Things to Do Before Medical School

Freshman Year

  • Visit your school’s pre-med health advising office to learn about applying to medical school.
  • Join and actively participate in a student pre-med organization while in college.
  • Generate a four-year academic program with your academic advisor-pay attention to scheduling courses needed for entry to medical school.
  • Establish good study habits and begin to establish a strong GPA.
  • Start to build a consistent history of research, medical clinical-related volunteerism, and activities-continue to participate throughout your undergraduate college years.

Sophomore Year

  • Begin to research medical school requirements; attend an annual medical school forum in your area.
  • Start planning to cover health professional school application and MCAT cost.
  • Begin to consider MCAT preparation methods.
  • Continue volunteer work, research, and clinical shadowing opportunities.
  • Use the summer for volunteers, shadowing, research, work, classes, study abroad, and summer programs; consider visiting medical schools of high interest.

Junior Year

  • Continue to participate in research and volunteer opportunities.
  • Prepare for the MCAT.
  • Be sure you are completing the required course work for medical school admissions.
  • Register for MCAT; take initial MCAT no later than August of the summer between your junior/senior year
  • Start AMCAS application.

Senior Year

  • Review and apply for scholarships to finance medical school.
  • Continue to excel in research, volunteer activities, clinical experience, and extra-curricular involvement.
  • Prepare to travel to interviews especially if out-of-state.
  • Provide significant updates and fall semester transcripts to medical schools of interest where an interview has not been offered.