1. Low MCAT 2. Low GPA with a decreasing trend 3. Weak Personal Statement 4. Suboptimal Letters of Recommendation 5. Lack of Extracurriculars 6. The Interview
I'm only a 14 year old freshman in high school but I still watch your videos because they really help me understand my goals into getting the medical job I want.
Awesome, it is so good you have awareness so early? I am always curious what made you decide medicine was the field for you at such an early age? But don't forget to have fun and enjoy being a teenager. :)
YourStudyMate Yes, but they shouldn't be the only thing considered. Social skills are as important or even more important for a doctor than having all A+ in your A level ^^
They certainly do. The ability to assimilate large amounts of material and then to apply it is very important in medical school. Good college grades usually indicate that the applicant has those skills.
I could not agree with B'D anymore. Number themselves are not really nice. There is an excellent PDF you can quickly find on online from the AMAC that shows the percentage of pre-med students with a specific gpa and MCAT score and how many of them get into medical school. ~ 10% of students with a 3.8-4.0 gpa and a 99th percentile MCAT score do NOT get into ANY allopathic medical school!
Your videos have really helped me decide that medical school really isn't for me, which isn't a bad thing, but have overall helped me become a better student. I do have friends going so this is still really helpful. Just wanted to say thanks!
What will you do instead? Medical school is my goal and i cant think of doing anything else, i have the will to study hard and work hard, but i just think that even if i study and do everything i can it wont be enough. I have NO idea what to do instead, and i need to choose very very soon what i want to study and ugh im so fucked
Robi Geisi Why would you say that? There are a lot of physicians and surgeons in the world. They all did it. Why couldn't you? The great myth is that medical school is highly intellectually challenging and difficult. It isn't. What it really is is tedious. Let's face it, medical school is a somewhat glorified trade school. And I make the comparison not to denigrate other trade schools; the opposite, actually. To become a plumber, electrician, etc., one must master a large amount of material and then apply it during an apprenticeship before being allowed to practice independently. Thereafter there are always new things to learn.
Robi Geisi This is so me! No matter how much I think about what I can do instead, I always get back to medicine... This is a sign that this is your path, right? Or do you just "trick" yourself because you simply haven't found your "true path" yet?
That is an awesome and mature realization! It is not about trying to live up to some arbitrary standards but finding the best way you can positively impact this world. If you just want to be a doctor because you want to help people that is not a good enough reason. You have to be enamoured with helping people regain and maintain their health, otherwise you will not be effective as a physician. You can help the world in an infinite ways, but if you are not effective at what you do, doesn't matter what your occupation is lol.
I think the most important factor that you did not include is applying early. From my experience, I applied in late August and only managed to make it to one school's waitlist before being rejected later. This current cycle, I applied in June with the exact same MCAT/GPA/LOR and I have been accepted into 3 programs, including the one I was previously waitlisted at. Time is key, and with a rolling admissions process it is VITAL to apply early in June or July at the latest.
I’ve talked to admissions staff at several DO schools and they said applying early puts you at an advantage. Sometimes they’ve waitlisted or even rejected qualified applicants due to the lack of space in the entering class. Many schools are rolling admissions so the earlier you apply, the sooner you can get a decision!
Im actually just 14 and most of my friends don’t even know what they want to be later but I started watching your videos because I want to make sure that I can do what I can right now to help my chances later on. When people ask me how I know I want to be a doctor or why I want to be a doctor, I’m actually not so sure. I really enjoy sciences and the human body and it just appeals to me. I don’t have an overwhelming urge to help people (although I would rather have a job that has an impact and I still want to help others, I just don’t have a personal reason to why I want to. I don’t have a heartfelt story that explains why I should be a doctor, you know?). I also want to have a job that’s challenging for me, because I wouldn’t want to have a job that’s easy and uninteresting.
Hahahaahah and it depends on what province you live in. In British Columbia there is only one medical school in our province, which BC residents have a leg up on. :)
That's because in the U.S, we have a lot more schools. However, if you look at the AAMC MSAR website, acceptance rates for individual colleges fall between 1-6% for the most part.
Residents of the province normally get most slots. Followed by other provinces, then international. I guess it depends on how manu of each they recieve as well. Now, that rate, could also include those who are don't meet the basic entry requirments but still applied.
I want to become a doctor sooo bad but I’m afraid I won’t make it. I’m a freshman in college so hopefully I only go upwards from here. Thank you. I will try my best to improve 😁
It’s great that you know that you want to do medicine so early on in college! It’s important to start off strong, there are many things you can do right now to bolster your application and get into Med school. I personally didn’t find out till later in college but it still worked out! You can do this so long as you work hard and help others! Wishing you the very best!!
