Pre-Health Professions Schedule for Applying to Medical School

Note: This application schedule typically starts in the Junior year. One can begin this process later, but you will not be able to commence medical school education immediately after college.

November - April Study for MCAT; Materials available in Chemistry Department Office and online.

Mid-November through March

  1. Register for MCAT online. Check the available dates and which ones will work for you. Be sure to register as early as possible to help assure you get the desired date for the exam. It is very important that you release your scores to me, your pre-med advisor.
  2. Review courses & materials for MCAT study.
  3. Research potential medical schools (see Medical School Admissions Requirements MSAR in Chemistry office for old copies or pay for access online).
  4. Apply for summer research and medical-related internship opportunities.

April Write drafts of your AMCAS application essay. Have Dr. Cantrell and/or an English professor critique it if you wish. Form your evaluation committee. Dr. Cantrell is the ex officio chair of your committee. Each committee member should fill out the evaluation form and send it, along with the Letter of Recommendation, to Dr. Cantrell. The evaluation forms are available at the Pre-Health Website and Canvas. Once you have submitted your Declaration form, you will be added to the PreMed Canvas course. Check for the status of required items here. Before you leave for the summer, have the Registrar send transcripts to AMCAS, non-AMCAS schools you are applying to, and unofficial copies to Dr. Cantrell and yourself. You will want this semester's grades on them, so they will not be out right away, but arrange for it now.

May Check with Dr. Cantrell or Heidi Henes-Van Bergen before you depart and ensure that the two forms (Declaration and Committee) have been received. Complete the AMCAS application which is available in early May. This will take time. Be sure to release your information to your pre-med advisor, Dr. Cantrell.

June 1st AMCAS will take applications beginning today(application opens May 1st), or within a couple of days. It helps to have yours in early, so submit today! Complete and send non-AMCAS applications according to dates specified (Texas System - TMDSAS; Osteopathic - AACOMAS; Off-Shore Schools). Send a copy of the complete AMCAS application to Dr. Cantrell as a PDF file attachment to an email.

Summer Take the MCAT as soon as possible, but no later than the middle of September. Check the registration dates for your chosen exam date. You really should complete the MCAT by the middle of June to have the best chances with schools that have rolling admissions. Also, an early exam date will allow you to re-take it if you did not receive the score you wanted.

June-July Check with Heidi Henes-Van Bergen and on Canvas to make sure all your letters of recommendation and completed evaluation forms are in. Send thank you notes to your letter writers.

August-October Send in Secondary (supplemental) applications sent to you, fees included. These may require photos, additional essays, high school information, etc. Return them ASAP. Communicate with Heidi Henes-Van Bergen in the chemistry office and Dr. Cantrell when committee letters of evaluation are requested from your schools.

October-January Interviews! Please send Dr. Cantrell information about your medical school interview for each interview you receive. Check with other students and sites like “studentdoctor.net”[http://www.studentdoctor.net/interview/index.asp] for help in finding out what happens at specific schools. Practice interviewing with other students and friends. Dr. Cantrell and/or Career Development & Calling can provide you with Mock Interviews. Become a reader of the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal, especially in relation to issues in medicine.

January Send fall transcripts to schools that require them.

Anytime Medical School financing is important. You can access information on loan programs of the Association of American Medical Colleges (aamc.org), and the Scholarship Programs of the National Health Service Corps (hrsa) and the Armed Services. Some schools have scholarships for their students.

Phone numbers: Heidi Henes-Van Bergen-Chemistry office: x6152; Dr. Cantrell: x6175