Medical School Timeline
The following graphic illustrates the timeline of medical school starting in high school. You can use this graphic no matter where you are in the process as it will assist you in what to expect in those years and what you can be doing during those times to boost your chances of getting accepted and build your resume.
High School
-Interests in courses such as biology, chemistry, or anatomy may influence your choice of career for the future
-Extracurriculars such as medical lab research, or hospital volunteering opportunities and shadowing can demonstrate interest in fields that you want to pursue to colleges
-Your chance to get involved early-on and make an impact
The major you choose in your undergraduate years does NOT matter. If you can handle it, you can major in anything as long as you complete the pre-medical course requirements.
Not every student takes this route. You are free to apply to medical school after taking gap years for example. Take tests and plan accordingly! The traditional medical school timeline would recommend taking the MCAT your Junior year ideally in the fall. It would be wise to fulfill most pre-med requirements before studying the MCAT.
College Undergraduate (first year)
- Take it easy! Make friends, have fun, and explore extracurriculars at your college that you're interested in
- Begin taking pre-medical course requirements. Plan ahead! Talk to your counselor to discuss requirements for medical school if necessary
- Start thinking about ways to gain experience through volunteering, research, or shadowing.
- Show up to college classes, do your assignments on time, take care of grades. Remember your GPA matters!
- Take notes throughout your pre-med classes and keep your notes! They will aid in understanding the content better for the MCAT later on.
College Undergraduate (second year)
- A notable increase in difficulty for STEM majors. Continue taking pre-medical course requirements and major-specific classes
- If you haven't already, start working on medical school-related extracurriculars. This can be volunteering, club leadership, shadowing, research, working a medical-related job, and more. We recommend beginning these activities within your second year to show commitment and dedication to medical schools.
- We recommend taking classes although not required as prerequisites to boost your GPA and allow a smoother transition into medical school such as Anatomy & Physiology.
Most medical schools only accept MCAT scores taken within the last 2-3 years. If you're taking a gap year before applying, take the MCAT later!
MCAT prep and medical school applications are expensive. Do what you can to lower costs through scholarships, free resources, and more!
College Undergraduate (third year)
- Finish up the pre-medical course requirements for medical school
- Prepare to take the MCAT the summer following the third year or the beginning of the fourth year. If pre-medical course requirements are incomplete, do NOT take the MCAT. Try to complete as many courses as you can before studying (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Psychology, and Sociology.)
- Begin asking for letters of recommendation, continue volunteering or researching, and maintain that GPA! Remember the process of applying to these activities and fulfilling their training before beginning takes a long time and varies from each activity so plan accordingly. Develop a close relationship with people whom you intend to ask for letters of recommendation. You can do this by working with them over a long period of time, continuously asking questions, and working closely with them on projects and providing positive feedback.
College Undergraduate (fourth year)
- Figure out which application platform to use depending on the field you are entering (AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS)
- Apply for medical schools on June 1st (Detailed AMCAS Timeline coming soon!)
- Prepare for interviews and secondary interviews; anticipate interview questions and stand out with personal responses!
Really take the time to figure out what field you want to specialize in as a medical student. The things you do on the path to it will help you more!
Remember: your college counselor can help you out with a lot of the process. Never feel bad for asking. Information is the key to your success!
Welcome to Medical School
- If you get in, congratulations! Weigh your options and attend.
- If you don't get in, don't give up hope! Retake courses for a better GPA, retake the MCAT, or continue earning hours. Apply next cycle with a renewed application!
- Medical school is not easy. Prepare for diligent studies, but also relax and learn more about yourself and your specialization!