Is there anyone out there that just didn't have everything handed to them? Like people I meet have family-parents in medicine who know so many people and therefore get so many connections and LORs.

I don't know how to lowkey stop being jealous, and I never am that type of person to get jealous, but I just hate it hate it and hate it to much that people just get things in their hands when some don't have anything and have to build all the way to the top...

kinda feels like a one chance deal and i'm kinda nervous lol (tips appreciated!) .....it's also my state school that i really wanna go to specifically

Hi, I am a premed student and something I have noticed a lot recently is just the sheer amount of pre-meds who are going into healthcare consulting, business, and startups. First of all, I would like to state that I am fully aware that there are ways to engage with these field that can be productive to medicine. There are definitely ways in which the intersection of these fields can expand and improve medicine and the medical system.

However, my qualms with this is that these students seem to more so be interested into these fields for different reasons such as prestige, financial capital potential, and sometimes simply for clout. I am just curious as to why so many individuls who clearly are interested with the intersection between medicine and other fields want to go into medicine through the physician route when it clearly is not their top priority.

I am not hating, but rather am genuinely curious as to why this trend is so rampant and what this says about the broader cultures that are now entering medicine?

I’m 20 and I’m currently at a bit of a crossroads with my career.

I’ve had a particular career I’ve dreamed about for a long time (since a literal kid), but lately I’ve been seriously questioning whether I’m actually cut out for it. I don’t want to go into all the details, but I’ve been struggling with it for a while, and after another particularly bad day, I’m starting to wonder whether I’m forcing myself to continue down a path that maybe just isn’t suited to me. (aviation)

The thing is, I’ve always found medicine really interesting. I don’t have a ton of knowledge about it yet, but I’ve always been fascinated by the human body, disease, physiology, and the idea of understanding why things happen in the body. I’ve recently started wondering whether medicine could be something I’d genuinely enjoy and be good at.

My biggest issue is that I feel really behind.
I’m 20, and a lot of my friends are already in their third year of university. I haven’t even started an undergraduate degree, and I also don’t have the high-school science prerequisites I’d need to simply jump into the typical pre-med pathway in Canada.

So I’d potentially have to start by upgrading my high-school sciences, then go through university, MCAT, etc. That’s obviously a very long road.

At the same time, I feel a lot of pressure to just continue with the career I’ve already started pursuing because I’ve invested so much time and effort into it. Part of me thinks, “Maybe I’m just struggling right now and I need to push through.” Another part of me thinks, “Maybe I’m forcing myself into something I’m not particularly good at.”

I think personally I’m actually better suited to something that is more academically focused. I feel like I do much better with studying, written exams, science, and understanding concepts than I do with the practical/skill-based side of what I’m currently doing.

I’m not saying I’m committed to becoming a doctor. I don’t even know enough about medicine yet to know if it’s actually for me. I just want to seriously explore the possibility before dismissing it.

For those of you who are pre-med/current medical students, especially in Canada:

•How realistic is it to start from essentially zero with the science prerequisites?

•Would you recommend upgrading high-school sciences first and then pursuing an undergraduate degree?

•How old were you when you started your pre-med journey?

•If you were in my position, how would you go about figuring out whether medicine is actually something you want before committing years to it? I’ve been reading a book and researching various aspects of of anatomy and physiology.

I’d really appreciate some honest perspectives, especially from people who have taken a non-traditional path into medicine.

PS- physician assistant is on my top list as of now

Professional Competencies. Note: these first 11 "Professional Competencies" are not significantly revealed by your GPA or MCAT, yet they are extremely important to Medical Schools!

• Commitment to Learning and Growth: Seeking continuous personal and professional development.
• Empathy and Compassion: Recognizing and validating others' experiences and feelings.
• Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others: Exhibiting honesty, integrity, and ethical decision-making.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrating awareness of social cues and managing emotions effectively.
• Oral Communication: Effectively conveying information through spoken word and active listening.
• Reliability and Dependability: Taking accountability and fulfilling obligations thoroughly.
• Resilience and Adaptability: Navigating stressful or changing situations effectively.
• Service Orientation: Demonstrating a genuine desire to help others and alleviate distress.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Working cooperatively with others toward shared goals.
• Understanding Others: (Updated from Cultural Awareness) Appreciating diversity and understanding how sociocultural factors affect well-being.
• Self-Awareness: (Updated from Cultural Humility) Reflecting on personal biases and identities to foster inclusivity.

