Medical School - Current Applicants

Applying to Medical School takes attention, time and energy on your part, but it is not a mystery. You will need to complete a series of steps. In general, as an applicant, you are happy to be busy as that means you are still under consideration. Here is what you can expect as you apply to medical school (MD and DO):

Primary Application (AMCAS or AACOMAS)

• Demographic Information
• MCAT Scores
• GPA and Academic Record
• Resume Information
• Personal Statement
• Fee
• Transcripts from all institutions at which you have earned college credit
• List of the medical schools you want to receive your application

All of these items are part of your primary application, sometimes referred to as the "central" application. To note: As of the 2005 AMCAS application, Brown University, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and New York University School of Medicine have been added to the list of schools using AMCAS as the primary application.

Secondary Application (supplementary)

• Fees
• Demographic Information
• Specific information on how you meet the school pre requisite course requirements
• Essays
• Letters of Reference

You can count on Fees and Letters of Reference as required parts of every secondary application. Each medical school does business its own way, so make notes and stay organized. Some schools only require that you send them letters, a postcard and a check for your fees. Others may have essay questions that require 23 separate responses. You only submit secondary application materials at the specific request of the medical school. Timeliness is important; some schools are specific about their deadlines and others leave it to your good judgment. It is best to respond to a request for a secondary application to be completed within 30 days if no specific deadline is given.

Many schools have online secondary applications and will send you information to access the application site for their specific medical school.

Some schools send out secondary applications to a majority in the applicant pool; others are much more selective. You may receive secondary applications as soon as six weeks after your central application is submitted, or as late as six months after your AMCAS submission.

Interview

Getting to this phase of the process is a tremendous accomplishment. This is an invitation-only step; some schools interview as few as 7% of their total applicant pool.

Fall (nine months prior to application):

• Start considering prospective letterwriters and open a letter file at Letter Services in the Career Center.
• Volunteer to validate your interest in medicine.
• Develop your preparation plan for taking the MCAT April exam.

November:

• MCAT registration material and schedule available online; register for spring MCAT.

January-February:

• Learn how to send official transcripts from every college that has ever granted you college credit.
• Start checking out which 15-20 schools you might apply to this June. Develop your own priorities for choosing medical schools.
• Attend a workshop on "Applying for Medical School" and/or "Writing the Statement for Medical School" (see Calendar).

March-May:

• Attend a workshop on "Applying for Medical School" and/or "Writing the Statement for Medical School" (see Calendar).
• AMCAS applications may be available online, to manipulate only, sometime in April.  No submissions can be made until closer to the first week in June. Read and learn from the website, even prior to the availability of the application at this website.
• Take the MCAT and then return your energy to work and/or classes.
• Draft your personal statement and hand it to respected readers for comment.

May:

• Do well on your finals, then work on your AMCAS or AACOMAS application. AMCAS online application should be available May 1 for those applying to enter medical school in fourteen months.
• After May 1, complete enough information in the online central application so that you can print out your AMCAS Transcript Request forms. Send one to the Registrar of every college that has ever granted you credit for coursework. The original transcript must be sent from every institution you have attended directly to AMCAS, even if the coursework appears on your Berkeley transcript. This form helps the application service people in Washington DC match your documents with your online application.

June (16 months prior to desired entry to medical school):

• June 1 is typically the first day to submit AMCAS applications each year; make it your goal to apply sometime in June. Spring semester grades are available by the 2nd-3rd week of June.
• Request official transcripts at Registrar's office . Remember to take the AMCAS Transcript Request Form with you when you make your request.
• Use the website to make certain your letters of recommendation are on file at the Career Center Letter Service. Follow up with letterwriters.

July:

• Those who applied in early June may start to receive invitations to complete secondary applications. Get organized and complete secondary applications in a timely fashion. Save your edits. If you are applying for a joint program (MD/MPH, MD/PhD, MD/MBA, MD/JD), expect to fill out more application materials these months.

August-September:

• Take the MCAT if applying for next year's applications.
• If you have submitted your central application in summer, some secondary applications may need your attention.

September-October:

• Interviews start and will continue until spring with the majority from November through February.
• Secondary (also called supplementary) applications will continue to arrive. Return completed secondary applications ASAP.

