You have decided to apply to medical school. Acceptance to medical school is very competitive and the process is long, tedious, and sometimes very frustrating but well worth the trouble if you are serious about going to medical school. It is very important that you keep track of your progress and keep on schedule if you plan on entering medical school after four years of undergraduate school, otherwise you may find yourself spending an extra year or two after you graduate before you get admitted to medical school.
The steps involved in applying and getting accepted into the medical school of your choice include (not necessarily in this order):
Completion of required courses
Participating in extracurricular activities which including clinical experience, working in a research lab, being a member of clubs, community service, sports, etc.
Letters of recommendation (most often from science professors and physicians)
Taking the MCAT exam
Selecting medical schools to which you want to apply
Submitting application(s):
a. AMCAS : American Medical College Application Service
b. AACOMAS : American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service
c. TMDSAS : Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Services
d. Individual medical schools
Sending in secondary (supplemental) applications
Interviews at schools by their invitation
It is very important that you pay particular attention to each of these steps and that each step is carefully planned and carried out. It is extremely important that you pay attention to deadlines. There is always a chance that something will go wrong during this process and if you plan ahead of deadlines you have time to make corrections.
You may not get into medical school right out of undergraduate school. If that is the case, then you need to give serious thought on how to improve your application for the next time that you apply. It doesnt make sense to reapply without doing something to improve your application. This may include retaking the MCAT, entering a special program such as a masters degree program that specializes in anatomy or physiology (there are several such programs throughout the country), working in a research lab at a medical school, or a combination of the above.