First thing to consider, once you decided to apply pretty much anywhere, are the requirements to do so (see AMCAS introduction flier). Most of those who are trying to apply for an American medical school have already gone through an application process at least once - when applying for an undergraduate school. Applying for a medical school is not so much different (at least at the beginning) - it consists of the following elements:- Primary AMCAS application - supported by most U.S. medical schools (more info here)
- Secondary Application - a school-specific supplement sent to applicants upon receiving the primary application
- MCAT - a standardized test required by most U.S. medical schools (more info here)
- Academic requirements - completion of a pre-medical program, usually at a US college (specific requirements vary)
- Grades - no schools publish minima or maxima, but competitive academic results are expected ("more A's than B's," etc.)
- Activities - such as extracurriculars, summer occupations, and clinical experience (none of these are required, but they are definitely considered during the application process)
- Letters of Recommendation - 2 science-affiliated, 1 non-scientific
- Personal Interview - once all application requirements are met, applicants considered for the admission are invited for an interview
Sources
http://ps.columbia.edu/education/admissions/applying
http://hms.harvard.edu/content/selection-factors
http://hms.harvard.edu/content/selection-factors
