PREMED ADVISING

Freshmen:

Freshman Premed Advising

• What is premed?

• Ultimately, medical school admissions committees want to know 3 things:

1. Can you handle the academic rigors of medical school?

2. Why do you want to be a doctor… do you want to be a doctor for the “right” reasons?

3. Do you have the diverse set of skills necessary to be a good doctor?

Freshman Premed Advising

1. Can you handle the academic rigors of medical school? GPA Academic Coursework MCAT

Freshman Premed Advising• Courses and academic work:

– This Fall: Should be taking either BIO 150, CHEM 123, or PSY 150. – For those who do well this semester there should be the opportunity to take

BOTH BIO or PSY 151 AND CHE 123 in spring.

– Courses to meet the standards of, and prepare for, the MCAT: • Biology courses: we recommend a minimum of genetics, cell, and physiology for those

not majoring in biology• 4 semesters of chemistry and 2 semesters of physics • Biochemistry (CHE 302 Biochemistry or BIO 433 Cellular Biochemistry)• Psychology/sociology course for non-psych majors: recommend PSY 110 (but other

courses can help prepare you such as PSY 220/240/250/270 or SOC 210)• Summer school may be required to fit all of that in before MCAT (end of Jr year)

– Courses that are requirements for medical school admissions?– Although not required for SC med schools, many require 2 semesters of college-level math;

we suggest 1 calc, 1 stats. Stats early on since this will help with courses and MCAT prep.

• Magic Number for GPA: 3.3

FYI: • Wofford’s acceptance rate quite a bit higher than the national average.

• Since 1994, 78% of Wofford applicants in good academic standing were accepted. – Students were considered in good academic standing if they had at

least a 3.3 GPA and 25 MCAT

• Most go to home state schools. We currently have students going to MUSC, USC, Cornell, Emory, and Wake Forest. This year we have 5 going to osteopathic schools, including 4 at VCOM.

• Average ACCEPTED from Wofford last year: – 3.63 science & math GPA– 3.64 overall GPA– 30 MCAT

Freshman Premed Advising

1. Can you handle the academic rigors of medical school?

2. Why do you want to be a doctor… do you want to be a doctor for the “right” reasons?

3. Do you have the diverse set of skills necessary to be a good doctor?

Freshman Premed Advising• Ways to strengthen your application and allow admissions to answer the

questions 2 and 3: • Faculty evaluations

• Recommendation letter written by a committee of all your science professors• Get to know faculty by active participation in lab and lecture, lab assisting,

doing research, some sort of thesis, etc.• Clinical experience

• Recommend most of these acquired in Junior year. Why?• “Set yourself apart”:

• Specialty area of study: computational science, medical humanities, neuroscience program

• Study abroad• Fluency in Spanish• Research experience

• “Leadership” and service to the community

• It is more about depth of experiences not creating a long laundry list!!!

Freshman Premed Advising

If you have questions or need more information:

1) See the following website:

http://dept.wofford.edu/HealthCareers/

2) Send me an email or come by my office:

spiveynw@wofford.edu

Office: RMSC 203J

PREMED ADVISING

Sophomores

Sophomore Premed Advising• http://webs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/• Courses and academic work:

– Should be taking both bio 212 and chem 123. If you’ve already taken one of those, substitute organic or physics.

– Magic Number: 3.3. You should be shooting for nothing below a ‘B’; B+ in your sciences! First year often a bit lower.

– To meet the standards on, and prepare for, the MCAT : • Some # of bio courses, preferably 3 or more: sophomore core (BIO 212 & 214) and

physiology• 4 semesters of chemistry and 2 semesters of physics • Summer school may be required to fit all of that in before MCAT, end of Jr year.

– Consider chem or physics this coming summer.

• Not planning on applying till end of senior year: be aware of MCAT 2015!– Although not required for SC med schools, most require 2 semesters of college-level math;

we suggest 1 calc, 1 stats. Stats early on.– Although not usually a requirement, many med schools such as MUSC strongly recommend

taking biochemistry

Sophomore Premed Advising

• Ultimately admissions committees want to know 3 things:

1. Can you handle the academic rigors of medical school?

2. Why do you want to be a doctor… do you want to be a doctor for the “right” reasons?

3. Do you have the diverse set of skills necessary to be a good doctor?

Sophomore Premed Advising• Other things that strengthen your application and allow admissions to answer

the questions above: • Clinical experience

– Recommend most of these acquired in Junior year– Interim– Document: “clinical evaluation forms” on web site

• “Leadership” and service to the community • Faculty evaluations

• Get to know faculty by lab assisting; doing research; some sort of thesis.• “Set yourself apart”:

• Specialty area of study: computational science, medical humanities, neuroscience program

• Study abroad• Fluency in Spanish• Research experience

• It is more about depth of experiences not creating a long laundry list!!!• http://webs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/

FYI: • Wofford’s acceptance rate quite a bit higher than the national average.

