I think many people know that getting through medical school is incredibly tough. Emotionally, physically, mentally-- every -ly possible.
But I think most people forget to talk about how tedious (and EXPENSIVE) it is just get into medical school. It took my husband two
years to get accepted and if you know him, that’s surprising. Through our experience, we have some need-to-knows for all you future
medical school students (and their wives-- let’s be honest, the wife does a lot). Here is my rundown of what applying actually entails.
But I think most people forget to talk about how tedious (and EXPENSIVE) it is just get into medical school. It took my husband two
years to get accepted and if you know him, that’s surprising. Through our experience, we have some need-to-knows for all you future
medical school students (and their wives-- let’s be honest, the wife does a lot). Here is my rundown of what applying actually entails.
1. MONEY! I would suggest to save at least $4,000-- That is the lowest amount I would have immediately available AND that is also if
you are currently working and have the ability to pay for application expenses monthly (say $250/month). Some people even estimate
students can spend upwards of $10,000 just to apply. Why? Because you’ve got primary applications, secondary applications (I’ll
explain these later), travel fees (airline tickets/transportation/hotel costs/food), and an acceptance deposit (ours was $2,000) to pay for
before you even start medical school. Not to mention moving costs, rental application fees, rental deposits…. I could honestly go on
and on.
2. WRITING. Essays, essays, essays. You will be writing or typing your fingers away. There are at least 20 essays (short and long) that
you will write for just primary applications. Depending on how many schools you apply for, you will then write at least 1 more essay
(sometimes 5) for each individual school if they request a secondary application-- which most will. So get ready to be creative and try to
sound SUPER unique-- even if you are pretty average.
you will write for just primary applications. Depending on how many schools you apply for, you will then write at least 1 more essay
(sometimes 5) for each individual school if they request a secondary application-- which most will. So get ready to be creative and try to
sound SUPER unique-- even if you are pretty average.
3. Primary Applications. This is done in three places:
- AMCAS through the AAMC website. This is for MD programs for all 50 states except Texas-- we all know Texas is special.
- TMDSAS. This is for all MD and DO medical schools, dental, and veterinary schools in Texas.
Through these three websites you will create an account and fill out TONS of information about yourself. Demographics, classes and
grades, etc. This is also where you will expound on the activities you have participated in prior to application. Activities such as
physician shadowing, volunteer service, patient exposure, health-care related experiences, non-healthcare related experiences, hobbies,
and employment information. It’s like a resume on steroids. And for each of these activities you will be required to input how many hours
you spent participating, supervisor information, and a short (about a paragraph) explanation of what you did. You will also be required to
get your transcripts sent from any college/university program you attended (which costs a fee). And as I mentioned in the first point, you
will spend money for each application. We spent about $1,000. Through the AMCAS and AACOMAS sites, you will pay an individual
price for each school you apply for starting with a base pay of $170 for one school and then $39 for each school after that. Through the
Texas TMDSAS site, you pay one fee of $165 regardless of how many schools you apply to— all of them or one of them (thank you,
Texas!). (Please note, these prices were as of 2018).
grades, etc. This is also where you will expound on the activities you have participated in prior to application. Activities such as
physician shadowing, volunteer service, patient exposure, health-care related experiences, non-healthcare related experiences, hobbies,
and employment information. It’s like a resume on steroids. And for each of these activities you will be required to input how many hours
you spent participating, supervisor information, and a short (about a paragraph) explanation of what you did. You will also be required to
get your transcripts sent from any college/university program you attended (which costs a fee). And as I mentioned in the first point, you
will spend money for each application. We spent about $1,000. Through the AMCAS and AACOMAS sites, you will pay an individual
price for each school you apply for starting with a base pay of $170 for one school and then $39 for each school after that. Through the
Texas TMDSAS site, you pay one fee of $165 regardless of how many schools you apply to— all of them or one of them (thank you,
Texas!). (Please note, these prices were as of 2018).
a. START EARLY, friend. The AMCAS and ACCOMAS websites (a.k.a. the primary application websites) opens its access to begin
filling out applications typically early May the year before you would attend Medical School. So you could start applying the summer
before you start your senior year of college and then interview throughout your senior year. For example, you want to start Medical
School Fall 2022. You would start applications May of 2021. Then your senior year (Fall of 2021) you would be traveling for interviews.
