Pre-Medical Resources
Exploring Allopathic and Osteopathic Medicine
Choosing a medical school involves choosing between two types of degree programs: Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
History of Osteopathic Medicine | A Brief Guide to Osteopathic Medicine
DoctorsThatDO.org: FAQs and find a DO to shadow
The DO, online publication on topics related to patient care, training, the DO profession, advocacy, lifestyle, and newsbriefs (including international recognition by the UN)
Specialties & Subspecialties
Interested in a specific specialty or wondering what it's like being a doctor? Check out Virtual Shadowing Opportunities
The American Board of Medical Specialties has compiled a high-level chart of specialties and subspecialties. Did you know there's 20 subspecialties of internal medicine?
Learn about 135 specialties and subspecialties in the U.S. (listed in alphabetical order). Find descriptions of the work the physicians do, salary, training requirements, match, salary and workforce information, and links to relevant organizations and publications.
In this podcast, hear from specialists in different clinical settings, urban and rural, community and academic, to give you the best idea possible of what your future career might look like!
Choosing a medical specialty for residency can be overwhelming. Click here for information from the American Medical Association about medical specialties. Here's advice that was given to medical students about choosing a specialty:
Medical Schools & Requirements
How are you developing your medical school list? You may want to consider factors such as the degree granted (MD or DO), mission, curriculum / teaching methods (e.g. PBL), location, tuition/financial aid, dual degree programs (e.g. MD/PhD, DO/MPH, etc.), research, reputation, class size, accelerated tracks, personal connection, etc.).
Medical School Admissions Requirements (for MD schools only)
A one-year MSAR subscription costs $28 for you to browse, search, sort, and compare information about U.S. and Canadian MD programs. Find out about school-specific information regarding median GPA, median MCAT, deadlines, interviews, waitlist, etc. You can also compare up to 10 schools side-by-side.
View infographic for average GPA and MCAT of 2020 matriculants to MD schools
MSAR Reports provides FREE access without a subscription to school-specific information about admissions policies
Free access through Fee Assistance Program
Choose DO Explorer (for DO schools only)
This free tool helps you search for DO programs based on school type/setting, mean overall GPA and MCAT scores for enrolled students, etc. while finding more information including location, dual degree options, application deadlines.
You can also search based on COVID-19 related info: interview format, requires physician (or DO-specific) letter, shadowing options, pass/fail or online coursework
See Matriculant Reports and Admission Requirements, including MCAT and GPA averages
Interested in medical schools in Texas?
Click here to learn more about the following MD and DO medical schools in Texas:
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
McGovern Medical School
Long School of Medicine
Texas A&M University College of Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Lubbock
University of North Texas—Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso
The University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
Sam Houston State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
University of Houston College of Medicine
Interested in a Dual Degree?
Applying to MD-PhD Programs (Become a Physician-Scientist)
American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) learn about research opportunities for prospective MD/PhD students: interactive sessions and summer research program
Is becoming a physician scientist worth sacrificing work-life balance?
Career Trends Among MD-PhD Program Graduates (and why they are essential to academic medicine)
MD-PhD Interviews and Revisit Days (Google Calendar)
Applying to MD/MPH Programs (Master of Public Health)
Many medical innovations are pioneered at America’s medical schools and teaching hospitals. These institutions are responsible for important breakthroughs in medicine, and patient care, educating the next generation of health care professionals. At least 84 million Americans currently live in physician shortage areas; these medical schools and teaching hospitals are leading efforts to help address the problem. Learn more about the value of academic medicine from the AAMC and check out the Academic Medicine podcast.
Becoming a Competitive Applicant
Learn about average matriculant statistics of students entering medical school: for MD schools, DO schools, and Texas schools. You should be meeting with Dr. Farber to set goals to become well-rounded applicants for medical school. Save a copy of this advising template to your Google Drive and schedule a meeting with Dr. Farber.
There are 15 Core Competencies that reflect the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences valued by medical schools:
Medical schools consider more than your grades and scores. To show how successful applicants have demonstrated these competencies in many different ways, AAMC interviewed real medical students, their pre-health advisors, and the admission officers who accepted them.
Download the self-assessment guide to understand:
components of your medical school application
why each component is important
what each component communicates about you
your own preparedness for medical school by examining strengths and areas for further development
Recommended articles:
Timeline for Applying to Medical School
Like the common application for college, medical schools use centralized application services:
American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) for allopathic schools (MD-granting)
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) for DO-granting schools
Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Services (TMDSAS) for certain Texas medical schools (MD and DO, see list)
Allopathic Medical Schools (MD)
Resources:
Google this year's "AMCAS Applicant Guide" for the most recent edition!
End of June: MD medical schools begin to receive applications from AMCAS
August 1: Deadline to apply for Early Decision Program with participating schools
February: AMCAS Choose Your Medical School tool becomes available. Accepted applicants can select "Plan to Enroll" for one school at a time.
