University of Maryland - Office of Professional Studies: Keep Learning

College of
Chemical and Life Science's
Science in the Evening Program

SIE Pre-Med Students Suggested Process for Applying to Medical School

Suggested process for SIE students applying to medical using support from SIE Director and UM Health Professions Advising Office.

General timeline for application process:

  • Take courses to prepare for MCAT
  • Study for MCAT
  • Take MCAT late spring before the summer of your application
  • Apply summer after taking MCAT
  • Submit "secondary" applications as requested by med schools
  • Interview fall / spring after applying
  • If accepted matriculate following fall

Early in course work in SIE meet with Dr. Presson to discuss:

    • courses to optimize your MCAT score;
    • other experiences or background you are lacking for an optimal application;
    • a time frame for taking the MCAT and applying that leaves you optimally prepared;
    • who your letter writers might be.
    • a plan for the glide year that improves your application in case you must apply again
  • Meet with Dr. Presson once or twice more during your time in SIE to be sure you are on track
  • Attend workshops or Q & A's offered by SIE or HPAO
  • Letters of recommendation:
    • Two from science faculty you have taken courses from, one from a physician who knows you well and knows your potential to be a doctor, one from someone else who knows your potential well such as a supervisor in a community service experience, one "committee" letter (see below).
    • Ask selected faculty to write a letter of recommendation immediately after you take their course. They can keep it on their computer until you have the letters sent to the HPAO.
    • If you have more letters than you need the HPAO will screen them if you ask and only send good ones.
    • The spring before you apply have all letters sent to the HPAO. They will hold your letters until you get requests for secondary applications, at which time you will ask the HPAO to send out your letter packet. For more details see http://www.prehealth.umd.edu/
  • Spring before you apply to medical plan for extended time to study for MCAT, perhaps take an MCAT prep course.
  • Early in the spring before you apply set up a student inventory file at the HPAO. This sets up your student account and they can tell you more about their services.
  • Late in spring or early before you apply, but after you have set up your student inventory with HPAO, call Linda Dalo at 301-405-6892 and set up an appointment with Dr. Presson for the committee letter interview.
    • The "Committee" letter is actually a letter written by one person who is on a pre-med letter writing committee. The committee is led by the campus pre-med advisor, Wendy Loughlin. The committee meets at least once a year to discuss how best to interview students and write the letters. The letters are based on a "mock" interview with a committee member. Dr. Presson does all of the SIE interviews and writes the letters. The letters are edited by Ms. Loughlin and they go out under her name.
  • Summer after MCAT apply to medical school
  • Wait for secondary application requests and interviews
  • Spend the glide year taking additional courses and getting additional experience, in case you don't get in and have to apply again the following year.