Medical School
Application Process
The application process, like being pre-med at Truman, is a journey. Care should be taken to plan your goals and identify the critical checkpoints and timelines.
It is absolutely essential that you identify and get to know your pre-med advisor, and that you keep up to date on deadlines and other information vital to completing the medical school application. Advisors often have insider information about specific medical schools and usually maintain helpful connections with area schools.
Both MD and DO programs have application services, and they typically open in May of each year for matriculation the following year, with submission beginning at the end of May or early June. Many medical schools offer acceptance on a first-come, first-serve basis. Therefore, the sooner you complete and submit the application, the better your chances of being accepted. High-quality applicants are often wait-listed because they did not complete the application process early enough in the application cycle. Helpful instructional and guide books are available, and you should definitely read through these before you begin the process:
Note: MCAT scores are automatically released to AMCAS, but not AACOMAS. You can release your scores to AACOMAS through the MCAT Testing History System. Most medical schools require that the MCAT be taken within the last 3 years.
When to Apply
The earliest applicants often begin the application process after taking the MCAT during the spring semester of their junior year. Ideally, one should aim to have the online application(s) complete and ready to submit before June 1 of the year prior to desired matriculation into medical school. The most final drop-dead deadlines for most medical schools range from October 1 to December 15. However, given the rolling nature of most admissions programs, the sooner you submit the application, the sooner your application can be processed and decided.
Also, one must have completed all stated course requirements before matriculating into medical school. In general, most students would have completed all prerequisites before applying.
How to Apply
Most schools require applicants to fill out an online application through either the AAMC website for allopathic schools or the AACOM website for osteopathic schools. For allopathic (MD) schools, the AMCAS application is used, while for osteopathic schools use the AACOMAS application.
Both AMCAS and AACOMAS serve to disseminate your information to schools that you specify. Schools interested in learning more about you will send out a secondary application after you complete the AMCAS and/or AACOMAS. Thus, the sooner you complete the AMCAS and/or AACOMAS, the sooner you will be invited to complete the secondary applications and be accepted.
What to include in your application:
Primary Application:
- Personal and contact information
- Education Background (High school and College)
- Completed college courses (Name, Course number, Grade)
- Official Transcripts- you must send official transcripts for EACH college/university you have college credit from
- Completed exam(s)
- Work, extracurricular activities, honors, etc.
- Personal statement/Essay questions
- Schools you wish to apply to
Secondary Application:
- This application is specific to the school(s) that you are applying to. You will want to make sure that your application is now focused on this school and not as general as your primary application was. One of the biggest pieces of advice that many students echo is to complete these secondary applications as quickly as possible, ideally within a week of receiving the application.
Cost of Applications
Application services charge on a per-school basis. There is a base charge for the first school plus an additional charge for each additional school. Depending on the amount of schools a student applies to.
A discussion of fees can be found below for AMCAS. The fees for AACOMAS are similar, though slightly lower. In addition, there will be travel costs. Truman students have spent anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 during the application process.
Number of Schools to Consider
With access to the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR™) (link still good) at the AAMC website, students may research admission criteria and mission statements among many different medical schools. The range of academic credentials for entering students posted by each medical school should help direct you to apply to the most appropriate schools, given your academic history and professional interests. Most Truman students apply to 6-12 schools.
MSAR™Personal Statement
The personal statement is a great opportunity to distinguish yourself from the rest of the applicant pool. It is your chance to describe some of the events in your life that have shaped you and have given you the qualities that you possess. Although there are many ways to do this, many students relate their information through stories that illustrate their qualities and experiences. In other words, provide anecdotal evidence to paint a picture that allows the reader to draw conclusions about the type of person you are. Certainly tie in your motivations for becoming a physician and provide the evidence for why you think you are qualified. Most importantly, the personal statement should explain very clearly, succinctly, and uniquely, how you came to the conclusion that medical practice is the most logical and appropriate career path for you.
Interview
After receiving your secondary application, interested schools will notify you and usually allow you to choose from several interview dates. If possible, you should try to reserve the earliest spot when the school has not yet admitted many students (your chances of acceptance are better at this point). The purpose of the interview is for the admission panel to evaluate your character, personality, communication skills, and other attributes that may contribute to your success as a physician.
Be yourself, just professional
They are interested in meeting YOU, everything in your application has made them want to know more about you so that’s who they want to meet
Dress Business professional
- Make sure your clothes are comfortable
- Your clothes should fit you well, you don’t want to be fidgeting throughout the day
- A suit or appropriate lentgh dress/skirt with a blazer and closed toe professional shoes are reccommended
Online Interviews
Many interviews have moved online since COVID and have stayed in that format
- Make sure your equipment is working
- pay attention to your background
- Have a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted/disturbed or distracted, consider renting an Interview Room with the Career Center
In Person Interviews
- Arrive in town the night before to allow for relaxation before the big day
- Eat well the day before. Be familiar with the school and the city/town itself (be prepared to talk about why you think the school is a good fit for you)
- Be on time; give yourself plenty of time to make it to the interview; arrive early
- Be familiar with current medical issues (stem cells, healthcare insurance and costs, antibiotic resistance, life support, etc)
- Consider preparing through the Career Center mock interview prep
Format of Interview Day
Ask Admissions at the schools you are visiting if you have any questions or concerns
- The day can last from 8 a.m. to possibly 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.
- Usually consists of one to three interviews; may be panel, one-to-one, group, or MMI (multiple mini interviews)
- Panel made up of faculty and sometimes upper level medical students
- Tour of school and facilities: this gives you time to assess the school, students, feel and culture of the school
- Avoid eating too much at meal time during the interview day to allow time to share your story; drink plenty of fluids (avoid alcohol)
- Don’t forget that the WHOLE day is a part of your interview day, you are always being watched and observed in some way
Much of this information is credited to the NAAHP (National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions), AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), and AACOM (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine) websites.