Timeline for Admission and Acceptance to Medical School
Though each person’s journey and experience are different, this guide can help navigate the daunting path of the Pre-Medical admission process. With that being said consult your pre-health advisor to create a plan that works best for you, but come prepared with what steps you want to take next.
FRESHMAN YEAR
Fall Semester
Pre-Health Advisor Activities
- Create an appointment with your pre-health advisor
- Introduce yourself and finalize your Fall classes
- Discuss how to sequence your classes moving forward
Campus Activities
- Attend Get On Board Day in the Fall and Spring or even head to The Source’s page to find an organization and learn more about the campus resources and organizations
- If you are interested in additional pre-health organizations, research more about them and look through their requirements
- Attend Pre-Health meetings, subscribe to email and follow along for social media updates
- Sign up for pre-health mentoring and start looking into research and volunteering opportunities with AED
- Develop relationships with faculty, advisors, and mentors on campus. This will be helpful for finding volunteer, shadow and research opportunities and for your letters of evaluation
Spring Semester
Work and Activity Experiences
- Visit the Career Services office on campus to learn about health care-related internships or employment opportunities. You can also reach out to our initiative directors for this information
- Look for medically related work or volunteer experiences for during the school year and summer. The University of Alabama has the platform of BamaPulse where you can easily search for these opportunities
- Search for opportunities to shadow a doctor or other health care professionals
- If interested, identify potential research opportunities
- Keep a journal or jot down memorable notes about your experiences to refer to later for essays and interviews
- Consider participating in summer enrichment programs or research programs
Summer Semester
Work and Activity Experiences
- Look for medically related work or volunteer experiences for during the school year and summer. The University of Alabama has the platform of BamaPulse where you can easily search for these opportunities
- Follow up and participate in opportunities to shadow a doctor or other health care professionals
- If interested, follow up and participate in potential research opportunities throughout the summer, paid and unpaid
- Work with a health care-related internships or employment opportunities throughout the year
AAMC Resources
- Explore the AAMC’s Aspiring Docs program
- Apply and follow through with summer enrichment programs or research programs
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Fall Semester
Pre-Health Advisor Activities
- Check in with your pre-health advising office; attend pre-health meetings, and make sure you are receiving information and updates, especially on your Crimson email
- Begin to layout your classes for your remaining 3 years at the University of Alabama using DegreeWorks planner tool
Work and Activity Experiences
- Pursue or continue meaningful medically related activities, including volunteer roles, paid work, research positions, and/or leadership opportunities in health organizations
Spring Semester
Campus Activities
- Continue to develop relationships with faculty, advisors, and mentors
- Consider running for an executive or initiative director position with AED
- Sign up for pre-health mentoring and start looking into research and volunteering opportunities with AED
Work and Activity Experiences
- Consider returning to your previous summer position or applying for a new summer volunteer, paid, or research position in a health care-related environment
Summer Semester
AAMC Resources
- Apply for summer research, internship, or enrichment programs, such as Summer Health Professions Education Program
- Begin to learn about: the medical school application process, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Dental Admission Test (DAT), Optometry Admission Test (OAT), Graduate Records Exam (GRE) and the Fee Assistance Program
JUNIOR YEAR
Fall Semester
Pre-Health Advisor Activities
- Meet with your pre-health advisor to strategize about your application timeline; determine if you’ll apply to enroll immediately following graduation or after one or more gap years
- Attend your mandatory advising meeting through OHPA, this is typically around end of October and beginning of November
- If you are considering a gap year, investigate a meaningful job or volunteer medically related experience to complete during that time
- Discuss your schedule for completing remaining premedical coursework and other school-specific degree requirements
- Consider when it’s best for you to take the MCAT, DAT, OAT or GRE exam; visit their websites (MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE) to find test dates and locations
- Discuss letters of evaluation, and learn about your University’s procedures for committee letters
- Review the list of medical schools you are interested in; you can use the “Favorites” feature in the MSAR tool to email your list of favorite schools to your advisor
Application Activities
- When you’re prepared and ready, register for and take the MCAT, DAT, OAT or GRE exam
- When studying for the MCAT, DAT, OAT or GRE exam, keep in touch with our standardized testing initiative for tips and tricks on how to ace it.
- If needed, decide when to register to retake the exam
Spring Semester
Work and Activity Experiences
- Continue participating in meaningful clinical experiences, other medically related activities, volunteer work, research, and/or leadership roles on campus; if possible, take on a more substantial role
- Continue to research medical schools you labeled as favorites in MSAR. If available, apply to their premed pipeline programs
Campus Activities
- Identify, pursue, or continue leadership opportunities within your pre-health organizations on your campus
- Consider running for an executive or initiative director position with AED
- Continue pre-health mentoring and research/volunteering opportunities with AED
- Think about which faculty, advisors, and mentors you’ll approach to write letters of evaluation for your applications
Summer Semester
AAMC and Other Resources
- Research medical school curricula and joint, dual, and combined-degree programs using MSAR
- Get information on groups underrepresented in medicine: Minorities in Medicine
- Sign up for and attend campus visit days for local medical schools of interest
- Learn more about the centralized medical school application services: American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS)
SENIOR YEAR
Fall Semester
Pre-Health Advisor Activities
- Meet with your pre-health advisor to discuss: letters of evaluation, your education options such as a post baccalaureate premedical program or gap year, the status of your applications and the admission process for schools to which you’ve applied
Campus Activities
- Ask instruction, mentors, and advisors to write letters of evaluation for you
- Continue pre-health mentoring and research/volunteering opportunities with AED
Spring Semester
AAMC Resources
- Become familiar with Application and Acceptance Protocols for: Admission officers and applicants
- Prepare for interviews and campus visits
Work and Activity Experiences
- Seek new meaningful clinical experiences, other medically related activities, volunteer work, and research and/or leadership experiences
Application Activities
- Complete the AMCAS application
- Complete and submit secondary applications
GAP YEAR(S)
- Seek meaningful employment, education, and/or experience, if possible, in a medically related environment
- Pay down credit card and/or undergraduate debt as much as possible. Review the AAMC’s financial resources and information
- Continue to meet regularly or keep in touch with your pre-health advisor throughout the process
AFTER YOU’RE ACCEPTED
- Receive program acceptances
- Make interim and final decisions about medical school choice
- Notify medical schools on or before the deadline given that you will not be attending
- Ensure all IRS and financial aid forms are completed and submitted as early as possible
- Purchase books and equipment, and make appropriate living arrangements
- Attend orientation programs and matriculate into medical school!
References
- Timeline for application and admission to medical school. (2019, November 6). AAMC for Students, Applicants, and Residents. https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/timeline-application-and-admission-medical-school/
- Baffi-Dugan, C., Cannon, R. E., Bingham, R., & Corder, B. W. (2011). Health professions admissions guide: Strategy for success. Champaign, IL: National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.