Common Mistakes Made By Applicants
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Completing Your Application Late
While October 1 is
the deadline for your primary application, applicants should plan to complete
the entire application (including supporting documents, photos, fees, etc.) by
the end of the summer prior to the year of planned enrollment. This also
includes the timely submission of your Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
score(s).
Remember, applications are considered in the order in which they are
completed, not submitted. You should follow-up with anyone who is writing
letters on your behalf; make sure your MCAT scores are submitted and you have
sent the correct fee payment and photos to the Texas Medical and Dental Schools
Application Service (TMDSAS).
Apparent Lack of Knowledge of
Osteopathic Medicine
It is the expectation of the Admissions
Committee that applicants have at least some reasonable knowledge of the tenets
and practice of osteopathic medicine. It is the applicant's responsibility to
conduct research on the topic. Another method that has been proven to be
beneficial is spending time with a D.O. in practice.
Apparent
Lack of Knowledge of the Medical Profession
Since you are making a
long-term commitment of entering this profession, the Admissions Committee
expects applicants to have some knowledge of the nature of daily medical
practice as well as the social, economic and political issues surrounding the
medical profession. There are many issues surrounding patient care that go
beyond diagnosis and treatment such as liability insurance, federal or state
funding of medical care, research ethics or health insurance
systems.
Poorly Written Personal Statements
While
there is no template of what should be written on your personal statement,
applicants should be able to express their thoughts and ideas in an organized
and meaningful manner. Typically, we ask that applicants identify their
underlying motivation for a career in medicine, personal qualities they possess
that will benefit the profession and their future patients, potential careers
goals in medicine, and any components that they wish to highlight or address
such as other portions of the application like adverse changes in their academic
record or significant learning experiences that may have influenced their
development as a human being.
Using the Same Application from Last Year
The Admissions
Committee expects improvement on your reapplication. Do not submit the same
answers to your essays from the previous year. There should be new information
or experiences over the past year that can be incorporated into a new
application. Using 'cut and paste' indicates a lack of effort.
Not Retaking the MCAT When the Applicant Knows That Their Score is
Not Competitive
If you know that your MCAT score is far lower than
those who are gaining admission, you should consider retaking the test to gain a
higher score. This is especially true for those who have only taken it once.
Not Including Specific Information in Response to Activity
Questions
The Admissions Committee carefully evaluates your
extracurricular and health-related activities. Be sure to provide in-depth
information about them including the time-frame and number of hours per week.
Lack of information or providing inconsistent information does not present
itself well on your application.
Failing to Complete the Prerequisite Courses
The
prerequisite courses are required for admission. There is no policy on waiving
these requirements. Therefore, you should demonstrate on your application that
you will complete them no later than the first day of medical school. Some
medical schools may want them completed prior to your application so be sure to
read their guidelines carefully.
Demonstrating No Improvement from Last Year's
Application
If you were unsuccessful in your previous application,
you should evaluate how to improve your future application. On the TMDSAS
application, there is space to answer what you have done to improve your
application from the previous year. Do not leave this question blank. If you
have nothing to add, then you should be concerned about how your reapplication
will be perceived by the medical schools.
Submitting False or Misleading Information on the New
Application
Unfortunately, there are occasions that applicants
submit materials that either misinform the Admissions Committee or omit
information that was asked of them during the application process. It is the
best policy to be honest during the admissions process. Under the Certification
Page signed by applicants it states that you 'certify that the information in
this application and all attachments is complete and correct to the best of my
knowledge' and that failure to do so is grounds for 'rejection of my
application, withdrawal of any offer of acceptance, dismissal after enrollment,
or rescission of any degrees granted.'
Be sure to be complete and comprehensive in responding to questions on the application.
Quitting Activities after Graduation
While your lifestyle
may change after graduation (obtaining full-time employment), applicants are
expected to maintain some involvement in their community and health-related
service activities. It is our perspective that medicine is a profession of
service and we look to find those who continue to engage themselves in these
activities.
Applicants who do not Interview well
Since one of the key
components of medical practice is communication, interviews are a very important
part of the admissions process. TCOM utilizes a closed-file approach, which
means that interviewers do not have information regarding your grades or MCAT
scores.
This is a difficult area to assess since many applicants are not certain how they actually performed in their interview. However, if you were having difficulty answering questions or know that it is very difficult for you to communicate with strangers, then you may want to practice interviewing with friends or take a public speaking course to help you overcome any anxiety you may experience in an interview situation.
This page last updated Apr 18, 2008
