151. That is how many accredited medical schools there are to choose from as of 2018 in the United States according to the AAMC. With so many options, how do you go about picking med schools to apply to – let alone go to? So, let’s explore How to Choose a Medical School: Four Things to Consider.
Here is a bit of what we are learning when it comes to figuring out the next five years (Generally takes a year for the application process).
How to choose a medical school can be a bit overwhelming! It is never too early to start perusing the many options you have when picking med schools. Plus, not to mention everything you should consider when realizing medical school is not just about the academic setting.
How Many and Which Schools
In prepping for the application process, the Pre-Professional Advisement Center at Brigham Young University suggested to always over apply then under apply. The process is expensive so do all you can to get in the first time. Here is the suggested breakdown:
- 15-20 MD schools
- 5 Texas schools (they have a different application)
- 5-10 DO schools
That is if you want to be an MD. If you’re going for DO, flip the numbers for MD and DO.
Now that we have an average number of how many to apply to, which of the 151 schools should you narrow down your application to?
I really liked my husband’s way of approaching this. He has run into multiple people who have given him the same sound advice. Consider the following three categories as you make your list:
- Schools you want to go to. These are the schools that you are a competitive applicant and are located in areas of the United States that you’d like to live.
- Schools you know you can get into. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of schools give preferential admission to those who are residents of that state. So, this category includes schools that are in your home state or the state you received your undergrad in.
- Schools that stretch you. These are the top 15 medical schools. Hard to get into, but the best of the best. Pick a couple and go for it!
So, do your research when picking med schools. You should study the school as much as they are going to study you when it comes to that acceptance letter.
Many don’t understand that individual medical schools put certain emphasis on specific medical areas. Harvard is known for stressing research. Texas Tech is huge on rural medicine. Some really like general family practice and other want students looking to specialize later in their career. Be aware of what the school stresses. You will likely do a lot of what each school focuses on during your time at that school.
Something my husband and I created as a couple is an Excel sheet with the 30 schools we want to apply to. We then separated them based on location, cost, and our desire to live there. We also made notes about each school and what makes it unique. For instance, my husband is really interested in medical schools that have children’s hospitals near and offer a lot of pediatric involvement as their electives. Future med students should decide what they want to get out of their experience, whether it is pediatric exposure, research, or even rural care.
The AAMC also offers some great tips in its article, “Deciding Where to Apply.” One of the resources they offer is the Medical School Admission Requirements website that provides a listing of the U.S. and Canadian medical schools. There is a small fee you have to pay to have access to the site.
L
ocation
As I mentioned above, in our Med School Excel sheet one of the categories is location. Location. Location. Location. It really is important. You’re going to be living there for the next four or more years!
From a wife’s perspective, I really would like to live somewhere I know I will enjoy. Yes, my husband will be living there too and have time to enjoy the area, but let’s be honest. He is going to be studying a lot. Me? I’ll probably be working part-time and hopefully we will have kids by then. I want to be able to share my love for the outdoors with them. I want to feel safe and comfortable exploring the city we live in with them. For me, this means that there is mountains, beach, lake, or countryside nearby. It also means being close to family. Though I know that one may be hard to achieve.
Hence why we are looking to apply to medical schools on both coasts, in the north, and south where my husband is from. Consider what your prime location would be when it comes to picking what med schools to apply to.
Family and Friend Proximity 
You have all heard it. Medical school is tough. It is important to have a support system. You need to decide if you want to live close to family and friends for that support system.
Personally, before I met my husband, I never imagined moving outside of Utah and away from my family. It just wasn’t part of “my plan.” However, it became a huge reality that I needed to learn to be ok with when my now husband and I started talking seriously about marriage. Could I handle being away from my best friends (my four older sisters), my sweet nieces and nephews, and my rock of a mom and dad?
After a lot of contemplation and prayer, I knew I could handle it if the Lord required it of me. While I still really want to stay close to my family when we go to med school, I’ll be ok if we don’t.
If you end up close to your family, great! Use them as your support system. If you end up on the other side of the country, still rely on your family, but decide now to find a support group there. Consider your proximity to loved ones when picking med schools.
Cost of Liv
ing
No one likes to talk about it, but it is a fact we all have to face. A lot of people overlook the fact that paying for medical school doesn’t include the cost of living. Food, insurance, housing, transportation etc. As you well know by now, unless adult life hasn’t hit you in the face yet, all of these things cost money. And in some parts of the country it can cost quite a bit more.
Do some budgeting and figure out what you can and can’t handle. CNN Money offers a fancy calculator that gives you a good estimate of what to expect in the article Cost of living: How far will my salary go in another city?
Handy Tip: Include this info on your personal med school Excel sheet.
Oh, and don’t forget to look up the in-state and out-of-state tuition at your med school choices.
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Remember, it’s a process. Be patient. It is about a six month to one year process to apply, interview, and eventually get accepted. And don’t forget about that MCAT! So start researching schools as early as you can so you are prepared to pick your med schools to apply to.
What do you look for when choosing which medical schools you and your family will apply to?
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Great post! I wish we had this when my hubby was applying
Thank you so much! Are there other things you wish you would have known in the premed school phase? I’m always looking for ideas/topics to write about!
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