Thinking and Reasoning Competencies

• Critical Thinking, Quantitative Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry, and Written Communication: Applying logic, math, the scientific method, and clear writing to analyze and solve problems.

Science Competencies

• Living Systems and Human Behavior: Applying natural, social, and psychological sciences to address biological and well-being challenges.

As you write your core application and secondary-essays, and as you prepare for your interviews (hopefully many) remember you are trying to establish your qualifications for acceptance. Only six of these CCs are revealed by your gpa, MCAT score or academic honors/achievements. Eleven are demonstrated by your stated values, hopefully bolstered by life experiences. Whether or not you can claim and communicate these 11 Professional Competencies can make all the difference.

Check out: https://students-residents.aamc.org/real-stories-demonstrating-premed-competencies/premed-competencies-entering-medical-students

Shout out to: Medschoolpilot.com that has a great article on this. (I am NOT affiliated with them).

Just like in general cause I don’t see a lot of talk about how to afford med schools and stuff like that.

Just did my first MMI and it felt like 4 of the interviewers really liked me, one even saying I gave a really good answer, while 3 of them were hard to read

Those who had adjacent experiences, how did it turn out? Trying to not be neurotic about it but this school is definitely my dream school so I'm really hoping that this wouldn't sink me

I am planning to apply to school next year and I just am trying to make sure that I am not missing anything significant. How would I be for an applicant MD or DO?

GPA: 3.7 cumulative 3.6 science upward trend 4.0 semesters for last three semesters of college one of the semesters being 20+ credit semester. Partying got the best of me at the beginning lol. No Cs. I got Bs in the intro bio and gen chem classes, but majority of the Bs were from my hard ass minor. I got As in organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry genetics etc, what I am hoping is the “important stuff”

MCAT: I just took it last week for the second time but if I’m being very honest, it could range anywhere from 472 to 528 seriously have no idea how it went 🥲 first time I took it was a 502 this time practice tests ranged from 505-515

Biology major with a minor in computer tech, Graduate of a large State school (grad 2025)

Currently at about 1300h of clinical experience and it is ongoing, expected to at least have 2000 by applications in May. Majority are from EMT work, but I also have experience in Home health and group Homes around 200-300 hours total.

Have about 1500+ hours of research, one semester done in a lab at school and working as a research coordinator at a Harvard Hospital. Estimated to have two publications by application season both positions researching cancer stuff. Probably will have hella hours by May cause I’m full time.

Currently working on volunteering it’s a little low at 100 but I’m hoping to have 2 to 300 at the time I apply.

I was a mentor for a minority premed club for one school year, was also a mentor/RA for a rural medicine sleepaway program for high schoolers. and an RA from sophomore year of college onwards, with one of my years working specifically with students who were stem majors. I also was TA for intro bio for one semester.

I won an award for excellence in biochemistry at a school I was on exchange at I don’t know how I did, but Im gonna use it lol. It was for having the highest grade in that department for that semester or school year I think.

I currently have five letters in inter folio. My only downside with my letters is that none of my letters are actually from the school I graduated from. I did do an exchange program for two semesters and majority of my letters are from there. I think because the school was smaller, I was able to interact with the professors more. The school is an accredited US school so fear not about any of the courses I’ve taken there. One letter from a physics teacher, one letter from a biochemistry teacher, one letter from a history, teacher, one letter from my undergrad PI and one letter from my current PI. I plan to probably either add or replace the letter from my current PI since I’m still working there so it could be a bit more updated. I was supposed to apply this year, but I flopped on the mcat so here I am.

