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The Premedicine Program serves students from any major who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine (allopathic and osteopathic), dentistry, podiatry, optometry, veterinary medicine. The program ensures that students have access to the courses they need to meet their pre-professional requirements as well as support and guidance along the way.
Medical schools give preference to applicants who have demonstrated academic excellence in all course work, particularly the core biology, chemistry and physics courses. Applicants must also provide competitive admissions test scores and should be able to demonstrate a long-term, growing commitment to serving others. As an active participant in the Premedicine Program, you will learn to balance a rigorous academic schedule with meaningful extracurricular activities.
Maryville students are guided in their preparation for applying by the premedical advisor, Dr. Jeffrey Sich, and the Premedical Advisory Committee. Students are offered:
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Comprehensive, continuous counseling from dedicated pre-health advisors |
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Opportunities to learn more about the practice of medicine |
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An introduction to the admissions requirements for medical schools |
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Programs developed in cooperation with the student-led Pre-Med Club |
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Opportunities to conduct biomedical undergraduate |
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Assistance identifying shadowing & volunteer opportunities |
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Letters of recommendation to medical schools |
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Assistance in preparing for the admissions interview |
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Premedical students are encouraged to become involved in the Pre-Med Club upon arrival at Maryville and to make an initial appointment with Dr. Sich during the spring semester of the first year.
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Why medicine?
Medicine today is one of the most demanding, yet fulfilling and stimulating, careers available.
Why do people choose medicine
as their career?
Sir William Osler, the best-known physician in the English-speaking world at the beginning of the 20th century and often referred to as
the most influential physician in history, described medicine this way:
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“The practice of medicine is an art,
not a trade;
a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart
will be
exercised equally with your head.” |
Medicine is appealing to many because of the many demands
it makes
and the multiple rewards offered:
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Service: Allows you to help people and advance knowledge. |
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Action: Doesn't tie you to a desk all the time. |
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Respect: Your work and contributions are an important part of your community. |
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Security: Enables you to earn a good living with a secure future. |
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Excitement: Changes daily, so it's hardly ever boring. |
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Mobility: Your skills and knowledge are in demand, wherever you choose to live. |
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Flexibility: Offers you lots of career options from the same education base. |
The path to becoming a doctor isn’t easy—it takes years of study and hard work. However, if helping people is a top priority for you, there are few more rewarding or respected careers. The practice of medicine requires an enquiring mind, the capacity to acquire and maintain high levels of knowledge which have to be constantly up-to-date, and the ability to relate to people as individuals each with their own health needs.
If you have that passion to improve people’s lives and the determination to reach the highest standards, you will have a wide range of career opportunities. Physicians work in hospitals, clinics, offices, and even in schools and homeless shelters, but there are other areas in the medical career field where physicians are needed. Physician researchers do work to develop new treatments and cures for illnesses, disorders, and diseases, while academic physicians share their skills and knowledge with medical students and residents. Positions with health maintenance organizations, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and health insurance companies are a few of the other options available to those who seek a medical career.
Because medicine is not the only career that allows an individual to make important contributions to society, the first challenge in the premedical journey is to determine if medicine is the best career for you. Few careers require as many years of training as does medicine (a minimum of eight years beyond college to be eligible for licensure in family medicine, general internal medicine or general pediatrics, for example) as well as a lifetime commitment to continuing education and training. As a result, your years at Maryville should be used to both prepare for gaining acceptance into professional school and to determine if medicine is the best career fit.
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Why Premedical at Maryville?
Maryville students have enjoyed considerable success in applying to medical school; 15 students have entered M.D. or D.O programs in the past five years alone. This high level of achievement is tied to the supportive environment at our institution and the individualized attention received by our students. Most science courses at Maryville have 20 or fewer students, ensuring that students get to know their professors. In addition, a comprehensive premedical program is in place to support students exploring or planning a career in medicine. A dedicated premedical advisor is ready to assist students interested in careers in medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine by guiding their preparation.
| “I’m forever indebted to Maryville. It’s really what I needed.”
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---Dominic Sanford,
2005 summa cum laude graduate in biology;
current medical student at the University
of Missouri-Columbia.
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The Premedical Curriculum
Medical school More than 39,000 applications were submitted to the nation’s 125 allopathic (M.D.) medical schools for 17,370 available positions in Fall 2006; the average science GPA of matriculating medical students was 3.57; the average overall GPA was 3.64.
