How to Decide How Many and Which Medical Schools to Apply to

Episode 97.
MSAR for MD programs (free information and paid version with additional features)- https://students-residents.aamc.org/medical-school-admission-requirements/medical-school-admission-requirements-msar-applicants
Choose DO Explorer for DO programs (free resource)- https://www.aacom.org/explore-med-schools/choose-do-explorer
Factors to consider when choosing schools: public vs. private, rural vs. suburban vs. urban, state/region preference, admission requirements (premed coursework, MCAT and GPA minimums), MCAT and GPA averages, tuition and financial aid, mission statement, quality of the education, match rates, how happy the students are, grading system, lecture attendance requirements, lecture vs. independent learning vs. team-based learning, research opportunities
Factors to consider when deciding number of schools: your competitiveness (MCAT, GPA, clinical experience, research, leadership), how competitive you are for your top programs (adding more if your top programs are reaches)
Include about 1/4 schools that are "safety" (public schools in your state, MCAT and GPA more than average), match/fit (public in state or private out of state, within 5 points on MCAT
For most applicants, aim for 15-25 schools, which is the average. Involve mentors in this process because this is highly individual and depends on numerous factors. For example, you may not need to apply to this many if you are applying to osteopathic medical schools with an application that has a strong osteopathic medicine focus. You also may not need to apply to this many if you are competitive for your top programs.
I also speak on why should consider applying to osteopathic medical schools.
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Content on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please see your primary care physician (DO or MD) for any medical concerns you have. All ideas expressed are individual ideas of the host and do not represent any organizations the host is linked to.