Pre-Medicine
"Pre-medicine" is not an academic major, but a pre-professional 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. Each medical school has its own specific pre-requisite courses for admission, and it is the student's responsibility to research the courses required by the medical schools they are interested in. Most medical schools require courses in biology, chemistry, and physics, and many also recommend courses in biochemistry and mathematics (see below). Students need to be aware that competency in mathematics is required to begin the chemistry and biology sequences at Mercer University. Of all Mercer pre-medicine students, those who arrive at Mercer ready to begin mathematics at least at the pre-calculus level have proven to be the most successful when applying to medical school.
Choice of Major
There are no requirements or limitations regarding academic major for pre-medical students. The Admissions Committees of all five medical schools in Georgia agree that the pre-medical student's choice of academic major should be based solely upon personal enthusiasm for the area of study. The successful pre-medical student must demonstrate exceptional academic progress and motivation, which is easier to do when the s/he is passionate about his/her field of study.
Pre-requisite Courses for Admission to Medical School
Each medical school has its own specific pre-requisite courses for admission, but most require completion of the following courses before matriculation to their programs (it is the student's responsibility to research the courses required by the specific medical schools they are interested in):
Biology
Introduction to Biology (BIO211, BIO212) – Required
Biochemistry (BIO465 or CHM465) – Required or recommended by most schools
Chemistry
General Chemistry (CHM111, CHM112) – Required
Organic Chemistry (CHM221, CHM222) – Required
Mathematics
Precalculus (MAT133) – Required (course, credit, or placement)
Calculus (MAT191/ MAT191L) – Recommended by some schools
Physics
Introductory Physics (PHY141/ PHY141L and PHY142/ PHY142L) or
General Physics (PHY161/ PHY161L and PHY162/ PHY162L) – Required (one of these sequences)
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 personal appointments.
MerPMed – The Mercer University pre-health student organization (MerPMed) meets monthly. Meetings are information-based and often feature visits by representatives from professional schools or by professionals from one of the health-related fields. This group is entirely student-run, which gives ownership of the pre-health vocations programs to the 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 and the director of Career Services, evaluates the qualifications of medical school applicants and provides these evaluations to medical schools at the applicants' request.