Bio

Dr. Paul Toote became a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in 2001, after graduating from Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, where he was both a class president as well as Graduation Class Dinner Speaker. He was certified as an Emergency Medicine Physician by the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine in 2009 and was also the recipient of the Highest Achievement Award from the Dale Carnegie Effective Communications and Human Relations Course.

While serving as an Emergency Medicine Physician at leading hospitals and medical centers in communities all across Texas, including Corpus Christi, Amarillo, San Antonio, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Paris, Dr. Toote found he was energized by coaching trained residents and medical school students and helping them reach their professional goals.

Wishing to do more to help those with medical ambitions, he began National Premed Consulting to share his expertise and insider knowledge with those who have the necessary qualifications, capabilities and desire to successfully navigate the difficult demands of medical school.

Dr. Toote resides in McKinney, Texas and is married with two children.

Q&A

54% of all medical school applicants get rejected; that means you have a less than 1 in 2 chance of getting in. National Premed Consulting provides results-oriented tools and insider information designed to help you leapfrog over the competition.

When should I begin thinking about the medical school application process?

The real answer to that question is that you should begin thinking about it the moment you decide you want to be a doctor, no matter how old you are or where you are in life. While the actual medical school admission process takes anywhere from 6 months to a year, the real work should begin much sooner – in how you choose your classes, pick your activities and build your personal profile.

Do medical schools require me to have a premed major?

The surprising answer is no, most medical schools do not have this as a requirement; you only need to meet certain core course requirements, which usually involve biology, organic chemistry, general chemistry, general physics, calculus and, in some cases, a high-level English course (you need to check with the medical schools you’re interested in for their specific requirements).

Don’t I just need good grades and test scores to get into medical school?

Unfortunately, they only take you so far – because the vast majority of premed students have those as well. That means you must stand out as an individual in a very specific way – today’s medical schools admissions departments are looking for well-rounded personalities, as well as students that are bright, compassionate and capable of dealing with the highly-demanding course work at medical school. Focus on good academics, but also focus on the personal attributes that a medical school will be looking for.

How many medical schools are there in the U.S.? How many should I apply to?

There are 159 medical schools in America – 133 offer the M.D. (Medical Doctor) degree, 26 offer the D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) degree – and they all receive thousands of applications every year. You should apply to as many as you can – more importantly, you should make sure you are the kind of candidate they will want.