Application Season Costs

Whether you’re premed or a med student, applying for the next phase of your medical training can be costly. The major costs associated with these applications fall into three categories:

Application Cost

• For premeds, there’s the cost of taking the MCAT as well the cost of test prep materials, should you decide to purchase one. I count this cost as part of the application cost because MCAT scores are a required part of med school applications. The next cost is that of primary applications. The AAMC has an explanation of primary application costs on their website and the overall cost is largely based on the number of schools you are applying to. If you’re applying broadly as you should be doing as an International, it is very easy for your primary applications fees to surpass $1000. This is then followed by secondary application fees from schools that are considering offering you an interview. Secondary application fees range from $70-200 per school so it doesn't hurt to identify the Secondary fees for the schools you’re applying to early in the process so you have no surprises later on.

• For medical students, USMLE board exam fees and test prep material costs are included in the Cost of Attendance for medical school so I don't count them as part of the application cost. Thankfully, there are no secondary applications for residency programs. Your ERAS application fee depends on how many specialties you’re applying into and how many programs you’re applying to in each specialty. Again the fee system for ERAS is explained on the AAMC website. With the minimum amount of programs that is likely safe for an international applicant, you will easily run into $1000+ in ERAS application fees.

Travel & Accommodation.

The COVID pandemic came with a lot of negatives. However, a positive, if there is one, is that applicants across the board don’t have to spend exorbitant amounts of money flying across the country for interviews this cycle. Travel cost easily constitutes a huge chunk of application costs.

For when travel becomes an option again, it helps to plan your interviews by region so that flying or driving fees are consolidated. My largest expenditures during residency interview season were the several flights from the East Coast to the West Coast and back because the dates never worked out for regional grouping. So try to group but bear in mind, especially for residency interviews, that it might not work out.

If you know someone who could offer you a couch for a night or two, do that instead of a getting a hotel room. Hotel costs can add up pretty quickly and it is a less satisfying use of money if you don’t even stay for 24 hours before checking out. AirBnB is a slightly less expensive private accommodation option if you’re the kind of person that likes your space before interviews. For premeds, many schools offer free housing with their medical students - don’t be shy to take them up on the offer and save some money while getting to know potential future colleagues.

Interview Clothing

My philosophy is to not be extravagant with this expense but to ensure that it is a good investment. For medical school interviews, all you need is a decent looking suit that will last the rigors of a short stint of intense use, as well as a good pair of walking shoes. Two shirts or blouses work well for alternating and it may cost a little more to buy wrinkle free-material but it should be nothing too expensive. My clothing budget for medical school interviews was $150.

If you invest in a good suit and don’t grow any further, you might be able to use it again for residency interviews. No one is keeping track of your suits - only you are. I suggest two pairs of suits for residency interviews because if you have several back-to-back interviews, as is sometimes the case, it would be nice not to have to wear a wrinkly smelly suit. I invested in some nicer looking blouses because residency interviews are job interviews so I wanted to present a “nicer looking” version of myself. Again, they were wrinkle-free to withstand the throes of traveling. My clothing budget for the interview season was ~$300.

Even though you’ll likely be interviewing only in “top-half” outfits because interviews are via video calls this year, it is important to still look as professional as possible so it doesn’t hurt to invest in some professional clothing - we’ll need bottoms again in the future (LOL).

Fastforward

If all goes well, you get into a medical school or residency program. Depending on the geographical parameters within which you applied, you are likely headed somewhere that is at least a different city than you currently live in, if not a different state entirely. With medical school, you at least have the option of picking your top choice (and the related geographical location) once your acceptances are in. With residency, you get assigned a final destination through the Match without room for choosing among options. Consequently, you’re more likely to end up in a location that is in a different state than your current one, especially if you are applying as broadly as is required for international med students. Regardless of what situation you’re in, moving to a new state can be costly. Besides the cost of your transportation (air or road), there’s the additional cost of shipping your belongings. If you have a vehicle that you need at your new location, that is also another cost to consider. Ensure you do some research as to the cost of moving to your potential new locations so you’re not caught by surprise once it actually comes time to move.

The application process is costly but planning ahead, taking cost-saving measures and knowing what your potential expenses are makes it a lot less financially stressful. At the end of the day, it’s an investment in your future.

In Solidarity,

Tinu