Medical schools evaluate applicants on their college grades, extracurricular achievements, and personal characteristics. Most also require the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), designed to analyze a student’s knowledge of the basic sciences, reading and writing abilities, and problem-solving skills.
Entrance requirements at most medical schools include completion of course work in biology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and English. There is no single recommended premedical curriculum and Maryville University does not offer a premedical major. Even though most premedical students select biology and/or chemistry as their major, medical schools admit students from a wide range of majors, from history to art to psychology. The best route to follow is to choose a major you like and in which you will excel.
No matter what undergraduate major you select, keep in mind that you should complete a challenging academic program with exceptional grades and should develop a well rounded undergraduate experience by also studying humanities and the social sciences. The ideal physician understands how society works and can communicate and write well. Extracurricular experiences also are important. You may want to volunteer at a local hospital or clinic to gain practical health care experience and gain exposure to the medical profession.
Medical school admission requirements vary from school to school. Each school's specific prerequisites are detailed in the Medical School Admission Requirements, an annual publication of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The admissions guide is highly recommended to all prospective applicants and is available on permanent reserve in the library. It also can be purchased from AAMC Publications (www.aamc.org).
In general, most medical schools will expect applicants to have taken the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), and to have completed the following types of courses:
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One year of Biology |
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One year of Physics |
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One year of English |
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Two years of Chemistry
(through Organic Chemistry) |
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One to two semesters of
mathematics (including calculus) |
A recent trend is a requirement for biochemistry, so careful planning is needed.
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The Application Process
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How does the application process work for medical school? |
Applying to medical school is a three-step process.
First, you complete an application.
Second, if contacted by a medical school you’ve applied to,
you complete that school’s supplemental application materials. And, third, after submitting all the application materials, a medical school may invite you for an interview.
Here’s an overview of these steps. |
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Application process: |
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When you applied to college, you probably filled out a different application for each school.
When you apply to medical school, the process takes less time, and you may use a common application. For 117 of the 125 U.S. medical schools, you can use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), a centralized application service. The service collects, verifies, and transmits application information and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores to each school you identify. AMCAS does not make admissions decisions; each participating school is responsible for making its own individual admissions decisions.
The AMCAS Web site (www.aamc.org/students/amcas) has all you need to get started with the application process, including an application worksheet, an application timeline, important FAQs, and other resources. The list of schools currently participating in AMCAS is available online as well.
A small number of schools require application through different processes. For the six public medical schools in Texas, you’ll need to apply through the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS). For the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine,
you can apply online and you can also apply online for the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. |
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Supplemental applications: |
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Once schools have received your initial application, they may contact you to request additional information in the form of a supplemental application. Supplemental application materials vary from school to school and may include letters of recommendation, an essay, other school forms,
a fee, or a combination of additional information.
Beginning in July 2008, Maryville students will receive an evaluation letter from the Premedical Advisory Committee. The letter will be sent as
a cover letter to the individual letters you request from faculty and others. |
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Interviews: |
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Most medical schools require an interview, though the specific processes differ among schools. Interviews can take place on or off campus. Interviews can be conducted by an admissions committee member, by multiple members of the admissions committee, or by off-campus interviewers, such as practicing physicians. Generally, the interviewers complete evaluations that are added to the other application materials.
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What factors will influence my success in the medical school admission process? |
Medical school admission depends on a number of criteria.
The key factors affecting acceptance
to medical school include the following:
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Successful completion of required
undergraduate courses.
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Grade point average. Course load and
rigor of the courses taken will be scrutinized carefully
by admissions committees. Withdrawing from courses
reflects negatively with most admission committees
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Performance on the Medical College
Admission Test (MCAT). The MCAT exam measures your knowledge of subjects within the biological and physical sciences, including chemistry, which are necessary prerequisites for the study of the sciences in medical school. It also tests your ability to read and interpret information and your communication skills (verbal reasoning). Each section is scored on a scale of 1-15 with 15 being the highest. A writing component must also be completed; scores range from J (lowest) to T (highest). A total of 30 points for the first three sections and a "Q" on the writing section is reasonable. More selective medical schools report averages of 35-36 for matriculates. The MCAT exam is administered twice a year. You should take the MCAT
exam in the spring of your junior year of college.
