Deciding to become a doctor can take some people months or years. Make sure it's what you really want before you proceed with the application process.
Instructions
1. Examine your reasons for wanting to become a physician and check that they're absolutely sound. Medical training is a lengthy, arduous process of at least seven years.
2. Assess your competitiveness. Almost three times as many applicants compete as there are spots available in medical schools, with mean GPAs of 3.5 and MCAT scores of 30.
3. Consider holding off on applying while you examine other interests or beef up your qualifications. This can involve retaking the MCAT, serving in a community health project or working in a hospital or lab.
4. Volunteer in a medical setting (a hospital or clinic) to determine your interests and skills. Medical schools won't take seriously an applicant who has no clinical experience.
5. Begin the application process in the summer one year prior to the fall you plan on entering medical school. This means you should start applying in summer 2000 if you want to be in school by the fall of 2001.
Tags: application process