November-July:

• Screening of application materials and interviews continue, depending on the medical school's method and timeline.
• Acceptance letters will be mailed out. On May 15th, applicants are expected to accept one medical school offer. Medical schools are expected to notify many of the applicants on hold or on waiting lists on this date.

January of the year of entrance:

• Send in FAFSA if needed. See SmartStudent Guide for more info on financial aid.

June through August of the year of entrance:

• Possible movement on waiting lists and classes are filled. Those not accepted consider their next step during the summer months.

MCAT Basics to Help Applicants Make Decisions

• Each section on the MCAT receives a maximum of 15 points; the three sections are Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences.
• We have seen a few composite MCAT scores of 40 or 41 here at Cal. A very good score is a 35. If an applicant has a 30, for example 10, 9, 11 it is sensible to use that score to apply to medical school and not to retake this test.
• It is rare for a Cal student with an individual score of 7 or below to be admitted to medical school.
• It is best to take the MCAT during the months of April and May. Taking the MCAT in January is fine as long as you do not intend to use these scores during a current application cycle. June-September MCATs may be late (for schools with a rolling admission) and can possibly have an adverse effect on your application.
• The writing sample letter score is not critical for many medical schools. Some medical schools tell us they look at this writing sample letter score only if there is a weak verbal score or other evidence of weak verbal and written skills. The range of this score is J thru T, with T being the highest attainable score.
• For more information on scoring, see MCAT Score Information and Explanation of Scores (PDF).

Get Information for Your Next Move

Regarding Re-Taking the MCAT

First Time Preparation Plan Took a commercial course, kept up with most of the homework. Low Verbal score. Took a commercial course, did not attend all of the practice tests. Lower scores on actual test than on practice tests. Took a commercial course, had to attend to Spring classes, so missed some preparation opportunities and practice tests. Did well on practice tests, just got really nervous and sick to my stomach the day of the test.

Second (Retake) Preparation Plan Did practice tests almost exclusively in verbal, Got a private tutor to go over the mistakes. Set up three simulated Saturday practice tests with a serious friend as the timer. Focused on strategy and timing rather than content in preparation. Did a practice test from commercial course materials as a self diagnostic. Used materials already paid for from the course to focus on areas that appeared to be weak on real test and on practice test taken since the test. Looked into practicing day-to-day stress management techniques; visualization, breathing and meditation every day for 15 minutes. Got the idea from her mom's friend.

To Keep in Mind

• You must do what works for you and directly address your weaknesses.
• Take a little time to consider your next move, this will improve your judgment.
• Do not assume that you just got a low grade due to jitters and that you will get a better score the second time you take the test because you will not be so nervous and will know what to expect. This just is not the case for most of us and is merely an illusion.
• You want to be the strongest applicant possible. You may have time and resources only to prepare to take the MCAT this summer. You could apply June of 2007 to enter Medical School Fall of 2008.
• Consider adjusting your plan to set yourself up for success. Too many applicants from Cal fail because they apply when they are not really a strong applicant because the timing of their plan becomes more important than the likely success of their plan.
• Medical schools only like you more if you have been on the planet longer.
• You have two clear opportunities to be taken seriously for medical school. Third time applicants are often not taken seriously at many medical schools. This is not official, but what we have observed at some medical schools. Consider if you want to use up one of your chances this year.

You should prepare for the amount of money involved in MCAT preparation and application to medical school. Costs for the application process itself usually vary from $2000-$4000, depending on your situation. The following estimated costs are based on a student applying to 26 allopathic medical schools, who releases MCAT scores the day of the exam, receives 18 secondary applications and travels to 6 interviews. Note that this budget includes the cost of MCAT preparation, which precedes the actual application process.

Example

The centralized Osteopathic medical school application (AACOMAS) has a cumulative fee structure. The fee is $155 for the first designated school and it is approximately $30 for each additional school. See the AACOM Application Service. Go to "Before Applying" for fee details.

AMCAS Fees - The fee is $160 for the first designated school and $30 for each additional school, regardless of the point at which you add school designations. Those unable to pay this fee may apply for a waiver through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP).

