Build a Strong Foundation With a Clear Roadmap to Med School

Work with a dedicated advisor to strengthen your academic profile, plan your MCAT, and gain experiences that help you stand out to med schools.
Your Pre-Med Roadmap
Sophomore · Spring
Course Plan
Biology · chemistry · GPA protection
Done
Clinical Volunteering
Hospital volunteer role
Done
Physician Shadowing
Outreach to 3 physicians
In Progress
Research
Lab position with a professor
Up Next
MCAT Plan
Test date and study schedule
Up Next
New Plan From Dr. Jenna H.
Former Admissions Officer, Penn Perelman School of Medicine

What Medical Schools Look for Before You Apply

Admissions committees read your whole record: grades, test scores, and years of experience inside and outside the classroom. These are the areas your advisor helps you build.

Academics

Your GPA, the rigor of your coursework and how well you do in science prerequisites.

How We HelpCourse planning, GPA protection and study strategies.
MCAT

A standardized exam covering biology, chemistry, physics, psychology and critical reasoning.

How We HelpTest date guidance and a study schedule built around your courses.
Clinical Experience

Hands-on time with patients that shows you understand what care involves.

How We HelpFinding roles that fit your schedule, plus outreach and résumé help.
Physician Shadowing

Observing physicians at work to understand the day-to-day reality of medicine.

How We HelpIdentifying physicians to shadow and tracking your hours.
Service & Leadership

Sustained commitment to your community and growing responsibility over time.

How We HelpMatching opportunities to your interests and planning leadership roles.
Research

Asking questions, working through problems and sharing what you find.

How We HelpLab shortlists, outreach scripts and support toward posters or publication.

Where Are You in Your Journey?

Pick your stage to see how your advising is structured.

For FreshmenPre-Med Advising

Start with the right courses and habits, and explore medicine early so every later step builds on the first.

