Medical school applications become increasingly competitive

As medical schools become more selective, many Boston College pre-med students look for ways to become even more "competitive." According to an article published in the Brown Daily Herald, the number of applicants to medical school increased by 8.2 percent this year. Though in the past BC's acceptance rate has far exceeded that of the nation, this increase means that the rate can only go down. As a result, many students are trying to find different avenues to get accepted into medical school.

The BC pre-medical program prides itself on its acceptance rate. Dr. Robert Wolff, the director of the Pre-Medical Program, provided data that illustrated that during the academic year of 2005-2006, 76 percent of BC applicants were accepted into medical school programs. The national average of that year was approximately 45 percent.

Interestingly enough, the average science GPA of a BC student who is accepted into medical school is 3.50 which is lower than the national average of 3.57. "I believe that the fact that BC students get in [to med school] with lower GPAs is a reflection of the esteem with which medical schools view this institution," Wolff said. He went on to explain that this percentage is especially impressive because BC's pre-med program is "open," meaning that by simply joining its mailing list, one is considered pre-med. Many other undergraduate programs skew their results by allowing only competitive students to apply to medical school.

The "open" nature of the BC pre-medical program also contributes to the fact that the percentage of pre-med students in each class decreases over the four years of undergraduate study. While 31 percent of the College of Arts and Sciences class of 2011 is pre-med, only 19.7 percent of the class of 2008 still plans on completing the program. Many students believe that its low retention rate is directly correlated with the competitive nature of the classes. "[The pre-med classes] are very cutthroat. Everyone is so grade-oriented that they have forgotten why they wanted to be a doctor in the first place," said Rob Santoro, a pre-med student and A&S '09.

Several students believe that this "cutthroat" environment is designed to filter out the students who do not have the motivation to make it to medical school. Jeremy Scott, A&S '09, acknowledged that there is a social status that accompanies being pre-med. He, however, vehemently believes that the filtering should stop after sophomore year - especially after students take organic chemistry, or "orgo," which many consider one of the most difficult courses in the pre-med track.

"At a certain point, it needs to stop. Once you're past orgo, [the pre-medical program] needs to start to work with you instead of attempting to weed you out," Scott said. "You need a lot of self-determination to stay in the program."

The students who persevere through the program, however, are a part of one of the most competitive applicant pools in history. The Association of American Medical Colleges President Darrell Kirch was quoted in the Brown Daily Herald article saying that "[this year's] MCAT test scores and cumulative grade point averages were the highest we've ever seen." Not only is the number of medical school applicants increasing, but also, that larger number is made up of extremely motivated students.

To stand out, BC pre-med students are becoming increasing active in extracurricular medical experiences. "The applicants that I am seeing are preparing themselves in ways that make them more competitive in terms of experience outside of the classroom," said Dom De Leo, an associate director at the Career Center.

Wolff confirmed that several students who achieved the MCAT and GPA requirements were rejected from medical schools because they lacked enough health-related experience. To help students, the pre-med program offers "Eagle Docs at Work." This program allows students to shadow alumni working in health services. In addition to participating in programs such as "Eagle Docs at Work," many students volunteer in hospitals in the Boston area.

The increasingly competitive nature of medical schools has encouraged many students to delay their applications. Santoro said several of his classmates are headed into research positions or are furthering their education in post-baccalaureate programs. Scott said that he still plans to apply, but he is not applying this year. His goal is to find some other options. "I've come to grips with the fact that it's OK to take some time off. It doesn't mean that I want to be a doctor any less," he said. For the students who do not have competitive GPA or MCAT scores, waiting to apply may give them the edge they need. It also is a good investment. The medical school application process can cost between $2,000 and $3,000. Choices, like postponing applications, help students who may not have the best credentials to get accepted into medical schools.

As medical schools increase their selectivity, Wolff believes that BC's acceptance rate will decline. For pre-med students, that means even more stress. But, as Matt Shepard, A&S '09, said, this stress is nothing new. "It's all we've ever known. It's been competitive for a long time."

Anxiety seems to be characteristic of many pre-med students. As medical schools become more competitive, their futures become more ambiguous. As Scott said, "I'm worried and people I know are worried. There's just a lot of uncertainty."