Currently in Occupational Therapy grad school, but keeping my options open. I've always dreamed of being a doctor, but I didn't think I could get into Med school. However, I may work as an occupational therapist for a few years and decide whether going to med school is the best choice for me. Your channel is very informative and has great content for my research!
I am a sophomore, premed major. I was nervous and didn't really know how to plan my next two years. Watching your video motivated me. Great video and very positive attitude. Thanks and keep posting more videos like this.
This video is so informative and well put together. You provide general information and have a separate video for more depth in each individual reason. Keep up the great work ✌️ I am currently in high school and love your videos.
I'm currently a freshman in high school and I'm very aware at the fact I still have so much time to determine what I want to study but something about the medical field seriously attracts me. Your videos really help me know what I'll get myself into if I were to study in this field. So far I'm apart of a group called "HOSA" and I have had a 4.0 GPA since middle school. I like to think I'm somewhat prepared for what's to come but I know there is always room for improvement. Anyways, my point is, thank you for making such helpful videos that even the young like me can watch and understand!
Despite being in junior high, I’m really worried about not being able to get into medical school. My grades seem average and my parent has been lecturing about it. Seeing your videos gives me so many tips and is really helpful :)
Get tutoring! Also, the type of student you are now most likely will not be the type of student you will be in college. I was a C student in high school and now I’m an A student in college and I’m premed. Don’t stress yourself, but work on building those study habits and asking the teacher for help
The funny thing about getting into med school is you want to learn about what it takes to be a doctor , but then you have to go through subjects that are completely unrelated ,like calculus from mathematics and physics. Just because one studies well does not guarantee one will be an excellent doctor. A doctor studies for the sake of learning , not for the sake of studying. Another reason why some struggle to get into medicine is due to the lack of finance. And many gave up because of that , OR they had to wait till their 40s or 50s to study again. I have nothing , my parents are retired , they can barely support themselves. I can't just leave them and no one caring for them , my only solution is to care for them till they've passed on , then I can continue with my studies, but I'm sure I'm already in my 60s by then
@@21stCentWoman but you wouldn't be calculating the kinetic energy or the work done, or the velocity of the blood flow from one point to another in the body, right ? I'm certain doctors are not physicists , they diagnose diseases and treat patients
Zander • 30 Years Ago never said they do it for money. I’m not poor but my parents didn’t pay for DPT school for me. I’m about 200k in debt. While my friends parents paid for housing food car phone and tuition. They will love the field. But after paying so much in loans or taking a income based plan and paying for 30 years you may regret it. As a DPT you’ll always have job though so that definitely a plus. Other plus is you can make you’re own clinic and make tons of money
My daughter got rejected for not having job experience in the medical field. Most 22 year olds don't have that. Grades and test scores were great. Everything else was good, extra curriculars were good.
Many medical schools want people to have volunteered in hospitals, shadowed doctors, worked in medical research, etc. In (many of) their view(s) since there are many opportunities for college students to do these kinds of things, a person who did not do them is seen as not being as interested in medicine (no matter how untrue that is). If she really has her heart set on going to med school she could go for a Master Degree or spend a year or two in a job that will give her experience in the medical field, I know many people who did this and as a result got accepted when they had previously been rejected.
In Canada they have such a thing as 'reference letters' for med school application which in my opinion is absolute rubbish. In med schools in other parts of the world there is no such bribing or pulling the heart strings.
That's crazy. In Poland you take maturity exam after high school, you need to pass biology, chemistry, phisics or maths and best people get accepted based on the exam score.
In Canada, you might as well just forget about it. The acceptance rates here are extremely low, prices for med school are ridiculously high, and testing is rigorous
Idk about US or any other place, but in Canada its ENTIRELY GPA and MCAT. And unfortunately, it's hard for people to keep their GPA the highest possible. But good video, thanks.
