Get into Medical School A Strategic Approach

Chapter 1: Making the Decision Deciding to be a doctor is probably one of the most intimidating decisions you can make. As a premed student, you'll be working for at least two years without guarantee of a spot in medical school. It means publicly stating that you want something that in 2002 only 52 percent of those applying got -- a position in medical school. After an arduous application process, that decision means committing to a labor-intensive course of study, including four years of medical school and three to twelve years of residency and fellowship.It can be daunting, and may be one of the reasons med school applications have been dropping. Yet for all this, applications to med school are still quite high. There were about 33,625 applicants for the class entering medical school in the fall of 2002. And while the number of candidates has decreased over the past years, the number of medical school positions is a mere 17,592. That means that there are almost twice as many applicants as there are spots in medical schools.The recent drop in applications to medical school will, of course, make the admissions process slightly less competitive for applicants. This situation would primarily benefit applicants with "borderline" qualifications for admissions, by increasing their chances of being offered a secondary application or interview. But don't let yourself be fooled by these numbers. The drop in the number of applicants is not large enough to improve any one applicant's chances of acceptance to medical school significantly. Moreover, this decrease in the size of the applicant pool is very likely transient, and a reflection of the national economy during the late 1990's. Most who applied to medical school between 2000 and 2002 began their pre-medical studies around 1996 to 1999. During this time, the economy was booming and high-paying jobs were easy to come by after college. To many potential medical school applicants, medicine was an unattractive alternative. Years later, we are noticing this trend materialize as a drop in applications. As recession has set in, and many recent graduates are unemployed with little chances of landing a good job, applications might rise as people are drawn to the stability of the medical profession. Getting into medical school will be one of your most difficult challenges in seeking a career in medicine. It is reasonable to assume that many of the applicants who are not admitted each year are good candidates who would make good doctors. Obviously you will need dedication and careful planning to be successful in this competitive situation. One important element of preparing your application campaign is articulating why you want to be a doctor; it's likely that you'll have to voice your desire in your personal statement, as well as in your interview. This also involves demonstrating that you have glimpsed the reality of what it is to practice medicine, not the glamorized versions on E.R.While some students have a clear vision regarding their career goal that they can movingly relate, many students have a more difficult time deciding whether to enter medicine. Some find themselves daydreaming in organic chemistry class, still trying to decide two years into the prerequisites if this is the career for them. Complicating matters is the fact that many people want to be doctors for reasons that are not purely altruistic -- for example, money, job security, or parental approval. Are there legitimate reasons to decide to become a doctor? How can you figure out what's important to an admissions committee? How can you be honest about goals and aspirations that aren't particularly noble? It's important to address these questions as early as you can in the application process, and think through your own personal goals before you apply. WHY GO? GOOD REASONS...There are a number of compelling reasons to become a doctor. An IntiKaplan Educational Center Staff is the author of 'Get into Medical School A Strategic Approach' with ISBN 9780743240963 and ISBN 0743240960.