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Pre-Medicine

Advisor:  Greg Heiberger
E-Mail:  Greg.Heiberger@sdstate.edu
College of General Studies
Wecota Hall 218
Brookings, SD 57007
(605) 688-4294

Overview
Advantages of the SDSU Pre-Medicine Program
Undergraduate Majors
Role of Your Advisor
Medical Schools
Application Requirements

Typical Timetable
 Useful Links

Overview:

There are several good websites that provide general information about becoming a physician. Help with deciding if a medical career as a physician is a good idea for you can be found at, "Making the Decision" sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

The American Medical Association (AMA)has a site entitled, "Becoming a MD" that provides general information from the allopathic perspective, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteropathic Medicine (AACOM) sponsors a site entitled, "Exploring Medical School Options" that provide similar information from an osteopathic perspective.

Advantages of the SDSU Pre-Medicine Program:

The SDSU pre-medicine program generally places 6-12 students into medical schools each year. Our excellent acceptance rate (roughly half of the students who apply from SDSU) provides clear evidence for the strength of the pre-medicine program.  The strength comes from the academic course offerings available at SDSU particularly in the sciences. The courses service a wide variety of academic majors (including: biology, chemistry, nutrition and food science (dietetics), electrical (biomedical) engineering, mathematics, clinical and laboratory sciences, microbiology, nursing, physics, pharmaceutical sciences, and psychology) and provide excellent career alternatives to medical school. Students graduating with these majors have enjoyed a very high job placement level in recent years. Most of the science faculty at SDSU are involved in research projects, and a large percentage of them involve undergraduates in their research. Participating in research provides excellent experience in critical thinking, problem solving, and writing and oral communication. Pre-med advisors are available to help guide you through the various processes. Financial aid is available through a wide variety of scholarship programs.

Undergraduate Majors:

Medical schools are looking for bright, articulate applicants who have a well rounded education, are people orientated, and capable of relating to a range of personalities. No particular graduation major is required of students desiring to apply to medical school, and no area of study is given preference in the selection process. We do not advise selecting a major based on folklore about what "looks good" on an application. Some majors, such as biology, microbiology, chemistry or nutritional sciences are easier to mesh with the suggested medical school requirements. Freshman may wish to start with a pre-medicine major in the College of General Studies. While enrolled in General Studies, students must consider various graduation majors (you cannot graduate with a pre-medicine major). Selection of the graduation major and minors should be based upon the student's interest with consideration of alternative plans if not accepted to a medical school. However, it is important that you continue to maintain your pre-medicine major even after declaring a graduation major because the SDSU pre-med major database is used to contact you about upcoming events and special announcements.

Role of Your Advisor:

You should plan to meet with your pre-med advisor on a regular basis. She/he can assist you in course selection, choosing a major, preparing for the MCAT, selecting individuals to write recommendation letters, and in the application process (as handled by the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Your advisor can also assist you in identifying any weaknesses in your overall pre-med program, and in finding ways to strengthen that program. Pre-med advisors are occasionally requested by their advisees to write recommendations to medical schools. If you plan to do so, it is important that you enable your advisor to get to know you. 

