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FAQ Guide: Your Roadmap to Medical School
Getting started:
Q: How do I know if a career in medicine is right for me?
A: The best way to find out is by immersing yourself in healthcare environments. Shadow physicians, volunteer in clinics or hospitals, and explore roles like medical scribing, EMT, or CNA. Pay attention to how you feel in those settings. Do you enjoy solving problems, connecting with people, and learning constantly? Medicine is a long and demanding journey, so it’s important to reflect on your why. Talk to mentors in medicine and explore other health professions too (like PA, NP, public health, social worker, or allied health) to see what truly resonates with your goals, values, and lifestyle.
Q: How do I determine whether MD or PA is right for me?
A: Start by reflecting on what kind of role you want in patient care. MDs and DOs are physicians with more years of training, broader autonomy, and the ability to specialize in any field. PAs are advanced practice providers who work closely with physicians, often with more flexibility and a shorter training path. Shadow both if possible. Think about your goals: Do you want to lead a medical team, conduct research, or pursue specialized procedures? Or do you value a shorter training period, adaptability, and entering the workforce sooner? There's no “better” path. Find what aligns with your values, lifestyle, and goals. Consider speaking with practicing MDs and PAs to gain firsthand insight if shadowing isn't plausible.
Q: What should I major in?
A: You can major in anything (as long as you complete the medical school prerequisites; typically, biology, chemistry, physics, math, and English). Choose a subject you genuinely enjoy and can succeed in academically. Love art? An art major with strong science grades can stand out and bring a unique perspective to medicine. Curious about business? A B.S. in business management works, as long as you also complete your pre-med courses. There’s no “perfect” major. Your enthusiasm, personal story, interests, matter most. Pick the major that will let you shine, or at least a major you’re interested in. If you want to double major or switch your major a few times before finding the one that you enjoy? That’s okay, too!
Q: When should I start preparing for med school?
A: As early as you decide this career path is the one you want to embark on! Begin tracking your experiences, developing good study habits, and building relationships with mentors. You don’t need to have it all figured out at once.
Q: What GPA do I need to be competitive?
A: Aim for a GPA of 3.5 or higher to stay competitive but remember that medical schools review your application holistically. A lower GPA doesn't disqualify you, especially if you show an upward trend in college or complete post-baccalaureate coursework, and pair it with a strong MCAT score. Admissions committees also weigh your clinical experiences, community service, research, letters of recommendation, and personal statement. If you've faced academic challenges, be transparent and use your experiences to show growth, resilience, and readiness for the rigors of medical training. There’s more than one path to medicine, and GPA/MCAT are just one part of your story!
Q: MD or DO?
A: Yes, we knew you were going to ask that. MDs and DOs are both fully licensed physicians who can practice in all specialties. The main difference: DOs are trained in OMM (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine), i.e. hands-on, physical therapy-based techniques sometimes used in PM&R, sports med, or primary care. If you’re not interested in using OMM (additional 4 hours per week during your pre-clinical years), that’s something to consider.
DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) programs often have slightly more flexible GPA and MCAT thresholds, making them a strong option for applicants with meaningful clinical or life experiences but borderline stats. They are especially well-suited for career-changers or those from nontraditional paths to medicine. DO students take the COMLEX board exams, and many also choose to take the USMLE to stay competitive for residency. This means double the board exams.
If you're interested in primary care fields like Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine, PM&R, or Emergency Medicine, DO programs offer excellent preparation. Matching into more competitive specialties is still possible but may require strong mentorship and early planning. Both MD and DO degrees lead to becoming a licensed physician, and either path will get you where you want to go... it’s just a matter of fit and strategy.
MCAT
Q: How do I study for the MCAT?
A: Start 3–6 months in advance. Use free and affordable resources (Khan Academy, AAMC practice tests, Anki), create a realistic schedule that fits your timeline, and take full-length practice exams. Consider study groups or prep programs if accessible.
Wanting some additional MCAT support?
