Medical schools want to know that you are a great student in addition to being passionate and enthusiastic about your medical career. Your Objective Statement should reflect that passion, but it should boil down to a single unique quality that will make you a valuable part of any med school and perhaps clarify your future career trajectory. For example, if you are interested in research, mold your statement to reflect how you plan to help people through the gift of medicine, or your desire to find solutions to every problem.

On average, less than half of med school applicants are accepted, and most students will have a prestigious internship. Even if you only had one internship, be sure to get the most out of it on your resume. Instead of “worked close with doctors, nurses and patients,” say something along the lines of “administered medical injections for more effective patient support. Analyzed blood samples for more sophisticated data entry.” Remember that almost all interns are required to do some kind of administrative work, but that doesn’t sound impressive on a resume and colleges really won’t care who the fastest filer in the class will be – so leave it out.

Key Points to Keep in Mind:

• Stay away from generic – if your resume is vaguely similar to the last 50 resumes an admissions officer has read, it’s not going to stand out. Be specific and ensure your Objective Statement reflects your goals as an individual.
• Share the details – the admissions officers will have no idea what you did at your internship or how valuable you were to the hospital unless you tell them. Ensure your descriptions are detailed and stay away from generic duties (like filing, cleaning, etc.).
• Showcase the scores – a high MCAT score could be the most important factor of your resume. The average score is a 30 for accepted students, but competitive medical schools are usually in the 33-36 range. If your GPA is stronger than your MCAT, showcase that solid number near the top of your resume.