Medical Schools:
There are two different paths of medical training that can be taken to become a physician. Allopathic medical schools are the traditional medical schools that confer an M.D. degree to their graduates. The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) are joint sponsors of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which accredits medical school programs leading to the MD degree. Osteopathic schools confer a DO degree. The American Osteopathic Association accredits US medical schools leading to the DO degree. These two medical training programs are quite similar except that osteopathic schools have additional courses in Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (manipulative techniques to help heal, relieve pain, and restore range of motion). There are approximately 56,000 DOs in the U.S., 65% are in primary care and 35% are in other specialties. To find out more about osteopathic medicine go to www.aacom.org. There are 125 allopathic and 20 osteopathic medical schools in the U.S. In 2004 there were 35,735 applicants and 16,648 matriculants for allopathic medical schools. Typically there approximately 8200 applicants for 2,500 spots in osteopathic schools. The average pre-med student applies to average of 13 medical schools, but this is probably excessive. You should apply to the state medical school(s) in your state of residency because most state medical schools select an overwhelming majority of their students from that state. Private medical schools are not under the same constraints. You might also apply to a one or two schools that you feel you have a reasonable chance of getting into and one or two that you can only dream of getting into. SDSU alumni have attended well over 20 different medical schools throughout the United States. However, most SDSU students attend the USD Medical School. Other medical schools popular with SDSU students include: the University of Minnesota Medical School at Minneapolis, UM School of Medicine at Duluth, University of Iowa School of Medicine, and University of Nebraska School of Medicine. A growing number of our students are students are choosing to osteopathic schools, such as the Osteopathic Medical Center at Des Moines University, the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine at the A.T.Still University of Health Sciences(Missouri), and the University of Medicine and Biosciences-College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City. Tuition and fees at medical schools range from approximately just under $10,000 to greater than $35,000 per year. Financial aid is available through a variety of sources. Information on Financial Aid is provided in the AAMC Homepage.

Application Requirements:

 Students can apply to most medical schools after completing a specific series of required undergraduate courses, and after taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).  In general, students need a broad education with a strong understanding of the sciences, including mathematics, chemistry, biology and physics. They should have excellent communication skills as well as a basic understanding of the social sciences and the humanities. The courses most commonly required to apply are reviewed in an Internet site sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The courses required to apply varies slightly among the various schools; therefore, students are encouraged to contact their selected schools to request a listing of their specific requirements.  Most medical schools provide specific admissions requirement information on their websites.  See above.

Admission to U.S.A. medical schools is very selective and students serious about being accepted into a medical school should strive to exceed the minimum requirements.  Acceptance into medical school is based primarily on five criteria [not necessarily listed in priority order]: 1) grade-point average, (especially science GPA), 2) Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, 3) recommendations from faculty (and occasionally employers), 4) a personal statement included in the application packet, and 5) interviews with generally 2-3 medical school faculty. For each medical school, selection of the accepted candidates is made by a committee consisting of clinical and basic science faculty. Therefore, the relative importance of these criteria varies slightly among the various medical schools and from one year to another.

Grade Point Average (GPA):

Students should strive to maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), with no less than a "B" grade in any math, biology, chemistry, or physics course. In 2004, AAMC reports that applicants with undergraduate science, non-science and overall GPAs of 3.50-3.75, 3.75-4.00, and 3.50-3.75 respectively, were more likely to be accepted. At the University of South Dakota School of Medicine, the median overall GPA was 3.75 and the median science GPA was 3.69 for students accepted into the 2004 entering class.

MCAT Scores:

When should you take the MCAT?

At the present time, the MCAT is only given only twice a year (in April and in August). Admissions procedures require the test be taken no later than the August one year prior to your anticipated date of entry into Medical School. Thus, anyone hoping to enter medical school in the fall of 2007needs to take the test no later than August 2006. Another valid response to this question is that the test should be taken after you have adequately prepared for it. Specific information on dates and application materials are provided in the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) internet site. The test fee paid at registration is approximately $200.00. You must register online approximately two months prior to the test date at the AAMC website by selecting the menu choice for students and applicants and following the prompts.

How many times should the test be taken?

Ideally, once is best so sufficient prior preparation is highly recommended. Experience indicates that most students repeating the test in August after taking it in April of the same year achieve essentially the same scores since there is generally not enough preparation time to significantly improve scores.

What scores are acceptable or competitive? 

