Non-Traditional Applicants

What is a non-traditional applicant?


This classification encompasses a large number of students ranging in experiences, background, and age. Some are recent college graduates who have decided to pursue "gap" years while others are career changers who may be in their 30s, 40s, or later. While seeking schools, do not be discouraged if the matriculation rate of non-traditional students is low. Some schools do not consider applicants non-traditional until they have been out of undergrad for at least a few years. Other statistics may not reflect a disproportionate amount of traditional applicants receiving admissions offers or a higher matriculation rate of non-traditional applicants. 

what's after college?

Below is a brief outline of some options non-traditional applicants may consider on their journey to medical school. These are very general and do not have to be completed in any specific order. 


special considerations


Career Changers

These individuals specifically will likely need to address parts one and two of the outline. (Keep in mind all prerequisites should be found on the admissions page of the desired medical school's website.) Even if they completed pre-med courses during college as required by their specific medical schools, people who have completed coursework more than 10 years prior to applying should be sure the school will accept less recent coursework. Additionally, they will need to ask the school about letters of evaluation as professors may not be able to write strong letters for students they knew several years prior.  In this case, the applicant may consider a post-baccalaureate program. 


In addition to coursework, depending on their background, these individuals may need to dedicate time to clinical experiences, research, or service. For example, someone who studied chemistry and worked in a clinical lab for several years may not have additional requirements to complete, but someone who studied accounting and worked as a CPA would have to complete coursework and build their resume with clinical and/or research experiences. 


Experiential Learning Years (AKA Gap Years)

The time between undergraduate and medical school will be anything but a break or a gap. These years will be used to build the best application you can put forth. Students are discouraged from taking gap years for a variety of reasons, but whether it's intentional or a circumstance of life, gap years can be very grounding and should not be fretted. 


It's difficult to decide whether to apply or wait. As long as you are productive, it can't hurt to wait, but applying prematurely with inadequate experience or credentials can hurt admissions and your morale. A good rule of thumb is that if you are not familiar with the application process, the requirements, and the deadlines, then you are not ready to apply.