Medical School Application Checklist: Are You Ready?

When I first applied to medical school, I made a ton of mistakes and overlooked several important steps, which ultimately created roadblocks that led to rejections and being placed on one waitlist, only to never hear back. 

However, the second time around, I was far more prepared. One thing that really helped was creating a medical school application checklist that kept me on top of every single detail. The result? Ten acceptance letters! And today I am a 4th year medical student soon to be applying for residency. 

So, to save you from making the same missteps and losing out on every advantage, I’m sharing my hard-earned wisdom with you. This medical school application checklist will help you make sure you’ve got everything you need to set yourself up for success.

This post is all about medical school application checklist.

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The Ultimate Medical School Application Checklist

Your Complete Medical School Application Checklist  

You’re about to take the first big step on your journey to medical school – preparing for your primary application!  If you’re getting close to hitting that submit button, look over this at-a-glance checklist to locate potential holes in your application. 

Quick Checklist if You’re About to Send Off Your Primary Application

Do you have the following items and actions ready to go and completed? Check through each one and take care of anything that’s missing so you can send out your primary application at an ideal time.

• Requested letters of recommendation 
• Total and Science GPA calculated
• Personal Statement edited and typo/spelling error-free
• Extracurricular list complete with detailed descriptions and all relevant information
• Casper and PREview (if applicable) scheduled or taken
• Official Transcripts ordered or received
• List of medical schools where you plan to apply (although not yet necessary to hit submit, more about that later!)

Medical School Application To-Do List

If you’re still several months or a year or more from applying, I’ve listed the big steps you need to take on your way to earning multiple medical school acceptances. 

Using this checklist will make your life a whole lot easier. It’ll help you stay organized, guide you toward the exact resources you need, and make sure you keep on top of everything you need to do! 

Double-Check Your Premed Checklist

You’ve probably put in a ton of hard work to get to this point, so first, let’s make sure you’ve covered all the bases. Look over your premed accomplishments to make sure you’ve gained enough hours, taken the required courses, and are all set with the MCAT.

• Clinical experience: Have you spent between 100 to 150 hours volunteering or working in a healthcare setting? Whether it’s in a hospital, clinic, or nursing home, make sure you have some hands-on experience to show that you understand the ins and outs of the medical field.
• Shadowing:  Do you have around 40 hours shadowing a doctor or healthcare professional to get a firsthand look at what the day-to-day life of a physician is like? 
• Volunteering: Have you acquired 50 to 100 hours of volunteer work? Medical schools love to see applicants who are dedicated to service and making a difference in the world. Whether it’s at a local shelter, tutoring program, or a community health fair, make sure you have some volunteer experience under your belt.
• Research: While not a required element, having research experience can set you apart from other applicants. Aim for 100 clinical hours. You can and should highlight any amount of research experience you’ve acquired, such as working in a lab, conducting a research project, or presenting at a conference, to showcase your scientific curiosity and critical thinking skills.
• Course requirements: Make sure you’ve completed all the necessary coursework required for medical school. Check that you’ve taken all the premed prerequisites and any additional recommended courses. Remember, you’ll need to fulfill these requirements before matriculating into medical school, so stay on top of your academic game!
• MCAT: Have you taken the MCAT or at least scheduled your exam date? The MCAT is a critical component of your medical school application, so make sure you’re prepared to tackle this beast. Study hard, practice, and schedule your exam at least three months in advance.

Ask for Letters of Recommendation 

Set a goal to ask 4 science professors and 2 non-science professors for a letter of recommendation. This way, you cover all your bases and give the admission committees a well-rounded view of your academic accomplishments.

Ideally, everyone you ask will be more than happy to write you a glowing recommendation. But hey, life happens, and some might not be able to do it. That’s where having a buffer comes in handy. By having more than the required number of letters, you won’t be scrambling at the last minute to find a replacement. Phew, crisis averted!

