Charting a Course to Medical School: The AMSA Map for Success

Congratulations! You have chosen to pursue a career that is both challenging and rewarding -- the range of duties a physician can fulfill is endless. From the researcher who doggedly pursues a cure for cancer to the primary care physician who still makes house calls, all physicians share a common bond, promoting the health and well-being of people. This can be done through treating disease, preventing illness, and even finding a drug which will successfully combat HIV. Yet, every aspect of medicine displays the single purpose of caring for the physical and emotional health of people.

What does it take to become a doctor? The most important trait is a commitment to medicine, to individuals, and to society. Dedication, determination, and devotion to helping people through medicine are of paramount importance. Without these, your training and resulting career will not be very enjoyable or rewarding.

As you embark on your journey to become a physician, remember that you are a physician-in-training the day you decide to pursue medicine. Although formal training will not begin until medical school, personal traits such as character development and leadership ability can be honed even before entering medical school. As a clinician, your ability to reach out to patients, gain their trust, and effectively communicate are of critical importance. The time and financial commitment involved in this pursuit can be staggering. Most students accumulate a large amount of debt while in medical school. This debt, coupled with four years of training and a variable number of years spent in residency training, can seem daunting. Yet with confidence and motivation, these will appear only secondary in importance when you consider what you are gaining in the long run. The time and financial commitment can be viewed as an investment in your future.

When applying to medical school, first understand that there are a lot of untrue myths about applying to medical school. For example, you do not have to be a "super student" in order to gain acceptance. You do not have to be president of a fraternity or sorority, play varsity sports, or be an officer in five other organizations to get in, nor do you have to score in the 90th percentile on the MCAT. (Surprised?) This handbook is intended to dispel a lot of these myths which many pre-medical students may encounter. It will separate what "they" say from what actually happens. The handbook also addresses areas that are not widely discussed, if at all, in many other resources. This is particularly true for non-traditional students, lesbian, gay, and bisexual students, minority students, and disabled students. Each group has its own concerns which will be addressed herein.

As you read through this online guide, realize that there is a myriad of aspects that medical schools consider in an applicant. Some can be seen on a piece of paper, like your grades and MCAT scores. Other aspects such as dedication and compassion cannot be tabulated in an objective manner.

This guide is written by students for students. In our common goal to care for people, we have tried to make the road that lies ahead of you just a little easier to travel.

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