Build Your Program→
Your Dedicated Advisor WillExpand AllCollapse All
1
Persona Assessment & Profile Development
Meet your dedicated physician advisor
In-depth intake call to understand your background and needs
Discuss your preferred communication style, preferences, and goals
Undergo a persona assessment to uncover unique experiences, traits, and stories
Receive a comprehensive list of key takeaways about your candidacy
Use these takeaways to form the foundation of your application narrative
Pinpoint areas for improvement based on your assessment
Discuss short-term and long-term goals
Get a customized project plan to oversee all parts of your program
Receive monthly, quarterly, and yearly roadmaps for success
Regular profile-building sessions and check-ins
Get a written action plan to work toward academic, volunteering, leadership, and clinical goals
Receive a personalized improvement plan after every session
See your progress as you check off to-dos on your lists
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2
Academic Advising & Course Selection
Have your full academic transcript reviewed
Get insights into GPA trends
Understand red flags in your transcript
Receive school research on pre-med courses & GPA requirements
Guidance on which major and minor(s) would maximize GPA
Get a course plan encompassing all medical school course requirements
Map out an optimal course sequence balancing rigor with GPA protection
Get guidance on how to raise your GPA
Insights into avoiding common academic pitfalls
Start planning for MD/DO admissions based on GPA trends
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3
Academic Skill Development
Pinpoint specific academic weaknesses based on your transcript
Receive a plan on how to boost skills, such as reading comprehension or critical reasoning
Get recommendations for how to build time management and test-taking skills
Hone your skills with proven study technique
Receive strategies for maximizing office hours and other college resources
Stay on track with continual academic performance monitoring
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4
Academic Enrichment Outside of College
Evaluate your college’s course offerings
They will also assess your school’s academic opportunities
Receive a list of academic programs and courses outside your college
Use this list to find unique opportunities that interest you
Guidance on applying to academic courses or opportunities outside of school
Get all your application documents edited to perfection
Determine whether medical school is right for you
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5
MCAT Planning
Get your baseline knowledge in biology, chemistry, and physics assessed
Evaluate your school schedule and personal timeline
Receive recommendations on the length of your MCAT study schedule
Get guidance on choosing an MCAT test date
Receive a comprehensive MCAT study schedule
Meet for progress and readiness checkpoints
Get access to practice tests
Review your MCAT progress regularly
Planning course sequence to gain foundational MCAT knowledge sooner and avoid a gap year
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6
Leadership & School Positioning
Audit current leadership activities and profile gaps based on your persona assessment
Identify leadership opportunities at your college
Brainstorm personal initiatives to demonstrate initiative and impact
Guidance on writing proposals to your college for new initiatives
Proposal editing for concision and clarity
Get ideas for personal projects
Receive detailed plans on how to launch personal leadership projects
Support for applying to leadership roles
Get leadership and extracurricular hour tracking and summaries
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7
Volunteering (Clinical & Non-Clinical)
Your persona assessment will showcase your passions and interests
Delve deeper into your passions and decide which values resonate with you
Get research on organizations that align with your values/interests
Guidance on how many hours to allot to volunteer positions
Insights into how clinical vs. non-clinical volunteering will impact your candidacy
Learn how to contact organizations and build a network
Guidance on completing volunteering applications
High-level edits on volunteer application components
Get recommendations on long-term opportunities that demonstrate commitment
Attend reflection sections on skills acquired
Summarize meaningful stories for essays
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8
Shadowing Rotations & Clinical Exposure
Search for local physicians and hospital positions
Choose which physicians you would like to shadow
Use shadow request templates
Get support to successfully cold-call or email doctors
Have your accumulated hours tracked
Discuss ethical observation, note-taking, and reflection writing
Get support for every stage of creating clinical experience applications
Get red-line edits on clinical experience applications
Determine possible future specialties based on experiences
Receive school recommendations catering to specific specialties
Receive a plan on how to pivot to PA, dental, or vet school if you change your mind
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9
Research Opportunities
Identify your interests and passions based on your persona assessment
Match your passions with potential research interests
Receive a shortlist of relevant labs and possible mentors
Get cold outreach email and cold call scripts
Receive networking tips and tricks
Brainstorm and build research opportunity applications
Get all your research position applications edited for concision and impact
Receive guidelines for research goal timelines
Guidance on poster presentations
Receive research publication support and advice
Coaching to undertake project leadership
Receive feedback on written abstracts and manuscripts
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1
Your Team
Dedicated physician advisor
Personalized improvement plan after every session
Progress tracking
2
Personalized Gap Year Strategy
Comprehensive assessment of your academic background, experiences, interests, and medical school goals
Identification of strengths and gaps to prioritize before applying
Guidance on balancing employment, clinical exposure, service, research, and MCAT preparation
Personalized gap-year roadmap with clear priorities, milestones, and an application timeline