AAMC Official Materials – Must-haves for full-length exams and section packs
Anki – Free flashcard app that uses spaced repetition; great for science-heavy review (there are so many decks out there to choose from, so choose what you like best and browse the Anki for MCAT subreddit if you want more information)
UWorld – High-yield question bank with strong answer explanations (especially helpful for C/P and B/B sections)
Khan Academy (MCAT playlist) – Free videos covering all major topics (especially helpful for Psychology/Sociology, but has most MCAT subjects on there)
MCAT Bootcamp – New resource, Bootcamp is gold tier for many med students, and they just rolled out their CARS section (the other sections are in progress)
Jack Westin – Helpful for CARS practice passages and strategy
Reddit r/MCAT – Great and extremely underrated tool for free study plans, accountability threads, forming study buddies and success stories (type anything related to MCAT in their search bar, and your question is bound to show up)
Q: What classes do I need to take before applying?
A: Most schools require:
Biology
Biology (with lab)
General Chemistry (with lab)
Organic Chemistry (with lab)
Physics (with lab)
Biochemistry
English/Writing
Statistics
Advanced Biology
Some recommend psychology and sociology, as well as other upper-level biology courses (genetics, cellular biology, molecular, etc)
Check out our Texas Medical School Course Requirement section for more details.
Clinicals and Extracurricular
Q: What experiences do I need before applying?
A: Competitive applicants typically demonstrate a well-rounded portfolio of experiences. This includes clinical exposure through volunteering at a hospital or clinic, community volunteering, scribing, EMT work, CNA, RN, or serving as a medical assistant, or anything that offers insight to patient care. Shadowing physicians in a variety of specialties is also important, as it shows you’ve explored different areas of medicine. Community service reflects your commitment to serving others, especially underserved populations, while leadership roles highlight your initiative and teamwork skills.
Remember, these skills aren’t just for an application, they are important skills to have taking care of your patients in the future. There’s a lot of debate on whether research makes or breaks a medical school application. While it can strengthen your application, particularly if you’re interested in academic medicine, it’s not mandatory at all schools. Medical schools vary in what they place emphasis on, so research the mission statements on the med schools you’re interested in applying to (e.g. UH College of Medicine is very primary-care driven, Baylor is more research heavy).
Regardless, the key is to pursue meaningful experiences that align with your values and demonstrate growth. Don’t just volunteer to volunteer. Pick activities you enjoy and add to your personal story.
Q: How do I find shadowing opportunities?
A: Start by identifying local hospitals, clinics, or private practices and look up physicians in specialties you're interested in. Cold emailing is a common strategy—keep your message short, professional, and respectful. Introduce yourself, share your interest in medicine, and politely ask if they allow pre-med students to shadow. Include your availability and attach a resume/CV if appropriate (this may help you stand out from the crowd if they receive a lot of shadowing email requests).
You can also check your school’s pre-health office for lists of alumni or physicians who regularly host students. Some universities have a pre-med shadowing program, some don’t. You can ask a pre-med club officer on your campus if such a program exists. Hospital volunteer departments sometimes coordinate shadowing or clinical observation programs, especially if you’ve already been volunteering there. If you establish rapport on a unit by volunteering, find a friendly doctor and they’ll more than likely let you shadow on the downlow (it’s usually the paperwork that prevents hospitals from offering more shadowing opportunities).
If you’re volunteering in a clinical setting outside the hospital, same thing, try building rapport with nurses or staff and politely ask if they’d be comfortable connecting you to a physician. Persistence and professionalism go a long way. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back right away! One of my colleagues went around to local clinics in their city and introduced themselves to office staff and provided their resume in person, they eventually found 2 doctors that let them shadow!
Additional resources:
Local hospitals volunteer programs:
Texas Medical Center: texasmedicalcenter.org/volunteer
Harris Health System: harrishealth.org/volunteer
Scribing companies:
ScribeAmerica
ProScribe
Private practices (direct contact) – use Indeed
Research
Q: Tell me more about research. How do I get involved?
A: Getting involved in research can strengthen your med school application and help you explore topics you're passionate about, but it’s okay if you don’t know where to start. You don’t need to be published to be competitive. You can choose to get started in a project, present orally, or participate in a poster presentation, all which do not require getting published but may give your application a competitive advantage!
