AMSA Presents: The Road to Medical School

1. AMSA Presents:The Road to Medical School

2. How can you become a more competitive medical school applicant? • Take appropriate medical school prerequisite courses. • Maintain a high GPA, especially in science courses. • Volunteer somehow in the medical field. • Gain some research experience. • Do well on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).

3. Typical Medical School Prerequisite Courses • Minimum course requirements for most medical schools in the United States include: • One year of general biology with labs • One year of general (inorganic) chemistry with labs • One year of organic chemistry with labs • One year of physics with labs • The course requirements vary from school to school, but these are the generalities that can be made.

4. Your GPA Matters… • Check out these statistics!! • http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2008/2008mcatgpa.htm

5. Emory University School of Medicine http://med.emory.edu/education/MDPHD/prospective.html#programstats

6. Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine • http://www.mcg.edu/som/admit/

7. Mercer University School of Medicine • http://medicine.mercer.edu/Admissions/Prospective%20Students/admissions_dom

8. Morehouse School of Medicine • http://www.msm.edu/Admissions.htm

9. Volunteer • Volunteering in the medical field will allow you to speak more effectively about why you want to become a physician. • Volunteering can also help you decide what field you enjoy the most and would like to enter. • And IT’S FUN!!

10. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta College Volunteer Program • This is just one of the many opportunities there are to get involved. • Each college volunteer session spans 12 weeks during the fall and spring semesters. • Students are required to volunteer one day per week for at least 3-4 hours. • A minimum of 25 hours per semester is required. • Children’s will begin accepting applications for the Fall 2009 Program beginning August 1, 2009. • http://www.choa.org/default.aspx?id=3505

11. Research Experience • Academic research is not required by most medical schools, but it is certainly valued. • Emory: 85% of accepted applicants had research experience • MCG: 71% of accepted applicants had research experience • Mercer: 58% of accepted applicants had research experience • Morehouse: 76% of accepted applicants had research experience

12. Medical College Admissions Test • Registration is now open for the January through May 2009 administrations of the MCAT Exam. • Register to take the MCAT at http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/

13. Clayton State’s MCAT Prep Course • Let’s hear your ideas!!

14. Medical School Admissions Timeline • Fall of Junior Year- think MCAT, MCAT, MCAT. Begin intense studying. • Early Spring of Junior Year- Register for the MCAT at aamc.org. Be prepared to pay approximately $225. • Spring of Junior Year- take the MCAT. If you are not pleased with your scores then register to take it again while there is still time. • Late Spring of Junior Year- you will need recommendations for your application. Identify and contact potential recommenders. • Summer before Senior Year- retake the MCAT if necessary. Decide where you are applying and complete the AMCAS application. • http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm • Early decision program applications are due August 1 • Regular applications typically stretch through December

15. Medical School Admissions Timeline • Fall of Senior Year- if medical schools like your application, they will send you their own “secondary application”. • The secondary application process will include some essays, so give yourself time to write them, as well as have them read by somebody else. • Get prepared for your interviews.