Department
of Biology PREPARING FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL
A GUIDE FOR
FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES
Department
of Biology
PREPARING
FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL
A
GUIDE FOR
FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES
Admission to Medical School is a goal which requires careful planning. Admission is competitive, and it is important for you to have up-to-date information. Read this document carefully, attend appropriate meetings, and use the resources in the advising office in CL232. Ball State University does have a premedical major, and the best way I have of knowing your interest in medicine is for you to identify yourself as a premedical major in addition to any other major you have. Be sure we have your electronic mail and campus addresses. In this way, you can be sure to receive pertinent information about meetings, deadlines, and opportunities by E-mail or by campus mail.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
The following science course work is required for admission to Indiana University School of Medicine; each course must have a lecture and a laboratory.
IU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE REQUIREMENT
BALL STATE EQUIVALENT
General chemistry
8-10 credit hours
1 academic yearChemistry Chem 111 and Chem 112 Chem 231 and Chem 232 -or- Chem 234 and Chem 235 Physics 8-10 credit hours
1 academic yearPhysics Phycs 110 and Phycs 112 -or- Phycs 120 and Phycs 122 Biological sciences 8-10 credit hours
1 academic yearBiology Bio 111 and Bio 112
The minimum requirement for entering the Indiana University School of Medicine is 90 hours1, which will count toward the College of Sciences and Humanities baccalaureate degree. Students with educational backgrounds in areas such as education, business, etc., will be evaluated on the basis of a minimum of 90 credit hours of equivalent Sciences and Humanities courses.
Neither grades nor credit hours from subjects offered in the professional medical curriculum will be accepted toward fulfilling the required 90 hours of premedical work or the above specific premedical requirements by the Indiana University School of Medicine. Courses in human anatomy, histology, human physiology, medical microbiology, medical biochemistry, medical genetics, and medical pharmacology fall in the professional medical curriculum category.
The mean GPA for the 2002 entering class was 3.72. While academic excellence is expected, not every student will begin the first semester of college with that GPA. The academic transition from high school to college is sometimes more difficult than expected.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER SCHOOLS
Requirements for other medical schools are similar, but
students should review the current Medical School Admission Requirements handbook or
check directly with the individual medical schools on-line. Some schools require
one year of English composition, others a semester or year of math (see below).
Several have theoretically abandoned requirements and only suggest courses.
Osteopathic Schools of Medicine are another possibility. Check their
website at www.aacom.org or consult the
"Osteopathic Medical College Information Book" in the Pre-Health
Professional Office located in Cooper Science Building, Room CL 232.
MATH
A survey of the requirements of the 125 allopathic (M.D.) medical schools shows at least 43 schools specifically require college math or calculus. In some cases the requirement is for one semester; in some cases it is for one year. Many schools which do not require math or calculus strongly recommend knowledge in those subjects as a useful tool. Many undergraduate degree programs will include required math courses, and many of the science courses have math prerequisites, so be careful in planning your coursework.
MAJOR
There is a pre-med major at Ball State University. This major is intended as a supplementary second major to another major and should be used as the only major in rare cases, e.g. returning to school after completing another non-science major several years earlier. Medical schools do not have a preference for any specific major. At BSU, premedical students usually choose a primary major in the College of Sciences and Humanities, although majors from other schools may be selected. You do not need to complete the entire BSU pre-med major in order to meet the requirements for medical school but be careful about completing the minimum required coursework. At Ball State University, by adding a pre-med major to your other primary major, you will be officially an advisee of Dr. Clare Chatot and will receive notices, e-mail, etc. from her office concerning issues in medical school admissions and other programs.
"Medical schools are most concerned with the overall quality and scope of undergraduate work. All students need to do well in the required premedical courses to ensure adequate preparation and favorable consideration by admission committees. For most physicians, however, the undergraduate years are the last available opportunity to pursue in depth a non-science subject of interest, and all who hope to practice medicine should bear this in mind when selecting an undergraduate major." 2
For an authoritative discussion of premedical education, the student is referred to Chapter 3, "Premedical Planning," in Medical School Admission Requirements, available in room CL 232.
FACTORS IN ADMISSION
There is no set formula for admission to medical schools. Schools and committees vary. College grades, science grades, Medical College Admissions Test scores (MCAT), academic and personal letters of evaluation (recommendation letters), the personal interview, and perceptions of individual character and personality may all be important. It should be noted that a low GPA and MCAT cannot be overcome by an excellent interview; however, a low grade or one semester of poor grades will probably not keep a good candidate out of most medical schools.
In general, if you are a resident of Indiana, your best chance for admission is your own state school, i.e. Indiana University School of Medicine. All state schools which are publicly funded give admission preference to their own residents. Thus, if you are a resident of Ohio or Illinois, your chances are better in the public medical schools of Ohio and Illinois, respectively. Private M.D. schools (not publicly funded) do not give preference to in-state students, but they are generally very competitive (requiring very high scores, grades, etc.) for admission, and they tend to be very expensive in tuition costs. Osteopathic medical schools are another option. They are all private, slightly less competitive, but are also expensive. For more information on Osteopathic Medicine, check their website at www.aacom.org .
MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST (MCAT)
You should take the MCAT in the spring of the year preceding application to medical school. All of your required courses should be completed (or nearly completed) before taking this exam. Most students take the test in the spring of their junior year. Begin to review the content of the test by the beginning of your sophomore year, so you will understand how this material will be used on the test. Do not wait until the spring semester of your junior year to review for the MCAT. Several manuals and/or study guides are available to assist in the review. Some are better than others, and you may wish to talk with the premedical advisor. The MCAT STUDENT MANUAL is an excellent source for information about the exam. Although the required courses for medical school admission are theoretically all you need for preparation for the MCAT, i.e. one year biology, two years chemistry, and one year of physics, I recommend several other courses which will increase your background, vocabulary, and problem solving ability particularly in the biological science section. These courses include cell biology, anatomy, physiology, genetics, and microbiology. Other courses which serve as excellent background courses for medical school are biochemistry, immunology, developmental biology, medical bacteriology and histology.
ACADEMIC EVALUATIONS
Medical schools require academic evaluations as part of their application process. For some medical schools, detailed, comparative evaluations are very important. At a large university, obtaining these can present difficulties. Try to enroll in some classes with small enrollments. If possible, take more than one course from a professor. Talk with your teachers, even if you understand all the material. Do more than the minimum in class. Academically challenging courses in a non-science subject of interest will be one excellent means to demonstrate your abilities. Undergraduate research is another. Do not underestimate the importance of substantive academic letters, and do not leave this task until late in your junior year.
APPLYING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL
Applying to medical school is a time-intensive, detailed process in which everything should be completed early and completed correctly. The application is now entirely done on-line. Note that the application process to medical school takes at least one year from the time you take the MCAT until you actually enter medical school. Please see Application Process for Medical School .
ADVISING
It is vital to have accurate information. Take time to talk with your freshman academic advisor, or your primary major advisor as well as the pre-medical advisor. Use the resources in room CL 232.
SOME OTHER SUGGESTIONS
Additional information will be found in Pre-medical Pre-dental Students' Most Often Asked Questions
Rev. 9/03