Med School Requirements
There are approximately a dozen essential med school requirements that applicants should be aware of and approach before applying to medical school. In this article, we will go over four – course prerequisites, transcripts, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. To begin with, all course prerequisites must be satisfactorily completed and reflected in your official school transcripts. Please refer to my articles which articulate exactly which courses you must take before applying to medical school. You can find them under the title, Medical School Requirements and Medical School Requirements and AP Tips.
I cannot stress the importance enough of having an ample supply of official transcripts in your possession at all time, especially if you plan on applying to several medical schools. This should be number one on your list of med school requirements. Also, once you are in your program, there is always the chance that you will be taking more courses in the future, and therefore, you don’t want to hold up your application waiting for the mail or trying to track your official transcripts down. They are also a good asset to supply to future employers, who often want to review them.
Next is Medical School Recommendations:
An excellent letter of recommendation which stresses your academic or professional achievements is almost as important as your transcripts. A great letter gives an admissions committee much deeper understanding of the individual you are and the physician you may become. Identify teachers, mentors, and employers who can vouch for your skills, knowledge, experience, and dedication. These people will prove invaluable to your application. Therefore, hopefully, you’ve built associations with individuals who will write well on your behalf. Current professors and doctors with that you work, or have worked for – whether in a paid position or on a voluntary basis are the most useful options. Additionally, former professors with whom you have a good relationship with are invaluable. If your professor has the time, it may be helpful to set aside time for a brief meeting and tell him or her of your plans and how they can help.
A great letter arises from people who are able to discuss your unique traits and talents in detail. Your may send them a copy of your C.V., highlighting areas which they should address. Although you might believe that your professors or employers know you well enough not to have to supply them with your C.V., it is wise to do so anyway. People don’t always remember all of your accomplishments and interests as well as you do. After all, they most likely have worked with hundreds of other students and may confuse you with another. However, don’t take this personally. If you were to have to write a specific letter about a schoolmate or colleague, I am sure that you would appreciate a C.V. as a guideline too.
A personal statement is very important on the overall presentation of your application and is high on the top of the list of med school requirements. Therefore, you may also wish to supply the people whom you are asking for letters of recommendation a copy of your personal statement in order to use as a guideline. Besides the information being a refresher about you for them, they may also want to offer you some tips if they see a reason. Likewise, any other material which supports your credentials you may also want to bring with you to the meeting. Be sure to let them know to which medical schools you are applying and what specialty, if you have decided, you plan to pursue. They may even have colleagues there whom they could recommend to you for taking classes as well as mentoring.
You should not worry about approaching prospective people for recommendation, even if it has been a while since been in contact. For those for whom you are currently still employed or taking a class – all the better to ask for a letter of recommendation now, while you are still fresh in their mind. And, by all means, don’t concern yourself with thinking that you are asking them a favor; professors and doctors are used to writing letter for people. In fact, it is part of their job!
Please make note of this med school requirement tip: As with your official transcripts, you will want several copies of your recommendation letters. Again, don’t be shy about asking for multiple copies, but make sure they each have original signatures on them.
Written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS
© 2011 Brenne Meirowitz & Best Medical Schools & Requirements
