Medical School

• Meet with your academic advisor and develop a 4 year plan, consult with PreHealth Coordinator if necessary
• Plan a tentative schedule for the next 3½ years
• Develop study skills and maintain an excellent GPA
• Start thinnking about the question "Why medicine?"
• Begin extracurricular activities and participate in clubs & organizations that interest you
• Work/volunteer in a medical area
• Take PreHealth Seminar in the Spring
• Make an appointment with Career Services and set up a PreHealth file if you'd like to be considered for a committee letter.
• Plan for any special programs, such as sophomore year abroad or summer travel seminars/excursions

• By the end of your sophomore year, consider meeting with the PreHealth Coordinator to make sure you're on track
• Continue volunteering/working in a medically-related field
• Adjust your college schedule according to your major and medical school admission requirments
• Maintain an upward trend in your GPA
• Consider participating in summer research
• Start looking for potential shadowing opportunities
• Plan for any special programs, such as junior year abroad

• Study for the MCAT and take it during winter break/spring semester
• Make sure all of your materials have been submitted for your PreHealth file if being considered for a committee letter.
• Take MCAT, latest by mid-May; score reports are available approximately 4-6 weeks after test date
• Continue to work/volunteer in a medical area
• Consider plans for the summer-research, traveling, community college coursework, other extracurriculars
• Before you start applying, consider seriously whether or not you: 1) Are ready for medical school 2) Are academically competitive for medical school 3) Have enough clinical/volunteer experience 4) Are satisfied with your MCAT score 5) Meet these 15 Core Competencies
• If you are ready to apply, start applying

• Continue to work/volunteer in a medical area and maintain an upward trent in your GPA
• Take/retake MCAT to improve scores if needed
• Confirm that schools have received your application materials and letters
• If you are not planning on taking a gap year: 1) Complete secondary medical school applications 2) Interview at medical schools and complete financial aid forms 3) March: if you have received no acceptances or have been placed on waitlists, consider plans for summer and a gap year 4) May: Accept final medical school admissions offer  5) Make sure you are keeping up with the application cycle
• If you are taking a gap year, start applying and start making plans for taking a gap year

Forms

• Applicant Summary Form
• File Waiver Form

What is the Pre-Health Committee (PHC)?

The Pre-Health Committee at CLU is a committee of Career Services professionals and Science Faculty formed to assist CLU students and alumni to gain entrance into medical school. The main purpose of the PHC is to submit all students' letters of recommendations to various schools and to provide an "overall" letter (the committee letter) summarizing your qualifications and providing the committee's endorsement of your application. The committee letter is not guaranteed. To be considered for a committee letter students will need to set up a PreMed file and submit all required documents by the April 15th deadline.

What are the benefits of using the Committee?

The PHC will handle uploading letters for primary applications. Writers need to send letters to Career Services by April 15th of each year. When your letters are uploaded, the committee will include a statement that the student applying has waived all rights to the contents of their Pre-Health file, mostly referring to the Letters of Recommendation. Lastly, Medical Schools are accustomed to committees submitting letters and  recognize the quality of the students who go through the formal PHC. Students are still responsible for applying online, taking the MCAT or other exams, and forwarding transcripts.

What do I need to do to take advantage of this program?

Set up a PreMed file with Career Services, and submit all required documents by April 15th of the year that you intend to apply. 

What is the deadline to have letters sent by faculty to Committee?

Faculty and other letter writers will need to address letter to "Dear Medical School Admissions:" and send them to Career Services via email to Cynthia Smith or the university mailing address by the April 15th deadline to be considered for a committee letter. All letters need to be submitted confidentially on official letterhead with an original signature. If hand delivering letters, they need to be in a sealed envelope with a signature on the seal. Please instruct letter writers not to copy you on emails with letters attached, or provide you with a copy of the letter or we will not be able to accept them.

When will the Committee send my letters to schools?

The PHC submits letters beginning June 1st and will keep original copies of all letters.

Academic Achievement

Grade Point Average

• GPA is examined in context of the student's overall educational data
• An upward trend in your GPA demonstrates the ability to adjust to educational demands over time

Science Course Grades

• Good performance (3.5 or better) will demonstrate the ability to handle the intellectual demands of medical school
• Effort given to achieve those grades gives a pre-med student the opportunity to evaluate his/her abilities and career choice

Intellectual Potential

MCAT Scores

• Indicator of critical thinking skills
• Used to support academic record
• Levels out the playing field for all applicants by testing specific standards

Letters of Recommendation

• Supplement the quantitative data provided by transcripts and MCAT scores
• Adds to overall impression that your college work established
• Creates an image of you as a whole person

Personal Attributes

Exposure to Medicine

• Extracurricular activities show how well-rounded you are
• Did you meet the 15 Core Competencies?
• Leadership Activities such as tutoring, mentoring, or serving the underprivileged/underrepresented show your leadership and diversity qualities

There are three major application services available. If you are applying to:

• M.D. Programs: AMCAS
• D.O. Programs: AACOMAS
• Texas Schools: TMDSAS

The application services do not render any admission decisions and does not advise applicants where to apply. Each participating school is completely autonomous in reaching its admissions decisions. The application services provides only the application processing service, and charge a fee. More information about application fees can be found here: AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS. You might also be eligible for a fee waiver: AMCAS, AACOMAS (TMDSAS does not offer a fee waiver.

Regardless of the number of schools to which you apply, you submit just one application to the application service you choose. You must also request an official transcript from every college you have attended in the United States and Canada and have it delivered to your application service. The application service assembles your application file, verifies it and forwards the application to your designated medical schools. The application service also sends your MCAT scores automatically with your application.*
* Note: All application services send ALL MCAT scores. Unfavorable scores cannot be excluded from your application.

Deadlines

All dealines are set by the individual medical schools and represent when materials (application and fees) must be received by the application service. Most deadlines fall in November-January. Submitting materials as early as possible avoids any processing delays or missed deadlines. It is recommended to submit your application between May-July. You are responsible for ensuring that all required information is received by the application service according to the school-specific deadlines set forth in the application. In addition, applicants are responsible for checking the status of their submitted application. The application status can be checked on the application portal, as well as the application service page.