Start by checking with your school’s undergraduate research office or database. Most campuses list available research positions, faculty mentors, and application timelines. You can also email professors in your classes directly with a short introduction and your interest in helping with their work (even unpaid or volunteer roles can lead to great experience). If your school has a JAMP program or honors research track, ask if they offer structured research support.
For other structured summer opportunities, look into:
Texas Medical Center Summer Research Program - https://gsbs.uth.edu/research/summer-research
Baylor College of Medicine SMART Program - https://www.bcm.edu/education/graduate-school-of-biomedical-sciences/degree-programs-and-certificates/smart-program
UT Southwestern STARS Program - https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/programs/stars/programs/summer-research-opportunities.html
NIH STEP-UP Program - https://forms.niddk.nih.gov/stepup
UH STEM RISE Program - https://www.uh.edu/nsm/teachhouston/student-support/stem-rise/
MD Anderson (they have several) https://www.mdanderson.org/education-training/research-training/early-career-pathway-programs/summer-research-programs/programs.html
These programs often offer stipends, mentorship, and the chance to present at conferences. Research can be in basic science, public health, clinical studies, or even medical education—pick what excites you!
Q: I want to get my research out to the public, but I don’t have the funding and/or time for publication. Are there any free resources out there?
A: Yes! Figshare and Dryad are both research databases. Don’t forget Cureus, too! They are free to publish if you meet their eligibility criteria.
Application Process
Q: What’s the difference between AMCAS, TMDSAS, and AACOMAS?
A: AMCAS: MD programs outside Texas; TMDSAS: Texas public medical schools. AACOMAS: DO (osteopathic) medical schools
Q: Average GPA and MCAT scores for every school? Is there a centralized hub that I can look up schools that meet my stats/interests?
A: Yes and yes. Check out Dr. Shemmassian – his free websites are a great tool. You can filter by MD, DO, state, and look at stats. He also offers a ton of free advice if you ever want to look at his websites (again, they’re free, unless you want specific tutoring, which he also offers):
Dr. Shemmassian: https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/average-gpa-and-mcat-score-for-every-medical-school
MSAR (Med School Admission Requirements for applicants):
MSAR is available for purchase but you can request fee waivers depending on your financial situation
Texas Medical Schools Statistics: tmdsas.com/stats
AMCAS: students-residents.aamc.org
Q: What does a med school application include?
A:
GPA and MCAT
Personal Statement
Work/Activities Section
Letters of Recommendation
Secondary Essays
Interviews
Q: General timeline for med school?
A: Really up to when you decide med school is the career path you want to choose. Many students take gap years to fulfill prerequisites, gain additional experience, or pursue their hobbies or special interests. Here is a general timeline, but it is by all means not the one way to apply to medical school. It is simply a rough guide. If you’re a non-traditional, feel free to follow these steps as a guide, ignoring the grade level.
Freshman year: Start completing pre-med prerequisites. Join clubs, volunteer, and explore healthcare-related experiences. Get to know professors (potential letter writers!). Begin tracking all your activities and hours
Sophomore Year: Continue coursework and clinical/community involvement. Start shadowing physicians in different specialties. Consider research or leadership roles. Begin thinking about MCAT prep and test dates
Junior Year: This is when most students apply. Take the MCAT (ideally Jan–April if applying that summer). Request letters of recommendation by spring. Start your personal statement by March/April. Submit primary application. Work on secondary essays June–August. Interviews begin as early as August and run through spring
TMDSAS (Texas schools): Opens early May
AMCAS (MD schools): Opens late May
AACOMAS (DO schools): Opens early May
Senior Year/Gap year): Attend interviews and complete secondaries. Rank programs if applying via TMDSAS or ERAS (for reapplicants/post-baccs). Accept offers! Plan for financial aid, moving, and med school orientation.
Q: Okay, I’ve made it to the med school application process, but I’m still confused. What’s the timeline?
A:
May-June: Submit primary application (AMCAS, TMDSAS, AACOMAS)
June–August: Complete secondary applications
August–March: Interviews take place (earliest offers begin mid-October for some schools)
October–March: Acceptance offers roll out (MD via AMCAS, DO via AACOMAS)
February–March: TMDSAS Match (Texas public schools)
April 15: Applicants should narrow down to 3 schools
April 30: Choose one school to commit to (MD schools via AMCAS Choose Your Medical School tool)
May–July: Waitlist movement continues until classes begin
TMDSAS Timeline [tmdsas.com/timeline]
Letters and Interviews
Q: Who should write my letters of recommendation?
