Getting into medical school is a very rigorous process with no guarantees. Med schools are notoriously competitive and only 43% of applicants get accepted nationwide according to recent figures. This means that you need to do everything you can to stand out. Thankfully, there are more than a few ways that you can do just that. Let’s take a look at some things you can do to increase your chances of getting into medical school.
Get Experience
Medical schools want to know if the people applying have taken the time to get to know what their future roles will be like. They won’t expect you to have experience treating patients since you’re not a doctor yet, but any shadowing work will help.
One of the best and easiest ways to get that experience is to work as a scribe. You have services like EPPA Health that provide medical scribe training and will also find a place where you can work. This will allow you to get familiar with electronic medical records, but also give you a chance to get close to the action.
Other people might decide to do some volunteer work. Maybe you could volunteer to take x-rays for a local facility? This could give you an opportunity to learn how to read x-rays. This is the type of thing that will score big points with admission boards.
Volunteer
Speaking of volunteering, medical schools are looking for candidates who care about people first and foremost, and anything that can show your compassionate nature will help. So, if you can find a way to help people in your community or even abroad, do so. This can be associated with medicine as well. Doctors Without Borders is a great organization you could check out and they’re always looking for people. This will help show your altruistic side and maybe gain some additional experience.
Try Multiple Schools
There’s also nothing to stops you from applying to multiple medical schools. Different schools will have different admission requirements and will look at different candidates depending on what type of student body they’re trying to build.
We suggest that you pick one school that’s a long shot, one that you really want to attend and know you have a chance, and one that would be the easiest for you to get in. This way, all your bases are covered and the process will be much less stressful.
We would also suggest that you contact admission committees and ask questions about the program’s requirements and what they expect from candidates.
Send Supplemental Material
Another thing you can do if you want your application to stand out is to include any material you think would be relevant. Maybe you have written a paper in a local publication, for instance. If you have, we strongly suggest that you attach a copy to your application along with a written letter stating how you wish to be considered for acceptance.
As you can see, there are tons of ways that you stack the deck in your favor if you’re trying to apply for med school. Follow these few tips for chances of getting into medical school, and also ask for advice from other students who were able to get in. (Strattera)
