Session 82

With so much information on the Internet, it can be challenging to sort out the best and most trusted sources of information you need in your journey to medical school.

Today we cover the top 10 premed resources students need to be going to for information.

Listen to this podcast episode with the player above, or keep reading for the highlights and takeaway points.

Top 10 Resources for Premed Students

1. Other premed students, medical students, and physicians

• Collaborate with other premed students. Two heads are better than one.
• Older students are great sources of information because they have just gone through the process and they’ll be honest with you.

Twitter is a great avenue to connect with other students and even physicians. Follow me @medicalschoolhq and search for keywords like #premed, #mcat, #futuredoctor, #medschool, etc. You can jump into conversations that allow you to learn, share your views, and then move on to the next conversation.

2. Student Doctor Network (SDN)

• SDN has various forums for everyone in the medical field.

Warning!

Don’t get sucked into the vortex of SDN. While the site provides a lot of great information, the premed forum especially contains a lot of cutthroat negativity that could really hurt your self-esteem as a premed. So tread lightly.

3. OldPreMeds

The opposite of SDN, OldPreMeds has a very nontraditional crowd where older premed students can gather great information. Traditional students are also welcome to check it out!

Note: The forum part of OldPreMeds has moved here.

4. Premed advisor at your school

• Advisors at your school can provide specific answers to your questions.

The premed advisor(s) at your school can give you the specific answers to your questions regarding courses that you need to be taking.

• Committee letter

Advisors at your school can also help you with your committee letter (your premed office gathers all the letters of recommendation and writes a single committee letter to be submitted with your applications).

5. Books

• MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements) book: For allopathic medical schools (MD).
• College Information Book (CIB): For osteopathic medical schools (DO)
• 10 Books Every Premed Should Read (While Not Studying)
• Check out my Premed Playbook series of books (available on Amazon), with installments on the personal statement, the medical school interview, and the MCAT.

6. AACOM and AAMC

• American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM): for DO schools.
• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC): for MD schools.
• Texas has a separate medical and dental school application service called TMDSAS.

Both AACOM and AAMC are great sources of information. The AAMC creates the MCAT, so they have all the official MCAT information, including official practice tests. All of these sites have instructions for applications. Read them before you even start applying to save you a ton of time.

7. The individual medical schools

Different schools have different rules about interacting with applicants versus premed students. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. They’re not off-limits. They have advisors who are there for you, so use them.

8. Reddit

This website is more of a self-controlled resource that allows you to vote for responses. Check out AMAs (Ask Me Anything) where you can ask a certain person just about anything.

9. Medical School HQ Advising

If you want help with additional advising beyond what your school’s advisors can offer, check out our services here at Medical School Headquarters. We offer application cycle coaching, 1-on-1 mock interview prep, personal statement and EC editing, secondary essay editing, and more.

10. YOU

Trust yourself, trust your instincts, and use the information you have to figure out your own path.

One more bonus premed resource:

Join the Premed Hangout Facebook group. Click join and we’ll add you up to our private Facebook group. Share your successes and miseries with the rest of us!

Links and Other Resources

• Related episode: What I Wish Every Premed Student Would Know.
• Related episode: Which MCAT Materials Are the Best for Me?
• Need MCAT Prep? Save on tutoring, classes, and full-length practice tests by using promo code “MSHQ” for 10% off Next Step full-length practice tests or “MSHQTOC” for $50 off MCAT tutoring or the Next Step MCAT Course at Blueprint MCAT (formerly Next Step Test Prep)!