Evaluation of opportunities based on their relevance to your goals, qualifications, time commitments, and financial needs
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3
Clinical Experience & Physician Shadowing
Personalized recommendations for clinical employment and volunteering aligned with your experience and qualifications
Guidance on evaluating patient-facing opportunities and understanding any training or certification requirements
Support with opportunity searches, outreach, résumés, cover letters, and interview preparation
Guidance on identifying physicians and pursuing appropriate shadowing opportunities
Coaching on reflecting on patient interactions, healthcare teamwork, and physician responsibilities while respecting patient privacy
Ongoing support in deepening clinical involvement and learning from your experiences
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4
Community Service, Leadership & Research
Identification of sustained community service opportunities aligned with your interests and community needs
Guidance on building meaningful contributions and increasing responsibility within existing commitments
Support in developing leadership through work, service, or community initiatives
Assessment of whether research fits your interests, preparation needs, and prospective schools
Guidance on identifying and pursuing suitable research opportunities where relevant
Support in documenting contributions, accomplishments, and personal growth
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5
Medical Career Exploration & Direction
Exploration of medical specialties, practice settings, and potential career paths
Discussion of daily responsibilities, patient relationships, working styles, and career progression
Exploration of earning potential alongside training duration, educational costs, and lifestyle considerations
Guidance on preparing for informational conversations with physicians and other healthcare professionals
Guided reflection on clinical and service experiences to clarify your motivations for medicine
Development of a grounded understanding of the physician’s role and how it aligns with your goals
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6
Academic, MCAT & Recommender Readiness
Review of your academic record and prerequisite completion against prospective medical school requirements
Personalized recommendations for additional coursework or academic skill development where appropriate
MCAT preparation and testing timeline aligned with your commitments and intended application cycle
Guidance on maintaining relationships with professors and identifying suitable clinical, service, or research recommenders
Support in reconnecting with potential recommenders and keeping them informed of your progress
Organization of experiences, responsibilities, and accomplishments for future application development
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7
Medical School Preparation & Application Readiness
Introduction to the medical school experience, including science coursework, clinical skills, clerkships, examinations, and feedback
Overview of how research, service, student organizations, and career exploration fit alongside academic demands
Guidance on maintaining academic momentum and transitioning into full-time medical education
Preliminary school exploration aligned with your profile, interests, geographic preferences, and school missions
Final assessment of your progress and recommendation on application timing
Preparation of a gap-year accomplishments summary and strategic handoff into application support
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1
Your Team
Dedicated physician advisor
Personalized improvement plan after every session
Progress tracking
2
Career Transition Assessment
Personalized assessment of your career background, interests, and motivations for pursuing medicine
Exploration of what feels missing in your current career—from meaningful patient interaction and intellectual challenge to professional growth and impact
Guidance on how a medical education could build on your experience and open opportunities in patient care, research, education, and healthcare leadership
Clarification of your long-term goals and the value a career in medicine could bring to your next professional chapter
Customized career-to-medicine preparation roadmap
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3
Professional Experience & Profile Development
Comprehensive review of your professional accomplishments, leadership, service, and community involvement
Identification of transferable strengths, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and responsibility
Guidance on connecting your existing experience to the competencies expected of future medical students
Personalized recommendations to address gaps in your experiences and demonstrate sustained commitment to medicine
Support in documenting meaningful achievements, contributions, and lessons learned
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4
Medical Career Exploration & Direction
Exploration of medical specialties, practice settings, and career paths aligned with your interests
Discussion of daily responsibilities, working styles, patient relationships, and how your existing background could connect to medical practice
Exploration of earning potential and career progression alongside training duration, educational costs, and lifestyle considerations
Guidance on identifying physicians for informational interviews and shadowing outreach
Guided reflection on clinical experiences to clarify why you want to become a physician
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5
Clinical Exposure & Service Alongside Your Career
Personalized recommendations for clinical employment, volunteering, and physician shadowing based on your schedule and qualifications
Guidance on distinguishing opportunities to observe physicians from experiences involving patient interaction
Support with opportunity searches, outreach, résumés, and interviews for selected roles
Identification of meaningful community service opportunities aligned with your interests and local needs
Ongoing guidance on balancing employment, clinical exposure, service, and academic preparation
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6
Academic Foundations & MCAT Planning
Review of your academic record and prerequisite coursework against prospective medical school requirements