• Since 1994, 78% of Wofford applicants in good academic standing were accepted. – Students were considered in good academic standing if they had at

least a 3.3 GPA and 25 MCAT

• Most go to home state schools. We currently have students going to MUSC, USC, Cornell, Emory, and Wake Forest. This year we have 5 going to osteopathic schools, including 4 at VCOM.

• Average ACCEPTED from Wofford last year: – 3.63 science & math GPA– 3.64 overall GPA– 30 MCAT

PREMED ADVISING

Juniors

Junior Premed Advising• http://webs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/• Courses and academic work:

• By end of year, you should have completed all science requirements:• Bio 212, 214 , and Physiology • 4 chemistry and 2 physics

– Magic Number: 3.3. You should be shooting for nothing below a ‘B’; B+ in your sciences! First year often a bit lower.

– To meet the standards on, and prepare for, the MCAT : • Some # of bio courses, preferably 3 or more: sophomore core (BIO 212 & 214) and

physiology• 4 semesters of chemistry and 2 semesters of physics

– Although not required for SC med schools, most require 2 semesters of college-level math; we suggest 1 calc, 1 stats. Stats early on.

– Although not usually a requirement, many med schools such as MUSC strongly recommend taking biochemistry

Junior Premed Advising

• Ultimately admissions committees want to know 3 things:

1. Can you handle the academic rigors of medical school?

2. Why do you want to be a doctor… do you want to be a doctor for the “right” reasons?

3. Do you have the diverse set of skills necessary to be a good doctor?

Junior Premed Advising• Other things that strengthen your application and allow admissions to answer

the questions above: • Clinical experience

– Recommend most of these acquired in Junior year– Interim– Document: “clinical evaluation forms” on web site

• “Leadership” and service to the community • Faculty evaluations

• Get to know faculty by lab assisting; doing research; some sort of thesis.• “Set yourself apart”:

• Specialty area of study: computational science, medical humanities, neuroscience program

• Study abroad• Fluency in Spanish• Research experience

• It is more about depth of experiences not creating a long laundry list!!!• http://webs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/

FYI: • Wofford’s acceptance rate quite a bit higher than the national average.

• Since 1994, 78% of Wofford applicants in good academic standing were accepted. – Students were considered in good academic standing if they had at

least a 3.3 GPA and 25 MCAT

• Most go to home state schools. We currently have students going to MUSC, USC, Cornell, Emory, and Wake Forest. This year we have 5 going to osteopathic schools, including 4 at VCOM.

• Average ACCEPTED from Wofford last year: – 3.63 science & math GPA– 3.64 overall GPA– 30 MCAT

HELL BEGINS DECEMBER 15…..• Importance of that MCAT!• Average getting into SC = 28-30.• Kaplan? (practice exam Oct 15)• Interim• COME DECEMBER 15, THE MCAT NEEDS TO BE YOUR TOP

PRIORITY. PERIOD. • COME DECEMBER 15, THE MCAT NEEDS TO BE YOUR TOP

PRIORITY. PERIOD. • COME DECEMBER 15, THE MCAT NEEDS TO BE YOUR TOP

PRIORITY. PERIOD. • ‘B+’ and ‘A-’ examples…

PREMED ADVISING

SENIORS

http://webs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/ • Is your AMCAS IN YET???

• WHY NOT??• Essay: reviewed.• Committee evaluation: ACMAS Letters, contact info Dr. Moeller

– One form only– Packet will include clinical evaluations– Alternative: 3 letters

– Still must request clinical evals from Ms. Thomas, with an AMCAS letter form!• MCAT scores: 25 min to apply; 28 (pref 29) to stop taking it.• 2ndary: On their web sites, or mailed to you.• Mock interviews• MUCS’s “wait list”• UNLESS have those 3.6 and 30 numbers, plan for alternatives just in case:

– Osteopathic medicine– Other health fields– Reapply– M.S.; – Prep programs, such as at VCOM, USC [and why I’m not a fan]

Senior Premed Advising

• Ultimately admissions committees want to know 3 things:

1. Can you handle the academic rigors of medical school?

2. Why do you want to be a doctor… do you want to be a doctor for the “right” reasons?

3. Do you have the diverse set of skills necessary to be a good doctor?

FYI: • Wofford’s acceptance rate quite a bit higher than the national average.

• Since 1994, 78% of Wofford applicants in good academic standing were accepted. – Students were considered in good academic standing if they had at

least a 3.3 GPA and 25 MCAT

• Most go to home state schools. We currently have students going to MUSC, USC, Cornell, Emory, and Wake Forest. This year we have 5 going to osteopathic schools, including 4 at VCOM.

• Average ACCEPTED from Wofford last year: – 3.63 science & math GPA– 3.64 overall GPA– 30 MCAT