What It Takes to Get Into Medical School

Over the past three decades, the entertainment industry in the U.S. has seen a growing demand for television networks to produce captivating themes that not only highlight the clinical challenges that physicians encounter while working in a hospital, but also unravels the interpersonal relationship dilemmas they experience both inside-and-outside of the hospital setting.

The data indicates that the most-popular shows on television throughout the '90s, early 2000's, and over the past decade, were "drama-based" series that would sprinkle elements of love, lust, betrayal, heart-break, and humor throughout the show's story-line while successfully leaving its audience in a continual state of suspense.

It is shows like House, Grey's Anatomy, Chicago Med, The Resident, and The Good Doctor that have inspired countless numbers of individuals across the globe to fantasize what their life would look like as a doctor when they grow up. Unfortunately, many people become so fixated on how glamorous the lifestyles these "doctors" have on their favorite shows, that they later develop a false sense of what life is like as a real doctor, or don't fully grasp what it takes to actually gain admission into the U.S. medical school.

In this post, you'll be able to review what it actually takes to get into medical school. Though this is a general focus, most medical programs across the board require that you take an array of rigorous courses prior to applying, as well as potentially attain research, internship, or clinical-based experience beforehand. Without further ado, here is the information you should be aware of before taking the initial steps of applying.

According to a 2018 report by the Association of American Medical Colleges:

- The total number of applications that U.S. Medical Schools received was 849,678

- The total number of actual applicants was 52,777

- The average number of applications sent out per applicant was 16

- The total number of matriculated students was 21,622

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What Applicants' Must Complete To Be Eligible

1.) A preferred minimum of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited Institution

- Students should attempt to pursue an undergraduate degree relative to their field of study

2.) Enroll in and complete the required pre-requisite science courses including (but not limited to)

- 1 year of Inorganic Chemistry with Lab: Inorganic Chemistry I & II

- 1 year of Biology with Lab: Biology I & II

- 1 year of Organic Chemistry with Lab: Organic Chemistry I & II

- 1 year of Physics (incorporates scientific principles) with Lab: Physics I & II

- 1 semester of Biochemistry with Lab

3.) Obtain Strong Letters of Recommendation

- Letters should be from either clinical supervisors, academic faculty, or other associated representatives

4.) Begin a Comprehensive Study Preparation to prepare for the MCAT's (recommend 3-6 intense months)

- This is a critical part of the application process, but it will benefit students in the long haul

- Your target goal to score should fall between 508-512. Anything less will weaken the application

5.) Gain Clinical Experience and/or Research Experience

- It is generally recommended to gain at least 50-150 hours of experience in a particular area

6.) Shadow a Physician or licensed clinician associated with a field of your interest

- It is generally recommended to gain a minimum of 50 hours, but having more than this will only help

7.) Participate in Volunteer Work across several locations, settings, etc.

- It is generally recommended to participate in about 50 - 75 hours worth of volunteer work

8.) Write & Submit a strong Personal Statement that highlights "Why I want to pursue Medicine"

9.) Get help from either a pre-med advisor, a family friend who is a physician, or hire professional consultants who help students get into medical school

10.) Do Mock Interviews & Practice Answering Interview Questions

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Some Overlooked Factors When Completing the Steps Above

1.) A Technicality - Aside from having to complete the necessary pre-requisite science courses, some Universities do not require applicants to complete college in order to be eligible to apply to their medical school.

2. ) Check what pre-requisite science courses each medical school (that you predict applying to in the future) requires applicants to completed. The requirements can vary from school-to-school. Simply check the institutions' website, contact their admissions department, or attend an open-house event in order to learn more about their programs.

3. ) Look up statistics from AMCAS in order to get an idea of how competitive you are as an applicant.