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PreMed FAQs
Q. I am an
international student. What med schools can I apply to?
A. You can apply to most schools; you
just have to check if they give any form of financial aid to international
students.
A. Apply to any school of your
choice, unless it clearly states U.S Citizen & Permanent residents only. As
for finances, Wells Fargo, Sallie Mae etc are very reliable provided you
have a solid co-signer (Citizen/PR).
Q. What are the
views on osteopathic schools? Is it for those who do not do well on their
MCATs?
A. It depends on what you are looking
for in your medical training and there are DO students who did very well on
the MCAT.
Q. Is it a plus
being a nurse and applying to med school?
A. It definitely gives you an edge
during your clinical years but not much in your first two years.
A. Nurse or musician, most medical
schools are more concerned with the candidate’s personality, so be excited
about any field you get your 1st degree in and think of it as a
PLUS.
Q. How did you
prepare for the MCAT? What review courses do you recommend and did they
help?
A. I took the KAPLAN course and we
are currently working on group discounts for our members.
A. I took the Kaplan course as well
but it did not help, maybe because I did not study it right or it just
wasn’t my thing. Figure out the best method for you than what most people do
Q. I have heard of
a 14-month Pre-Medical school program in Illinois, guaranteed to give you
access to any med school you apply to. Is it true/helpful/useful?
A. I don’t know about this program.
Q. What are the
benefits or drawbacks of taking a year off between undergrad and med school?
A. It depends on what you do with
that year and whether that helps your application.
A. I took a semester off and I don’t
even recall them asking me about it during interviews but you can always
explain your strengths in things that tend to be setbacks.
Q. What are some of
the tangible differences/experiences of a medical program with a strong
research background vs. a medical program with a strong primary care
background?
A. Again, it depends on what you are
looking for. If you are thinking of doing a residency that requires you to
have done research, then you are better off going to a medical school that
has a strong research background. On the other hand, if your focus is
primary care, then your medical school doesn’t have to be research
intensive. However, it is always nice to have the option of both, so try to
apply to a school that is balanced in both aspects.
Q. How much do med
school rankings matter to the education received?
A. “Big name” medical schools look
impressive overall but education remains reciprocal to how much of it the
individual takes from IT.
Q. I've worked for
a medical practice before but it was owned by a family member. Should I
apply to work for some other practice that would be recognized on my
application or spend my summer on a new experience?
A. Yes, diversify.
Q. How competitive
are programs in Pennsylvania - UPenn, Drexel, Temple, Penn State?
A. I do not know.
Q. General words of
advice?
A. Kill the MCAT like no amount of
networking will help and network like no MCAT score can help, then pray. Of
course, your GPA and college experiences are remarkable…right?
A. Should you not kill the MCAT for
reasons beyond you, it’s not the end of the road because many have shown
outstanding academic performances irrespective of their MCAT scores. STAY
POSITIVE & BE EXCITED ALL THE WAY!
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