In recent years, applying to and getting accepted to medical school in the U.S. has become increasingly difficult. In 2020–۲۰۲۱, only 38% of the 53,370 students who applied to U.S. medical schools were accepted. For the most prestigious medical schools, the acceptance rate was just 1.4–۲%. Pre-Medicine: The Complete Guide for Aspiring Doctors by Joel Thomas, Phillip Wagner, Ray Funahashi, and Nitin Agarwal is a comprehensive roadmap that guides aspiring physicians through the rigorous process of preparing for and getting into medical school in the U.S. By bringing together multiple authors with different life experiences and perspectives, this unique book has broad appeal to students from diverse backgrounds.

The text is organized by five sections: The Pre-Med Primer, Succeeding as a Pre-Medical Student, Applying to Medical School, Medical School and Career Insights, and an Appendix. This invaluable resource tackles challenging topics and addresses uncomfortable questions that necessitate engagement with multiple opposing viewpoints and careful data analysis. The first and foremost goal of this book is to get essential information into the hands of individuals that need it to succeed in their pre-med and medical school journey.

Key Features

• Authors graduated from U.S. News Top 20 medical schools and/or trained at a Doximity Top 20 residency program
• Demystifies the lengthy and confusing medical school application process, providing practical advice and evidence-based strategies for successfully tackling each step, starting in high school
• Provides readers with a realistic and honest picture of the daily challenges and rewards that aspiring physicians face—from premed to residency

Pre-Medicine: The Complete Guide for Aspiring Doctors must-have resource for anyone who is considering a career in medicine. The no-holds-barred insights shared in this book will greatly optimize the chance of medical school applicants gaining admission to their top choice.

Contents

۱ The 30,000-Foot View
۲ What Medical Schools Look For
۳ The Pre-Med Principles
۴ The Types of Pre-Medical Students and Paths to Medical School
۵ Building Your Narrative
۶ Common Pre-Med Diseases and How to Treat Them
۷ Guaranteed Admission Programs and Early Assurance Programs
۸ Schools, Majors, and More
۹ Timing, Class Structure, and Personal Schedules
۱۰ Obtaining a Solid GPA
۱۱ Extracurriculars
۱۲ Clinical Experiences
۱۳ Shadowing
۱۴ Volunteering
۱۵ Research
۱۶ Gap Years, Employment, Graduate Degrees, and Post-Baccalaureate Fellowships
۱۷ Crushing the MCAT
۱۸ Self-Care and Wellness
۱۹ Finding Mentors
۲۰ The Big Picture
۲۱ Before You Begin: Application Strength Analysis
۲۲ Before You Begin: Application Cycle Prophylaxis
۲۳ Letters of Recommendation
۲۴ DO, MD, and International Schools
۲۵ Dual-Degree Programs: MD/PhD, MPH, MBA, JD, and Others
۲۶ Medical School Rankings
۲۷ Making Your List: What Schools Do I Apply To?
۲۸ Primary Application: AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS
۲۹ Transcript Review
۳۰ Activities and Meaningful Experiences
۳۱ Personal Statement
۳۲ Altus Suite: CASPer, Snapshot, and Duet
۳۳ Secondary Application
۳۴ Interviews
۳۵ Interview Trail Travel and Attire
۳۶ Wait-List and Update Letters
۳۷ Financial Aid
۳۸ Acceptance and Decisions: What Really Matters When Choosing the One School
۳۹ Before and After Matriculation
۴۰ Plan B and Reapplication
۴۱ Real Talk on a Medical Career
۴۲ Real Talk on the Medical School Experience
۴۳ Real Talk on Succeeding in Medical School
۴۴ A Peek at the Residency Application Process
۴۵ A Day in the Life in Medicine
۴۶ Nonclinical Careers
۴۷ Stories of Inspiration