Applying to medical school is no small task; after the ordeal, many students consider themselves an expert on the subject. Caitlin Stork, a first-year med student at the University of Michigan, offers some advice for pre-med college majors.
Undergraduate Preparations
Medical schools accept applicants of any major, provided that they’ve completed the requisite pre-med coursework. Typically, the vast majority of accepted college students are science majors, but this tendency is changing as medical colleges seek to diversify their student bodies. “If you do well in your science courses, it’s probably to your advantage to be a non-science major because you’re contributing to the school’s diversity,” says Caitlin, who majored in religion at Harvard College.
In addition to math, science, and English requirements, take as many biochemistry classes as possible. Try to space out your pre-med coursework over the four years so that you can devote your maximum effort to each class.
Furthermore, use this time to get to know your professors outside of the classroom. “I think it’s really smart to get to know some of your professors on a personal level, so that if you do ask them for a [recommendation] letter, it’s distinct,” Caitlin says.
Extracurricular Activities
Joining every pre-med organization on campus won’t make you a shoo-in for medical school. Rather, focus on activities that truly will make you stand out. Caitlin didn’t join any pre-med groups but instead got experience by working at a hospital.
MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, is given in August and April. Give yourself at least three months to study, whether you review on your own or take a prep course.
“I’ve heard that the best thing those classes do is that they force you to study. They force you to go to class; they force you to participate,” says Caitlin. “I didn’t take a course because I don’t learn well in a classroom environment.” Even if you opt to study solo, buy or borrow a course book to work through; Kaplan and The Princeton Review are popular brands.
Application Process
During your undergraduate years, decide whether you’re more interested in research medicine or clinical care. Then you can focus your med-school search on institutions that excel in your desired field.
Medical school applications comprise three stages. The first is the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), a standard procedure that most candidates must complete. The sooner you finish the AMCAS, the more time you’ll have to prepare for the second and third stages of the application process.
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I have a B.S. in Communications and Theatre Arts and want to study Medicine.What will be my prerequisites to further my studies in medical school?
I am looking at going to a pre-medical school, which one is right for me? I currently have a 3.8 GPA. I am still a sophmore in high school, and was looking at University of South Carolina for pre-med. But I didnt know which speciality to go in to, I was looking at possibly going into neurosurgery, but im still confused.
I wouldn’t take my advice from someone who majored in religion at Harvard talking about medicine, just doesn’t make any sense to me.
alicia, you will have to take (for most schools):
1 year of general biology
1 year of inorganic chemistry
1 year of organic chemistry
1 year of physics
…and then whatever extra prerequisites particular schools ask for (if any). start researching what schools you would hope to apply for when you finish with your pre-req’s (since you already have a B.A.) and then go from there. talk to a pre-med advisor at your school, and have intentions of studying and working hard in your science classes, as they prepare you for the MCATs. most schools prefer that you have a 30+ on your MCATs, and a science GPA of 3.6-3.8, as well as an equally good general GPA. again, this varies from school to school, so begin to look and see what are the general requirements to schools that you would like to look at. also, keep in mind that many medical schools have a pass/fail system rather than handing out grades (such as duke, harvard, case western, u of mich, uc davis, yale, uw, and many others) to encourage more cooperative learning, less competition, and a focus on the material rather than having students focus on the grade. some schools also maintain the traditional grading system. figure out if this is something that will be a deciding factor for you and go from there. also, don’t rule out the possibility of going to an osteopathic medical school as opposed to allopathic (to become a D.O. rather than M.D.). D.O.’S receive the same training as M.D.’s, but get additional education in musculoskeletal manipulation, learning to use their hands as another approach to healing. they have a generally more holistic approach to medicine. just another option for you to consider. unfortunately, D.O.’s are still a minority in the medical community (about 10% of physicians are D.O.’S, most of them family practitioners) and sometimes have to defend their background training. just more options for you to consider what is right for you and your personal approach to medicine
best of luck!
mackenzie,
If your goal is to go to a good medical school, then you take a “pre-med course”. This is misleading because this just means you take the necessary classes (2 years chem, biology, mathematics, etc.) to meet the requirements to get into medical school. Your major, for lack of better words, doesn’t matter… you could major in religion, or music. You just need to take the necessary classes. So a “pre-med” school doesn’t exist, just go to a respectable college and do well in your classes, get a high MCAT score, and apply to med school (:
hey my name is tekeisha and i want to be an anesthesiologist. i was wondering, would it be better for me to major in pre-med, biology or chemistry. i was thinking about majoring in pre-med but im not really that sure if its the best major for me.