3 answers
Clarissa
Student
McFarland, California
2
Questions
Updated
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Is medical school hard to get into? What should we expect?
school #PhD #doctor #medicine #med-school #healthcare #hospital-and-healthcare
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3 answers
Inga Wu
Medical Assistant
1
Answer
Wilmington, Delaware
Updated
Inga’s Answer
The short answer is yes. Very generally, you need to have the right stats (MCAT & GPA), the right activities (research/volunteering/clinical experience), and the right school list (this point is so underrated). Each year about 41% of all medical school applicants eventually matriculate. Many highly qualified applicants end up reapplying. Applying to medical school is extremely labor intensive and very costly. People apply to up to 60 something schools. There's no good way to answer your question without knowing where you are in your premed journey, how much are you willing to sacrifice to just get in, what your stats are, etc. Check out forums like Student Doctor Network and Reddit. Don't apply to medical school based on how difficult it is to get in. Figure out if you want to be a doctor in the first place.
Richard A.
physician
2150
Answers
Updated
Richard’s Answer
It definitely takes hard work and dedication!
You must complete a bachelors degree in any field while completing the prerequisite courses.
Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters
Some medical schools require humanities and social/behavioral science courses. The MCAT also has a Psychology/Sociology section.
It is also important to get good grades in college. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
According to the Princeton Review, "The average GPA for medical school matriculants in 2017–2018 was a 3.64 science, a 3.79 non-science, and a 3.71 overall."
You must complete a bachelors degree in any field while completing the prerequisite courses.
Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters
Some medical schools require humanities and social/behavioral science courses. The MCAT also has a Psychology/Sociology section.
It is also important to get good grades in college. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
According to the Princeton Review, "The average GPA for medical school matriculants in 2017–2018 was a 3.64 science, a 3.79 non-science, and a 3.71 overall."
Rachel Weinheimer
Surgeon
1121
Answers
Amarillo, Texas
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
Yes, med school is competitive.
You need to complete the pre-med requirements, preferably with A’s. These include at least a year of biology, 1 year inorganic chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry + labs, physics, calculus, and biochemistry. Your junior year, you will need to take an MCAT study course prior to taking the MCAT. With a solid GPA (3.8+) and MCAT score, you should be a competitive applicant.
You need to complete the pre-med requirements, preferably with A’s. These include at least a year of biology, 1 year inorganic chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry + labs, physics, calculus, and biochemistry. Your junior year, you will need to take an MCAT study course prior to taking the MCAT. With a solid GPA (3.8+) and MCAT score, you should be a competitive applicant.