Pre-Medicine program

In addition to exploring the Pre-Health Student Resource Center's page on gaining experience, students can visit the Association of American Medical College's page for a deeper dive on experiences relevant to medicine.

Join UWL's Pre-Med Club: Pre-Med Chapter of American Medical Student Association and the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (AMSA and SOMA).

To keep track of your target medical schools, prerequisites, and experiences, the Pre-Health Center recommends using a spreadsheet. An example can be downloaded here. UWL students can also track their progress using the Mappd app. Click the image below to check it out.

Mappd

We offer a number of resources and tips from our network.

• Early in your pre-med career, develop a list of schools to which you plan to apply; this will help ensure that you have prerequisites for the schools are you targeting. Later, you will use the list to make sure that your statistics (GPA/MCAT) are at or above the average admitted student profile (not the "minimum"). A list of prerequisites by school is provided by the AAMC. 
• Choose the right application cycle/year for you, and apply early within that cycle; competition increases as you apply later in the summer!
• Plan to set aside plenty of time to study and prepare for the MCAT. Students will often take the exam during winter, spring, or early summer of their junior year. Do not take the MCAT until you have completed the coursework covered on the MCAT.
• Know that you will have "primary" (via AMCAS and/or AACOMAS and/or TMDSAS) and "secondary applications" (via the specific medical schools to which you applied). Much of this can be drafted prior to the opening of the CAS services.
• Get your letters of recommendation in order as early as possible. Use the faculty letter of recommendation for medical school form to make sure your letter writers are well-informed when writing your letter. 
• Be prepared for the possibility of re-applying next cycle, and know that you should seek out mentors for feedback. Gap years can be a good thing for personal and professional development!
• Consider paying for the MSAR subscription (~$28) to get advanced statistics and information on medical schools. This will help you make a better decision on where to apply. For osteopathic medicine schools, use the free Choose DO Explorer.

Applications are collected via AMCAS (for MD), AACOMAS (for DO), and TMDSAS (for Texas medical schools).

• Generally, AMCAS opens in early May, and you can submit your application starting in late May/early June.
• It is important to submit your application early in the cycle, as competition gets stronger and there are fewer interview invites/offers available later in the summer.
• A handy timeline is now available at the bottom of this page.

What do I focus on when I'm writing my primary application and secondaries? 

Many medical schools, including UW, use the AAMC Competencies as a guide when evaluating candidates. In your primary application, connect your experiences to the competencies; in your secondaries, continue that effort, adding in what you know about the particular school and why it's a fit for you.

The Med School Application Simulation, typically held in April, offers a peek into what admissions committees consider.

Medical School Mock Interview Day is a simulation of a medical school interview, including traditional and MMI formats. The Pre-Med Club and the Pre-Health Center collect applications between April and August. Student volunteers needed.

• Both of these experiences are facilitated by UWL's alumni physicians, Drs. Milt and Yvonne Datta (alum, '82). A special thanks to them, the UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation and College of Science and Health for their support. Email prehealth@uwlax.edu to learn more.

The Pre-Medicine Committee was a group of faculty advisors, brought together to aid pre-med students on their journey to medical school. The committee was dissolved in February of 2023. 

What this means for pre-med students:

• Students will now be able to seek out individual letters of recommendation from faculty members of their choice, based on their chosen medical schools' requirements. The Pre-Health Center created a form to help students and faculty gather the information that is often necessary for a successful application: Faculty letter of recommendation for medical school.
• A committee letter will no longer be available. Former pre-med committee members are still great options for individual letters, and are still available to help students with the process. 
• Students can still work with their faculty advisor/mentors in preparing for medical school; in addition, they are encouraged to reach out to the career and pre-health advisors in the Academic Advising Center & Career Services Office to get help with their application process.