While there is no specific answer to this question, certain generalizations can be made. Admissions decisions and criteria are flexible to reflect the supply of applicants and the relatively fixed number of positions. MCAT scores are only a part of the process, but a major part. There is also the observation that a high GPA can to some extent offset mediocre MCAT scores and vice-versa. The test is scored in each of the following four areas: Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences. The writing sample is scored on a  scale of J to T and the others on a numerical scale of 1 to 15. In 2004, AAMC reported that the median MCAT scores of students accepted into medical schools throughout the U.S.A. were 10 in verbal reasoning, 10 in physical sciences, 11 in biological sciences and P in the sample writing. At the University of South Dakota School of Medicine, accepted applicants for the 2004 entering class had median MCAT scores of 10 in verbal reasoning, 9 in physical sciences, 9 in biological sciences and an O in the writing sample. Mean scores reported for osteopathic matriculants in 2003 were 8.07 verbal, 8.51 biological and 7.99 physical.

How best to prepare?

While some individuals may have an ability to do well on such tests with little preparation, the vast majority will benefit from a Plan of Study that includes at least the following elements:

1.       Retain texts, notes, tests, etc. from the relevant classes in biology, chemistry and physics for review.

2.       Obtain some type of study manual. There are numerous books available. The SDSU Bookstore may have some manuals. A good source is the publications list at the AAMC website. Various combinations of MCAT practice exams and answers may be ordered. One way to use these is to reserve at least one for a "dry run", after some initial study, to simulate actual test conditions. Commercial test preparation services such as Kaplan may be another choice.

3.       The preparation/review period should extend over several weeks as necessary until you feel relatively confident. Which study techniques you use depends on your learning or review style. The choice of materials is probably not as important as the fact that you do some type of preparation.

4.       See your advisor for questions or additional information.


Recommendations from Employers and Faculty:

All U.S.A. medical schools require that at least three individuals write "letters of recommendation" for the applicant. Most of the schools require that at least one of the letters come from a faculty member (usually from a science department) from their undergraduate school. Other letters can come typically from additional faculty members (including coaches), past and present employers, and health professionals that the students have "shadowed". The applicant chooses whom she/he wants to write the recommendations, and should include individuals that know you well. Pre-med students should identify these individuals early in their undergraduate training in order to optimize their chances for a strong recommendation. Your pre-med advisor can help you with this process. Some suggestions may be found at the Princeton Review site.

Personal Statement:

The application provided by the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS)contains a section for the student to provide a personal statement. The content of this statement is left to the discretion of the student, but might contain information such as a brief biography including meaningful health related experiences and indications of well rounded experiences. An indication of what characteristics of the medical profession attracted you to seek acceptance into a medical school is appropriate. Evidence that demonstrates your interest and leadership in college and community projects is helpful.

Interview with Medical School Faculty:

Most medical school use the interview as the final cut, after reviewing the other criteria. However, pre-med students that are residents of South Dakota or attend a South Dakota college or university are generally given an interview at the USD medical school. Typically, the interviews are given with at least two members of the medical school faculty, with one coming from the basic science faculty and the other from the clinical faculty. Your pre-med advisor can answer questions that you might have about this process. The Kaplan Medical School Site may contain some good Medical School Interview Tips.

Typical Timetable:

If you wish to attend a medical school directly after finishing your undergraduate degree, you should apply by September of your senior year. Therefore, many students choose to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in April of their junior year. The outlined timetable listed below is intended to serve as a guideline for meeting the course requirements, taking the MCAT, and applying to medical school by September of their senior year. It is important that you consult with your pre-med advisor if you plan to vary significantly from this timetable. Please refer to your University Bulletin for important academic information regarding your academic program even if you have not selected a major.

To view course requirements go here: http://catalog.sdstate.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=2&poid=114&bc=1

General Medical Internet Resources

Post baccalaureate Programs

International Health

Disadvantaged/Minority Student Programs

Financial Aid

Test Preparation and Helpful Internet Resources

Physician

Allopathic Medicine  (M.D.)

Osteopathic  Medicine  (D.O.)

  • College Information Book (SWEC 218)

  • American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Services: (AACOMAS) http://aacomas.aacom.org/

  • American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine – links to osteopathic medicine schools, can download applications material: http://www.aacom.org

  • American Osteopathic Association: www.osteopathic.org

Useful Links:

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College of General Studies
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605-688-4153 • Fax: 605-688-5631