Make sense? The TMDSAS (a.k.a. the Texas site) typically opens their applications in March! So get going on those early, early, early.
b. DO IT FAST. Try to turn it in on the day the applications can be submitted. Typically it is a little less than a month between when the
application opens and when it can be submitted. Trust me, that time goes by so fast. We spent basically all of our evenings together
writing, editing, and gathering information for those applications. It’s more work than you would expect.
c. Try to seem UNIQUE, even if you think you aren’t. Trust me, we aren’t that cool. My husband is a white, middle class, male— which
is the demographics of the majority of students applying. Anything you can do to differentiate yourself from the thousands of other
people, will be good. Neighborhood demographics, childhood experiences, race, gender, family background, volunteer work, service,
traveling... Whatever it is, make it your own.
4. Secondary Applications. Just when you thought you were done. Expect to start seeing these little fellas pop up in your email
early June and July. These are done through each individual school you decide to apply to. Once they receive your primary application
information each school will analyze whether or not they want more information from you. Some schools have a criteria they filter each
student through, others send a secondary application to everyone that applies. (Why? In my opinion, they just want your money). The
secondary application will request additional information (typically some demographics and one essay [or five]) to get a better
understanding of who you are. Most of these applications will be done directly through the schools website. They will give you some
sort of ID/login to input and fill out your information. This application will also cost you a fee. These fees vary from school to school.
We paid anywhere from $50-120 for each school.
early June and July. These are done through each individual school you decide to apply to. Once they receive your primary application
information each school will analyze whether or not they want more information from you. Some schools have a criteria they filter each
student through, others send a secondary application to everyone that applies. (Why? In my opinion, they just want your money). The
secondary application will request additional information (typically some demographics and one essay [or five]) to get a better
understanding of who you are. Most of these applications will be done directly through the schools website. They will give you some
sort of ID/login to input and fill out your information. This application will also cost you a fee. These fees vary from school to school.
We paid anywhere from $50-120 for each school.
5. Interviews. This is where you really need to shine. At this point the school is really interested in you to ask you for an interview. You
can look at stats for the ratio of applicants to applicants interviewed and interviewed to accepted on a database called MSAR through
the AAMC website. I would HIGHLY recommend using this database. You will have to pay a fee of $28+ (again with the money), but
understanding your chances really helps! Back to interviews….
a. Be yourself. Try to be personable. Have good “bedside manners.” I have heard it put that interviewers are trying assess if they would
like you to be their future doctor (your mannerisms, professionalism, etc.). Try to get them to relate to you personally. Tug at their heart
strings.
b. Wear a suit! Maybe spice it up a bit with a light grey or a hint of stripes? Make yourself unique. Don’t be crazy by any means, but be a
professional version of yourself.
c. Schools will do interviews differently. Some schools have a single interview with a single interviewer. Other schools do online interviews.
Some do online interviews followed by in-person interviews. Many have assessments, multi-mini-interviews (MMIs), demonstrations, tours,
etc. I would say to expect more than just a single interview. It will most likely be an all morning/afternoon ordeal.
d. Now I’m gonna bring up money again… you will have to pay for all of your travel expenses out of pocket. None of the schools that I am
aware of offer financial supplements to travel for interviews. That includes gas/hotel/food/car/airplane costs. We were lucky and found
family/friends to stay with in the places that we interviewed so we saved on hotel costs. So be a serious penny-pincher.
