Getting into a medical school is no cakewalk. Many applications are rejected from medical schools every year because of their grades or MCAT scores. We understand that rejection is a nasty feeling and often takes a toll on a student’s mind and body. But considering yourself unlucky and giving up on your dreams is also not a solution to any problem. So, don’t shatter and proceed smartly after getting rejected from a medical school.
Fortunately, you learn a few things after your application gets rejected from a medical school. Thus, you can build a competitive medical school application and become a stronger applicant when reapplying to a medical school. All you need is to consider five crucial things before reapplying to medical degree programs. Prior to talking about these essential points, we would like to end a major question in your mind related to reapplying to medical school.
Can you reapply to the same medical schools?
Absolutely! You can, and should, reapply to the same medical colleges and universities that had rejected you earlier unless the school itself is prohibiting you from reapplying. However, you need to make intelligent decisions while reapplying, including broadening the medical school list. Adding more medical schools to your list can improve the chances of acceptance.
You must note that Caribbean islands medical schools provide a second chance to students with lower GPA or MCAT scores. In addition, medical schools in the Caribbean are also known for offering accredited programs to students, making you employable globally.
Now, we will talk about five critical things that you should do before reapplying to medical school:
- Evaluate your career options: Once you have made up your mind to reapply in medical schools, think critically about why you are pursuing medicine. The road to becoming a doctor is full of thorns and spikes. It is not everybody’s cup of tea. Therefore, choose the medical field only if you are genuinely passionate about it.
- Update existing letters: Although you can use old letters of recommendation, adding some recent achievements or developments makes you stand out from the crowd. Adding new ones or updating old ones improves the overall quality of your application.
- Change personal statement: One thing you must remember is to change the personal statement while reapplying. When reapplying to medical schools, you must write a new personal statement as admissions committees expect you to write a new one.
- Critically review your application: Do not repeat the same mistake twice. Once you get rejected, you know your imperfections on your application. So, thoroughly evaluate your medical application before submitting it. Solid academic performance adds value to your application.
- Be an early bird: There are millions of medical applicants across the world aspiring to become a doctor. Additionally, most medical schools accept students on a rolling basis. Therefore, apply to the program as soon as possible to attend the medical school of your choice.
Keeping these five things in mind can provide you an edge over the crowd. So, hurry up!