A note on the Fee Assistance Program (FAP). This is designed for you if you and your family have severe financial hardship. FAP eligibility is tied directly to the US Department of Health and Human Services' poverty level guidelines. For more information, see the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP) webpage.

Choosing schools to which to send applications is at once important and difficult. With sufficient money and effort you could apply to all the schools, but this would prove foolish and wasteful. You want to choose WISELY. Consider the following as you decide which medical schools are the right ones for you to apply to; these factors apply to students applying to DO or MD schools.

1. Residency Restrictions: Begin by looking at the table located at the lower right in each school's two page layout in the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) book available for use in our Information Lab or for purchase from AAMC. The most recent information available online is from the American Association of Medical Colleges which profiles state residency in a useful table named FACTS: Applicants and Matriculants by School and Sex.
   Many public schools sharply limit out-of-state residents. Generally, a California resident will not get into the University of Arizona, Washington, etc. (note the exceptions in the selection factors section of the MSAR). LSU in New Orleans has not accepted an out-of-state student in many years. A block away, Tulane accepts over 80 percent from out of state, many of them California students. Some public schools (e.g., Connecticut and Vermont) accept some out-of-state students; others have no residency restrictions on applicants. International students normally have the best chance at private schools.
2. Mission of the School: While most schools share the similar mission of producing graduates who will play a wide range of roles within medicine, some schools have specific objectives. For example, Stanford hopes to maximize a student's opportunities to prepare for careers in research and teaching. Loma Linda looks for people with a strong commitment to "Christian principles." The Uniformed Services School was founded to prepare physicians for careers in the uniformed services. Drew-UCLA is designed to attract those who wish to serve under-served populations. Be certain to examine the mission of the school so that applications will not be sent to schools with incompatible goals. Start early, even during the holiday break, and make notes about a medical school website each week.
3. Academic Program: Examine the curriculum, grading practices (letter grades or P/NP) and other educational features of the school as you peruse websites. For example, Duke has a curriculum that encourages independent research or an additional degree program your third year of medical school. Chicago-Pritzker has a basically full-time faculty, while other schools often use volunteer faculty to teacher parts of the clinical program. Case Western Reserve assigns new students to an expectant mother who is followed through delivery of her child. Yale, Tulane and other schools offer an MPH along with the medical degree. Many schools have opportunities to obtain PhDs along with the medical degree. There is a marvelous tool to help you learn more about the way the curriculum is designed at various medical schools; see the Curriculum Directory and search for various features of educational programs at allopathic medical schools.
4. GPA and Test Score Selection Factors: Consult MSAR and websites of individual allopathic and osteopathic medical schools for information on GPA and MCAT averages. Averages are just that; although only guidelines, they often reflect an important reality. Also examine the statistics specific to recent Cal graduates. For example, many Cal students want to go to a UC medical school; yet the average GPA and MCAT scores of admitted students to these schools are very high. Only very strong applicants will be accepted. Applicants should look carefully at the degree of selectivity and apply wisely. All US schools are good. Most candidates should apply to a wide range of schools. Look at all parts of the country, and don't be "California Compulsive." Only 18% of California applicants to medical school in 2000 entered a school in this state. Some fail to get into medical schools because they limit their applications too narrowly.
5. The Record of Previous Cal Applicants: Examine information specific to Cal student applicants at Profile of Medical School Admissions, especially the Top 20 and California Schools list. While these data are helpful, they should only be used in conjunction with the other factors noted here.
6. Ranking: There are no authoritative ranking systems of medical schools; students should not put great faith in lists that claim to rank schools in numerical order. As noted above, schools have different missions. It helps to graduate from a school which is well known for producing well-trained physicians, especially if applying for very prestigious residencies. Yet, graduates of most medical schools are able to obtain residency positions they seek. Consider a school's reputation, but also examine its basis and what it means. Because all US schools are good, don't be overly concerned with status. Your "fit" at a school is the most important thing. Most people do not pick a physician based on which medical school he or she attended.
7. Cost: Many public schools are comparatively inexpensive. Private schools' tuitions average about $30,000, with many considerably higher. Some applicants don't want to take on high debt loads; others accept large debt to be repaid over many years. Some obtain military or other scholarships. Monetary Decisions for Doctors and Chapter Nine of MSAR discuss financial aid. Attending medical school can be very expensive. Most medical students graduate with debts.
8. Admissions Options: Under the Early Decision Program (EDP), an applicant applies to only one school, receives a decision by October 1, and is obligated to enroll if admitted. Normally, only strong applicants to the school of first choice should choose this option. Only certain schools offer this plan (see MSAR). Other schools offer tentative admission to new college freshmen (see MSAR, Chapter 10). Nationally, the average applicant applies to 14 schools. In 2000, Cal graduating seniors applied to an average of 26 schools each, but the exact number varies considerably. While some apply to more than 30 schools, the indiscriminate sending of applications is usually ineffective.
9. Location and Surroundings: Certainly a school's location and surroundings will play a part in determining an applicant's interest. Safety, availability of housing, recreational opportunities, transportation and climate are all considerations. However, we in the Bay Area can be spoiled by our advantages. For example, housing is much less expensive in many other locations. Candidates should not let parochial attitudes or stereotypes unduly limit their opportunities for a medical education.

