medical school planning

Trends in Medical School Curricula

Over the years, several alternative models have been introduced for the first one to two years of medical school instruction. Recently, medical schools have continued to develop and implement a variety of more patient-centered and collaborative approaches. Since 2020, urgent political issues including the COVID pandemic, Black Lives Matter, and the ongoing climate crisis have ushered in more changes still. In this post, we’ll walk through some of the latest trends in med school curricula.

When Is the Best Time to Take the MCAT?

Explore the various factors to consider in planning when to take the MCAT, and how this decision affects when you’ll be able to start med school. We discuss the impact that your MCAT score has on determining your med school list and application timetable. Also, if you retake the MCAT, how do med schools view multiple scores?

Deferring Medical School Matriculation

If you have been accepted to medical school, but you are looking to defer enrollment for a year, find out more about when and why programs might allow you to do this and what your next steps should be. This blog post explores several case studies of medical schools that always allow deferrals, grant deferrals on a case-by-case basis, or rarely allow deferrals.

What Makes a Successful Baccalaureate/MD Candidate? Part II: A Closer Look at a Selection of Baccalaureate/MD Programs

In Part II of our 3-part series, we provide case studies of several leading baccalaureate/MD programs, regarding admissions requirements and academic features. Watch for Part III, in which we share our knowledge of successful applicants to these combined programs.

Trends in Osteopathic (DO) Medical School Admissions

As with MD programs, the number of applications to DO programs has soared in recent years, and enrollment has shot up correspondingly. Read our detailed analysis of recent trends in osteopathic medical school admissions, including the growing numbers of practicing osteopathic physicians over the years by age, gender, and specialty fields.

New Academic Programs in Health and Medicine

Learn more about new undergraduate programs in the fields of health and medicine. In our constantly changing world, colleges and universities must adjust their program offerings to stay relevant, and there are exciting developments happening in undergraduate medical education!

Trends in MD Medical School Admissions

In recent years, the number of people applying to med school has reached an unprecedented high, but enrollment numbers have increased too. Read our detailed analysis of trends in medical school admissions over the past few years, including the makeup of applicant and matriculant pools by gender, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Med School Personal Statements for Different Application Platforms

Set yourself apart from other med school applicants through a compelling, well-written Personal Statement that captures your journey to a career in medicine. Whether you are applying through AMCAS, AACOMAS, and/or TMDSAS, we outline each platform's expectations for the Personal Statement, and share our tips for crafting a unique essay.

Medical Schools’ Varied Update Letter Policies

Find out everything you need to know about whether or not to send a medical school update letter, if allowed by the med school, including the timing, content, length, number, and how the letter should be delivered!

The Most Popular Dual MD Degrees

Pursuing a dual MD degree is time-consuming and can be expensive, but for students with specialized career goals, it might be the best option. Here, we walk you through three of the most common degrees to earn alongside an MD: a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), an MPH (Master of Public Health), and an MBA (Master of Business Administration). Learn more about these dual degree programs, which offer physicians multi-faceted insights to face pressing healthcare challenges.

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