e. Please also write a thank you letter to either your interviewer(s) or the school— whichever contact information the school provides you
with. It may seem old school, but it goes a long way. You’ve got this. They already want you, now just seal the deal.
can look at stats for the ratio of applicants to applicants interviewed and interviewed to accepted on a database called MSAR through
the AAMC website. I would HIGHLY recommend using this database. You will have to pay a fee of $28+ (again with the money), but
understanding your chances really helps! Back to interviews….
a. Be yourself. Try to be personable. Have good “bedside manners.” I have heard it put that interviewers are trying assess if they would
like you to be their future doctor (your mannerisms, professionalism, etc.). Try to get them to relate to you personally. Tug at their heart
strings.
b. Wear a suit! Maybe spice it up a bit with a light grey or a hint of stripes? Make yourself unique. Don’t be crazy by any means, but be a
professional version of yourself.
c. Schools will do interviews differently. Some schools have a single interview with a single interviewer. Other schools do online interviews.
Some do online interviews followed by in-person interviews. Many have assessments, multi-mini-interviews (MMIs), demonstrations, tours,
etc. I would say to expect more than just a single interview. It will most likely be an all morning/afternoon ordeal.
d. Now I’m gonna bring up money again… you will have to pay for all of your travel expenses out of pocket. None of the schools that I am
aware of offer financial supplements to travel for interviews. That includes gas/hotel/food/car/airplane costs. We were lucky and found
family/friends to stay with in the places that we interviewed so we saved on hotel costs. So be a serious penny-pincher.
e. Please also write a thank you letter to either your interviewer(s) or the school— whichever contact information the school provides you
with. It may seem old school, but it goes a long way. You’ve got this. They already want you, now just seal the deal.
6. Acceptance. Woot woot. Good job! First FYI, all schools must let you know whether or not you were accepted, rejected, or wait-listed
by March 15th of the year you will start med school (i.e. if you would start Fall of 2022 you would be notified by March 15, 2022 if you
were accepted/rejected/wait-listed). Most schools will let you of your acceptance well before that date. Many medical schools fill spots
as they interview; so within a few weeks or couple months of interviewing, you will hear word back of their decision. I will mention that
some schools do not operate that way— they interview and only contact the top 25% of their acceptances as they go and wait for the
rest to tell them shortlybefore the cut off date. Super lame. Once you are accepted, many schools will require a deposit to hold your
spot. These deposits vary in price and timing. We had 3 separate deposits and the first two were minimal that way if we went with
another school before the final deposit deadline, we were only out a cumulative $1000 instead of $2000 (excluding the final $1000 deposit). Each school will vary with this process though.
by March 15th of the year you will start med school (i.e. if you would start Fall of 2022 you would be notified by March 15, 2022 if you
were accepted/rejected/wait-listed). Most schools will let you of your acceptance well before that date. Many medical schools fill spots
as they interview; so within a few weeks or couple months of interviewing, you will hear word back of their decision. I will mention that
some schools do not operate that way— they interview and only contact the top 25% of their acceptances as they go and wait for the
rest to tell them shortlybefore the cut off date. Super lame. Once you are accepted, many schools will require a deposit to hold your
spot. These deposits vary in price and timing. We had 3 separate deposits and the first two were minimal that way if we went with
another school before the final deposit deadline, we were only out a cumulative $1000 instead of $2000 (excluding the final $1000 deposit). Each school will vary with this process though.
And there you have it. That is my list of need-to-knows when exploring the application process to Medical School. I would also recommend
reading through the FAQs on each of the application sites webpages. There is tons of helpful information already spelled out for you
there. If you have any questions, reach out to me and I would be happy to help in any way I can! Below are some sites with good tips or
information on the application
process.
reading through the FAQs on each of the application sites webpages. There is tons of helpful information already spelled out for you
there. If you have any questions, reach out to me and I would be happy to help in any way I can! Below are some sites with good tips or
information on the application
process.
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