After considering the factors noted above, you should draft a list of schools and consult a Career Center counselor to help narrow the choices. It is impossible to predict precisely which applicants will be accepted at any particular medical school. More than grades and scores are involved; subjective judgements are made. However, a wise consideration of the factors listed above will help medical school applicants make more informed decisions.

Medical Schools Outside the US:

There are very good medical schools in other countries. There also are some which knowledgeable observers describe as very inadequate. Some schools are very competitive or do not accept students from outside its country. Others will accept almost anyone willing to pay the tuition. Some have good records when their graduates take the exams necessary to practice in the US; others have very poor records. Be extremely cautious with schools that have less than a proven record of success. Some students who are driven to enter any medical school right out of college should recall that it is advisable to consider working to address weaknesses in the application for as long as two years before applying to a US school. Another option is to consider Osteopathic medicine if you plan to practice in the US; be informed about all of your options if you are considering an out-of-country medical school.

If you are serious about researching non-US medical schools, you must ascertain whether the medical school is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Two important research resources are the comprehensive list of medical schools and the book World Directory of Medical Schools, 7th Edition (publisher World Health Organization) located in the Information Lab at 2111 Bancroft. Only if a school is listed in this World Directory are the graduates able to sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Personal Statement

For the primary (AMCAS) application, your personal statement is a most important element of this step and should be prepared using time and care. See specifics on page 12 of the AMCAS Worksheet (PDF). Medical school deans of admissions tell us that they want to get to know you as they hear your story about what has brought you to this moment of deciding you are ready for medical school. The statement is an important aspect of the application and should receive careful attention. It should be a well-prepared essay appropriate to a professional career that reveals you.

The personal statement must not exceed 5300 character spaces. If you plan to apply to an MD/PhD program, be prepared to complete two additional essays: one asks why you wish to pursue an MD/PhD and the other is a research experience essay that provides you an opportunity to describe your significant research experiences. When using character count in Notepad or Word to check your statement before typing it in the online application, remember that this character count includes spaces.

The Career Center has resources available to assist the applicant in preparing the statements for medical school applications:

• Workshops are held every spring titled "Writing the Statement for Medical School". These workshops are for you; see the calendar to attend this useful program.
• Publications in our Information Lab especially helpful as you begin or evaluate your personal statement draft include: Graduate Admissions Essays, Write for Success and Writing the Statement: Health Professional and Medical School.
• Have a solid draft of your statement for medical school? Submit it for review by a counselor at the Career Center. Plan ahead, the Statement Review counselors will provide feedback on your statement within five working days of your submission.

A useful web-based resource that is especially helpful to those who did not attend our writing workshops, in which you write an initial draft of your statement, is from the University of Kansas. This site asks questions and presents prompts for your response, and in reacting you begin to develop ideas for your personal statement.

