Mercer students who are planning to apply to medical schools should read through the "Health Vocations Advising Frequently Asked Questions" (hvafaq08.doc) and use the "Pre-Medicine Advising Checklist" (Pre-Med Checklist.doc) as a guide for scheduling courses and extracurricular activities. In addition to completing the courses recommended in these documents, students should make themselves aware of any other courses that are required or recommended by the specific medical schools in which they are interested; students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the admission requirements of the schools to which they intend to apply.
It must be noted here that first-year students on a pre-medicine track are most successful when they enter college having already completed pre-calculus or calculus in high school. Students who lack such preparation in mathematics are encouraged to schedule a meeting with the pre-professional advisor during their first semester for advice (478-301-2250).
It is important for pre-medicine students to note that the pre-medicine designation is not the same as an academic major. A pre-medicine student who intends to earn a bachelor's degree must declare a major and complete the course requirements for that major, in addition to completing the prerequisite courses for admission to specific medical schools. No specific undergraduate major is required or preferred by medical schools, so a pre-medicine student should choose a major that s/he is passionate about; a student who majors in a topic in which s/he is genuinely interested is more likely to achieve the academic success that will enable her/him to get into a medical school. Note that any student who completes the chemistry courses recommended for the pre-medicine track (CHM 111, 112, 221, and 222) will earn a minor in chemistry (a minimum of 6 credits in chemistry must be completed in residence at Mercer University in order for Mercer to award a student a minor in chemistry; see Mercer's catalog for further details).
Students should also note that, while most medical schools do not require a student to have a bachelor's degree prior to enrollment (though all schools recommend it), the vast majority of accepted medical school applicants do have bachelor's degrees. As the rules for acceptance of students without bachelor's degrees vary from school to school, students interested in this option should look carefully at the requirements for the particular schools in which they are interested. Note that the fact that an applicant does not have a bachelor's degree does not exempt him/her from having to complete all of the prerequisite courses for medical school admission. Further, since admission to medical schools is granted on a competitive basis, it is important for students to have alternative plans in the event that they are not accepted to the medical schools to which they apply; a bachelor's degree will be extremely valuable to any student who ultimately opts to pursue other educational/career paths besides medical school.
Beyond the academic preparations students should make before applying to medical schools, pre-medicine students should also obtain some type of experience with the medical profession. This experience may include working at a doctor's office, volunteering at a hospital or clinic, and/or shadowing a doctor extensively. Medical experience will, of course, serve as evidence to medical schools that a student is truly interested in and knowledgeable about the medical profession, but it will also help the student to determine if s/he is making the right choice by going to medical school.
In addition to gaining experience in medical settings, pre-medicine students may wish to join Mercer's pre-health club, MerPMed. For more information, students should visit the club's website, located at http://www2.mercer.edu/AAS/Pre-professional Information/MerPMed.htm, or send an e-mail to merpmed@yahoo.com.
There are several websites that serve as helpful sources of information for students who are interested in applying to medical schools. One of these sites is that of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC; http://www.aamc.org/), which has a section specifically for students who are just beginning to think about applying to medical schools (http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/start.htm). The AAMC site also contains a list of allopathic (i.e., traditional) medical schools in the United States and Canada (http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/admissions.htm). Another useful resource is the website of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM; http://www.aacom.org/).
In Georgia, the following institutions have medical schools: Emory University (http://www.med.emory.edu/index.cfm); the Medical College of Georgia (http://www.mcg.edu/som/index.asp); Mercer University (http://medicine.mercer.edu/); the Morehouse School of Medicine (http://www.msm.edu/); and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Georgia (http://www.pcom.edu/General_Information/georgia/georgia.html).
The Medical School Application Process
Students who are planning to apply to allopathic (i.e., traditional) medical schools should be familiar with the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS; http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm), which is used by most allopathic medical schools. Students who are interested in applying to osteopathic medical schools should be familiar with the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS; https://aacomas.aacom.org/). Pre-medicine students should also be aware of the specific admission requirements of the medical schools to which they intend to apply (individual medical schools may require information in addition to that which students provide on the AMCAS and AACOMAS applications). The Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) book, which is published each year, is a useful resource for pre-medicine students who are researching the medical school application process; it may be purchased online at https://services.aamc.org/Publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product.displayForm&prd_id=149&prv_id=175. Pre-medicine students should start thinking about and working on their medical school applications well before the beginning of their final year of undergraduate studies.
For information about the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is required for entrance to most medical schools in the United States, students should visit the Association of American Medical College's website at http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/. Pre-medicine students should familiarize themselves with and prepare for the MCAT well in advance of actually taking the test, and they should allow themselves the opportunity to take the test multiple times, if necessary. The following links provide information about off-campus resources for MCAT preparation:
Students who intend to request letters of recommendation from Mercer's Health Vocations Advisement Committee (HVAC) when they apply to medical schools should read the information at the following website: /AAS/Pre-professional Information/Directions for Requesting a Letter from the HVAC.htm.
The following tips for medical school applicants are based on a panel discussion led by admissions counselors of all five medical schools in Georgia:
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Taking (and earning a good grade in) calculus demonstrates a student's ability to think logically and to problem-solve creatively, which makes the student a more attractive candidate for admission at many medical schools - even if those schools do not list calculus as a prerequisite for admission.
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Though courses in statistics and biochemistry are not required for admission to many medical schools, they are recommended because they provide a student with a useful foundation of knowledge to build on in medical school.
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Medical schools look to a student's letters of recommendation for anecdotal evidence that the student has a strong commitment to learning and to helping others, and of their maturity, motivation, integrity, and compassion. In addition to letters of recommendation from the Health Vocations Advisement Committee and/or other members of the university's faculty and staff, a letter from someone outside of the university can be helpful to a medical school's admissions board when making a decision about a student's application. A letter from a physician whom the student shadowed or worked with could provide especially helpful information.
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When writing an essay for a medical school application, consider the following items: (1) emphasize what makes you unique, and explain how this relates to your desire and ability to be a doctor; (2) be honest and candid; (3) connect all the information in your essay to your main idea/theme; (4) proofread and edit your essay carefully; and (5) make sure, especially if you are pasting your essay into an electronic application, that the essay is formatted correctly on the application.
More Information
For more information about preparing for and applying to medical schools, contact the pre-professional advisor in the Office of Academic and Advising Services (478-301-2250).