What I learned while applying to medical school

admissions advice medical school admissions strategy
By Ikenna

The medical school application process is a long and daunting experience for many. Getting into medical school is not easy, with most medical schools having an acceptance rate of less than ten percent and the top schools hovering between three and six percent. As a premedical student, I was told that the key to making myself competitive for medical school was getting good grades, scoring a high MCAT score, and having some research and clinical experience. What I wasn’t told was that while all of these factors were incredibly important, on their own, they were not enough to get me into medical school. And before you say, "Ikenna, that’s ridiculous," think about it this way. The admissions officers at my school (Columbia) are seeing thousands of students, many of whom boast exceptional grades, competitive MCAT scores, and sufficient research and clinical experience to show that they’re serious about medicine.

If you were an admissions officer in this scenario, how would you go about selecting who to admit? 

The Power of Uniqueness

That brings me to the first thing I learned while applying to medical school: BE UNIQUE! The conversations I have had with people who are involved in admissions at myriad schools have made it clear that good grades and a high MCAT score are only enough to get your application through the door. Landing that acceptance depends on how well you can distinguish yourself from other applicants. This can start early in your premedical career with the major you choose. I came into college thinking I had to be a biology major to be competitive in medical school. It seemed intuitive to me as well, that someone who wants to save lives as a career should major in biology (it is the study of life, after all). As I started exploring other coursework, I found the classes required for the Neuroscience and Behavior major (a more psychological sciences-focused degree) more exciting. So I dropped biology and picked up Neuroscience and Behavior as a major instead. What I thought was a huge risk at the time was actually one of the best things I could have ever done: throughout my medical school interview cycle, I got countless questions from interviewers who were intrigued by my major and wanted to learn more about it. And when I got to medical school, I found that my classmates had many unique majors and concentrations: I met classmates with philosophy majors, foreign language majors, humanities majors, and more. So choose a major that interests you! As long as you get your premed requirements done, there's no downside to being different. 

Academics are just one part of your application

Believe it or not, most of the questions I had to answer during interviews were tailored around exploring my passions and personality. For me, that meant most of my conversations revolved around education reform, which is something I was not only passionate about but had founded a nonprofit organization to address. Other topics I talked about on applications and with interviewers included my experience growing up in a melting pot like New York City, sickle cell disease (a disease that affects a lot of people in Nigeria, the country my family is from), and my thoughts on the current healthcare system. This is not to say I did not get a question or two about my academic performance, but those questions were greatly outnumbered by the questions about my passions.

Your MCAT score is just one part of your application

Countless people applied to medical school with MCAT scores similar to mine or better than mine. However, there is only one Ikenna, and I had a compelling story and passions that extended beyond my transcript. Similarly, there is only one you, so lean into your passions, join that club, and pursue that dream. Medical schools want to see that kind of investment. My classmates have such diverse backgrounds: professional dancers, college athletes, poets, musicians, folks who had careers in tech and finance, mountaineers, and martial artists. We are more than an MCAT score report.

Avoid Comparison

I can’t tell you how many hours I spent reading threads on Reddit or the Student Doctor Network that did nothing but stress me out and make me feel inadequate. Do not get me wrong - these sites can be amazing sources of information. Still, all too often, these virtual spaces devolve into an arena for premedical students to compare themselves to one another. As much as you can, focus on running your own race, and shift your focus away from these spaces. The medical school application cycle is stressful enough as it is without you comparing yourself to other students. Not every GPA or MCAT is made the same, and once you begin engaging in a strict numbers game, you forget that behind those numbers lies a real person with a unique story to tell.  If I had listened to everything I had read online, medical school acceptance would have seemed impossible. However, I ended the cycle with acceptances from several top schools and was able to matriculate to my dream school.  

In summary, I hope nothing I wrote here is interpreted as a call to abandon your grades and premedical requirements and dive head first into extracurricular activities – please remain studious! However, you should invest in your personal success alongside your academic success – do the things that bring you joy, and be proud of what makes you who you are. 

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