What you can do right now to prepare to submit your application in June

Go to 110 Sproul and get a specific breakdown of your AP credits, as assigned by UCB, by subject (i.e. Math - 2.0 credits, English - 3.1 credits). You only list AP credit on your application that has been assigned by a college or university. UCB usually gives AP credits in a lump sum; this is displayed on your TeleBears and official transcript. Go in person anytime after you are admitted to UCB and request an unofficial copy of your AP Credit report at the 110 Sproul window. This unofficial report includes the number of units accepted per class by UCB. You will use this document to help you complete the academic portion of your central application. The grade you list for AP credits on your AMCAS is the grade "G."

Worth printing out and using now is the Application Worksheet (PDF) to prepare you to enter your information into the online application.

Update your resume and expand it to create a CV or create a very detailed version of your current resume. Students with a resume had a much easier time of completing the AMCAS as they were ready to go once they got online. Look at the worksheet (PDF); you are advised to get titles and contact information for those who supervised you in volunteer and out-of-classroom learning situations.

The Instruction Book for AMCAS (PDF) is worth downloading or printing. You want your information to be presented accurately. Read and follow these instructions.

Remember, many of the essential help menus are actually found in the application. Also, keep your AAMC ID number and password written down and nearby in a safe place, you'll need it every time you want to work on your application or communicate with AMCAS and medical schools.

Essential Application Resources

• The Sample Verified Application (PDF) helps you understand how an application will appear after it has been processed by AMCAS. Useful to help you make judgment calls and interpret the guidelines spelled out in the instructions. Also handy to have in front of you when you call AMCAS to gain more insight into how best use this service to represent your wonderful life on the application.
• AMCAS FAQs provide a great deal of information specific to the online application. You will go here first to do your research or problem-solve, then email or call AMCAS.
• Also useful are the FAQs that the Counselor has answered recently regarding Cal students' applications to medical school.
• As of the 2007 AMCAS, a useful Applicant Checklist helps you clarify the resources needed and the steps you must take to get your application submitted in a timely fashion (by July 4th for most ideally positioned applicants).
• The questions specific to the application process and Cal students and alumni will help you make good decisions about completing the fields in your online application.
• The AMCAS Tips (PDF) and the AMCAS Glossary (PDF) were written with the help of advisors and applicants at the end of last year's application season. They will help you make good judgments as you complete each field in your online application.

Transcripts and Application GPA

As of the 2005 AMCAS, your estimated grade point average (GPA) will not be calculated in the online application that you see on your screen. The AMCAS Conversion Guide (PDF) is a tool to help you estimate what your application GPAs will be. Print out this GPA worksheet and follow the step-by-step directions to calculate your GPAs. Note that UCB coursework is on a semester system and that a UCB unit is equal to a credit or credit hour. As part of the verification process the AMCAS people in Washington DC will calculate your application GPAs using the information you give them in your AMCAS Academic History section and the information on the transcripts that you have your institution(s) send to them.

Get solid contact information from every school you have ever received college credit from; and learn how to order those official transcripts. If you are doing well here at Cal, it is worth waiting for your most recent Spring grades to be posted to your official transcript before the Registrar sends it to AAMC at your request. Mid-June is when Spring grades are usually posted to your official transcript. This does not put you at a disadvantage; you are still an "early" applicant in the process.

After May 1, complete enough information in the online central application so that you can print out your AMCAS Transcript Request forms. Send one to the Registrar of every college that has ever granted you credit for coursework when you order a transcript to be sent from that college to AMCAS. The original transcript must be sent from every institution directly to AMCAS. This form helps the application service people in Washington DC match your documents with your online application.

If you are giving the AMCAS Transcript Request form to the UCB Registrar, expect to pay the fee for the Special Processing Transcript. This is worth the money as the matching form with your AAMC ID number helps the people in Washington DC match your transcript to the application you submit online.

If you attended UCB as an Extension student, you must order a separate transcript to be sent from UCB Extension.

Consider spending the fee to get a copy of your official transcript for yourself. The academic history portion of the AMCAS is not difficult, but you want to get it right. If you had a grade change or anything else that may affect your transcript; confirm that your transcript reflects the change you expect is there.

When you have questions about your AMCAS; go to the source.

