It’s medical school application season, and you may be wondering how to choose a medical school. It is a big decision, and one that should not be made lightly. I have actually created a FREE medical school application tracker that you can download at the end of this post! Whichever school you choose, you will be experiencing the best and worst moments of your life. Therefore, you want to make sure it’s a place that supports you both academically and emotionally.
The beginning of this post will focus more on how to choose which medical schools to apply to, and the latter half will focus on choosing the right one after you get accepted. Everyone is not fortunate enough to have multiple offers (YOU JUST NEED 1!). But, if you do, then choosing the right school can be hard, especially if they are equally great programs. So, if you are wondering how to choose a medical school, here are 10 important factors.
1. Your statistics
When deciding on how to choose a medical school to which you want to apply, it’s important to think about how you match up to other class averages. MCAT scores and GPAs don’t automatically disqualify you unless you are under a 500 or 3.00 science GPA. And even then, there are still some programs who will accept you if you’re stats are lower than that.
But, applying to medical school is expensive, so even if you have a couple of reaches, you want to apply places to which you will have a high chance of being accepted. If your highest MCAT score is 500, then applying to all Ivy Leagues is not the best decision. Look at the programs in which you’re interested, and their average scores. This will give you a good idea if you’ll be competitive or not. Make a list of schools that are above your stats, the same as your stats, and below your stats. This gives you reach schools, on-par school, and safety schools.
2. Where you would realistically live
When I was applying to medical school, I used to say, “I don’t care if the medical school is in South Dakota, I will be there.” And no shade to readers from South Dakota. But as someone who is not from there, it didn’t sound like the top destination for me to live. And you should consider then when thinking about how to choose a medical school. Livability is important.
That includes safety, cost, environment, and comfort. If you hate the snow, then don’t apply to schools in the North. If you have certain health conditions, then high altitudes probably aren’t the best option. Living in New York City or Los Angeles sounds fun until you’re paying $3000 to share an apartment with 4 other people.
Again, absolutely no shade to any of those places. You just need to choose the right environment for you. And be realistic. Medical school is hard enough. Living somewhere where you’re not comfortable will just compound how difficult your experience is.
3. School demographics
Another important factor for how to choose a medical school is diversity. There is an overall lack of diversity in medicine, so for Black, Hispanic, East Asian, and Alaska Native/American Indian, it’s going to be difficult to find a program with a meaningful percentage of people who look like you. But you can get close.
Find programs that at least try to be diverse. And not just in race. Gender is important too, as well as showing support for LGBTQ+ students and those with disabilities.
The student demographics are not the only thing that you should consider. Faculty and staff demographics matter too. Again, there is a shortage of diversity in medical education. Therefore, it’s going to be difficult to find schools with a meaningful percentage of diverse faculty and staff.
But, the more diverse staff they have, the easier it should be to find a mentor with whom you share similar life experiences. Having professors of the same ethnicity is more important than students may realize. You will want someone to show you the ropes through a lens similar to yours. So be intentional about considering demographics when you are applying.
4. Type of medicine
There are two types of medicine. Allopathic medicine is practiced at M.D. school. Osteopathic medicine is practiced at D.O. schools. The training and education between the two are equivalent. They just differ in their underlying philosophy. Also, osteopathic students learn manual manipulation, which focuses on hands-on treatment. Osteopathic schools also teach a more holistic approach to medicine that involves person-centered, not symptom-centered treatment.
Traditionally, there has been stigma against osteopathic physicians. However, as graduate councils are merging, and curriculums begin to more closely reflect one another, there is less separation between the two. Certain residency programs and specialties are not particularly D.O. friendly. But as the more traditional physicians leave the field, I think those same programs will become more inclusive.
So don’t let the fear of going D.O. stop you from applying to those schools. Open yourself up to apply to D.O., HBCU, and maybe even Carribean schools if they have a good reputation. The most important thing to consider are the schools’ stats and how they match up to other programs, to determine if it is a good program or not.
5. Pass and match rate
When you’re thinking about how to choose a medical school, you may not understand the pass and match rate. There are three national board exams required to be licensed. You take two of those as an undergraduate medical student. They differ from the MCAT in that you are expected to pass on the first attempt. The percentage of students that pass on the first rate is reported by schools. The higher the number, the better prepared their students are to take those exams.
