Your plain-English guide to getting into the medical school of
your dreams

Getting accepted to medical school is a long and rigorous
process and many students find they need help. If you're one of
these students, Getting into Medical School For Dummies is
the perfect tool to help you through the process and realize your
dream.

By providing you with concise information about preparing for
and applying to medical school, Getting into Medical School For
Dummies prepares you for the application process. Written by an
industry expert, it gives you a distinct advantage in the
competitive medical school admissions process, preparing you for
every step and helping you create your best application.

* Takes you through the often-overwhelming process of applying to
medical school

* Explains what medical schools and admissions committees are
really looking for

* Provides plain-English explanations of complicated medical
school admissions processes

If you're one of the over 40,000 students who apply to medical
school each year and need help sorting through the admissions
schedule, writing statements of intent, and preparing to take the
MCAT, Getting Into Medical School For Dummies has you
covered!

Carleen Eaton, MD, has used her expertise in admissions and test preparation, as well as her experiences as an applicant who received acceptances to top-ranked medical schools, to guide hundreds of applicants successfully through the medical school admissions process. She is the founder of prehealthadvising.com, a medical school admissions consulting firm.

Getting accepted to medical school is a long and rigorous process and many students find they need help. If you're one of these students, Getting into Medical School For Dummies is the perfect tool to help you through the process and realize your dream.

By providing you with concise information about preparing for and applying to medical school, Getting into Medical School For Dummies prepares you for the application process. Written by an industry expert, it gives you a distinct advantage in the competitive medical school admissions process, preparing you for every step and helping you create your best application.

• Takes you through the often-overwhelming process of applying to medical school
• Explains what medical schools and admissions committees are really looking for
• Provides plain-English explanations of complicated medical school admissions processes

If you're one of the over 40,000 students who apply to medical school each year and need help sorting through the admissions schedule, writing statements of intent, and preparing to take the MCAT, Getting Into Medical School For Dummies has you covered!

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You're Not to Read 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

How This Book is Organized 3

Part I: Planning the Premedical Years 3

Part II: Applying to Medical School 3

Part III: Osteopathic Medical Schools, Dual-Degree Programs, and More 4

Part IV: Nontraditional Applicants, Reapplicants, and Disadvantaged Applicants 5

Part V: You're In! Getting Ready to Go 5

Part VI: The Part of Tens 5

Icons Used in This Book 6

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: Planning the Premedical Years 9

Chapter 1: Turning Your Dream of Going to Medical School into a Reality 11

So You Want to Be a Doctor: Thinking about Medicine as a Career 11

Mapping Out College and Participating in Extracurricular Activities 12

Assessing the Medical School Application Process 13

Looking at the timeline13

Taking the MCAT 14

Selecting schools 15

Submitting primary applications 15

Obtaining letters of recommendation 16

Completing secondary applications 16

Interviewing with schools 16

Hearing whether you're in, out, or waitlisted 17

Considering All Your Options 17

Osteopathic medical schools 18

Dual-degree programs 18

International medical schools 19

Taking Care of Special Situations 19

Nontraditional applicants 20

Reapplicants 20

Minority and disadvantaged applicants and applicants with disabilities 21

Heading to Medical School 21

Confronting the cost 21

Getting off to a good start 22

Chapter 2: Considering a Medical Career 23

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Entering Medicine 23

Evaluating the rewards 24

Assessing the drawbacks and sacrifices 25

Becoming a Physician in a Few Not-So-Easy Steps 25

Starting out: The premedical years 26

Moving closer to your goal: Medical school 26

Preparing to practice medicine: Residency 27

Deciding to go further: Fellowship 28

Finishing at last: Becoming an attending physician 28

Becoming Licensed to Practice Medicine 29

Surveying Practice Types 29

Private solo and group practices 30

Community clinics 30

Academic institutions 30

Practicing as a hospitalist and other options 31

Assessing Your Chances of Acceptance to Medical School 31

Playing the numbers game: Medical school applicants

versus seats in medical schools 32

Gauging grades and test scores: GPA and the MCAT 33

Looking beyond the numbers 34

Deciding Whether Medicine is Right for You 35

Chapter 3: Mapping Out Your College Years 37

Understanding the Role of the Premedical Years 37

Building a foundation for medical school 38

Exploring your interests 38

Choosing an Undergraduate School 39

Recognizing that where you go matters 39

Comparing major research institutions and small liberal arts colleges 40

Finding a school with strong support for premeds 41

Looking at location 42

Selecting a Major 42

Going the traditional route: Science majors 43

Taking a different path: Nonscience majors 43

Planning Your Premedical Course Work 44

The essentials: Familiarizing yourself with the prerequisites for medical school 45

Reading the fi ne print: Policies about AP credit and community college courses 45

Going above and beyond: Courses that are recommended but not required 46

Studying Abroad 47

Perusing Premedical Post-Baccalaureate Programs 48

Considering formal post-bac programs 49

Taking post-bac courses independently 50

Chapter 4: Making the Most of Extracurricular Activities 51

Understanding...