Remember, these letters are your chance to shine beyond your grades and test scores. Choose your letter writers wisely and give them plenty of time to craft a fantastic letter that showcases all your wonderful qualities.
As to the timeline, keep in mind that you don’t need your letters of recommendations uploaded in order to submit your primary application. But you want to aim for them to be all completed by the time you start submitting your secondary applications, otherwise your application might get delayed and you don’t get to take advantage of rolling admissions.

Calculate your Total and Science GPA

Roll up your sleeves, grab your calculator, and crunch those numbers to figure out where you stand. Your total GPA is basically the average of all your grades throughout your undergraduate studies, plus if you took any additional post-bacc or master programs. 

Your science GPA focuses solely on the average grade point of your prerequisite science classes. Think biology, chemistry, physics – all the nitty gritty stuff that makes up the foundation of medical knowledge. Since medical school is all about diving deep into complex scientific concepts, your science GPA tends to carry more weight in the admissions process.

If you’re wondering how your numbers compare, in the 2023-2024 application cycle, the mean science GPA of all medical applicants stood at 3.54, with the average matriculated student earning about 3.71. But don’t get discouraged if you’re below that number. Many schools consider applicants with lower GPAs if they shine in other areas like extracurriculars, research, or personal statements.

Write a Stellar Personal Statement

Medical schools actually care about a lot more than just your grades and test scores. They want to know the real you. That’s where your personal statement comes in!

Your personal statement is your chance to shine to the admissions committee. It’s where you’ll tell your story and show off all the hard work you’ve put in. Here, you’ll share what sets you apart from other applicants and, most importantly, why you’re passionate about medicine.

But here’s the catch – you’ve got to do all that in just 5,300 characters for AMCAS (which is what most MD schools use). Yep, that’s about 1.5 pages single-spaced with 12-point font. So, no rambling on about your entire life story! It’s not a memoir. You’ll need to stay focused and make every word count.

If you’re feeling a bit lost about how to tackle your personal statement, check out my course, The Ultimate Guide to the Medical School Personal Statement. It’s part of my signature program, Road to Acceptance, designed to help you go from overwhelmed to confident and crush your applications.

List All Your Extracurriculars in Detail

Your personal statement isn’t the only way to make an impression. Your activities section can also help you stand out from the crowd. 

As you work through your primary application for medical school, the AMCAS Work and Activities Overview section provides the perfect opportunity to showcase all the amazing extracurriculars that have shaped your journey.

Instead of simply listing your activities with basic info, treat each one like a mini-essay by sharing your experiences through stories. Don’t think of this section as a chore; think of it as a golden opportunity to showcase your skills, passions, and commitment to medicine, whether it’s clinical experiences, volunteer work, or any other significant activity. These descriptions help tell your unique story to the admission committees. So, put your heart into it!

Speaking from experience, when I was going through the interview process, a lot of questions actually circled back to things I had mentioned in my activities section, like being part of the equestrian team. So, be ready to talk about what each experience means to you when those interview invites come rolling in!

Take Casper and PREview (if applicable)

Here’s one of the biggest oversights many premeds make during the application process: They forget to take the Casper test! You may feel like you have everything in the bag when you go to submit your secondary application, but if you’ve forgotten to take the Casper (or haven’t even heard about it), now you’re looking at a two to three-week delay. Not ideal! So, create a reminder. 

What is Casper though? The Casper test is an online assessment that many medical schools use to evaluate your personal and professional traits. It’s like a virtual interview, where they assess how you would handle different scenarios. 

PREview, on the other hand, is a “Professional Readiness Exam” that evaluates different competencies like compassion, cultural awareness, resilience and teamwork to make sure you have what it takes to become a great doctor in the future.  

To find out if you need to take the Casper or PREview test, check the specific requirements of the medical schools you’re applying to. 

Order Official Transcripts 

Yes, it’s a formality for your primary application, but still, make sure you have this step covered! Also, please give yourself plenty of time to request and receive them to avoid any delays in the application process.