The match rate is the number of students who matched into a residency program. When you are in your fourth year of medical school, you apply to residency programs. After interviews, you rank them based on which programs you liked. And they rank students based on who they want in their program. An algorithm matches the two and spits out a match. And that’s the residency where students will train. Unfortunately, there are students who do not match, and may have to enter a separate application, or try to apply for an intern or research year.
Schools with the highest percentage of matching students are great programs. This means they provide their students with the education and skills to match into a residency program. Each school is required to provide these stats on their website, so you can look them up and choose the right program.
6. Curriculum and class time requirements
After you’ve been accepted, and you have to choose between two or more programs, your priorities change. One thing to consider is the curriculum and class time requirements. Medical school is vastly different from undergrad. Many schools do not require students to attend class, and learning becomes much more independent.
If you like that structure, then those schools work for you. But if that’s too much independence for you, then you can choose schools who are more hands-on with their students. Schools also implement small group discussions, lab time, and research or extracurricular activities into their curriculum as well. All of this information should be available on their site, and if it’s not, then you can speak with admissions to find out more about the medical school curriculum.
7. Finances
Another important consideration when thinking about how to choose a medical school are the finances. Medical school is expensive, and you can’t work. There are some ways to make money as a medical student, but not enough to work and go to school like some Master’s level programs. So, it’s important to choose a school that matches up with your desired career field.
Those interested in primary care may want to choose a school that is less expensive. Taking out $400,000 in loans to make a projected $200,000 a year means you are going to be paying off loans for a long time (unless you get them forgiven). State schools are generally cheaper for in-state students, and the better option if you can get in. Also, choose schools that have scholarships widely available, or a special program where students get free tuition. Those programs may be a little more competitive because of the financial perks, but are great if you can get in.
Another option is the military. They will pay for all medical school, plus provide a stipend and books. Basic training is still required, and your residency is largely determined by the branch you choose. If this is a route you’re considering, make sure you’ve thought it true and talked to other physicians who also served in the military.
8. Research opportunities
Most medical schools are research institutions. They receive research grants, increased competitiveness for publications, and can recruit high caliber faculty. If you are heavily interested in research, then see what research interests and opportunities are available. Most schools have an entire page on their site dedicated to current research projects. See if there are any that align with former research you’ve completed, or interests you currently have. Research helps with residency applications, so institutions with many research opportunities can help you match.
9. Student wellness and support resources
As I said earlier, medical school is one of the hardest periods of your life. So you want to make sure your school has resources to support your wellness. Many schools have this information available on their website and a department who you can call. Some schools even have perks like free or reduced gym memberships, deals for things to do around town, and on-campus recreation events. These perks really make a difference when you’re trying to maintain your health, even though you’re busy all the time.
10. Pathways or dual programs
The last, but certainly not least, consideration for how to choose a medical school is if any of them have pathways or dual programs. Most likely, you’ll need to apply for, or indicate interest in these programs during the initial application.
Pathways are special curriculum paths that provide additional training in certain areas of medicine. This could be research, primary care, entrepreneurship/leadership, community outreach, etc. Although you’re getting the same education as everyone, you are getting specialized training in these areas for your future trajectory. Not every school has this, but if your school does, then it could be a special opportunity.
Dual programs are those that offer two or more degrees. Common dual degree programs are Medicine and Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA), Masters in Public Health (MPH), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and Doctor of Law (J.D.). These programs allow you to get more than one degree in a shorter time than if you did both programs separately. They normally cause a delayed graduation, and gaps in medical education for dissertations, masters’ theses, and other capstone projects.
If you are interested in combining your education, look for programs that offer the dual degree program that best fits you. It’s important to note, that they can be more competitive and require extra entrance exams.
Main takeaways
When thinking about how to choose a medical school, the decision is tough. There are many things to consider, and the choice determines your life for the next 4-8 years. So take time to think about schools, and make the best choice for you. To help with this, I have created a FREE medical school application tracker that you can download and use to help manage your applications!
If you are in the process of choosing a medical school and have additional considerations or question, please leave them in the comment section!
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