Beginning with the 2024 cycle, the AAMC allowed AMCAS and ERAS applicants an opportunity to describe Other Impactful Experiences (OIE) that have helped define their perspective on life. Replacing the “Disadvantaged” essay, the Other Impactful Experiences essay prompt tries to remove the stigma associated with being identified as “disadvantaged” and ... Read more
Emil Chuck, PhD
Updated June 18, 2023 by Emil Chuck, PhD
Updated December 20, 2021. The article was updated to correct minor grammatical errors. The Student Doctor Network gets several questions to our Confidential Consult experts a month about what is and what is not an institutional action. ... Read more
William Burnett
Updated June 26, 2022 by William Burnett
The 2020 American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®) application will officially open on May 1, 2019, for those applicants planning to matriculate in 2020. If you are preparing to apply for the upcoming application cycle, ... Read more
AAMC Staff
Updated June 23, 2022 by AAMC Staff
Even before the AMCAS and AACOMAS applications open in May, you can take steps to move your application process along. Since submitting your applications as early as possible may yield earlier interview invitations and acceptances, ... Read more
Cassie Kosarek
Updated June 23, 2022 by Cassie Kosarek
As pre-medical students complete the AMCAS application for medical school, they are confronted by the question, ‘do you consider yourself disadvantaged?’ Most applicants are not sure if they qualify as disadvantaged or how they should ... Read more
Renee Marinelli
Updated June 24, 2022 by Renee Marinelli
You may have heard that there’s a “perfect formula” of undergraduate extracurricular activities sought by medical schools. Research experience? Check. Hospital volunteering? Check. A summer internship in a lab or clinical setting? Check. While these ... Read more
Cassie Kosarek
Updated June 24, 2022 by Cassie Kosarek
Many applicants applying with AMCAS strive to complete and submit their application as quickly as possible. However, an incomplete or incorrect application can cause delays — which may cause you to miss an important deadline. ... Read more
AAMC Staff
Updated June 24, 2022 by AAMC Staff
With so many deadlines and moving parts to med school apps, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. In this article, we’ll discuss how to be strategic about when you write what. At the end of this ... Read more
Haziq Siddiqi
Updated June 24, 2022 by Haziq Siddiqi
If you haven’t started already, now is the time to begin writing your AMCAS activities section and your personal statement. Your AMCAS application—or the primary application submitted to allopathic (MD) schools—serves a significant role in ... Read more
Renee Marinelli
Updated June 24, 2022 by Renee Marinelli
At this point, you are probably already aware of how competitive medical school admissions are. For instance, you may already know that the most competitive med schools boast acceptance rates of nearly 3%—that’s almost half ... Read more
Joel Butterly
Updated June 25, 2022 by Joel Butterly
When you think about how medical schools will evaluate your application, it can seem like a mystery. What will an admissions committee look at first? How are experiences that are not related to health care ... Read more
AAMC Staff
Updated June 26, 2022 by AAMC Staff
Overcoming a low MCAT score on your AMCAS application can feel daunting. Can they really judge my whole application by my performance on one 8 hour block of life!!? Sadly, most schools do put extensive ... Read more
David Quinzi
Updated June 26, 2022 by David Quinzi
Walking out of the test center after I had completed the MCAT was a surreal experience. Somehow, the far-off test date for which I had been preparing for months had not only arrived, but had ... Read more
Cassie Kosarek
Updated June 26, 2022 by Cassie Kosarek
The 2018 AMCAS application cycle has started! If you plan to apply to attend medical school starting in Fall 2018, the application is now open for you to begin working through the nine different sections ... Read more
AAMC Staff
Updated June 26, 2022 by AAMC Staff
Updated December 1, 2021. The article was updated to correct minor grammatical errors and technical details. It’s that time of year. The American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®) 2018 application cycle will open on May ... Read more
AAMC Staff
Updated June 26, 2022 by AAMC Staff
I was recently asked to give advice on finding clinical opportunities. Here’s the short version: show up, ask, and follow through! This is an exciting and supportive profession you are entering. Physicians not only remember ... Read more
Kaitlin Parks
Updated June 26, 2022 by Kaitlin Parks
I always think of secondaries as the real meat of the med school application process. For many schools, the AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS merely function as a screening process, allowing them to weed out candidates ... Read more
Joel Butterly
Updated June 26, 2022 by Joel Butterly
Student Doctor Network
Updated April 16, 2025 by Student Doctor Network
There are many costs associated with applying to medical school. These costs can add up, and they may even discourage some students from applying. The AAMC believes that the cost of medical school should not be ... Read more
AAMC Staff
Updated June 26, 2022 by AAMC Staff
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