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How to Prepare for Medical School: A Timeline for Pre-Med Students

For pre-med students in their freshman year, medical school can seem like it’s far into the future. But the truth is, if you are a pre-med student planning on attending med school directly after college, or even after a gap year or two, medical school preparation needs to start now. It can be daunting, but with careful planning and time management, you’ll be ready to apply just before your senior year.

Getting Started

Some of the things you can do to prepare for medical school, like taking the MCAT exam, will need to be done a bit closer to senior year. Other things though, you can start doing right now, like building relationships with mentors, advisors, and faculty. You can also start dipping your toe in medical-related work with internships, volunteer work, and shadowing.

Timeline to Getting On Track

For a general guide to planning your medical school journey, download our infographic, with recommendations from the AAMC. There’s a lot to do, but by getting a jump on things, you’ll find yourself settling in at medical school in no time.

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