Application Process 2009
The
Application Process
Applicants
are advised that it is in their best interest to initiate the application
process outlined below as early as possible and well before the December 1
deadline. The applicant must assume all responsibility for determining whether
the required information has been submitted and received on time.
Applicants
must begin the application process by completing an AMCAS application on line
and designating the University of Miami Miller School of
Medicine as the institution to which the application is to be forwarded.
AMCAS
Application
AMCAS
applications are available only on the web. For information about the AMCAS
application process and to open an account to complete an AMCAS application, go
to:
http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas
This
site also contains information about AMCAS deadlines, application fees, the fee
assistance program, policies and procedures, frequently asked
questions, and has links to sites that will help you find a pre-health
advisor.
MCAT
Exam
MCAT
scores are necessary to complete your application. Applicants must take the
MCAT exam no later than the fall proceeding the year in which they hope to
enroll in the
For
information about the MCAT exam, registration dates and procedures, a list of test
dates, practice tests, and the MCAT fee structure and assistance program, go
to:
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat
Secondary
Application
The
AMCAS application is used to identify applicants about whom the Committee on
Admissions would like more information. All
All
applicants who complete the secondary application must also provide a recent
photograph (passport sized, 2" x 3") of themselves. Photos sent as
email attachments are unacceptable. Permanent residents of the
Letters
of Recommendation
Letters
of recommendation should be submitted through AMCAS. The Committee on
Admissions requires either a letter of evaluation from the premedical advisory
committee at your school (greatly preferred), or three letters of
recommendation from faculty members who can provide an evaluation both of your
academic ability and of your personal qualifications for a career in medicine.
Both issues should be addressed in all individual letters of recommendation.
Individual faculty members should also indicate in what capacity they have
known you, for how long they have known you, and how well they know you. It is
also helpful if they describe how you compare with other candidates for whom
they have written letters.
In
addition to the letters described above, applicants may submit a maximum of two
more letters to support their application. These letters may not be substituted
for the required letters. Letters that can add substantially to the overall
picture of you as a candidate for medical school are most desirable. Letters
from relatives and friends of the family, roommates or teaching assistants, or
elected officials are strongly discouraged unless they can provide truly unique
information about you that is not available from other sources.
Screening
Each
completed application is scored independently by three members of the
Admissions Committee. Factors scored at this point include science GPAs, MCAT
scores, diversity of life experiences and accomplishments, the meaningfulness
of patient contact experiences, and the quality of letters of recommendation.
Screening scores are added and used to place the applicant on a ranked list of
applicants to be invited for an interview. Applicants with the highest scores
are invited first. This process continues until all available interview slots
have been filled.
Interviews
An
evaluation interview conducted on the medical campus by a member of the
Admissions Committee is an integral part of our selection process. Interviews
are conducted only at the request of the Office of Admissions and are generally
held on selected Mondays and Fridays between the middle of September and the
end of April. Because it is important for prospective students to see
The
Committee gives careful consideration to many factors when evaluating
candidates for admission. Some of these factors are:
Academic
and mental preparedness to study medicine
Breadth
of life experiences
Demonstrated
interest in and experiences in direct patient care
Interpersonal
skill level
Source
and degree of motivation
Maturity
The
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine uses an
interval-based admissions process. This means that the Committee meets at regular
intervals between October and May and at each meeting candidates may be
accepted, placed on the alternate list, or rejected. Applicants are notified of
the outcome initially by email, followed by an official hard-copy letter.
Inasmuch as the Admissions Committee is the duly appointed body representing
the collective expertise of the faculty of the Miller School of Medicine, all
Committee decisions are final.
