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Sameer
Student
Waco, Texas
2
Questions
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How competitive is med school?
I'm currently a college pre-med student and I was wondering how competitive is med school and how competitive is it to get in. #medical-school
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2 answers
James Garza
Owner, Self-employed at Garza Medical Association
82
Answers
Round Rock, Texas
Updated
James’s Answer
hi sameer! i see that you're anxious about whether pursuing a career in medicine is for you. i attended medical school from 1989 to 1993 and i'll focus on the part of your question having to do with how competitive it is during the 4 years of medical school.
every single person accepted to medical school is exceptional. every one of those individuals has been at the top of their class for all of their life. most have degrees, sometimes advanced or multiple, within the area of science. the majority have grown up with some connection to the field such as through a family member. some already have experience in some other part of the medical field such as in nursing, nutrition, dentistry, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, EMS, research, etc. all have demonstrated an unwavering aspiration to some type of career in medicine as well as the tremendous drive to achieve this.
so when you walk into your first class of medical school you know you're in elite academic company and you'll be competing against them for top marks. that alone would cause anyone to be anxious no matter what your personal accomplishments have been. but that doesn't necessarily mean that you're fated to 4 years of cutthroat, dog-eat-dog, competition.
first, you'll most likely already have a few friends that you knew from college. if you do, that familiarity can be a tremendous source of comfort.
second, everyone is in the same boat. they too will be trying to adapt to a new city, new school, new classes, new classmates, new goals, etc.
third, everyone realizes very quickly that the sheer volume of knowledge that has to be learned will be insurmountable without help from other classmates. so you'll be joining one or more study groups where working together is the standard operating procedure. those small groups of classmates will share your anxieties & frustrations, console you when needed, and usually become friends for life.
the next aspect to comprehend is that the meaning of course grades changes. in the past, you've understood that your grades would be the most important criteria determining whether or where you would continue your education, how much scholarship money you'd receive, and which honors you'd earn. although still important the weight that grades have on your future lessens tremendously. you'll begin being graded on how you're able to translate what you've learned in the classroom to your ability to put that into practice with caring for patients. often this is a huge hurdle for people who in the past have only learned information to pass a test. for others this can be their shining moment in the sun, the chance to demonstrate technical skills, social skills, and how someday you could be a highly valued member of a team.
next, i'd like you to know that the whole "grading-on-a-curve" concept changes. in the past, there was always an understanding that a certain portion of the class would fail, some would do okay, and others would excel. but those who selected you to attend their medical school WANT you to succeed. they also expect it. so all your classes are basically "pass/fail." and, because everyone in the class is exceptional, the number who fail is always exceedingly low. i can only recall one of my classmates who flunked out of medical school, out of a class of roughly 200.
armed with the above knowledge you can rest assured that, should you be accepted to a medical school, it's a virtual certainty that you'll graduate with that coveted title of Medical Doctor.
of course there are certain things i'm leaving out, such as competition for residency positions, but i don't want to overburden you with those thoughts today.
hope this gives you a little better insight into those 4 intense years of medical school should you choose to pursue it.
good luck, sameer!
make friends with other pre-med students
speak with your college health professions advisor about previous applicants' experiences.
schedule brief information interviews with local physicians in various specialties. ask them about their preparations for med school, application to med school, med school & residency experiences, and choice of specialty.
every single person accepted to medical school is exceptional. every one of those individuals has been at the top of their class for all of their life. most have degrees, sometimes advanced or multiple, within the area of science. the majority have grown up with some connection to the field such as through a family member. some already have experience in some other part of the medical field such as in nursing, nutrition, dentistry, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, EMS, research, etc. all have demonstrated an unwavering aspiration to some type of career in medicine as well as the tremendous drive to achieve this.
so when you walk into your first class of medical school you know you're in elite academic company and you'll be competing against them for top marks. that alone would cause anyone to be anxious no matter what your personal accomplishments have been. but that doesn't necessarily mean that you're fated to 4 years of cutthroat, dog-eat-dog, competition.
first, you'll most likely already have a few friends that you knew from college. if you do, that familiarity can be a tremendous source of comfort.
second, everyone is in the same boat. they too will be trying to adapt to a new city, new school, new classes, new classmates, new goals, etc.
third, everyone realizes very quickly that the sheer volume of knowledge that has to be learned will be insurmountable without help from other classmates. so you'll be joining one or more study groups where working together is the standard operating procedure. those small groups of classmates will share your anxieties & frustrations, console you when needed, and usually become friends for life.
the next aspect to comprehend is that the meaning of course grades changes. in the past, you've understood that your grades would be the most important criteria determining whether or where you would continue your education, how much scholarship money you'd receive, and which honors you'd earn. although still important the weight that grades have on your future lessens tremendously. you'll begin being graded on how you're able to translate what you've learned in the classroom to your ability to put that into practice with caring for patients. often this is a huge hurdle for people who in the past have only learned information to pass a test. for others this can be their shining moment in the sun, the chance to demonstrate technical skills, social skills, and how someday you could be a highly valued member of a team.
next, i'd like you to know that the whole "grading-on-a-curve" concept changes. in the past, there was always an understanding that a certain portion of the class would fail, some would do okay, and others would excel. but those who selected you to attend their medical school WANT you to succeed. they also expect it. so all your classes are basically "pass/fail." and, because everyone in the class is exceptional, the number who fail is always exceedingly low. i can only recall one of my classmates who flunked out of medical school, out of a class of roughly 200.
armed with the above knowledge you can rest assured that, should you be accepted to a medical school, it's a virtual certainty that you'll graduate with that coveted title of Medical Doctor.
of course there are certain things i'm leaving out, such as competition for residency positions, but i don't want to overburden you with those thoughts today.
hope this gives you a little better insight into those 4 intense years of medical school should you choose to pursue it.
good luck, sameer!
James recommends the following next steps:
Lindsay Kim
Dental Assistant
37
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Lindsay’s Answer
Hi Sameer,
It is super competitive. At the university I went to, the advisor told me that the chances of us getting into our university's medical school were 0.01% just because of the large applicant pool. That being said, it's not impossible! The numbers are scary because everyone applying is very smart, but if it's a path you're willing to commit to and take, you can do it! I've seen people get in with GPAs that are lower than average and I've also seen people who got a perfect MCAT/GPA and they still didn't get in. Just make sure you get involved with a lot of extracurriculars and do well in your classes! Working in a clinical setting/doing research will also help. Study for the MCAT and PRACTICE YOUR INTERVIEWS. It is a super hard program to get into, but let your personality shine through and you'll be just fine.
It is super competitive. At the university I went to, the advisor told me that the chances of us getting into our university's medical school were 0.01% just because of the large applicant pool. That being said, it's not impossible! The numbers are scary because everyone applying is very smart, but if it's a path you're willing to commit to and take, you can do it! I've seen people get in with GPAs that are lower than average and I've also seen people who got a perfect MCAT/GPA and they still didn't get in. Just make sure you get involved with a lot of extracurriculars and do well in your classes! Working in a clinical setting/doing research will also help. Study for the MCAT and PRACTICE YOUR INTERVIEWS. It is a super hard program to get into, but let your personality shine through and you'll be just fine.