When you’re 6+ months away from submitting your medical school application, it’s easy to feel like you have “plenty of time.” But the truth? The students who succeed don’t wait until the last minute. They start laying the foundation months (and sometimes years) in advance.
If you’re applying next year (or later), here’s your roadmap of smart, low-pressure steps you can take right now to build momentum, reduce stress, and set yourself up for a confident, on-time submission.
This post is all about the essential steps to take before applying to medical school.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.
List of No Pressure Things to Do Before Applying to Medical School
1. Audit Your Extracurriculars
Make a comprehensive list of everything you’ve done so far: research, clinical experiences, volunteering, leadership roles. Include start and end dates and estimated hours. This step alone makes the AMCAS application so much smoother later.
2. Fill the Gaps
If you notice weak spots in your premed profile, now is the perfect time to fix them. Need more clinical hours? Look for a hospital volunteer role. No research yet? Ask professors about labs. The earlier you act, the more authentic and meaningful your experiences will be.
Check out my blog post Top Premed Extracurriculars to Boost Your Med School Application for insights and inspiration!
3. Write a “Letter to Self”
Take a quiet moment and write a letter to the future version of you, the one who just opened an acceptance email. Capture how proud you’ll feel, the sacrifices it took, and the excitement for the journey ahead. This letter will keep you grounded when doubts creep in.
4. Start an Extracurriculars Journal
Reflection is everything. Don’t just record what you did, capture STORIES. Write about moments that made you think differently, challenges you overcame, or patients who inspired you. Make sure to include how you felt and what these experiences taught you. These journal entries will later become a secret weapon for your personal statement and secondary essays. Start by writing about five meaningful patient interactions you’ve already had.
5. Shadow a Doctor
If you haven’t yet, reach out to doctors in your area for shadowing, especially if you plan to apply to DO schools. Many osteopathic schools require a letter of recommendation from a DO physician, and building this connection now avoids a last-minute scramble later.
6. Loop in Your Professors Early
Reach out now to the professors you’ll want letters of recommendation from. Let them know your timeline and goals so they can start keeping mental notes about your strengths in class. When the time comes, they’ll be ready to write with detail and sincerity.
7. Update Your Resume/CV
Keep a current copy of your CV ready. It’s useful for jobs, shadowing opportunities, and especially for letter writers who want to understand your full scope of experiences.
8. Find Accountability Partners
Plan regular check-ins with another premed friend. Whether it’s monthly Zoom calls or coffee meetups, accountability partners keep you consistent even months before applying to medical school and remind you that you’re not in this alone.
My Road to Acceptance program facilitates finding your accountability crew where premeds with the same goals, preferred meeting time / frequency support each other throughout this journey!
9. Learn from Admissions Experts
Tune in to the All Access Med School Admissions podcast, specifically the episode on Preparing for the Application Process. Hearing directly from admissions professionals gives you an inside perspective and reassurance that you’re on the right track.
10. Calculate Your GPA (the AMCAS Way)
Your school’s transcript GPA and your AMCAS GPA may not be the same. Calculate both your overall and science (BCPM) GPA using an online GPA calculator so you know exactly where you stand. This helps you plan whether a post-bacc, SMP, or extra classes might be beneficial.
11. Map Out an MCAT Study Plan
Even if you’re not ready to start studying yet, draft a tentative timeline. Building this plan now prevents future chaos. So ask yourself:
- When will I take the exam?
- How many months do I want to dedicate to studying?
- How many hours can I realistically commit each week?
If you need help kickstarting your study plan, go to my blog post How Long to Study for the MCAT? 3 Realistic Timelines.
12. Get Your Materials Ready
Invest in a set of MCAT content review books now so they’re ready when you are. Having them in your space serves as a subtle reminder and removes one more barrier to getting started.
13. Apply for Scholarships
Don’t miss out on opportunities like the GoodRX Healthcare Equity Scholarship. Even if you don’t win, you’ll build the habit of applying for funding and you might discover new scholarships tailored to your story.
Final Thoughts: Momentum Over Perfection
The goal of these steps isn’t to overwhelm you. It’s to help you build quiet, steady momentum. Taking just a few of these actions now means that the weeks before applying to medical school, you won’t be scrambling. Instead, you’ll feel in control of your application and confident when you finally hit submit.
Remember: medical school admissions isn’t about being perfect. It’s about preparation, persistence, and the small actions that add up over time.
So take one step today, whether it’s emailing a professor, journaling a story, or sketching out your MCAT plan. Your future self will thank you.
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How to Apply to Medical School: A Simple Guide for Beginners
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