Students apply to medical school more than one year before they plan to matriculate. About two-thirds of our students apply in the summer between their junior and senior year; one-third apply the summer after their senior year. Study abroad is an option in all colleges, but this might result in taking a year off between graduation and medical school. This later time may be particularly suitable for students who are not on campus their junior year, who want to improve their academic or experiential credentials, or who believe that a year between Cornell and professional school will benefit their personal and professional goals. Study away students should consult with their college's premed advisor to determine timing of their medical school application, given their major and these other factors.

Study Away and HCEC

The Health Careers Evaluation Committee (HCEC) prepares the letter of evaluation most medical/dental schools request of applicants. Candidates are urged to register with the HCEC early in the spring semester of the year they plan to begin the application process.

The usual non-Study Away timeline

November (early)        HCEC Orientation
January/February        HCEC Registration—Step I
March (early)                HCEC Registration—Step II
March (mid)                Deadline for letters of
                                  recommendation
April-May                     Interview with the HCEC

Study away students, however, will have somewhat different timing and procedures than the above used by on-campus registrants. These procedures and timing follow.

HCEC procedures for students away Fall Semester

View HCEC Orientation video available on the web.
Review materials on the HCEC website.
Register with HCEC in January/early February and follow the usual HCEC spring semester timeline.

HCEC procedures for students away Spring Semester

Attend HCEC Orientation in November.
Follow all but the first step as outlined for students who will be away for the entire academic year.

HCEC procedure for students away the entire academic year

View the HCEC Orientation video on the web.
Review the HCEC website materials.
Register with HCEC, by postal mail in January. Forms can be downloaded (pdf) from the Undergraduate Procedures on the HCEC webpage.
Stay in touch with the HCEC via e-mail. Give the HCEC your address/e-mail with complete temporary and permanent contact information as well as a permanent address.
Once registered, use the online HCEC online file check to determine if materials submitted to your file have been received and when your file is complete.
Schedule an appointment for the interview directly with the HCEC office. You can choose between an internet video interview (e.g. Skype, IChat, etc.) or an Ithaca interview.

NOTE: It is possible to send the HCEC all student information electronically. Please request permission from the HCEC Assistant Director before doing so.

Coursework: Planning for Study Abroad

If possible, complete the science course prerequisites for medical school (introductory biology, introductory chemistry, organic chemistry, and introductory physics) before going abroad. These courses should be taken at U.S. institutions to ensure you have covered topics you will encounter on the MCAT and/or have the appropriate prerequisite course(s) for any upper division courses you plan to take.

Cornell Abroad, 300 Caldwell Hall, can guide you in choosing a study abroad program suitable to your previous study, language and culture interests, and your premed goals. Cornell study abroad options include programs run directly through Cornell, college-specific exchange programs, programs sponsored by other American institutions, and direct enrollment through Cornell in universities overseas. Biology majors will find options outlined for them on the Cornell Abroad website.

Study Abroad course credit

You must enroll in a full course load abroad. A full course load typically translates into 15 credits for a semester and 30 credits a year. You must apply through Cornell Abroad with the approval of your college. Courses taken abroad must be taken for credit and be completed with the equivalent of a Cornell "C" or better. This is the case whether you participate in a Cornell-run program, a program sponsored externally by another U.S. institution, or in a direct enrollment option at a university overseas. Grades, total credits (either 15 or 30), and course titles for your completed study abroad courses will be transferred to your Cornell transcript in the same format in which they are received from your program or overseas university-either in the familiar American letter grade system or the foreign grading system, which varies amoung study abroad programs and universities. Your study abroad grades will not be averaged into your Cornell grade point average.

Course credit and the medical school application

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) is used to apply to most American medical schools. All letter grades recorded in the American scale (A, B, C, D, or F) for course work taken on a study abroad program and transferred to Cornell as outlined above will be included in your AMCAS composite GPA. All grades recorded in a foreign grading system (used by a French or Spanish university, for example) will not be recorded in your AMCAS GPA; these foreign grades will not be recorded within your accumulated Pass/Fail semester hours.

For complete details on the AMCAS policies contact AMCAS directly at 202/828-0600 or amcas@aamc.org.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

See the MCAT website for foreign test centers, dates, and online registration.

Applying to medical school

AMCAS is available online in April/May and accepts applications beginning in June. It is best to apply early in the summer. If you will be away in the spring semester, listen to the audios "How to Choose Medical/Dental Schools..." and "How to Apply to Medical/Dental Schools: AMCAS and others...." They are in the Audio Programs link of the Health Careers web page. This will allow you to make a tentative selection of schools where you may want to apply.

Other sources of information

Cornell Health Careers Guide for Applicants
Sophomore Orientation, audio available in the Career Library, 103 Barnes Hall and in the Media Programs link of the Health Careers web page.

Contact Information

Judy Jensvold, Health Careers Advisor
Address: 103 Barnes Hall
Walk-in hours: 3:00—4:00 pm, Monday—Thursday
2:00—4:00 pm, Fridays
E-mail: jmj5@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/255-0542 (4:00—4:30 pm most afternoons)
Fax: 607/255-7946

Janet Snoyer, Health Careers Evaluation Committee
Address: 203 Barnes Hall
E-mail: js100@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/255-5045
Fax: 607/255-3060

Richard Gaulton, Director, Cornell Abroad
Address: 300 Caldwell Hall
Walk-in hours: 1:30—3:30 pm, Monday—Friday
E-mail: rhg7@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/255-6224
Fax: 607/255-8700

Kristen A. Grace, Associate Director, Cornell Abroad
Address: 300 Calwell Hall
Walk-in hours: 1:30—3:30 pm, Monday—Friday
E-mail: kag7@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/255-6224
Fax: 607/255-8700

Bonnie Shelley, Study Abroad Advisor, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Address: 140 Roberts Hall
E-mail: brs9@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/254-5386
Fax: 607/254-4613

Christine Potter, Study Abroad & Exchange Advisor, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Address: 140 Roberts Hall
E-mail: cmp58@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/254-5386

Patricia Wasyliw, Study Abroad Advisor and Assistant Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Address: 55 Goldwin Smith Hall
E-mail: pw36@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/255-5792
Fax: 607/255-5797

Fran Shumway, Director of Advising, College of Engineering
Address: 167 Olin Hall
E-mail: fss2@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/255-7414
Fax: 607/255-9297

Paul Fisher, Study Abroad Advisor, College of Human Ecology
Address: 172 MVR
E-mail: psf1@cornell.edu
Phone: 607/255-5471
Fax: 607/255-2293

103 Barnes Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607/255-5221

career@cornell.edu