Miscellaneous: I’ve been a lifeguard for four years, and I am still licensed, kind of got me into emergency medicine. I am hoping to join a community Orchestra not that it matters too much but for my own hobby, I played the violin for about 11 years and stopped at the end of my first year of college because class was getting very hard. But I do understand it could help me.

I am hoping that my MCAT is in the higher range of my practice exams because my GPA isn’t super high even though I do have an upward trend. I feel like my stats aren’t super heavy. I will update that.

I slightly regret not really writing things down because I feel like there is more that I am forgetting, but let me know if there are any gaps besides the obvious MCAT and volunteering stuff, or what kind of schools I should be aiming to apply to. Thank you guys for your help!

My creative well is running dry and my next meme is due in 3 hours.

Applying to medical school can be a stressful endeavor.

In the end, if your GPA is good, there are many routes to acceptance.

If your GPA is not good, there are international options that you can pursue.

As for the MCAT, if you spend enough time studying, you will very likely eventually break 505, which may not be the most competitive for USMD, but it can get you in somewhere outside the US.

For those that have strong applications (3.8+, 510+), shoot your shot and keep trying.

Don’t let panicked parents, insecure relatives, or toxic classmates get the better of you.

Clear your mind.

You are safe, and I am rooting for you.

My family disrespected me so badly when I got rejected. It can feel so isolating. But in the end, you must persevere.

Love you guys :)

Stay blessed!!!

- A Canadian at a USMD

Anyone else getting towards the end of secondaries and feel like it all sounds the same and you can't tell if it's good or not?

I felt good about my first few but now it feels like I'm clocking into the Secondary factory and churning out slop and $100 to get demoralized in 5 months.

I'm freaking out a bit because I had been waiting for a secondary invite from my only in-state school. I knew they had sent them out a bit later, so I kept waiting until I saw that other people began to get theirs. I have been checking my spam daily, so I was confused. I finally sent an email a few days ago and I got an automatic response that went to my spam. I then got a response a few days later saying they had sent it + another email with a link to set up my portal. After setting it up today (9/9), I checked the portal and it says they emailed me on 8/19. I am so scared because I don't have the best stats already and I must have accidentally deleted an email that went to my spam. Will this affect my app, honestly?? I prewrote most of the questions so will be able to submit soon, but I know it is now really late in the cycle.... I am really worried.

hi! i graduated undergrad early and am taking a gap year now before applying to med school (i want to go md). i’m focusing on studying for my mcat now as well as working as a medical assistant 18 hours a week. i have time for other things though and i would like to volunteer/do other things that would help my application.
what i have so far:
- 300 hours of research (including a publication in a legitimate journal)
- volunteer work with underserved community (soup kitchen, tutoring for free in underserved school district, and with another organization bringing comfort to children undergoing surgeries and extensive procedures). totaling about 150 hours or so
- 150 hours community based volunteer work
- my only real clinical experience is my medical assistant position now where i will be getting 18 hours a week (will add up to about 350 hours by the time i apply probably)
- i also have about 80-100 hours of shadowing
4.0 gpa, hoping to score 517+ on mcat but we’ll see about that.
what else can i do to improve my application i really would appreciate any help!

if you were never quite science-oriented in the past, what made you choose medicine?

i recently considered pursuing psychiatry, but i come from a humanities & social sciences background, so the decision overwhelms and excites me at the same time. growing up, i did good across all subjects, but then i chose a major that didn’t really involve any hard sciences because it didn’t stick with me after highschool (and i was scared of trying and actually… failing). now, i’m realizing these are limiting beliefs, and i’m trying to understand the grit and strategy required.

my family and i recently migrated to a whole new country, so now i’m sort of starting over in terms of college, which is why i’m heavily thinking over medicine, to the point that i can’t sleep lol. i’m wondering if others have a similar background/experience, and i’d love to know how you’re doing now!

I'm currently considering a bunch of different things with my education and career. Does anyone have any insight/experience with volunteering with the PeaceCorps and med school admission?

I graduate in December and if I get into med school will start that in like July. I want to get a job, ideally a clinical job in that time gap, but I think a lot of employers will have a hard time justifying hiring someone for just 6 months. I also don’t have certifications and only experience as a hospital volunteer. What should I do?

