Tips for applying to Medical School or College

Applying to medical colleges or schools can be quite a challenging task and one has to be prepared accordingly in order to successfully get admission in one’s dream college or medical school. This article provides all the tips and tricks and the things you should keep in mind when applying to medical schools or colleges. There are three stages in order to be successfully enrolled in a college, these are discussed as follows:

A. STAGE 1 – The Application

1. First things first, obtain the application form, either the hard copy or the electronic application form issued by the AMCAS, which is the acronym for American Medical College Application Service. You can do this by logging on to their official site aamc.org.

1. Next fill out the AMCAS application. One just has to fill a single form but remember to check off the names of all the medical schools or college where you would like to study in. A number of medical schools and colleges follow the centralized application process which is coordinated by the AMCAS and hence there is no need of filling numerous forms.

1. Make sure you have filled all the four pages of the application form and included personal details like your background, scores, grades, interests, etc.

1. Time is precious, act fast! Send out your application in June or July because this is the most preferable period. Most colleges enroll students on the “first come first served” basis, hence if you want your chances of acceptance to be higher, then you should send out your primary application forms early as well.

1. Now for the secondary application form, if all goes well then you would receive your secondary application form. And like the first, you should also fill it up and send it out in a timely manner.

B. STAGE 2 – Transcripts and Letter of Recommendation

1. Sometimes, certain medical schools ask for transcripts from the colleges and university which you have attended previously, hence send them out if prompted.
2. Get your letters of recommendations ready too. It is advisable to send out the ones which highlight your facets. Don’t bombard the committee with too many unnecessary recommendations. Be sensible and select only the important ones and ones which you think highlights your various qualities.

STAGE 3- The Interview.

This is the most important stage that can make or break your admission to the medical college of your choice. Hence, take it seriously and arrange your travel plans in time as well as prepare yourself mentally. Practise talking in front of the mirror about the common topics like your interest in medicines, healthcare and bioethics, etc. Make sure you wear the proper semi-formal attire. If you want to boost your confidence during the interview then you might want to go for a mock interview prior to the actual one. Check with your school’s career centre and find out whether they offer such services.