When do I Apply to Medical School?

I'm confused about when to apply to medical school either allopathic medical schools or osteopathic medical schools. Can you give me an example? If I want to go in, say, fall 2012, should I apply by Feb. 1 2011, or would I wait until Feb 1 2012 to apply?

MY RESPONSE
Applying to medical school is a process which takes approximately one year so you will want to apply a full year before you plan on starting (matriculating) medical school in the Fall.

For instance, if you want to start medical school in the Fall of 2012 you will need to submit your medical school application (AMCAS) beginning in June of 2011 and/or throughout the summer.

From here you will spend your time completing medical school secondary applications and preparing for interviews in the Fall of 2011 and into the Winter of 2012.

Additionally, you will begin to hear back from the medical schools to which you are applying as to whether you have been accepted or not. If you are accepted in this application cycle then you will matriculate to medical school in the Fall of 2012, and as you can see this is a little over a year since when you started to apply to medical schools.

If you are applying to the osteopathic medical schools also known as the D.O. medical schools you will have a little bit more time to apply. Typically the osteopathic medical schools will accept applications from June all the way thru March at some of the osteopathic medical colleges.

But again the application process will take a complete year before you would matriculate. A caveat, some medical students who have trouble getting into an allopathic medical school (awards the M.D. degree), will realize they have not received any interviews and begin to complete their AACOMAS application since their deadlines to apply are later than AMCAS.

This is something to consider if you are not concerned about which type of medical degree you want behind your name.

IN SHORT
It takes a full year to apply to medical school. So pick the year you want to begin medical school in the Fall of your selected year and then work backwards. Go back a full year from the Fall date you selected and plan on submitting all your medical school application materials one year (12 months) before you plan on beginning medical school.

This will serve as a useful guide to ensure you start medical school when you want to.

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