Recently, I’ve advised several premeds who are trying to make decisions about the utility of a “gap year” – an elective, non-curricular period between college and medical school. There are important professional, financial, and personal consequences to consider before making the decision. Here’s a piece I wrote for Wolters Kluwer that offers guidance.
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Is Getting into Medical School Harder than It Was Before or Does It Just Feel Like It?
Last cycle, over 52,000 brave candidates applied to medical school, with just under 23,000 matriculating. While getting into medical school is extremely competitive, the number of applicants has actually decreased from two years ago when over 62,000 individuals applied to medical school (and the number of matriculants/spots has stayed almost the same). People attributed that peak in applications to the Fauci Effect, a trend that motivated individuals to simulate medical leaders and contribute to the health of society in the setting of the pandemic. In reality, it’s unclear why numbers rose significantly that year. But since, applications have declined. The problem for candidates is that the number has decreased only to levels that are about equal to those pre-pandemic and still higher than the 2014 cycle when there were under 50,000 applicants.
Having said that, there are more open medical school slots than there were in the past. In the 2014 cycle, 20,343 individuals matriculated out of 49,480 (41.1%). This past year 22,981 matriculated out of 52,577 applicants (43.7%).
None of these statistics take into account the fact that a more competitive applicant pool may have emerged over the course of the last decade. In other words, the whole achievement level of the application cohort may be stronger than it was in the past.
Bottom line: Looking at numbers alone, it is easier to get into medical school than it was during the anomalous cycle two years ago. Furthermore, although there were more applicants, it is slightly easier to get into medical school now that it was about a decade ago because there are more spots.
That conclusion is likely reassuring for upcoming applicants, while at the same time, maddening for any of this year’s candidates who have received a recent rejection.
Either way, getting into medical school is extremely competitive.
What to do Once Your AMCAS is Submitted
Tomorrow – May 30 – is the first day applicants can submit their AMCASes. Please see my recent blog about the advantages of submitting an optimal application on the earlier side.
Once your AMCAS is submitted, take a deep breath, relax for a few days, and then start thinking about your secondary essays. Here are a couple of blogs on secondaries, including how to get started on the “Why Our School” prompt and how to approach a diversity prompt.
Also, once the AMCAS is in, take a moment to do some soul searching about what you’re seeking geographically, philosophically, and educationally. You want to make considered decisions when the time comes.
Finally, you can start practicing for your interviews. Here is information on my mock interview services.
CASPER
I’ve been fielding questions about the CASPER test recently. The examination is aimed to assess empathy, emotional intelligence, and professionalism. CASPER is multifaceted, and I would recommend you look here for information about the components. There are some useful, instructive videos on the site.
Of note, CASPER is not required for all US medical schools, so it’s important to determine whether you need to take the examination at all. If so, when you have to take the test is dependent on different institutions’ due dates (which is frustrating).
If you do need to take the examination, please plan to prepare even if you feel you have a high emotional quotient. I’ve had some applicants in the past take the CASPER without reviewing in advance, and many of them were surprised by their suboptimal performance. Applicants cannot retake in an admissions cycle.
The FAQ page here is helpful.
Medical School Applications are at their Highest Level Ever
In 2021, medical school applications from first-time candidates increased a startling 18%. More than 62,000 students applied to medical school in 2021, compared to approximately 53,000 the year prior. It’s unclear what caused such a large jump: It’s possible the pandemic was not a factor and that many students had planned to apply prior to COVID-19’s emergence. After all, it takes many years of planning to have a ready candidacy. Or perhaps individuals may have been inspired by healthcare workers’ dedication during the beginning of the pandemic. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in applications from Black and Hispanic students, which is encouraging.
With increasing numbers of candidates, medical schools will be more selective about which applicants they accept. Perhaps some students will consider physician assistant training as an alternative, however, enrollment there is up as well.
Take a look at this short piece by Dr. Thomas Cook, the Program Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency at Prisma Health in Columbia, for more analysis.
Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more