Use the subject line of your email to describe the nature of your request when communicating with AMCAS at amcas@aamc.org. If you need to call them, try doing so at 6:00 am PST, which is 9:00 am, the time they open their phone lines in Washington, DC. The number for AMCAS is (202) 828-0600. Take time to look at the AMCAS Instructions (PDF) and clarify your question before emailing or phoning AMCAS. There is a great deal of information in the instructions that will help you make choices so that the AMCAS represents you as accurately as possible to medical schools.

Why a secondary/supplemental application?

After medical schools receive information about you from a centralized application (AACOMAS or AMCAS), they commonly use some sort of secondary or supplemental application to gather additional information which will enable them to narrow the applicant pool down for further consideration. If you get a secondary application, they want more information about you and that is a good sign for you.

When should I expect to get secondary or supplemental applications?

Secondary applications may start to be received some 4-6 weeks after the submission of the initial, e.g., AMCAS application. In a few cases, requests may come sooner; in some cases they will come many weeks or months later. Understand that the application process for each medical school is quite different.

What is on the secondary application?

Secondary applications normally contain three parts. First, there usually is a fee required when submitting the secondary. MSAR indicates the amount each school charges. It may be possible to obtain a fee waiver for the secondary fee particularly if an AMCAS fee waiver is granted. In other cases, a fee waiver may be granted upon request in writing to each individual medical school.

The second common factor is completion of additional personal essays. In the case of a number of secondaries, this means thoughtful answers to difficult questions or the writing of a revealing autobiography. The initial centralized application may be thought of as the beginning of a jigsaw puzzle whose completion will reveal a comprehensive picture of the applicant. The secondary application is intended to add more "pieces" to the puzzle and thus shed more light on the applicant's qualifications. It is important to apply the same principles used when preparing to apply to medical school at this step. Complete the secondary application thoroughly and thoughtfully. Submit your secondary application as soon as possible.

The third common factor is the requesting of letters of recommendation. Letters are not sent through the preliminary centralized service. It is very helpful to have all letters written and ready to be sent mid summer if at all possible. The completed applicant file contains letters of recommendation and without these, interviews are not normally granted.

What about the questions regarding the way I fulfilled their chemistry requirement?

This question is sometimes included in your secondary application; it is never part of the central (AMCAS or AACOMAS) application. List Chemistry 1a and 3a as NON organic or general chemistry with lab. You may or may not recall that the beginning of 3a is general chemistry and then you get into organic chemistry concepts . If you must list a year of organic chemistry with lab, most Cal students list Chemistry 3b and the MCB 102 (or other) biochemistry class they have taken (even if they did not take a lab with the biochemistry class). Medical schools have been fully considering Cal students who have completed this sequence since this curricular change was made in 1991.

What kinds of letters should I send?

While schools vary in what they require in terms of letters, you are ready for many situations if you request two letters from science courses and one non-science letter. Cal does not have a committee that writes pre professional composite letters and the cover letter on your letter packet sent by the Letter Service states this clearly. Some schools will not specify the sources of the letters; a few make very specific requests, e.g., one chemistry, one biology, one physics, one humanities. This latter situation is not common. While some schools will limit the number of letters they will accept, many will accept more than they request. It is usually wise to limit the number of letters submitted to five in those cases where more than a specified number will be accepted. With letters of evaluation it is quality and not quantity that is important.

By the time of application it is crucial that the applicant has come to know several of those who have taught him/her well enough to allow the writing of comprehensive and thorough letters of support. Letters which only report the grade and class rank are not helpful. It is wise to schedule an appointment with the potential letter writer to discuss the letter and to provide the writer with information that will allow for a comprehensive and informative letter. The appointment should be scheduled at least several months before the letter will be needed; letters often do not "just happen" they take time and effort. The applicant should bring to the appointment materials which will help the writer know the applicant better. What is needed will vary from situation to situation and may include a transcript, resume, examples of class projects, papers, etc., personal statement, etc. The goal is a useful letter; the applicant should help the writer develop such a letter. See the Guidelines for Writing Letters of Recommendation; direct your letterwriter to this resource too.

What about getting a committee letter? Who can I get to write a letter stating that UCB does not have a pre medical committee?

