Pre-Medicine
Mercer University students who aspire to become physicians are considered to be on the "pre-medical track". Pre-medical students are free to pursue any major field of study, but must also complete specific pre-requisite courses before application to medical school.
Students need to be aware that the pre-requisite coursework in the sciences is only offered on Mercer's Macon campus; students must apply to one of Mercer's colleges or schools located in Macon, Georgia to complete the pre-medical track.
Competency in mathematics at or above the calculus level is required to begin the chemistry and biology sequences at Mercer University. Students planning on following the pre-medical track are therefore advised to take mathematics in high school AT LEAST THROUGH THE PRE-CALCULUS LEVEL if possible.
Each medical school has its own specific pre-requisite courses for admission; most medical schools require courses in biology, chemistry, and physics, and many also recommend courses in biochemistry and mathematics. It is the pre-medical student's repsonsibility to identify his/her preferred medical school(s) early in his/her undergraduate career so that the required courses may be completed before medical school applications are made.
Medical School Qualification Criteria
When deciding whether or not to enter the pre-medicine track, students should consider the criteria used by medical schools to select matriculants. The most important include:
Academic qualifications – The ability to learn independently will be assessed by looking at academic ability measures such as grade point averages (overall, and in mathematics and science courses) and Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores. Generally, the competitive applicant will require a grade point average above 3.5 on the traditional four-point scale. Successful pre-medical students must also demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning. This can be achieved by participating in the Honors Program in the College of Liberal Arts or the Stetson School of Business and Economics, or by conducting independent research within their major.
Communication skills – Both oral and written communication skills are important skills for a physician. A student's communication skills will be assessed through their performance in writing- and discussion-intensive undergraduate coursework, their performance on the verbal and writing portions of the MCAT, and through personal interviews with medical school faculty members.
Motivation – As noted above, motivation toward learning will be assessed by the applicant's record of independent study, Honors Program courses, leadership experience, and experience in health care. Volunteer and/or work experiences related to medicine will help the pre-medical student build a general understanding of the physician's profession and demonstrate motivation toward a medical career.
Other personal qualities – Medical schools look for evidence of desirable personal traits, especially integrity, responsibility, leadership ability, compassion, and a desire to work with people. These traits will be assessed by an examination of an applicant's extra-curricular activities. Additionally, these qualities should be addressed in letters of recommendation sent to the medical schools by an applicant's personal contacts and by the Mercer University Health Vocations Advisement Committee (HVAC). Personal traits will also be evident in personal interviews with medical school faculty members.
Support for Pre-Medicine Students at Mercer University
Mercer University provides the pre-medicine student with several support structures:
Pre-Professional Advisor - The Mercer pre-health professions advisor (Dr. Carol Bokros; Penfield Hall; bokros_c@mercer.edu; 478-301-2250) disseminates information for pre-professional students via campus-wide meetings and events, by email, through this website, and through individual advising appointments.
Student Organizations – The Mercer University pre-health student organization, "MerPMed", and the Mercer chapter of the national pre-health professions honor society, Alpha Epsilon Delta, meet monthly and conduct occasional special events and projects for pre-health students.
Health Vocations Advisement Committee (HVAC) – This group, made up of committed faculty members from the departments of Biology, Biomedical & Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Psychology, and Physics, along with the pre-professional advisor , evaluates the qualifications of medical school applicants and provides these evaluations to medical schools at the applicants' request.
Specific information about preparing for medical school at Mercer University can be found in the Student Handbook for the Pre-Medical Tracks (MUPreMedicalHandbook1011.pdf).