Applying to Medical School

Introduction to Medical School Preparation

The pathway to medical school admission is very clear, but difficult. That is why so few students actually complete the journey. Academic requirements for medical school are very general. The academic courses that are actually required are very minimal and include:

• Freshman biology with laboratory
• Freshman chemistry with laboratory
• Organic chemistry with laboratory
• Physics with laboratory
• Freshman math
• Freshman English
• A course in statistics or biochemistry may be required by some programs

The overall grade point average at the undergraduate level is about 3.50. The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is based on the above courses. This is a national standardized exam, and one must generally score in the upper third on this exam to be a competitive applicant.

Medical schools are also interested in student’s desire to learn simply because they enjoy learning. What classes have you taken (not necessarily medically related) simply because you enjoyed or wanted to know more about a particular topic? What have you done in the way of “self-education” just because you wanted to learn?

Medical schools are also interested in motivation, in an individual being a self-starter. What have you done to demonstrate that you can initiate something and carry it through to completion?

Medical schools want to know about the experiences that you have had that helped form the decision to compete for admission to medical school. What initiatives have you taken to put yourself in a “medical environment,” such as a free medical clinic, nursing home, volunteer program in a hospital or a program like Camp Easter Seals?

Resources for Interested Students

Students at Virginia Tech who are interested in pursuing the pathway to a career in medicine are fortunate because there are many resources available to help them begin the journey and complete it successfully. Here are some of the more important resources to consider:

University Pre-Med Advising Office

Located in the Hillcrest University Honors Office, room 137. Please contact University Honors at 1-4591 for an appointment. Students must have an open pre-med folder.

UH 2984 Careers in Medicine

A course available to sophomores and other upper division students. Taught during fall semesters. Honors designation is not a requirement to take the course.

University Pre-Med Advisor

Dr. Tom Sitz's office is in Hillcrest. Please call Ms. Craft at 1-4591 for an appointment.

General Steps to Applying to Medical School

The “general” pathway for a successful medical school applicant is as follows:

• A student selects a major in subject area which they find interesting and exciting. The major does not have to be a science major, but the student does need to enjoy science and be able to make excellent grades in science courses;
• The student develops a four-year academic plan in concert with their academic advisor and/or a pre-med advisor in their home department, and/or with the University Pre-Med Advisor;
• The student completes the core curriculum, plus the in-major requirements, and demonstrates their enthusiasm for learning by excelling across a broad spectrum of academic subjects;
• As part of their interest in medicine, the student may elect to take the Careers in Medicine course. There are also many other excellent courses related to the medical field listed on the Honors website, especially the new “Medicine and Society” minor in the Department of Science, Technology, and Society;
• The student should plan to attend the fall pre-med program on the Tech campus where admissions officers from all four medical colleges in the Commonwealth come to campus and present a program on “How to Get Into Medical School.” This program will be announced through the Honors pre-med website;
• The student should take advantage of the annual visit to the University of Virginia medical school and their open house for all students in the Commonwealth who are interested in pursuing a medical career. The theme of the open house is “Planning Your Admission to Medical School.”
  • These are excellent opportunities for the student to hear first-hand what admissions committees are looking for and how to plan a successful application;
• The student should begin to initiate opportunities for medical preceptorship experiences as soon as possible and find experiences that complement their academic program time-wise. The pre-medical organizations on campus Alpha Epsilon Delta and the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) are excellent student organizations that can provide additional preceptorship possibilities. Beginning as early as possible, the student should begin to develop a personal statement and an updated resume. At this early stage of the planning process, one should be thinking about potential individuals to write letters of recommendation;
• By spring semester of the first year, the student should open a folder with the Pre-Med Office. This should certainly be done by sophomore year;
• By spring semester of junior year, the student should have a competitive GPA for the medical schools to which they will be applying; the student should be studying for the MCAT exams that are given in April of that year; and, the student should have signed up in the Honors office for a pre-med interview with the University Pre-Med Advising Committee. The purpose of this interview is not to decide whether the student should be a physician (gatekeeper role), but rather how well the student has prepared for admission to medical school (evaluation role). The purpose of the interview is to support the student’s application process by helping him or her to become the best applicant possible;
• Over the summer after junior year, the student completes the standardized application for medical school, the AMCAS/AACOMAS form. This is sent to the AMCAS/AACOMAS office during the summer. The student also makes a request of the pre-med office to send letters of recommendation to the respective schools of choice;
• By early fall, the application, MCAT scores and letters of recommendation come together at the medical school;
• The medical school reviews the material and, if impressed, the student is invited by the medical school to come for an interview. If the student does well, he or she is accepted.