Med School Keywords

Med School Keywords

Med School Keywords

It is that time of year, when select students decide it is time to make good on their dream of helping their fellow man (and make a little money by doing so) and become a doctor. Med schools all over the country are being flooded with applications from qualified (and some that are not so qualified) individuals. If you are a student who is considering a future as a physician or surgeon with medical school on the horizon, here are some terms you will want to pay attention to:

Class Rank - Depending on where you will eventually want to practice medicine, your class rank may matter. Now, if you want to open up your own practice or work at the local clinic, being at the bottom is not a huge hindrance. But if you want to be chief surgeon at Boston General, being at the top of your class from a prestigious school is almost a must.

Class Size - Look for a school with smaller class sizes. Large student to teacher ratios means less individual instruction and a greater chance that you can get behind before you even realize it. When a student falls behind in med school, it is difficult to ever get back on track.

Clinicals - This is where you get out of the book and actually "practice" (using that term loosely) medicine. Different med schools have different track records with where and how they do their clinical rotations, do your research beforehand.

Debt - Unless you come from a wealthy family that is willing to foot the bill, medical school will put you into debt...deeply in debt - the kind of debt that takes decades to pay off. (see "financial aid" for more)

Early Acceptance - Early acceptance is a great way to aim for a difficult school if you are sure that is where you want to go. While many medical schools have tough acceptance rates, early acceptance rates for these schools are typically much higher. The downside is that if you choose to go the early acceptance route, you can only choose one school and you must attend that college (withdraw other applications).

Financial Aid - With medical school costs averaging close to one hundred thousand, financial aid is just about a must for all medical students. Financial aid can be offered independently or through the individual institutions.

International - With American med school costs and admission standards at an all time high, many students are looking at international med schools. Many international institutions use the US curriculum so that their students can return to and practice in the United States. There are advantages and drawbacks to going to an international school.

Interview - The interview is a key component for many medical school admissions process. Treat it like you would a job interview.

MCAT - The MCAT is a standardized test that is critical for getting into the vast majority of American med schools. A high MCAT score can help atone for a lower undergraduate GPA and vice versa.

Personal Statement - This is essentially the essay for a med school application. Use the personal statement as an opportunity to tout your qualifications and qualities, while at the same time showing how driven you are to attend that school and become a doctor.

Scholarships - With the debt that will be brought on by attending medical school, look for scholarships anywhere and everywhere. This is free (mostly) money that will not have to be paid back later - that is huge!

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