April: Applicants with multiple acceptance offers must limit to 3 (no limit on waitlist offers) and can select "Commit to Enroll"
Osteopathic Medical Schools (DO)
Resources:
Early May
AACOMAS application open for submissions
Application Fees: $195 for primary application + one college designation, $45 for each additional college (check eligibility for a fee waiver and plan to submit your application within 14 days of award date)
Mid-June
DO medical schools begin receiving and processing applications
Colleges may ask submitted applicants to complete a secondary application and begin inviting students to interview
October - April
Deadlines vary, but most are on or around February 1st
Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis
Texas Medical Schools (MD & DO)
June: First applications transmitted to schools
August 1: Deadline to apply for Early Decision Program with participating schools
October: Application deadline for schools
November: Deadline to submit primary application forms, transcript(s), letters of evaluations, etc.
February: Deadline to rank school preferences
March: Match results announced and rolling admissions begin
April: Applicants with multiple offers must decide on a program (withdrawing from others)
Click the link above to learn about the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)--what courses you should take first, when you can schedule the exam, free & discounted preparation materials, etc. You'll also learn about the PREview and CASPer (some schools use this to assess professionalism).
Paying for Medical School
The AAMC website and FIRST (Financial Information, Resources, Services, and Tools) includes information about financing your medical education, including:
the cost of applying to medical school
financial aid resources and questions to ask medical school financial aid officers
student loans & impact of the CARES Act
repayment assistance through loan forgiveness, scholarships, or service
Medical Webinars & Podcasts
View and listen to on-demand content about being a pre-medical student, preparing for medical school, what it's like being a doctor, and diversity & inclusion.
Applying to Medical School During COVID-19
Click here to learn about the panel speakers and resources referenced
Webinar: U.S. Army Health Professions Scholarship Program for Medical School
Learn about the cost of medical school and how the U.S. Army will cover 100% of tuition, books and fees through the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). They will also provide a stipend of over $2,400/month while you're in school. Watch this webinar to learn about the qualifications and benefits of being an Army health professional.
Contact David Dormann, Education Services Specialist, at david.t.dormann.civ@mail.mil or 410-507-3271 (text or call)
Military Lecture Series - May 2021.pdfWhat I Wish I Knew As a Pre-Med
Dr. Jennifer Lincoln is an OB Hospitalist, Lactation Consultant, and medical writer. She has been featured on various media outlets, such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, BuzzFeed, Parents.com, and The Daily Beast. Her Instagram account (@drjenniferlincoln) reaches a large and growing audience with topics ranging from women's health to anti-racism to life as a doctor. In this webinar she shares her insights on what she wishes she knew when she was in college and answers questions from students at her alma mater (Washington College).
Follow up video: Medical career myth-busting - What does it really mean to be a doctor?
Catch the replay of the 12-hour live stream of National Premed Day led by Dr. Ryan Gray, MD from Medical School HQ.
Guest speakers included: three former Deans of Admissions, representatives from AACOMAS and TMDSAS, the founder of Student Loan Planner, the co-creator of CASPer, MCAT experts, and medical students.
Full schedule with the bios of each speaker here: nationalpremedday.com
Note: Timestamps are in the description box for specific sessions and their respective Q&A breakout rooms are in the chat box.
Each episode features admissions representatives from different medical schools. Click for episodes
Transformative stories and provocative discussions about the world of medicine.
Dr. Ryan Gray, MD hosts podcasts featuring FAQs by pre-meds and covers MCAT, applications, specialties, etc.
Featured Premed Years episode: Confronting Bias & Discrimination Towards Black Premeds
This podcast features lived experiences of doctors with disabilities through critical conversations with the doctors, researchers, administrators, faculty and policy makers that work to ensure medicine remains an equal opportunity profession.
This new podcast was created by two psychiatry residents in Boston: Dr. Varsha Radhakrishnan and Dr. Andy Wu. They interview clinicians and trainees from around the country on their experiences during COVID-19 to discuss clinician burnout, wellness, and resilience. Click for episodes
Additional podcasts:
Doctor's Log by an ER physician during the frontlines of the pandemic
DOCTORGOALS by Dr. Alana Trotter, former collegiate athlete, resident physician and entrepreneur
Beyond the White Coat by AAMC
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
#ICYMI Asian physicians in various settings share about systemic issues that lead to racial disparities in the healthcare industry. Read the bio for each of the panelists and watch the recording.
Podcast: Black Voices in Healthcare
"[This podcast] highlighted stories of racism in the workplace, as well as stories of Black joy, Black love, and Black excellence....Black Lives Matter. Black Health Matters. Black Stories Matter."
National Premed Day Session: Minorities in Medicine: Resources, Representation, and What to Know followed by Q&A with the speakers
Tour4Diversity is a grassroots effort to educate, inspire, and cultivate future minority physicians and dentists. This panel featured:
Dr. Brandon Henry, MD
Dr. Tyree Winters, DO
Dr. Italo Brown, MD, MPH
Hear how racism affects Black physicians personally and professionally (in family, emergency, and internal medicine). You’ll also be inspired to take action by learning about racialized healthcare disparities and what they have done to decrease how racism affects their patient populations.
Dr. Wiemi Douoguih, MD is an orthopedic surgeon, Director of Sports Medicine for MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and Head Team Physician for the Washington Wizards.
Hosted by the American Medical Association (AMA): Practicing physicians and leaders in health care share how they are addressing root causes of inequity during COVID-19 and beyond – by centering equity in their workspaces and dismantling racist policies and practices.
#ICYMI: Catch the replays on MEdEq for free (this platform provides career development for pre-med underrepresented minorities)