One of necessary evils of attending medical school is filling out a dreaded application. While there’s no doubt it can be a monotonous experience, these applications are often the first thing prospective schools will ever see that bears your name, so it’s critically important to make them stand out as much as possible.
While not the incredibly time-consuming process it once was, properly filled out applications remain as important as ever. Below, we’ll explore some of the ways you can make your medical school application stand out from the rest.
Using AMCAS for Your Medical School Application
Today, the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) has eliminated the need to fill out dozens of applications by hand. In fact, most medical schools in the United States use AMCAS as the primary application method for selecting students.
AMCAS is available to students that are entering first-year classes in medical schools in the US. No matter how many schools you plan to apply to, you only need to fill out AMCAS’s online application one time. In addition to its ease of use, the application available through AMCAS is uniform in the sense that each actual application is the same.
How to Make Your Medical School Application Stand Out
While uniformity now rules the application process, there are still plenty of ways that you can make your medical school application stand out. Listing your post-secondary experiences gives you the opportunity to boast about yourself a bit. Don’t be shy in this section. Make a listing of all the honors and awards you’ve won and be loud and proud about it. Be certain that you list your achievements in order of their importance and place emphasis on the items you know will draw the most positive reaction.
While ultimately your GPA and MCAT score are the most important factors in getting into the medical school of your choice, a well-written essay certainly can’t hurt your chances. In fact, an essay that accentuates all the reasons why you should be accepted could be the difference between making the cut and being left out altogether.
Hundreds of students potentially may be going after the same spot you are. Finding small ways to set yourself apart from the competition can make all the difference!