If students plan on becoming a doctor, their academic pathway starts well before they reach medical school. From their first year in an undergraduate program, they must pay attention to any and all prerequisites medical school requires when choosing their classes, committing to a major, or following their degree program.
As early as their junior year in undergrad, they will start studying to take the medical college admissions test (MCAT), as well as compiling their other application requirements. There are numerous requirements and prerequisites students should complete so they can be considered for a spot in top-notch and well-reputed medical schools. Hence, it is important to start early on.
This post is basically a guide compiled by medical grads who graduated top of their class from a well known Caribbean medical school so students can understand medical school requirements much better to help themselves along their journey to a med school acceptance.
The curricular requirements
Medical schools will certainly be looking at the previous academic records and experience of students to see if they are worth studying in that medical school. For the first set of medical school requirements, the admissions counselors will evaluate their major, course work, and the degree earned during their undergraduate studies.
The degree requirements
The first qualification students will need to step forward at any medical school is a relevant four-year undergraduate degree. THis is the only medical school requirement that has neither any exception nor any viability, as it is the truest prerequisite in its sense.
Those who have a four-year degree from an accredited college or university can help add the needed boost to their application and they can hence progress to the next stage for consideration. If students do not do that, they will be outrightly rejected.
If they are on track towards completing their degree, they can send in their medical school applications early. However, they must show their proof of completion of the degree program before their acceptance to any medical school becomes official.
The course requirements
Each medical school has slightly differing requirements when it comes to undergraduate programs. Students will be needing to check the things with each school as they are considering to verify their unique course requirements.
This can help many students avoid delays in graduating from their undergrad program or having to take classes of post-baccalaureate studies at more expensive charges to fulfill the missing requirements.
Students are encouraged to follow the following course outline for pre med studies:
One year of General Biology.
One year of General Chemistry.
One year of Organic Chemistry.
One Semester of Physics.
One semester of English.
One semester of Mathematics in either Calculus or Statistics.
While there is no single major that will guarantee their acceptance to medical school, some undergraduate programs make their pathway easier than others.
Most graduates are not required to complete a pre-med program to get into medical school but that is only for some countries (except USA and Canada).
However, a pre med studies degree demonstrates the students’ commitment to the medical profession early in their college career and helps ensure they are taking the right coursework to get ready for more advanced medical school classes.
There is no one-size-fits-all scenario, solution or major for aspiring medical students. Yet, they will want to track your curriculum carefully and plan ahead.
Score requirements for medical school - what are they?
At most medical schools, the accompanying scores of students have quite an impact on the students’ chances for getting accepted in medical school. Most American medical schools view MCAT scores and pre-med/undergraduate GPA as the top two indicators of med students’ chances of succeeding in admissions of medical schools.
Although the scores do not define the student but extremely low scores can hurt their chances of acceptance to medical schools by a large margin.
Requirements for Medical Colleges Admissions Test (MCAT) scores
All medical schools around the world require applicants to take the Medical College Admissions Tests (MCAT) and scores range from 472 to 528 for admissions. Students on average score 500 and those who enter medical score 511 on average.
The GPA requirements of medical schools
Since medical school curriculum is quite challenging, admissions committees want to be sure that students can handle the toughness of the program. Since medicine will be tough, classes will be tough hence the admissions committees will be placing emphasis on the GPA as an indicator of whether or not students can handle the rigor of medical school.
