Myth #1: I should major in biology or some other natural science if I want to go to medical school. Perhaps I will major                  in pre-med.
                 Reality: Students from ALL academic majors are admitted to US medical schools. Admissions Committees value                                applicants who have a broad based, varied education experience. Certain prerequisite courses are                                          required to apply to medical school and for MCAT preparation, but applicants can weave these courses                                  into ANY curriculum. Students are more likely to excel in those academic areas that they enjoy. 

                               Since sompetitive grades are critical to being a successful applicant, students should major in a subject                                he/she truly enjoys.


Myth #2: If I graduate with a double major or major in somthing "difficult" (e.g, biomedical engineering), I will have                   an advantage over other applicants.
                Reality:  Applicants to US medical schools are not necessarily more competitive if they have multiple majors or                                  degrees. Far more critical are the types of courses they have taken, the rigor of the courses, the                                              number of credit hours per semester and academic performance. A student who has a double major                                      with a 3.2 GPA will not necessarily be perceived as equally or more competitive as a student with a 3.6                                  GPA with one major.

Myth #3: Freshman year doesn't really count. I'm just starting college. Besides, I can repeat any courses I did not do

                 well in.
                Reality: ALL grades count, although medical schools will look at the overall trend of grades. They will analyze a                               transcript and examine the number of courses per semester, course levels, number of science courses                                   and academic performance. An upward trend in grades is necessary for applicants with a weaker,                                           earlier, record. Repeating courses for medical admission is generally not recommended as repeated                                       courses for MD admission will be averaged. Instead, the schools would prefer to see students take                                         advanced work in the same subject and do well.

 

Myth #4: If I don't finish college in four years, I will appear weak to medical admissions committees.
                Reality: Students with greater "maturity," life experiences, and a myriad of exposure to medically relevant                                         environments present as stronger applicants.  Students with these experiences often work better with                                 patients. Students are not perceived to be at a disadvantage if they complete a degree in 4+ years as                                       long as the record shows that applicants can handle full work loads (i.e. it IS a disadvantage to take 4+                                 years to graduate if the reason is because of light semesters, frequent withdrawals from classes or                                       repeated courses.--see myth #6)

                              The average age of first-year enrollees in US medical schools is approximately 24-25 and the number of                                 non-traditional applicants applying continues to increase.

Myth #5: The most important part of my application is my GPA and MCAT scores.
                Reality: Excellent academic credentials are a critical piece of the application, but alone it is not enough.                                             Admissions Committees will review the entire application, including MCAT scores, letters of                                                   recommendation, personal statement of intent, clinical exposure to medicine, evidence of the                                                 applicant's sincerity, maturity, knowledge of medicine, etc.
                              Admission Committees would question great disparity between high grades and a low MCAT score and                                 conversely high MCAT score with a weaker academic record. Applicants need to strive for excellence                                      overall in their application.

Myth #6: I can take a minimal amount of credit hours per semester (12) and one science at a time to assure I do well.

                Reality: Medical Admissions Committees will look for applicants who have completed on average at least 15                                       credit hours per semester. They will review the number of sciences taken per semester and course                                         levels and will expect that applicants have challenged themselves with rigorous course work.                                                 Successful applicants tend to have 2+ science courses completed most semesters.

                              Summer work is completed at an accelerated pace. This is extremely rigorous work to complete in 6                                     weeks as opposed to 15 weeks.  Thorough knowledge and understanding of the material is required for                                   the MCAT. Time not spent learning the material in the summer will then need to be invested later to                                     prepare for the MCAT.

Myth #7: As long as I have some medical exposure a few months before applying, that will be enough.

                Reality: Most medical admissions officers prefer applicants with a sustained and sincere passion for medicine as                               evidenced by a long term history of medically relevant experiences. While medical schools realize that                                 exposure through family members does provide insight as to what being a physician is like, an applicant                                 needs to demonstrate that THEY are inherently interested and motivated to pursue this career. There                                   may be a concern about possibly family pressure to pursue medicine and applicants need to be sure they                               know through their own experiences the demands of the field they are entering.

Myth #8: Since I did not do well on my MCAT exam, I can go to an off-shore medical school that does not require the                      MCAT and do not lose time and transfer to a US medical school later on. 

                Reality: A year can seem like an eternity to students as they often do not have the broader perception of the                                      passage of time. They do not realize a year in the overall scheme of their medical applicant process is a                                minor issue. Studying medicine outside of the US can subsequently impact a medical career for several                                years.

                            Transferring to a US medical school after completing work at another medical school is extremely                                         unlikely and an applicant should not count on it. In order to transfer to the US, a seat has to be available.                             Medical students in the US rarely vacate their seats.

Myth #9: I have the motivation and drive, and I will do whatever I need to do to be admitted to medical school. I will                     get admitted one day.

                Reality: Students need to be educated about medical admission rates. Applications to medical schools have                                       increased to nearly 36,000; however, there are seats available for less than half. It is an extremely                                        competitive process. Univ. of Buffalo received 2800 applications for a class of 135. Schools like New York                              Medical College report receiving 10,000 applications for 190 seats.

                              All students need a "Plan B" and a strong motivation is not enough to gain a seat in medical school.                                       Non-competitive repeat applicants raise questions regarding their judgment.  The application process is                               not a lottery system.  Repeat applicants need to present with significantly different credentials or the                                   same result (non-acceptance) will likely occur.