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Comprehensive Guide to MCAT Preparation and Medical School Applications

This guide outlines the essential steps for MCAT preparation and applying to medical schools. It compares Kaplan courses with DIY study methods, highlighting the importance of discipline and using AAMC resources for effective preparation. Learn about choosing the right medical schools, application processes (AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS), and the significance of personal statements and letters of recommendation. Discover tips on documenting your experiences and preparing for interviews to enhance your chances of admission.

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Comprehensive Guide to MCAT Preparation and Medical School Applications

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Agenda: • MCAT • Application Process • HPAC application • Interviews

  2. Preparation for the MCAT Kaplan vs DIY

  3. Preparation for the MCAT • Kaplan • Built-in accountability • Popular • All materials are included • Class DOES NOT replace • studying!

  4. Preparation for the MCAT • DIY • BYOD (Bring Your Own Discipline) • AAMC tests are the best • AAMC guide (cheap and • effective • Examcrackers—Amazon • or B&N • AED course in Spring 2012

  5. Choose your medical schools • Allopathic • MD degree • UAB, USA, etc. • State of Residency matters • 137 US schools • AMCAS • National avg: • MCAT—31 • 3.7 GPA

  6. Choose your medical schools • Osteopathic • DO degree • Schools in AL, MS, TN, • GA and FL (26 total) • Essentially the same • residency options • Less research oriented • More emphasis on primary care

  7. Choose your medical schools • Osteopathic • (continued) • A few schools will consider January MCAT • AACOMAS is the primary • application service • National avg: • MCAT—26 • 3.5 GPA

  8. Messin’ with Texas • TMDSAS—Most Texas • schools use this instead of • AMCAS or AACOMAS • Application very similar to AMCAS/AACOMAS • Application is available May 2012

  9. Offshore Medicalschools • No centralized service; apply directly to the schools • Investigate graduation rates and board pass rates • May (and often will) take longer than four years • Limited residency options • Extremely limited transfer options

  10. The application: AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS • Three parts: • Transcripts • Activities • Personal Statement

  11. Transcript • Obtain copies of your transcript from each school you attended • Enter each course you have taken exactly as it appears on your transcript(s) • Send official transcripts from each undergraduate school attended to AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMSDAS

  12. Sample activities • Honors/awards/recognition • Conferences attended • Presentations/posters • Publication • Extracurricular/hobbies/avocations • Leadership—not listed elsewhere • Other • Intercollegiate athletics • Artistic endeavors • Paid employment—non military • Paid employment—military • Community service/volunteer—not medical/clinical • Community service/volunteer—medical/clinical • Research lab • Teaching/tutoring

  13. 15 slots, choose 3 as “most valuable experience” • What do you do with your time that you are proud of? • Nothing is off-limits—almost nothing • Don’t feel like you need to use every available character! Some may not warrant long descriptions • Estimates are fine when listing the number of hours invested in each activity • Don’t get bogged down with details Documenting activities

  14. Personal statement • 5300 characters (AMCAS/AACOMAS:4500) • Good articles and examples online at premed.ua.edu • Tell your story • Address, but don’t dwell on, deficits

  15. Letters of recommendation • We recommend 5 letters, at least two from science faculty • Planks in your platform: what can each one say about you? • Content of the letter is more important than the author • DO schools want a letter from a DO. • Letters should not be school specific

  16. When to ask for a letter • Ask later • Someone you don’t know well (yet) • Someone who will be able to write a stronger letter in a few months • Ask now • Someone you already work with/know well • Someone you’ve worked with in the past • Someone who isn’t likely to have new information to you in the next few months

  17. VirtualEvals and AAMC Letter ID • How to generate your AAMC letter ID (see attached guide) • VirtualEvals- online submission of LOR for schools that don’t participate in AAMCAS (DO schools, Texas schools, LSU)

  18. Primary vs. Secondary • Secondary application • Request from the individual school for more information • Time-sensitive • Most schools will not invite you for an interview prior to reviewing the secondary • Costly • Be concise • Primary application • AAMCAS • AACOMAS • TMDSAS • Individual application for non-service schools

  19. HPAC Pre-application • For UA use only: application at hpa.ua.edu • Complete HPAC pre-application IN ADDITION to primary application • We require both the pre-application and a copy of your primary application (AAMCAS/AACOMAS) if you wish to interview with our committee (recommended by medical schools).

  20. Two interviews • School interview • At the medical school • Some are blind, some are not • September through March • HPAC interview • In Clark Hall • Basis for your committee letter • Must be completed before other letters are sent to schools • March through September • Not blind

  21. Questions? premed@ua.edu

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