Building the Optimal Medical School List: Part B

Interestingly, most applicants apply to medical school with good intentions, but flawed execution. They apply based on prestige alone; or they’ve concluded that their state, public medical school is more affordable that the better fit private school. Candidates must keep in mind that medical schools are not all the same. Columbia has a very different character than Yale. UCLA has a very different culture than UC San Francisco.

 

In this blog, we will continue our consideration of how to build your medical school list.

 

Outline

• Selectivity
• Research vs Primary Care
• Culture & Curriculum
• Geography/Metro/Suburban/Rural
• Personal Priorities
• Post-graduate placement
• Reputation/Prestige
• Cost
• Diversity
• Balance

 

• Selectivity
  • Choice most of your medical schools from a practical list of options you are “in range” with regard to GPA and MCAT. If your GPA is low, it can be compensated with a higher MCAT, and vice versa. Elite programs also expect their top applicants to show uncommon service to the community, impactful leadership in organizations, and quality research including publications.

 

• Research vs Primary Care
  • If your interests, background and goals are predominately primary care, applying as a future scientist is disingenuous.

 

• Culture & Curriculum
  • Some programs are very large and impersonal, others small and intimate. Some curricula are traditional, others are innovative and contemporary. Find one that suits you. Doesn’t it make sense to apply to medical schools where you will thrive, rather than schools you’ll have challenges adapting to?

 

• Geography/Metro/Suburban/Rural
  • Would you rather attend medical school in a big city or a small town; in the frigid northeast winter or the arid southern California summer. You don’t want to struggle with the environment in addition to the academics.

 

• Personal
  • Do you have hobbies, personal interests or family that are a consideration for where you attend medical school?

 

• Post-graduate placement
  • Do you seek a competitive residency or sub-specialty? If that is the case, a more prestigious program is in order. If all you want is an MD, and the place or specialty don’t matter, then any place will do, even DO and Caribbean programs.

 

• Prestige
  • Does the reputation of the institution matter, the professors, world-class research, dual degrees such as MD/PhD, MD/MBA matter to you? Then the you need a more competitive resume.
  • Prestigious schools have large endowments and offer an abundance of first-class faculty, facilities, libraries and other resources.

 

• Cost
  • Does cost matter? If so, perhaps the state university in the suburbs offers a better value.

 

• Diversity
  • Do you seek a class with diverse student backgrounds; such as international, areas of expertise or experience, ethnic, religion, race and gender? State schools generate their class from the state and the region. Private schools are more national and global in their reach of quality applicants.

 

 

• Need help? Contact Physician Bound, the medical school admission experts.