Application Process

Health Professions Applicant Handbook

I. Making the Decision: Is medicine for me? Am I competitive? When to Apply

Is Medicine for Me?

The first and most important thing you do as you begin the application process to health professions schools is to ask yourself why you are applying. Really ask yourself why. Most of you will not want to do this. You have worked too hard to get this far; you know why; you do not want to take the time to really delve into your motivation and to really understand the profession you are choosing; you do not want the possibility that it is not the right choice for you. But this question, this self-analysis, will make you a stronger candidate. It will allow you to step back and assess yourself and your goals, and therefore enable you to convey them to others. So take the time to ask.

There are many health professions available to college graduates and the majority of them require graduate education. A wise student will investigate the various fields to be sure s/he is choosing the best course. Factors such as skills/talents required, work environment, length of training, level of responsibility, salary and labor force projections should be taken into account when deciding. While the focus of this procedural manual is applying to medical school (allopathic and osteopathic), the process is very similar for dental, veterinary, optometry, and podiatry schools. There is also some overlap in the application processes for physical and occupational therapy, physician assistant, nurse practitioner and the myriad of clinical professions that populate our health care delivery system today. For those of you who are choosing one of these professions, there is quite a bit of literature in the Dowling Hall Resource Library and a list of useful Internet sites in the appendix.

Am I Competitive?

Once you have decided on your career path, you need to decide when to apply. Apply in strength not in weakness. In other words, do not apply until you are a competitive applicant. There is little to be gained from applying if your candidacy is weak and in fact there is much to be lost. The time and energy you could be devoting to strengthening your grades, retaking MCATs or gaining valuable health-related experience is being spent on the time-consuming process of applying. There is no necessity to apply after junior year and matriculate into medical school immediately after college. Medical school admissions committees look very favorably on older applicants. The most important thing is that you have strong credentials.
You may find it useful to visit the website of the Association of American Medical Colleges at http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/start.htm You will find FACTS: Applicants, Matriculants and Graduates of US Medical Schools which provides data about students who apply and are accepted to medical school. At Tufts, the average cumulative GPA of students accepted to medical school is over a 3.5 and the science GPA is almost as high. There is a binder in the Dowling Resource library with data on the past five years of applicants and their admission to each of the US medical schools. Students with less than a 3.4 GPA are rarely accepted. You can seek realistic advice from Carol or Shirley on this question as you make your decision.


When to Apply?

If you are applying this year, APPLY EARLY. Many candidates hurt themselves by ignoring this important rule. Applying in the summer rather than the fall of the applicant cycle could make the difference between acceptance and rejection. Tufts admissions data shows a higher acceptance rate for those students who apply early in the process (June, July, August) than for those who apply later (September, October, or November). However it is not critical to apply by the first possible date in June. Medical school applicants are wise to wait for MCAT scores in mid-June before applying. 

Since recommendations are not accepted by AMCAS or AACOMAS and only are sent during the secondary process, you should not wait for recommendations before sending in your application.


****Throughout this process, you may find it useful to consult with Carol or Shirley. You should also be registered with the Health Professions Recommendation Committee so that you will receive her weekly email messages. The advisors are located in Undergraduate Education in Dowling Hall. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Carol or Shirley, you must call the Student Desk at Dowling at 617-627-2000. You can also take advantage of Tuesday open hours by stopping by early any Tuesday morning and signing up for an afternoon time slot. Carol and Shirley are available twelve months of the year and can be reached at carol.baffi-dugan@tufts.edu or shirley.smith@tufts.edu.

They are available to discuss your decision to apply and the strength of your candidacy, to explain the application process, to advise about selecting a list of schools, to critique your personal statement, among other things.