A comprehensive review of clinical experiences and extracurricular activities for US premedical students applying to osteopathic medical schools

Abstract

Context: The healthcare industry faces a critical shortage of qualified physicians. To address this growing concern, medical schools nationwide are increasing their efforts to recruit and train premedical students to fill this gap. Those efforts include adequately preparing premedical students with the competencies and skills to meet the application requirements and gain acceptance to the medical school of their choosing. These requirements include a Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score at or above the mean of 504, a grade point average (GPA) at or above the mean of 3.61 for the total GPA and 3.53 for the science GPA. The application also requires demonstrating specific core competencies, including patient care, communication, and problem-solving skills evidenced by activities and achievements. Unfortunately, many premedical students are unsure of what activities and experiences fulfill these competencies, the expectations of medical school and clinical practice, and the roles and responsibilities in various settings. Therefore, early exposure and guidance when selecting these experiences and activities are vital in helping premedical students to make informed decisions and select experiences that align with their career goals. While obtaining clinical experiences can be challenging, these requirements may provide invaluable insights into the profession and fulfill competencies required for medical school admission. Furthermore, these experiences familiarize students with clinical and interprofessional settings early in their careers. Because premedical students are better equipped to gain admission to medical school, universities can expand their pool of qualified and adequately prepared candidates matriculating into medical training.

Objectives: This review aims to determine how US premedical osteopathic and allopathic students gain clinical experiences and extracurricular activities that enhance their application and increase their chances of admission into a medical school of their choice.

Methods: The authors conducted a comprehensive search of Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Scopus, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), and other databases for original peer-reviewed studies of undergraduate, premedical, and medical students in the United States utilizing the deconstruction technique. The authors utilized thematic analysis to unearth overarching themes from the results and outcomes of these studies.

Results: The authors reviewed 14 studies published between 2004 and 2022. The articles addressed two main themes: the types of clinical experiences and extracurricular activities that increase medical school admission and those that meet the critical competencies required for medical school and osteopathic practice. Activities such as shadowing, research, healthcare, and volunteering were identified repeatedly. Self-reporting, researcher bias, and low response rates were among the limitations. The six themes informed the tips: Shadowing, Health-related work experiences, Internships and achievements, Non-health-related work experiences, Extracurricular activities, and Community enrichment and Volunteering (SHINE-CV). The authors discuss acquiring these opportunities, navigating challenges, maximizing the skills and competencies gained, and demonstrating them in the medical school application.

Conclusions: This timely, systematic review provides an updated comprehensive summary of the clinical experiences and activities intended to help prepare premedical students for medical school, given the changing climate and increased competition in medical education. The study aims to fill a gap in the literature regarding best practices for premedical students in selecting and documenting these activities. Premedical students can utilize these tips to help prepare their medical school application and acquire the competencies required for medical school.

Keywords: admissions; clinical experiences; extracurricular; osteopathic; premedical.