One of the biggest complaints that I have when I browse around the web looking at pre med advice is that there is a lack of TRUE data, a lack of REAL statistics in the advice being given.
Every year the AAMC, the main body behind allopathic medical schools, puts out amazing data showing the breakdown of applicants and matriculants to M.D. medical schools.
Average MCAT
Want to know the average MCAT for the class of 2012? 31.2.[1] Want to know the average MCAT for ALL applicants? 28.3.[1]
I had a young patient recently who was applying to be a pilot in the USAF. We talked about how he wanted to go to medical school, but the fact that the average MCAT score had increased by 4 points over the last 5 – 10 years scared him off. I think I laughed a little and asked him where he got his data. I KNEW the data, because of what I do here.
The data from the AAMC shows that the average MCAT for the class of 2001 was 29.6.[1] 31.2 now, 29.6 then. That’s ONLY an increase of 1.6, not the 4 he was claiming.
So where did he get the data? His ADVISOR!
What bothers me the most is that this is somebody who could have been a great doctor, and still could be. Instead, because his advisor gave him bad data, he was scared away and is now joining the Air Force to do something totally different.
Best Major
Are you interested in finding out what major you should have in college? The ONE that is guaranteed to get you into medical school? Well, the AAMC has that data too. And the new class of 2012 data shows that only about 63% of the matriculants, the ones that are actually starting medical school, majored in biology or physical sciences.[2]
I don’t want to go through all the data here. I have many other posts that breakdown some of the data. Want I want to show you is that THERE IS data. You just need to know where to find it.
Where is the Data?
The AAMC data is here:
https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/
The AACOM, for osteopathic (D.O. schools), data is here: (The new data is not available as I’m writing this)
http://www.aacom.org/data/Pages/default.aspx
Looking for Something?
If there is any data that you are looking for, please let me know so I can find it for you.
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