6 Tips for Medical School Applications

You can begin filling out your application to medical school now and getting ready to hit the submit button. There is a lot that goes into the application process, and your primary application is one of the first steps. Our admissions team have put together their 5 top tips to help you succeed in the application process.

Apply early

Just like preparing for the UCAT or MMI Interview, you start in advance - applications are no different. Medical school deadlines creep up on you really fast but apart from this, most medical schools extend interview invitations on a rolling basis, so it’s advantageous to apply early in the cycle to increase your chances of an offer.  Doing this requires getting organised and requesting your letters and transcripts well in advance. It’s also a good idea to begin drafting your personal statement early enough to allow time for multiple drafts and versions.

Proofread

While there are benefits of applying early and Microsoft Word spelling and grammar, it’s important to take the time to proofread and submit an application that is not only error free but reflects your personality and personal writing skills and style.

Which leads into the third point. Make it personal. Take time before you start to draft your personal statement to reflect who you are, where you want to go and what is important to you. This is your narrative so answer the infamous question - why do you want to be a doctor? In a way that reflects your personal experiences and values.

Do your research

Every medical school you apply for has a different focus - rural health, research, tropical health, indigenous health etc. By having an understanding of their values means you can authentically write your application to suit. For each medical school you apply for each application should differ to reflect the school’s values. If you’re then invited for an interview, read over this research and find out the format in advance.

Be organised

Each university has different criteria for their application, whether that be in format or topic, it’s important to develop a system of organisation to make sure you never confuse anything. Starting early, means you have time to study the criteria, make a game plan and start drafting the content of your applications. Many universities have similar application formats but with very different content requirements make sure you have this all methodically set out.

Be professional

The career path you are looking to pursue involves high levels of professionalism, the application should reflect this understanding. Professionalism extends to any communications you have with the medical school and peers. Just ask yourself how you would expect a doctor to interact with you as a patent? That is how you should communicate your application.

These may seem obvious to you but when you have the pressure of deadlines, exams, interviews and more these are often the first steps that go. The team here at MedView peer you up with current medical students at the universities you’re applying to, to give you first-hand experience and insights into how to curate a successful application.

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MedView is the leading medical school preparation organisation in Australasia, with a proven record of success. Our students' disproportionately high rate of success is due to our unique model which teams students with doctors, current medical students & mentors who work with them 1:1 to perfect every part of the admissions process. Our mission is to help students to succeed beyond their medical school admissions into top doctors with lifelong leadership, skills and connections!