Typical pre-med students will structure their coursework in their first year at college to accommodate the required courses. After a semester, many pursue extracurricular activities that demonstrate a commitment to medicine. Once junior year arrives, students register for and take the MCAT, the required standardized exam that medical schools use to identify qualified candidates. Once the test is taken, students apply to various schools using the automated AMCAS system, or using a non-AMCAS-using school’s own application. AMCAS primary applications are verified by AMCAS staff, a process that often takes four weeks. The application process consists of a review of GPA, MCAT scores, coursework, activities, work experience, and a personal statement. Applicants can expect to hear from schools within 1-2 months, at which point they may receive “secondary applications”. Different schools have different policies on sending secondary applications to students; many send secondary applications to all students, others “screen” applications prior to inviting an applicant to submit a secondary application. These applications are generated by each individual school. They generally contain essay questions that the applicant must answer related to dedication to medicine, stressful situations encountered, leadership experience, etc. A qualified applicant can next expect to receive an invitation to interview schools. Such an invitation is generally considered an accomplishment with regards to the amount of time and work one puts into building her or his candidacy. Upon completion of the interview, the application process is considered “complete,” and the student can then wait for letters from schools.
Increasingly, more experienced applicants are pursuing admittance to medical school, often through a “post-baccalaureate” program. These programs may be formal, such as the programs offered through Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown or Loyola, but often consist of a student informally enrolling in a college to complete science coursework prior to sitting for the MCAT.