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Extracurricular
activities—especially those reflecting public or
health-related service, volunteer work, and other
evidence of your initiative and leadership qualities.
Remember that admissions committees are not impressed by
the number of activities but want to see a high level of
commitment and achievement. For example, it will carry
more weight for you to volunteer at one place (hospital,
church, school) in one capacity for a few times
consistently, rather than volunteer at ten different
places in one year. Biomedical research experience is a
plus when applying to research-intensive medical
schools.
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Letters of recommendation from
undergraduate advisors and faculty members as well as
physicians and other members of the health professions,
community leaders, and other individuals who have
employed you or supervised your volunteer experience.
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Interviews with medical school
admissions committees. Unlike colleges, which hold
interviews early in the application process, medical
schools arrange them near the end. As they narrow their
selection of candidates, most medical schools invite the
most promising applicants to interview with faculty and
other members of the admissions committee. |
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What do I do if I am not accepted to medical school on the first try? |
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Reapply to medical school only if your new application demonstrates significant improvement over your initial application. For example, you may have taken graduate courses or advanced undergraduate courses and your GPA has improved significantly. Or, your MCAT score is now much more competitive. If your commitment to a career in medicine was questionable, present evidence of significant service in a health care setting. Collect stronger and more recent letters of recommendation. Improve your interview skills.
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When should I take the MCAT? |
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Take the MCAT in April of your junior year. Be prepared to take it once and do well. Taking a practice test and completing a preparatory course are strongly recommended (everyone is doing it!). MCAT practice tests are available in most bookstores. Available resources include Barron’s, Kaplan (the course costs about $1200, the books from this course are available in the Maryville Library for free, a review book is $65 with CD-ROM from local bookstores), Princeton Review and the Columbia Review. If you have to repeat the MCAT, do so in August.
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When should I apply? |
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The medical college application process begins in your junior year. Complete the AMCAS application during the summer between your junior and senior year. In September of your senior year complete and submit your secondary (supplemental) applications for each school. Interviews and admissions are on a rolling basis; interviews begin in October and your chances for gaining admission are decreased if you do not complete all application requirements in a timely fashion.
Students who decide to apply to medical school following graduation from Maryville should contact the premedical advisor by April 1 to ensure that all requirements are fulfilled.
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To ensure that the process of applying to medical school does not become overwhelming, students exploring or planning a career in medicine should seek out the premedical advisor early in their academic career. The premedical advisor will help you determine which courses satisfy premedical requirements, how to best sequence them, and how to find tutoring or other academic support if you are having difficulty. The premedical advisor will encourage you to seek experience in the health care field as a way of informing yourself about the profession as well as strengthening your application to medical school and will encourage and support you as you try to determine the right career path for yourself.
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The degree is in a major such as Biology, Chemistry, etc.
Premedicine is a program of study followed by students, not a major.
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Maryville’s Premedical Program adviser and the Advisory Committee are committed to helping students arrange appropriate programs of study. Interested students should contact the premedical advisor for more information or to make an appointment to discuss the development of an appropriate course of study.
While no one major is prescribed for admission to medical, dental or veterinary school, strong preparation in the biological and natural sciences is generally recommended, along with a solid array of courses in the liberal arts.
Similarly, any liberal arts major that develops the student’s analytical reading, writing and critical thinking abilities can prepare a student for medical school.
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Basic admissions requirements for most medical schools: |
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One year of Biology |
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One year of General Chemistry |
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One year of Organic Chemistry |
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One year of Physics |
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One year of English, including Literature course |
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Some require one to two semesters of Mathematics (Calculus
preferred) |
Some require Biochemistry
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A possible sequencing of classes:
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Spring |
| Freshman |
General Biology I + Lab |
General Biology I + Lab |
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General Chemistry I + Lab |
General Chemistry II + Lab |
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Math (i.e. Calculus I) |
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| Sophomore |
Organic Chemistry I + Lab |
Organic Chemistry II + Lab |
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Physics I + Lab |
Physics II + Lab |
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Microbiology + Lab |
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| Junior |
General Genetics |
Cell Biology |
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Biochemistry |
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MCAT in April |
The following courses are very helpful for the MCAT,
but not all are
required for medical school admissions:
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Biological Sciences |
Physical Sciences |
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Human Anat. & Phys. I
& II |
Biochemistry |
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Cell
Biology |
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Genetics |
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Microbiology |
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