A: Most medical schools expect 3 strong letters: typically 2 science professors (biology, chemistry, physics) and 1 non-science professor (English, humanities, social sciences). Additional letters can come from research mentors, physicians you’ve shadowed or worked with, or supervisors from clinical or volunteer experiences—as long as they know you well and can speak to your character, work ethic, and commitment to medicine. Always ask politely, give at least 4–6 weeks' notice for your letter writer, and provide a resume, personal statement draft, and any relevant details to help them write a strong, personalized letter.
You can use Dossier to store your letters in advanced: https://www.interfolio.com/dossier/
TMDSAS has a great FAQ section on letters: https://www.tmdsas.com/application-guide/letters-of-evaluation.html
Q: How do I prepare for interviews?
A: Interview prep starts with knowing your own application. Be ready to talk about your journey to medicine, your motivations, meaningful experiences, and how you’ve grown through challenges.Y ou should, at minimum, prepare for the most common interview questions as follows:
“Tell me about yourself.”
“Why medicine?”
“Why this school?”
“Tell me about a time you faced adversity/conflict.”
“What do you do for fun?”
To prepare effectively, practice speaking your answers out loud, ideally with a mentor, friend, or mock interview program. Recording yourself can help you notice your tone, pacing, and body language. Make sure to research each school beforehand so you can tailor your responses to their mission and values. Come prepared with thoughtful questions to ask your interviewer—this shows genuine interest and helps you assess program fit. Review your application materials thoroughly, since interviewers may reference your personal statement, activities, or experiences. For schools using the MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) format, practice quick ethical scenarios and structured responses to build comfort and confidence. Most importantly, be yourself. Interviewers aren’t looking for perfection. They want to see authenticity, professionalism, and the ability to connect.
Reddit and SDN have tons of resources on the MMI and standard interview. You can search up interview questions asked by each medical school on SDN. Filter by your medical school, and you can see the common questions asked, interview format and style, students’ perception of the school, interview day flow, and more.
First-Gen & Wellness
Q: What’s the biggest challenge as a first-gen pre-med?
A: One of the biggest challenges is navigating systems or places you've never been exposed to, whether it’s how to find shadowing, who to ask for letters of recommendation, or just understanding what a med school application looks like. It can feel like you are out of the loop, but we are here to remind you that you are not! Yes, that sense of being "behind" or not knowing the unwritten rules can be isolating, but you’re not alone. You don’t have to figure it out all at once. Seek out mentorship, use your school’s pre-health advising, and connect with first-gen student groups. Programs like us exist to support you. You have every right to be here. Don't forget that your background gives you a perspective that will advance medicine’s future.
Q: How do I deal with imposter syndrome?
A: Imposter syndrome makes you question whether you belong, even when you’ve earned every step forward. The first step is to recognize it’s common, especially for first-gen and underrepresented students. Then reframe it; you’re not an outsider; you’re meant to be here. Your unique experiences are not a drawback, but rather a core part of your identity. Being a first gen can be a great strength that brings empathy, resilience, and insight into patient care. Don’t keep those feelings bottled up. Talk to trusted friends, mentors, advisors, or mental health counselors, or even us. Join groups that reflect your identity and remind you: you’re not the only one feeling this way, and you're more than capable.
Q: How do I balance everything without burning out?
A: Burnout is real, and it often hits first-gen students hard because you’re not just doing this for yourself; you may feel like you're carrying your family or community with you. But you can’t pour from an empty cup. Start by creating a realistic schedule that includes breaks, meals, movement, and downtime. Set boundaries. You don’t need to say yes to everything. Check in with yourself regularly: Are you exhausted, anxious, or feeling disconnected from your "why"? If so, hit pause. Do something that brings you joy. This could be listening to music, going for a walk, or talking to a trusted friend. You are more than your grades or resume. Caring for yourself is not a distraction from success; it’s a requirement for it. Reach out to us if you ever need any more tips or have lingering questions.
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