Med School Insiders Ya that's what I'm worried about too. They place too much importance on good grades and not enough in the competence of a future physician. But hey, it is what it is I guess haha
Samiha Sajida I'm in U of Manitoba, and they do want extracurriculars, interviews, and letters of recommendation, but I got a friend in medicine and he said it's all a joke. It was only GPA MCAT and the interviews that got him in. I guess I shouldn't have said Canada I should've been more specific, my bad lol
Fry Wolf That's just Manitoba though (and Saskatchewan). The Universities of Calgary, Alberta, British Columbia, Toronto, McGill (among others) have clearly dedicated significant portions of the pre-interview evaluation toward your personal narrative/extracurriculars/letters. In fact, Manitoba is among the very few that solely relies on GPA and MCAT, and even they used to consider extracurriculars not so long ago (less than 10 years).
angedejeudi Oh wow, I didn't know that, that's pretty cool. I guess it's better for international kids because they only have to know their books, but it does make it harder to become a physician. I know too many people who didn't make it and its sad, its ridiculously competitive and keeps getting worse.
Awesome! Love the passion and enthusiasm, but don't forget to have fun and enjoy being a teenager! :) You have the rest of your life to be a physician. :)
Is this what's important at US Schools? Here in Canada, at most Med Schools GPA and MCAT collectively account for only about 25-35% of the application, the most important part is usually the interview...
2233Billy And any volunteering and experience as well, especially in big name universities (for isntance, McGill likes students who volunteer for 24 hours a day because they have a specific reputation: perfect students lol).
I hear a lot of people say that being a nurse doesn't give you an edge over other applicants and I call complete bullshit on that one i was so curious that i actually emailed several schools osteopathic and allopathic and some were very PC about saying nursing shows your capable of handling a large and rigorous workload but they take each undergraduate major equally... some osteopathic schools though didn't outright say yes but they did say we rarely reject nurses who meet the minimal standard lol
In Sweden, by the time you get your first high school grades, you will know if you are gonna get into a med school. They want you to have all As and on top of that they want you to read extra maths/ english/ other languages such as (spanish, french, german) so that you get all extra points you need.
Hey Jay, would like to know your thoughts on multiple mini interviews and situational judgement tests, since some medical schools are replacing the 'interview section' with the above two. Great video btw! I've just got rejected from my country's medical school and this really helped me to reflect on what I might be lacking. I still do hope to get into medicine and would be trying other countries:))
Can you please consider making videos explaining how you studied for specific science / math courses that will be incorporated in our science GPA? I'm struggling with calc and chemistry, but I know it's my study habits. Thanks!
If you know that's your problem, fix it! If you are able to show a school that you recognized, correctly analyzed and corrected your deficiencies, they will be very impressed.
Ive been thinking about making a short video series on how to get involved with undergrad research and I really like how you format your videos. What programs and software do you use?
Just starting college. Does it matter where I graduate from? I'm going to Cal State Fullerton this fall, I don't know if I should transfer to a UC or just stay at Fullerton
Stay wherever you will excel to and where you want to be. If you are happy and comfortable you will excel. You should never do something for medical school. There is no one path. Be the best that you can be and aim to have the biggest impact you can on the world and medical schools will love you! :)
My mom read that UCSF looks poorly upon applicants who take the MCAT more than once. Not sure where she read that, but I’ve known people who took the MCAT twice
In Austria its crazy only 10% of applicants get into med school and most people take the entrance exam like 3 to 4 years in a row and still dont get in But at least our medical education is free once we get in
Hey, current 4th year medical student here. Just keep pushing forward! I think you should take some time and analyze your approach to studying and the way your time is spent. Really take a deep dive into what you do and try to improve on it. More often than not this will lead to an increase in grades as you improve. If you have any questions I’d be more than happy to answer them. You can do it friend! Best of luck. And by the way Pediatricians are the nicest doctors lol.
Hey nice video man. Is the hardest part really getting in? I ask because I've been grinding over my application and obsessing over it, as well as have put in over 1000 hours towards MCAT studying. I'll be taking it in July, but feel like the process of going through this burns you out. Does it get better once you're in med school, or in comparison to med school, is the MCAT like a walk in the park?
I studied a Pre-Veterinary curriculum in undergrad. I've since graduated and plan to apply next year. Since I was a vet student, I didn't get any human medical experience. The extracurricular video is geared toward people who are still in school and I can't do most of it. I'm in the military and cannot leave for periods of time. Do you have any suggestions, apart from shadowing, that I can do in the evenings/weekends to improve my chances? I did several non-medical related ones. Is shadowing sufficient if I'm solid in the other areas?
My grades suffered going into Junior year. I didn't get dumber and my study habits didn't change. It was just the difference between easy classes like O-Chem 1 and calculus vs hard ones like Chemical Engineering Thermo II. I hope they account for that when reviewing my application
My GPA is under 3.0. Will I be able to enter to any medical school in US? Does anyone know any school I could apply to? I would appreciate if anyone can help me, I’m willing to apply to any school here in US.
