Medical School Timeline (Or How to Make It Easier on Yourself and Your Schools)

Medical School Timeline (or how to make it easier on yourself and your schools) Remember that bad things happen to those who wait until the last minute. Oh, the stories we could tell…

Fall (two years from matriculation) *Prepare for MCAT. *Determine where you’re applying and make sure you’ve met all requirements. Use the MSAR, available at https://members.aamc.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=PubHome for allopathic medical schools (MD) and the http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Pages/default.aspx for osteopathic medical schools (DO). *Start thinking about your letter writers. What are your schools requirements? Who can write a knowledgeable letter? *Review this document and plan your budget. It’s expensive! *Attend Applications workshop.

Spring (1.5 years from matriculation) *Take MCAT prep course and STUDY! Take practice exams until you can do them well in your sleep! *Begin soliciting letters of evaluation. See Guidelines at http://www.uwyo.edu/preprof/applying-to-professional- school/letters-of-evaluation.html. *Begin thinking about your essay. Remember, “When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.” (Henry Kaiser) SHOW them what will make you an exceptional physician.

April-June *Take MCAT. Students who take the MCAT after mid-July rarely do well.

April *Have all your letters of evaluation solicited. Pay special attention to your schools’ requirements. Check regularly to be sure they’ve arrived. *Attend AMCAS/AACOMAS and essay workshops.

May *Open your AMCAS application. Have transcripts sent from all institutions attended, even during high school or if the courses appear on another transcript. Check regularly to be sure that all have arrived.

May-September *Have your residency certified if you’re a resident of a WICHE or WWAMI state. (Deadline October 15---don’t wait that long; many schools want that information before offering a secondary application).

June *Open your AACOMAS application. Ditto above for transcripts.

June-July *SUBMIT your completed and well-done applications. It’s scary, I know, but you gotta do it. Now is better than later. Remember that it can take 6-8 weeks to have your application verified and disseminated to your schools. And—it’s a very labor intensive process for your schools—they’ll have thousands of applications to review. Make it easy for them. Your application can go without MCAT scores or letters received. *Remember that we are here for you through the entire process and are able to assist you every step of the way. You can make an appointment at http://www.uwyo.edu/preprof/index.html. AUGUST—IF YOU HAVEN’T SUBMITTED YOUR APPLICATION, YOU’RE LATE! REMEMBER THAT IT TAKES 6-8 WEEKS TO PROCESS BEFORE GOING TO YOUR SCHOOLS

July-October *Complete secondaries. You should NEVER take longer than 2 weeks, even if they give you longer. Delay sends a bad message to your schools. Remember that Wyoming WWAMI interviews in Laramie in mid-January; your application should be complete no later than December 1. Earlier is better; you want to give them ample time to make a good review.

September Attend interview workshop. See Helpful Hints at http://www.uwyo.edu/preprof/additional-resources/interview- tips.html.