We are commonly asked what set us apart in our application and honestly that’s a very tough question. It is difficult to point out one thing that just made my application. Yes I was involved, yes I had a great GPA, yes I did well on my MCAT, and yes I did research but so did a lot of other applicants. Therefore, what I want to convey to you is that schools look at all of you. Your struggles, successes, and most importantly your potential! There is no perfect recipe for undergrad; the key is to say yes to every opportunity that is handed to you even if it’s something that you have never done. You will discover your passions by figuring out what you like and dislike! And ultimately, it will be your passions that will shine through in your application and interview and will get you that spot at your top school.
Below I listed several things that I, Marisol, believe that you should do in undergrad to start molding your application:
1. If you are interested in doing medicine, I suggest doing a science related major. Do not worry, if you are currently a History, English or some other major, you can still get into medical school. However, doing a major in biology, chemistry, neuroscience, biochemistry etc. will really help you on the MCAT and later on in your medical school classes.
2. Do multiple things! Remember when I said say yes to everything? Well I am serious! There are over 10 slots of extracurriculars that you need to fill out in the Med School application. It is great that you were club leader for three years, but you must be good at other things too- so show it. Do activities that involve community service and leadership. Additionally, do not be afraid to do random extracurriculars that you are passionate about- whether it be in sports, music, art etc. I included being the intramural tennis champion on my application and interviewers loved it! Do not ever feel that just because you are studying “medicine” that you cannot do anything else. Just a positive plug in here to remind you to always make time for the things you love.
3. Be committed to something that you’re able to talk about passionately. Have at least one activity that you do long term (more than a year). This should be one of your “highlighted” extracurriculars that you want interviewers to know and ask you about. It should be something that shows that you care about humanity. I organized medical mission trips abroad with undergraduates and ran donation campaigns for the mission trips. Best believe, I talked about this at every interview.
4. It is really important to interact with people! We get accustomed to focusing on our studies and hibernating from society, but it is important in medicine that you can communicate. Force yourself to be in social settings that make you uncomfortable -whether it be a leadership position, or presenting at a conference, or going away for summer programs. You need to show that you could talk/interact to/with patients. These communication and confidence skills will also really help you during interviewing where you will, most of the time, feel really uncomfortable.
5. Spend your summers wisely! Go to different universities to do research or medical programs during the summer. They pay you, it’s fun, you make connections and you learn so much. Check out this website to find a summer program: https://www.aamc.org/members/great/61052/great_summerlinks.html
6. Lastly, if you plan is to apply for an MD/PhD program (woot woot) it is crucial that you have a solid research background (minimum 3 years of research in a good publishing lab). Publications are bonuses!
Remember to stay positive! Undergrad can be hard, but it is also the time that your future career starts to make sense as you figure out what you like and dislike. It is the time to experiment as much as you can because the stakes are low. Work hard, be a yes woman/man, push yourself and things will align for you.