Most UCB medical school applicants use our Letter Service. The cover sheet on every letter packet you order clearly states we do not have a committee and is accepted by medical schools to explain your situation. An excerpt from that cover letter follows: "The University of California, Berkeley, does not have a pre-professional evaluation committee. There is no system ranking students. Letters are not screened or selected by staff or faculty members. We send letters directly to educational institutions only."

Tips for completing your secondary applications in a high quality and timely fashion:

• Learn from others who have gone before you and get information from reliable sources. Check out the Secondary Application FAQs. See which questions have been recently asked of the Counselor. Because some application activity happens at similar times, you will see timely questions regarding a particular medical school's secondary application that will help you get your own application completed. It is worth searching in the Ask the Counselor Archives. Keep an eye on the medical school websites and for CareerMail Pre-Med items labeled "for Applicants."
• Save all of your edits as you write your personal statements and respond to secondary applications. The items to discard for one answer may be very useful for the next set of questions, or at least prompt you to write a high-quality answer that reveals you.
• Plan ahead. It takes a little longer to do things than you might imagine. You do not have direct control over all the items that are key to your application. Carefully read about the way the Letter Service, the Registrar, and the US Postal Service do business. It always takes a little longer to write and edit than you may realize.
• Invest in a few good office supplies. A number of schools do not have online applications and may expect you to type the answers on their application. Purchase some labels for your laser printer that are clear or match the color of the application, word process your answers, then use a sharp pair of shears to cut and paste the words into the spaces on the form. Very few of us have access to a typewriter or have the skills to line up the words on the screen exactly with the spaces on the form.
• Start making notes in a journal. Use these notes to help remind you of experiences that illustrate answers to your questions or to discuss the way you view the world. Your reflections need to reveal what you have learned and how you think about issues. Sometimes looking at notes you've jotted down can help stimulate thought.
• Carefully read the question or prompt and be certain to directly respond to the prompt in front of you. One of the pre-professional counselors used to work in graduate admissions at a UC health professional school and recalls many lovely essays that were great with one exception; they did not answer the question that was posed on the secondary application. He assumed he read answers that had been written for another question at a different institution and the applicant forgot to edit after she cut and pasted the piece of text.

Each fall a series of programs will help prepare current and future applicants for the important medical school interviewing process.

• Preparing for Medical School Interviews Workshop (see Calendar for these Fall semester dates)
• Pre-Med/Pre-Health On Camera Practice Interviews. Remember to sign up in advance. Mark your calendar with the sign-up date as these fill up fast. All On Camera Practice Interviews are open to pre-health and pre-med students.
• Individual Mock Interviews - Career Counselors specialize in preparing you for your medical school interview. You should call (510) 642 1716 two to three weeks before you'd like your practice interview to take place. Don't wait for an interview offer before getting on the Fall schedule. All seniors in the application cycle will get one individual mock interview appointment. This is a chance to try on your interview suit, your attitude and practice presenting yourself.

Interview Preparation Tips

As you prepare for your interviews, check the information in the Interviewing section of this website.

Find out what kind of interview you will have at each medical school. Most schools use an open style interview. This interview is one in which the interviewer has already read your application, including your primary, secondary, and recommendation letters, and has learned a great deal about you. The interviewer should have an idea of what you enjoy, what you are good (or not good) at, and what to ask you. In an open interview the person talking with you probably has a preconceived notion of you and your abilities. These interviews are generally controlled by the interviewer. He or she will have an agenda of questions to ask based on your application.

An interview that is closed or blind is one in which the interviewer has not read anything about you, and is given only your name. Sometimes your major and undergraduate institution are listed next to your name for the interviewer. Unlike the open interview, this type allows the interviewer to maintain a completely neutral, unbiased tone for the interview. It is up to you, the interviewee, to raise the issues that are important to you since the interviewer will know nothing about your background. After the interview, the interviewer may look at your file. If you are good at something or have a passion for something, state it during the interview. If you don't, the interviewer might wonder, "How come this didn't come up in the interview? It sounded so important on their application!" The interviewer will have no idea where to go, so you must sell yourself. Tell the interviewer what you love to do, and what you are great at (or not so great at). Do your best to control and direct the interview.