Hey! 4th year med student here. It would be tough with a 3.0 as many schools have cut offs on applications. I’d recommended doing a post baccalaureate program and taking advanced courses to show that you can handle the rigor of medical school. If you do well enough in that you could have a shot at getting accepted. Let me know if you have other questions!
I have a speech impediment, will it affect me on going into the field of medicine? I am doing my best to correct it, but it’s a neurological disorder that can’t be fully cured. Will interviewers look down upon that?
I am currently a senior in high school, I’ve wanted to go to medical school for as long as I can remember. I am currently in an EMT program, I’d say I’m a good, overall A student and plan to go to college and get a BSN and apply to Med school right after. I’ve always wanted to do more, learn, have experience. I’m scared that once it comes down to it my grades won’t be enough, which is why I’ve volunteered at hospitals and gotten myself into the EMT program. I’ve just always been scared of the what ifs. What if my grades aren’t good enough, what if i’m just not good enough to be a doctor. I know grades do matter, but would experience be more valuable? or will that not be enough?
Andrea Diaz I wouldn’t get the BSN if your plan is to go to medical right away. A bachelors in anything will suffice as long as you take the prerequisites needed.
Ditto, as the nursing curriculum doesn’t cover all the science prereqs. My NP coworker and a post-bacc friend who wants to be an NP didn’t/don’t have to take OChem and physics. The previous poster is correct that it doesn’t matter what your degree is in as long as the science prereqs are completed. My undergrad degree is in English with a psych minor.
I still dont understand why everything is so difficult there, here we just get inscripted, do a year of CBC and then you can go to medical school, and everything is free, and i mean Everything. Well, except the books
My mom works for the veterans hospital, it is a federal job and allows agar’s 14 and up to volunteer which I will be doing soon. Would that have some significance on my future application? PLEASE REPLY
I have a question, I slacked off until 12th grade where my grades increased from C to A and A* so am I fit for medical school? Also, I have no financial aid, my mom only runs her saloon and I have no dad so I am extremely poor :(.
Light Michaels just get a student loan, you don't need to pay before you do it, once you have got through med school and you start making money then you have to pay for it
I am interested in shadowing a physician but I have a couple of questions. What is the best way to go about finding a physician that would allow you to shadow? I plan to specialize in family medicine but my family has good relations with a pediatrician, would that matter or does it need to be a family physician? I am in pre-med but not far along, so I need to wait until I have a couple more semesters under my belt? What do they look at when deciding if you will be able to shadow? I have around 100 hours as a veterinarian shadow so I have some medical knowledge. And lastly, what would I be doing? I assume it would be different from shadowing at a vet. Any help is appreciated!
1. I would just call a hospital and see if there’s shadowing available. Now might not be the easiest time with covid, but that’s how I got my shadowing. Same with volunteering 2. No you don’t need to shadow a certain kind of doctor. Most likely through med school you’ll change your thought about what speciality you want 24 times. You’ll see what you really like during your 3rd year while doing rotations so you still have a LONG way to go to decide that. Don’t stress about that too much. 3. I don’t see why you have to wait. Again, just call. 4. I don’t know if medical schools will take the veterinarian shadow hours. I would just email 2-3 medical schools asking about that. I’m sure you can find some way to contact them online. 5. You just follow around the doctor all day and see what they do.
I'm 13 going to highschool and want to be a neurosurgeon or work in the PICU I've seen a lot of older people saying to others that we need to enjoy our life but the younger we are the more advantage we have in studying no?
IM a student of class 10. i just passed ssc in Bangladesh. Im confused to understand the difference between medical & medical collage . Coould you please explain ?
I'm in year 10 taking GCSE , I want to be at the top end of medicine , I'm currently achieving 2 A*'s and 2 A's and 6 B's , I still have 2 years to improve , so can I get some advice and also what grades would you except at bare minimum?
Do you have any videos for someone who might be thinking about pursuing a career as a mid-level provider? Yknow like a Physician's Assistant or a Nurse Practitioner?
How do I make my GPA better? I was sick all of my sophomore year of college and got my gallbladder removed in the summer of 2018. Then this semster in my junior year my father passed away. Grief and school dont mesh well. My GPA has plummeted so I'm wondering how I can get myself back in the running for med school cause I really want to be an OB/GYN.
Recently my dream is to get into med school to become a GP. Im a senior in highschool and I didnt have the best grades the first 3 years, I had mostly As, Bs, Cs and rarely a D
