Contingency Planning

Gaining admission to a medical school is a competitive process, and some candidates are considered to be more competitive than others for a variety of reasons. While all applicants do their best to get into medical school, the reality is that not all applicants will be successful. (Currently, there are more than two applicants per seat nationwide.) If you are not accepted, you will be faced with the dilemma of whether to apply again or choose another career.

If you need to strengthen your academic profile prior to reapplying, you may want to learn more about post-baccalaureate and master’s level programs for medical school-bound students.

One option for some students who failed to gain admission to a U.S. medical school is to explore foreign medical schools. Consider this option carefully and meet with a pre-medical counselor in The Career Center to discuss opportunities and implications of this choice further.

Deciding what is best is a very personal process. You might consider other careers in the health professions or you might want to explore something completely different. In either case, you may find beneficial to meet with a counselor in The Career Center to discuss your next steps.