Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School – Insider Review

Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School – Insider Review

Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School is one of the best

medical schools in the America, ranking number 75 in the 2011 US

World and News Report medical school rankings.

Larrick Overhead, West Side (Demolished)

If you are interested in getting accepted to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School, one of the top medical schools in the US, there are a lot of things that will

need to be in your application to make you a competitive applicant. Check out my page on admissions to understand what Virginia Commonwealth University medical school is looking for.

Getting accepted to a Top 100 Medical school like Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School is no easy feat. Good medical schools like this are very competitive. When you are going for a top medical school, medical school admissions coaching can help you make your dream of acceptance a reality.

The company I recommend is MedSchoolCoach.

This is a team of former medical school admissions committee members who are dedicated to helping you succeed as an applicant. They understand what medical schools are looking for and how to make you stand out. They have a number of programs available to fit your needs.

The MedSchoolCoach Gold Package has an amazing record of success, placing 100% of their students in an MD or DO school and 85% of their
students in an MD school.
It doesn’t get better than that! Also, click here for current deals from MedSchoolCoach.

Coaching can be expensive, but think of it as an investment. For whatever, you spend, you’ll get 30+ years of $150,000 to $500,000 as a doctor. That’s a great return on investment! Click here to check out MedSchoolCoach.

Now, back to information about this top medical school in the US!

  • Basic Information

    • Name: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
  • Accepts International Students: Yes
  • School Website: Click here

 

 

  • Admissions

    • About Average for Competitive. As with any of the best medical schools in America, Virginia Commonwealth University medical school admissions are competitive. However, it’s not as competitive as one of the top 10 medical schools or top 20 medical schools. For this an other good medical schools, you will need to have above average MCAT scores and a good GPA to be considered a competitive applicant. There were 6,222 applications for the 200 available seats in 2009.
  • Average MCAT: 31 (29.14 on
    website for 2009, 9.29 verbal reasoning, 9.69 physical sciences, 10.17 biological sciences)
  • Average GPA: 3.69 (3.6 on website for 2009)
  • Selection Factors. The selection factors for Virginia Commonwealth University medical school are very similar to those of other good medical schools and top medical schools in the US. They look for academic achievement, health care experience, community services, moral behavior, self-confidence, among other things. Click on these links to find out how to make these stand out on your interviews and personal statement.
  • Multiple programs available. As other good medical schools do, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School offers various combined degree programs for those interested. These include
    MD/MBA, MD/MPH, and MD/PhD.
  • For full information from the admissions website, click here
    • Financial

      • Tuition: $29,185 for VA residents/$43,648 for non-VA
      • Loans: Federal loans are available as with other US medical schools.
      • Scholarships: Similar to other medical schools, need-based scholarships are available with few merit-based scholarships. Click here to learn more about scholarships.
      • Cost of Living: The cost of living is very affordable. You can rent a 2 bedroom apartment for around
        $700.
    • Insider Information

    • Various ways to get to know the school. Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School has several ways for you to learn about this top medical school in the US that are unique. One is their “Virtual Open House,” so you can get to know some of the faculty and facilities from the comfort of your own home. You can also arrange a small group tour of the campus. There is also a “collegiate summer economics institute,” where two students receive mentoring from school of medicine faculty.
    • Guaranteed Admission Program Available. This is a very unique opportunity in medical school
      admissions. Undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University may enroll in the Guaranteed Admission Program of the Honors College (22 students per year). Those who successfully complete this program will have, as the name suggests, guaranteed admission to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School. Talk about an inside track to one of the best medical schools in America! Plus, the undergraduate tuition for this program which is affiliated with a very good medical school is very affordable. Only $8,809 for VA residents, $21,949 for non-residents. For more information on this great program, click here.
    • Dedication to underserved populations. Virginia Commonwealth University medical schools offers the International/Inner City/Rural Preceptorship. This is a great program that allows students to choose either an urban or rural underserved track and gives students the chance to help those who have less access to health care. Students may also qualify for loan repayment programs for participating in this program. Now that’s a great deal!
    • Year-out Program for Biomedical Research. This is a great opportunity for students interested in research. After the second or third year of medical school, you have the option of taking a year off for research. At the end of this program, you will receive a Masters Degree. In addition, Virginia Commonwealth University medical school will pay your tuition and give you a $15,000 stipend during this year. Wow! This is a great program for those interested in research, in my mind making this school one of the top medical schools in the US if you’re interested in research.
    • Post-baccalaureate Research Year. This is a great opportunity for students from underrepresented groups who want to continue to graduate training. This is a year-long paid research experience that will help students be competitive applicants for advanced training in biomedical sciences.
    • More traditional curriculum. As at other good medical schools, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School curriculum focuses on certain blocks such as bioethics, human genetics, physiology and histology during the first year. During the second year, you study pathology more on an organ-systems basis.
    • Solid residency placement. According to the school’s website, 66% of students got their first choice residency program in 2008, 97% matched into one of their top three programs. This is the true mark of one of the best medical schools in America and really the purpose for medical school.
    • Popular school for BYU students. This is pretty specific information, but coming from BYU, many students applied to and were accepted at VCU. So, somewhere to look at if you’re coming out of BYU like I did.

    Summary

    Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School offers great programs and earns its title as one of the best medical schools in America. It offers a guaranteed admissions program, which is a huge benefit to those going to VCU as undergrads. You also have great opportunities for paid research, whish is pretty rare and sets VCU apart as one of the top medical schools in the US. VCU graduates match into what they want, which is very important as you are evaluating medical schools. In my opinion, this is a great choice for your medical school education. For more on choosing your best medical school, click here.

    Get Accepted to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School

    The medical school admissions process can be very difficult. Getting into your best medical school is not something that you should leave to chance! This site is designed to help you get into the school of your choice, maybe that’s UCLA medical school like me! Check out my admissions page for understanding the admissions process.

    Some students find it useful to employ a service to help them with getting into medical school. There are many companies that will help you with this, but my recommendation is MedSchoolCoach.

    MedSchoolCoach is run by doctors with experience on admissions committees. This makes a big difference as many companies are run by business people or others without this essential experience. They also have an excellent track record, placing 100% of students in an MD or DO program and 87% in an MD program for those who sign up for their gold package. They also offer help with personal statements , interviews and help on choosing which schools to apply to. They are the company I recommend.

    I also like them because their prices are very affordable compared to other companies you could choose. Also, click here for current deals from MedSchoolCoach. You can also specifically request my services when you sign up. I’d be happy to help you!

     

    Return from Virginia Commonwealth Univeristy Medical School to Best Medical Schools

    Return to Medical School Insider