One way to prepare for either type of interview is to read your personal statement aloud, as though you are presenting it to a small audience. The way you talk about yourself is different than the language you use when you write about yourself. Another preparation idea, from a recent medical school interviewee, is to have a 10 minute loosely structured oral response to the prompt "tell me about yourself".

Remember you have survived a significant cut if you have received an interview. Let this fact fill you with confidence.

Practice wearing your interview clothes for an entire afternoon. Can you walk outside? You'll likely go on a campus tour, perhaps on a snowy day. Are you distracted by the collar or the skirt? Fix the situation so you will not fidget. The general rule is to dress as you would the first day you are scheduled to see patients on your own - wear something that gives you and your client confidence.

Put together a file to read on the plane and in advance of your interview. Re-read the school's website. Note what is making the news, who has gotten money for research or clinical care, where are the med students training for clinical care, what do the student and class websites say about the school? Bring a copy of your AMCAS and the application materials you have sent to the school.

At most medical schools, you are given a list of recent residency placements from that particular medical school as part of your interview day packet. This information is not available on one central website and you may feel that this information is valuable to your decision-making, so hang on to it and take a look.

Remember you are interviewing the school as well. Have some questions ready. More than one student reports that the interviewer started the conversation by asking "what questions can I answer for you?"

Observe and chat with everyone possible during your visit. After staying with a student host, can you imagine yourself as a student at that school? What advice did the cashier in the cafeteria have for a new student at the medical center?

Have a plan. Take some time to review your AMCAS application and your copy of the secondary application you have sent the school. What doesn't come through about you that is important for the school to know in order to make an informed decision about you? What parts of your application do you want to emphasize or clarify? Have these concepts ready and use them when responding to questions in your interview.

An interview is a conversation. Most interviewers will do their best to help you relax. Try to be enthusiastic and engaging during your interview but remember that interviewers have different interviewing styles that can make an engaging interview really easy or challenging.

Be ready for a variety of questions. Medical School Interview Questions is a collection of questions reported to us by your peers. Student Doctor Network has an interview feedback site that many students find useful.

Be polite. You are interviewing until the very moment that you leave the medical school. Please be courteous and polite to everyone you meet on your interview day.

Utilize resources. Set up a Mini-Appointment and let us know how your application process is going, or check our calendar for programs on professional communication and career etiquette. Have you heard rumors about being wait-listed and wonder if they're true? Check out the Applying section of the Pre Med FAQs, and search the archives of student questions in Ask the Counselor.

Say thank you, especially if you really connect with the student affairs/admissions person that set up your interview day, your student hosts, or your interviewer. You can send thank you notes to your interviewer care of the admissions/student affairs office if you can't find a good address on the medical school website. Handwritten notes are more personal; these are typically busy people and it IS appropriate to thank them for their time.

Read. Do your homework by looking at websites and carefully read the information sent to you by individual medical schools. Medical school admissions people tell us that some applicants call with many excited questions about the interview day that are actually answered on the information sheet sent via mail.

Don't harass. Some students are circulating a rumor that it is wise to send a monthly report to the school where you are wait-listed. This in general is not a good idea. If you have had something notable happen since you submitted your AMCAS to that school; send them a letter. One Cal applicant received the Undergraduate Award for Outstanding Chemistry research after his interview and was wait-listed. He sent in a very brief letter with a copy of the program from the awards ceremony attached. Sending a letter to let a medical school know that you have a new volunteer position as a translator in a hospital is likely not appropriate. As one medical school admissions dean noted: "If we have interviewed you and made a decision on you, we have looked at you very carefully, we have everything we need."

Learn the rules. Each medical school does business a bit differently; one may prefer email communication; another the phone or the postal service. Even if you are not typically an organized person, this is a time to get organized. Keep track of every communication you have with AMCAS; do the same with each of your medical schools.

Remember May 15th. Recommendations for Acceptance Procedures are useful to the fortunate applicant with more than one offer. You will benefit from following these "traffic rules." You are not to hold multiple acceptances after May 15th. If you do, on that date some of the medical schools will start to push you for a decision by asking for large deposits and sending stongly-worded letters. Keep your priorities in mind and act thoughtfully on them.