Applying to Med/PA School: What NOT To Learn from Reddit Pre-Med

The decision of choosing pre-med as your college trajectory, and ultimately the decision of going to medical school, are both very big choices and can present many challenges and hurdles. As a result, we’re always looking for resources, helpful hints, and tips and tricks to help us with the process – maybe to get some insight on the upcoming challenges and see if the choice is right for us. While most of these resources can provide valuable information and showcase the genuine challenges of medical school or PA school, there are also sources that should be taken with a grain of salt. One of these resources is Reddit pre-med.

While many users offer genuine advice and information for pre-med students, there are some myths about being a pre-med student and medical school that are surviving in part because of Reddit. Based on our years of experience advising students, we want to offer you some clarity as you navigate the complicated world of pre-med life and applying to med school. We have compiled the top myths about being a pre-med student from Reddit and outlined the broader reasons why not every Reddit post should be taken at face value.

The “MCAT Score” Myth

A common myth, and topic of many debates on Reddit, is the role of the MCAT score in the medical school application process. A large exam, and the frequent cause of many stress-induced headaches, the MCAT can play a large role in your profile for your medical school applications. However, the truth of the matter is a little more complicated than what is often discussed online. There are myths floating around that an MCAT score of X is a good score on the exam, or a score of Y is essential, or a score of Z is all you need to get in and that it’s enough to weigh out other aspects of your profile.

Medical schools want applicants that have both “can do” and “will do.” The MCAT and your GPA – which ultimately test similar things about you, the applicant – are some of the most important parts of getting in, but no perfect MCAT score can make up for a lack of clinical experience. The following table illustrates how medical schools evaluate these different components of your application:

The “Low GPA” Myth

The next myth is the myth that only those with perfect 4.0 GPAs stand a chance of being accepted into medical school, and that pre-med students with anything below a 3.7 or so should either seek a new career or fixate on making their academic work so perfect that their overall GPA course-corrects. The truth is not that clear-cut. While yes, good GPAs are very valuable when applying to medical school, they’re hardly the sole deciding factor. Your profile is weighted out in portions according to:

• GPA and MCAT score
• Extracurriculars
• Shadowing and clinical experience

Understanding why GPA cannot be the only factor is made easier if you understand that medical schools do not want candidates that are only good at the academic element because they know that academics are a necessary but not sufficient part of being a good MD/DO student and a great doctor. There is a world of opportunities available for pre-med students with GPAs in the mid 3’s, which still demonstrates tremendous academic potential. Don’t let the myth of perfection stop you from pursuing a career that makes a difference. If you’re not on track, take fewer classes, focus, and consider the possibility of placing a lot of your extracurriculars in a concentrated way during your summer.

The “School Caliber” Myth

The next myth is the myth that medical schools really weigh the eliteness of your undergrad institution, e.g. if you went to an Ivy League or similar caliber institution. All too often, this myth results in driven, smart, and talented pre-med students from other colleges or universities reconsidering their choices on the belief that their institution’s name doesn’t have the power to compete with the Ivys. This is simply not true. Countless students are accepted into medical school from institutions other than the Ivys.

What should really be important is considering your own work and performance rather than the pedigree of your institution. Remember that achieving success, performing great extracurricular work, a high MCAT score, and a high GPA makes a much stronger application than someone with poor statistics who happened to go to an Ivy. Naturally, an Ivy means something, but your individual achievements carry the most weight in the process.