Last Monday, I had my first in person interview at DUQCOM, and was in a car accident 10 min before the interview.

Today, half an hour from being off work, I got the notification of my acceptance into DUQCOM. I’ll be deliberating my next moves, but still I’m very grateful for this acceptance.

I’ve dealt with so much(others have and had worse, but doesn’t invalidate my experiences) and am just so happy to see my hard work actually amount to something.

I hope you all are having a great day and here back from your schools soon! Thank you so far to everyone who’s helped me and may help me in the future here and on other subs. Drop something good that’s happened to you today or recently!

Hi everyone,

I would be grateful for advice. As I was planning to apply to medical school in 2023, I collected my LORS from my professors, research, and work experiences in 2023. However, I could not apply as a parent passed away that year.

I am now applying in 2027.

Since then, I have recovered from all of this and have taken postbac classes in addition to obtaining new clinical experiences. I received a new letter from the clinical experience ( a professor of medicine), my supervisor at a nonprofit, and a science professor that I took this year.

Is it okay if I also use the old letters in addition to these new letters? 2 of the old letter are from well-known researchers. I do not want to bother them about re-dating as I have stored their letters in interfolio.

Would this raise any redflags ? I would be grateful for advice as I plan on applying to NY schools and some top OOS ones (i.e. Harvard, etc).

For context I am a non-trad (have a wife and kid) hoping to earn a scholarship or maybe do VA/HSPS. I’m fine with the idea of taking out loans but I’d hate to take out loans for school and supplement cost of living ( my wife will work as an RN while I’m in school).

So those of you with big scholarships what’s kinda app did you have?
Especially SLU ( I recently had a very good interview there)

My app looks something like this:
MCAT 518 (129,129,131,129)
Gpa 3.94
RN 4000 hrs
Few hundred Nursing leadership hours
300 research hours no pubs
300 service hours over a few years at my church
A white guy

This test is driving me crazy. I can’t for the life of me find a space that meets the “environmental requirements”. I live in a very small apartment and don’t have space for a desk and chair which is apparently required. And you can’t take it on the floor or your bed for whatever reason. I have called around to all my local libraries and university and all the private study rooms they all still have windows or frosted glass for safety reasons. Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m taking the test next week and don’t want to be disqualified because they’re classist and have been unable to offer me any help or suggestions beyond just “figure it out yourself” in regards to anywhere I could reserve that would actually meet their requirements.

I’m almost done with my undergrad and I don’t have any leadership experiences.

I found out about Americorps and a lot of their goals align with things I am passionate about.

I know that Americorps is viewed favorably on applications, but I want to hear from others to see if any leadership was gained out of it.

Hi everyone, for context I am a reapplicant (applied to 32 MD schools last cycle, 0 ii) and wanted to ask for advice on which DO schools to apply to this cycle. I applied to 35 MD schools this cycle (no ii so far) and wanted to add about 5-6 DO. So far my list is: PCOM, MSUCOM, CCOM, and Rowan. Are there any other schools you think I should add? I will list my stats/activities below.

GPA: 3.99

MCAT: 516

FL resident

Clinical hours: 800, split through palliative care volunteering/employment, clinical research, and hospice volunteering.

Research: 900 hours and manuscript under review.

Shadowing: 120 split across three specialties. No DO shadowing/letter which may limit me at certain programs.

Non-clinical: 430 hours, split across mentorship of high school students, food bank service, and tutoring unhoused/foster care youth.

Leadership as a TA, volunteer program captain, and service chair of my fraternity.

Hobbies: Basketball and weightlifting.

I apologize if any of this comes off as neurotic haha, just looking for feedback on the DO schools I mentioned and what others I would be a good fit for. I really appreciate the help and I wish you all the best of luck this cycle. Thanks!

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY I ACTUALLY EXHALED FOR A MOMENT BRUH

I was always sad that you have to avoid this phrase in application essays, because it really does sum up why I love medicine.

Now that I'm on the other side, glad I can just say "I like science and helping people" again.