Your Guide to Getting Into Medical School

Preparing for medical school requires extensive planning, as it involves a multistep application process. Starting early gives you time to complete the prerequisite coursework, prepare and submit the required materials, gather recommendation letters, and gain relevant experience. 

An Overview of the Medical School Admission Process 

Preparing for medical school admission typically begins the first year of your undergraduate education, since it is the start of your pre-medical studies. Even if you’re unsure where you want to earn your Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, it’s helpful to know that many schools require prerequisite courses such as: 

• Inorganic or General Chemistry (two semesters with labs)
• Organic Chemistry (two semesters with labs)
• General Biology (two semesters with labs)
• Physics (one semester with lab)
• Math (one semester of calculus or statistics)
• English (two semesters) 

Throughout your freshman and sophomore years, take time to research some medical schools, explore volunteer or shadowing opportunities, and start building relationships with professors and mentors. Many undergraduate schools with pre-medical tracks offer pre-medical, sometimes called pre-health, advising services to their students. These services can be a great resource for finding additional local clinical, research, or volunteer opportunities. 

The school and community network you build during this time can be invaluable when it comes time to seek letters of recommendation for med school applications. 

The medical school application process typically starts the year before you plan to submit your application. For example, if you want to go right into medical school after completing your undergraduate program, you’ll need to start the application process in your junior year of college. Waiting until your senior year can result in a gap year between your undergraduate studies and medical school program. 

Regardless of when you decide to apply, it’s important to remember that the formal application process can take a full year to finish since you’ll need to complete: 

• A primary application, which typically goes live in May but is returned during the official submission period in June. It can be submitted through the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®), the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS), or the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS).
• A secondary application, which is usually sent out between July and August.
• Interviews, which can take place from August to March of the following year. 

Acceptance letters can be sent out as early as October, but the last ones could be sent as late as April of the following year. 

Can a Non-Science Major Get Into Medical School? 

Yes, a non-science major can get into medical school. While a background in science helps, students can major in any subject they like as long as they also complete the prerequisite coursework required by med schools. That said, most medical school admission teams look at the science GPA and cumulative GPA separately, so it’s important to do your best in each class. 

It may be tempting to aim for a perfect 4.0, but that alone won’t guarantee you’ll be accepted into medical school. In fact, according to the MCAT and GPA Grid for Applicants and Acceptees to U.S. MD-Granting Medical Schools, 2021-2022 through 2023-2024, posted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), medical schools have accepted students with GPAs in the 2.00–2.19 range. 

If you’re worried your GPA isn’t high enough to be competitive, focus on strengthening other aspects of your application such as your Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) scores and extracurricular experiences. 

What’s on the MCAT®? 

The MCAT® is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam comprising four major sections:

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
• Tests biology and biochemistry knowledge, ranging from the molecular level to organisms
• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
• Tests organic and inorganic chemistry knowledge within biological processes
• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
• Tests knowledge of psychology, sociology, and human behavior
• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
• Tests verbal and reading comprehension related to social sciences and the humanities 

The main purpose of this 7.5-hour exam is to offer a standardized way to assess the academic readiness of medical school applicants. It gauges how well a person can apply their scientific knowledge to various scenarios, critically think through problems, and form logical conclusions. 

How Do You Prepare to Take the MCAT®? 

The AAMC offers a variety of resources, including practice exams and question sets. The AAMC practice exams most closely resemble the real MCAT® and will help you build your critical reasoning and test-taking skills as you prepare to take the actual test.

Two free tests and four paid tests on the AAMC website offer a low-cost way for students to assess their readiness. Paid versions are available in one-year subscriptions and provide a scaled score and percentile rank.

What Makes a Strong Medical School Application? 

Alongside a high GPA and strong MCAT® score, your personal statement and letters of recommendation can help you stand out from other candidates. They provide another perspective of the unique value you can bring to a medical school and the field of medicine. 

A Solid Personal Statement 

Your personal statement should outline your “why.” When writing your personal statement, keep it relatively brief and focus on relevant stories and outcomes, rather than just listing your best traits or qualities. In other words, show—don't just tell. Having a central theme, logical flow, and strong conclusion will also help make your personal statement memorable. 

Be sure to talk about your unique perspective and what you learned from the experiences you mention. For students who might have struggled during their undergraduate career, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate perseverance to the admission committee. 

Glowing Recommendation Letters 

These letters give the admission committee insight into your personality, values, and work ethic, as well as your interpersonal skills. Building strong relationships with your referring mentors is the first step to acquiring excellent letters of recommendation.

Since many of your mentors and instructors have busy schedules and multiple people making requests, remember to reach out for recommendation letters early. The more time you give them, the better their ability to reflect on your unique qualities, ask for supporting materials, and personalize the letter.

You should also provide your mentors with any relevant materials needed to write these letters. Clearly communicate your goals to them so they can help you put your best foot forward. Strong letters of recommendation can help overcome other areas where your application may be found lacking. 

Why Should You Gain Relevant Experience for Medical School? 

Clinical experience, in particular, proves valuable, as it demonstrates commitment to the field beyond the classroom. Involvement in clinical research demonstrates academic curiosity beyond the standard curriculum. Medical schools value this type of experience because it helps develop analytical problem-solving skills that are useful in med school and beyond. 

Clinical experience could include working as a certified nursing assistant, emergency medical technician, or phlebotomist. You could also gain volunteer or shadowing experience at hospitals, community clinics, or hospices. 

Research experience proves incredibly valuable as well. It can help you stand out in a competitive pool, especially at research-focused institutions.

How to Prepare for a Medical School Interview 

If the admission committee finds your application impressive, they may invite you to an in-person or virtual interview. There are many types of interview questions you may be asked, but they most typically fall into one of these categories: 

• Behavioral questions that focus on your past experiences and how you reacted to them
• General questions that focus broadly on who you are as a person
• Situational questions that focus on hypothetical situations 

You must prepare for these interviews and the types of questions the committee may ask you. Be sure to thoroughly research the school and review your application in detail before the interview. 

Practice by doing mock interviews with family or friends to help prepare you to answer questions on the spot. You can also participate in virtual interview prep through platforms like Motivate MD that provide interactive prep, guidance, and feedback.

Begin Your Medical School Journey at Ross University School of Medicine (Ross Med) 

If you’re worried your MCAT® score isn’t strong enough to boost your competitiveness, Ross Med offers a 15-week online Medical Education Readiness Program (MERP) that allows those with conditional acceptance to reinforce their foundation and matriculate into our MD program upon successful completion. Our pre-med advisors can also answer any questions you may have during the application process. 

Instead of only focusing on the numbers, we look at your potential, character, and drive to become a physician. Our students spend their first two years at our Barbados campus before returning to the U.S. or Canada for their residencies. With high success rates for first-time residencies, Ross Med helps prepare future MDs for whatever medical field they choose. 

With start dates in January, May, and September, you can begin your medical school journey when you’re ready. Have questions that weren’t answered in this post? Submit this form for more information, or, if you’re ready, start your application today!