improvement over time
  • Staying power
    • Stick-to-itiveness when the going is tough
    • Patterns of WP when there is a heavy course load
  • Demonstrated community service
    • When, where, how long
  • Demonstrated medical interests
    • Health-related activities
    • When, where, how long
  • Motivation for medicine
    • How strong
    • How demonstrated
  • Leadership experience in any area
  • Communication skills
    • Illustrates willingness and ability to work with others
    • Examples of interacting with people
  • Coping and adapting skills in dealing with
    • Fears associated with survival
    • Putting off dealing with problems
    • New environments
    • Competitive situations
    • People from different social backgrounds
    • People from different cultural/ethnic backgrounds
  • Willingness to
    • Seek help
    • Accept help
    • Ask questions
    • Try different approaches
    • Be flexible

 

A composite of characteristics that medical school admissions committees look for:

An individual student won't possess all of these qualities, but successful students exhibit most of them. Don't leave questions unanswered or unexplained gaps or absences, but don't overdo it.

  • Credibility
  • Writing skills – good narrative
  • Load assessment
  • Qualitative look at consistency
  • Enthusiasm for the field of medicine
  • Evidence of depth and reflection
  • Good time and stress management skills
  • Leadership experience and potential; others-centered
  • Ability to work in a team
  • Evidence of expanding horizons during college; well-roundedness and rigor
  • Desire to serve others as evidenced by volunteer work/service
  • Care, commitment, dedication, and passion
  • Intellectual curiosity, often demonstrated through research
  • Interesting personality
  • Exposure to a diverse group of people; abroad experience is helpful
  • Good communication skills.
  • Motivation and initiative
  • Potential as a life-long learner
  • Personal integrity; highly-developed ethical sense
  • Self-confidence, not arrogance

10 common mistakes made by medical school applicants, from the Pfizer Medical School Manual:

  • Inadequate preparation for MCAT exam MCAT performance mirrors SAT performance. If you are an average standardized test taker, consider an MCAT review course.
  • Late application. Submit applications early. This requires excellent planning and coordination of transcripts, MCATs, recommendations, and applications. Ideally, you should begin planning two years before you intend to enroll.
  • Poor performance in core sciences. To be competitive, A's and B's in core sciences are generally required. An occasional C gets by, especially if accompanied by excellent MCATs. Repeat core courses where you earned a C or below to demonstrate your mastery of the subject matter.
  • Lack of volunteer or health service experience. It has become a general expectation that candidates will pursue experiences that demonstrate growth as a caring, service-oriented individual in the field of health care. This experience exposes your commitment to a life of medicine.
  • Poor choice of references. A single poor reference, even subtly stated, can send an application off track. Nurture relationships with future references early. Carefully assess the level of an individual's support for you. Consider choosing those who have already demonstrated concrete support for you through grades or other forms of recognition.
  • Poor personal essay. Write a clear, concise, well-organized, and interesting statement. Check its grammar, punctuation, spelling, and clarity. Seek qualified or expert critique and revise accordingly.
  • Failure to monitor application status. The application process is complex and requires sequential coordinated actions. Ensure that your completed application materials are submitted and confirm their receipt by July or August.
  • Inadequate research of school. Some of the 145 medical schools will ideally suit your personality, interests, and talents; others will not. Thoroughly research medical colleges by reviewing literature, visiting campuses, and conferring with pre-medical advisers, alumni, and current medical students. Also, consider factors such as in state versus out-of-state admission rates.
  • Inadequate preparation for your interview. Although the interview commonly carries a quarter of the decision weight, and can actually collapse an otherwise qualified applicant, many students continue to "wing it.” Careful research, preparation, and performance are necessary. The cardinal sins: appearing arrogant or disinterested.
  • Lack of post-interview follow through. In some schools, all verbal, written, and physical contacts are captured in your application file. A thank you note to the Dean of Admissions and your interviewer is always appreciated. Gratitude is a becoming attitude in everyone, and a thank you letter leaves a favorable impression on the people who may accept you. Occasional respectful contacts to check on the status of your application are generally received as an expression of continued interest.

Student Myths About Medical School Admissions

  • Medical school is easier to get into than it was ten years ago.
  • You must major in science.
  • Double majors, especially biology and chemistry, have higher acceptance rates.
  • A “C” in a pre-med requirement will keep an applicant out of medical school.
  • Having a parent or relative in medicine will insure acceptance to medical school.
  • You need to be wealthy to get into medical school.

 

Back to Table of Contents
<<Previous: Selection Criteria
>>Next: Admission Statistics