Seven Innovative Approaches To Apply for Medical School

As a physician, you will be practicing science, art, and medicine all at the same time. It’s no wonder that medical school is so competitive. Many people are turned off by the lack of flexibility in medical school for the sake of research with long hours and tough calls to make in difficult cases. MSHS health net  is looking at the top medical schools that may be more interested in the science and art of medicine than in a lot of the other factors that are important to the selection process. Let’s look at some medical schools that may not be as popular but just as good if not better than other more famous universities.

Seven Innovative Approaches To Apply for Medical School :

1. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine:

The Case western reserve University School of medicine takes the top spot on our list because they accept a very large number of applicants and focus on a holistic approach to medical school admissions. They look for students who have engaged in volunteer service, research and leadership. 

The university also looks at your extracurricular activities and community service as well as your medical college admission test (MCAT) scores. In addition to your academic record, acceptance into Case Western also depends on recommendations from faculty members, interviews and letters of recommendation from physicians who are familiar with your work.

2. University Of Texas Health Science Center:

The University of Texas is one of the largest medical schools in the country and they are interested in a very diverse pool of applicants. They look for candidates who can make contributions to society at large. The university gives special consideration to students who have a history of overcoming adversity and those who have demonstrated dedication to the needs of others both locally and globally. 

UT also stresses diversity in their applicant pool so you will find that their classes are very well balanced racially, ethnically, and gender-wise. There is an internship program for undergraduates that has been designed for applicants from middle income families who would like to get exposure to clinical situations before applying for medical school.

3. Northwestern University:

The Northwestern University School of Medicine accepts students who have done research and service work in the public health sector. They value your work experience more than grades and MCAT scores when they evaluate your application. Your resume will play a major role in their evaluation of you so be sure to highlight every accomplishment that you have had during college as well as your extracurricular activities. 

The school also asks that you list a summer job or volunteer experience if possible because they believe this will bring you to the attention of applicants who don’t know about your application.

4. University Of Washington:

The University of Washington has made an effort to diversify their applicant pools and look for students who will bring diversity to their classroom as well. They are looking for students from all economic, ethnic, racial and social groups. They have a special program that allows community college students to finish their degrees at the University of Washington while working on prerequisites for medical school. 

It is wise to note however that the University of Washington School of Medicine has a very competitive applicant pool because they only accept about 15% of applicants so you will need to have excellent grades and MCAT scores to even be considered.

5. University Of California, Irvine:

The University of California at Irvine does not have a traditional pre-med program for undergraduates. Instead, undergraduates choose from about 70 different majors and then spend the last year of their undergraduate education completing the prerequisites required for medical school which are biology and biochemistry. 

The university takes a very holistic approach to medical school admissions, in which students must do well academically as well as show interest and commitment to their field of study. They also look at work experience, extracurricular activities and volunteer activities while they evaluate your application. The university only accepts about 11% of applicants and has a very competitive pool.

6. University Of Iowa:

The University of Iowa values diversity in their medical school applicant pool and looks for students who can bring diverse perspectives to their classroom. They have a special invitation program that allows freshmen students to research health care problems and then come up with solutions as part of their freshman year undergrad work. They do not have an undergraduate pre-med program, but instead students must complete other areas of study before they are eligible to apply for medical school at the University of Iowa.

7. University Of Pittsburgh:

The University of Pittsburgh is also very selective, but they have a program called the “Early Identification Program” that gives preference to first year undergrad students who are interested in eventually applying to medical school. The program allows students to finish most of their pre-med requirements while getting their Bachelor’s degree and then apply for medical school during their senior year.

You don’t have to go to the best medical schools for your application to be accepted. There are some great schools out there that offer alternative strategies for you to pursue your goals as a student and as a future physician.