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What do I need to do to get into a good medical school?

I want to be super prepared for college and ready for med school #medicine

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Subject: Career question for you

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Richard’s Answer

In the US, to apply to medical school, you need a bachelor's degree. Any 4-year university should suffice.
Pick a major that interests you so you don't mind devoting a majority of your hours to studying. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. 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.
Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses. I chose to major in biochemistry because there was overlap with the premed requirements and I wanted to complete my degree in 3 years.
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
Try to find opportunities to pursue research.
Volunteer at your local hospital or low-income clinic. Ask physicians, PAs or other clinical providers if you can shadow them.
During college study for and complete the MCAT. Devote an entire summer to studying for the MCAT and consider paying for a prep course if you can afford it.
My son used MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review 2019-2020: Online + Book + 3 Practice Tests (Kaplan Test Prep) Kaplan Test Prep
It was about $140 and he achieved his goal score.
Apply to medical schools during your last year of college.
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Laura’s Answer

Hi Katarina!


If your still in high school, keep your grades up and participate in at least one extra-curricular (and do some volunteering!) so you have good options for undergrad and much better opportunities for scholarships to keep debt low. From my experiences I had in college with friends heading to med school, in college you'll want to study something relevant (like biology or biochemistry) and also have minors or an additional major in something maybe not as relevant (like psychology or finance) because med schools really appreciate diversity in backgrounds of their students, but a relevant degree helps you on the MCAT. You'll want to participate in student organizations and volunteer, but not to the detriment of your grades. Study study study for the MCAT because your grade on that can make all the difference in getting into the school you want. Some med schools require an interview as part of the interview process, so if your not confident in those skills, work on them. In undergrad your school will likely have a career services center that will offer interview and resume help and I highly recommend utilizing those sources!

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