Ordering your official transcripts is a way for medical schools to verify your academic record, including your grades and coursework. It provides them with clear and accurate information about your educational background, which is essential for evaluating your application.

To order your official transcripts, reach out to your undergraduate institution’s registrar’s office or the relevant academic department. They’ll be able to provide you with details on how to request your transcripts and any associated fees. 

Most universities now offer Parchment transcript service that will electronically deliver to your application service on the same day you order them. However, not all schools offer this so don’t count on this then be disappointed when your application cannot be verified because your transcripts are not delivered. 

Be sure to follow the specific instructions provided by your institution to ensure that your transcripts are sent directly to the medical schools you are applying to.

Make a List of Medical Schools You Plan to Apply

Finally, let’s tackle an important step in your medical school application journey: making your school list. You’ll want to take into account your scores, grades, location preferences, and the overall “fit” of the school, so you’ll be happy and successful wherever you end up. 

My advice? Create a detailed spreadsheet that acts as your master list. This will help you keep track of all the essential information in one place. Next, dive into thorough research using the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR). This resource will give you valuable insights into each school, including their average GPA and MCAT score ranges, acceptance rates, and more.

Remember to filter out schools based on residency bias (detailed steps for that in my Free Premed Workshop) so you’re not wasting your time and money applying to places where your chances are slim. Also, compare your own GPA and MCAT scores with each school’s requirements to find the best possible fit. 

It’s also helpful to seek advice from a trusted loved one or mentor who can provide valuable input based on their own experiences or knowledge of the medical field. Lastly, trust your instincts. If a school just feels right to you, go with that gut feeling.

As well as the letters of recommendation, note that you don’t actually need to have your full school list ready in order to submit your primary application. Just one school is enough, then you can add others later. This can save you some time in the beginning, since there is so much to tackle for your primary application. Once submitted, you can then fully focus on creating an amazing school list while your application is being verified.

What’s Next on Your Medical School Application Checklist?

If you made it this far and you’ve submitted your primary application to your choice of medical schools – congratulations! That’s a huge achievement and you should definitely take some time to celebrate. 

But guess what? You’re not quite done yet! There are still a few important steps left on your medical school application checklist. Here’s what you should focus on next

Write Secondary Essays

Once you’ve submitted your primary application, many medical schools will send you secondary essay prompts. These essays are an opportunity for you to further demonstrate your interest in the school and showcase your unique qualifications. Make sure to take the time to craft thoughtful and well-written responses to these prompts, as they can play a significant role in the admissions process.

Prepare for Your Interviews

After submitting your secondary essays, it’s time to move on to preparing for interviews. Medical school interviews can be a nerve-wracking experience, but thorough preparation can help ease your nerves and boost your confidence. Research commonly asked interview questions, practice your responses, and consider scheduling mock interviews with friends or mentors to hone your skills.

Finalize Your Decision or Make a Backup Plan

As interview season comes to a close, it will soon be time for you to make a decision on your future. If you’re fortunate enough to receive a few or multiple acceptances, then your next task is to decide which medical school to attend. Consider factors such as location, curriculum, faculty, and student resources when finalizing your decision. Weigh your options carefully and choose the school that aligns best with your goals and values.

If this round of applications didn’t result in an acceptance or you’re only waitlisted (don’t worry, it happened to me the first time I applied), then you’ll need to make a backup plan. Remember, you can always reapply next cycle – only this time you’ll be more experienced and wiser about the whole process. Evaluate your application and consider ways to strengthen it. Or take advantage of a gap year to gain more valuable experiences that will only enhance your application next time around. 

Checking Off the Last Box on Your Medical School Application Checklist

So there you have it! I hope this checklist will be super helpful to you as you navigate your medical school applications. Remember, it’s all about staying organized, proactive, and on top of deadlines. Just take it one task at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your dream of becoming a physician. 

Whether you’re feeling nervous or excited about what lies ahead, know that you’ve come this far because of your determination and drive to pursue a career in medicine. Embrace this moment and be proud of the strides you’ve taken towards achieving your dreams.

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