Identification of missing coursework and areas where recent academic preparation may be helpful
Guidance on evaluating individual courses and structured postbaccalaureate options based on your preparation needs
Personalized course sequencing and study planning around professional responsibilities
MCAT preparation and testing timeline coordinated with coursework and your intended application cycle
Strategies to strengthen scientific reasoning, study habits, and academic confidence
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7
Medical School Transition & Admissions Readiness
Introduction to the medical school experience, including foundational science learning, clinical skills, clerkships, examinations, and feedback
Overview of the pathway through medical school, residency, and potential fellowship training
Planning for returning to school, managing personal responsibilities, and transitioning from employment into full-time study
Comparison of estimated education costs, foregone income, and the longer training timeline
Guidance on developing academic, clinical, and professional recommender relationships based on school requirements
Final readiness assessment and strategic handoff into application support
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1
Your Team
Dedicated physician advisor
Personalized improvement plan after every session
Progress tracking
2
Previous Application Cycle Assessment
Comprehensive review of your previous primary and secondary applications, school list, submission timing, and outcomes
Evaluation of how effectively your materials communicated your experiences, competencies, and motivations for medicine
Review of your academic record, MCAT history, clinical exposure, service, research, and recommendations
Assessment of interview preparation and performance based on available feedback and your reflections
Identification of observable weaknesses and possible contributing factors to prior outcomes
Guidance on seeking and interpreting admissions feedback where available
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3
Personalized Candidacy Improvement Plan
Prioritization of the changes most relevant to strengthening your next application
Personalized strategies to address academic weaknesses, including evaluation of additional coursework or academic enhancement programs where appropriate
Assessment of whether an MCAT retake or revised preparation strategy should be prioritized
Recommendations for strengthening clinical exposure, service, leadership, or research based on your specific gaps
Development of a realistic improvement timeline with clear milestones
Guidance on choosing between immediate reapplication and allowing more time for substantive improvement
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4
Clinical Experience, Service & Profile Development
Assessment of the depth, continuity, and learning demonstrated through your existing clinical and service experiences
Guidance on identifying and pursuing opportunities that address specific weaknesses in your candidacy
Support with outreach, résumés, cover letters, and interviews for selected opportunities
Coaching on increasing responsibility and making meaningful contributions within existing commitments
Evaluation of whether research experience would support your interests and target-school fit
Regular accountability meetings to review progress, address obstacles, and refine your plan
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5
Medical Career Direction & Motivation
Clarification of your reasons for pursuing medicine and how your understanding has developed since your previous application
Exploration of physician responsibilities, practice settings, and career paths relevant to your interests
Discussion of career progression, earning potential, training demands, and lifestyle considerations
Guidance on pursuing physician conversations and clinical exposure to deepen your understanding of patient care
Reflection on experiences that demonstrate service orientation, resilience, teamwork, and commitment to medicine
Development of a clearer, experience-backed explanation of why you want to become a physician
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6
Academic & Medical School Readiness
Review of prerequisite completion and academic preparation against prospective school requirements
Strategies to strengthen scientific reasoning, study routines, time management, and readiness for demanding coursework
MCAT preparation and testing timeline where further testing is part of your improvement plan
Introduction to medical school learning, clinical skills development, clerkships, examinations, and feedback
Guidance on returning to academic study after time in the workforce, where relevant
Planning for balancing preparation with employment, service, and personal responsibilities
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7
Reapplication Readiness & Next-Cycle Strategy
Assessment of what has materially improved since your previous application and where further preparation is needed
Guidance on documenting new accomplishments, deeper responsibilities, and lessons learned
Reassessment of school targets based on your updated profile, school missions, career goals, and preferences
Guidance on whether to retain, supplement, or replace previous recommenders
Recommendation on application timing based on demonstrated progress and readiness
Preparation of a “what has changed” summary and strategic handoff into application support
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Start With Advising, Add What You Need, See Your Price

Choose your advising tier, then add MCAT tutoring, research, shadowing or application support in the same program. Flexible extended payment plans are available.

Build Your Program→
Pre-Med Advising
MCAT Tutoring
Research & Publication
Physician Shadowing
Application Support

Meet a Few of the Former Medical School Admissions Officers You Could Work With

All of our 400+ med school admissions consultants are physicians and former medical school admissions officers with firsthand experience reviewing applications at the nation’s top medical schools. Our advisors know exactly what admissions committees look for in strong applicants, and use these insider insights to strengthen every part of your application. 

How We Help Students Get Into Top Medical Schools

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