Pre-Medicine
The ultimate decision to pursue a medical career will be made near the end of the premedical student's undergraduate education.
Pre-medicine is not an academic major, nor is it a definite career decision. The ultimate decision to pursue a medical career will be made near the end of the pre-medical student's undergraduate education. This decision will require the mature personal assessment of academic abilities, the benefit of some health career experience and the ability to articulate well-developed career goals. The pathway to this decision is a difficult one. However, the Mercer University pre-medical student draws upon the personal foundation of a liberal arts education in making this decision.
Undergraduate Academic Program
Medical schools look for individuals from diverse backgrounds with a variety of skills and interests. However, the most important skill with respect to medical training is the ability to use critical thinking to solve problems. Undergraduate students develop this skill through practice in science courses, the foundation of the premedical student's curriculum. Specific course requirements in biology, chemistry and physics are listed below. Many medical schools also recommend courses in mathematics, and competency in mathematics is required to begin the science sequences at Mercer University. Due to the fundamental importance of mathematics to success in the sciences, preparation to begin study at or above the pre-calculus level should be viewed as prerequisite to even considering the pre-medical curriculum.
The successful pre-medical student should also strive to complete a breadth of studies. The development of communication skills – writing, critical reading and oral communication – in the context of not only natural science courses, but also humanities and social science courses, will be of particular importance. This developmental process begins at Mercer University in the First Year Seminar and Scientific Inquiry courses. It is recommended that students select additional courses that emphasize reading, discussion and written response to further develop their communication skills. The Great Books Program is one option for completing the general education requirements that also provides the pre-medical student with excellent opportunities to achieve a breadth of studies and to sharpen communication skills.
There are no requirements or limitations on academic major areas of study for pre-medical students. The Mercer University faculty, including the pre-medicine advisor, strongly recommend that the pre-medical student's academic major choice be based solely upon personal enthusiasm for the area of study. The successful pre-medical student must demonstrate a superior level of motivation, spurring exceptional academic progress. Therefore, the academic major should interest the pre-medical student sufficiently to catalyze this motivation. Medical schools look for students with academic records that reflect their commitment to life-long learning. At Mercer University, the highly motivated pre-medical student might demonstrate their learning commitment through independent study or independent research in the major area, as well as through the Honors Program in the College of Liberal Arts or the Stetson School of Business and Economics.
Allied Health Sciences
The Allied Health Sciences are another avenue for those students who wish to pursue a career in a healthcare-related field. These careers typically require significantly less post-graduate training that the more traditional doctoral programs. Professional programs in the allied health sciences include Anesthesiology & Patient Monitoring Systems, Ophthalmic Technology, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Radiologic Technology and Respiratory Therapy. Admission to some of these programs requires the completion of a bachelor's degree, while others are transfer programs leading to a bachelor's degree. These programs have varying course requirements that typically include chemistry, physics and biology. Depending on the program, course requirements might also include specific additional courses in biology and/or psychology, as well as general requirements of some number of completed hours in the arts and humanities. Therefore, every pre-allied health student is strongly advised to acquaint themselves with the admissions requirements for the professional programs to which they are most likely to apply.
Courses
Biology
Introduction to Biology (BIO211, BIO212) – Required
Biochemistry (BIO465 or CHM465) – Required by many schools
Chemistry
General Chemistry (CHM111, CHM112) – Required
Organic Chemistry (CHM221, CHM222) – Required
Mathematics
Precalculus (MAT133) – Required (course, credit, or placement)
Calculus (MAT191/ MAT191L) – Recommended
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
In deciding to apply to medical school, the pre-medical student should consider the criteria used by medical schools to select students. 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 3.3 on the traditional four-point scale.
Motivation – As noted above, motivation toward learning will be assessed by the applicant's record of independent study, research, or Honors Program courses, as well as the applicant's attempts to gain experience in a health career area. Volunteer and/or work experiences related to medicine, along with additional personal research, will help the pre-medical student build a general understanding of the physician's profession and demonstrate motivation toward a medical career.
Communication skills – Communication skills will be assessed through the MCAT, through written statements accompanying the medical school application, and through personal interviews with medical school faculty members.
Personal qualities – Medical schools look for evidence of desirable personal traits, especially integrity, responsibility, leadership ability 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). Obviously, personal traits will also be evident in personal interviews with medical school faculty members.
Pre-medical Support at Mercer University
In addition to the academic opportunities described above, Mercer University also provides the pre-medical student with other support structures:
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 a career specialist from the Division of Student Affairs, evaluates the qualifications of medical school applicants and provides these evaluations to medical schools at the applicants' request. This committee also reviews the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application forms completed by Mercer University students.
Mercer University School of Medicine Internships – These internships are one-semester observational experiences coordinated by the School of Medicine at the Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG). Pre-medical students accepted into this program must register for the experiences and receive credit for their participation. Applications are submitted to the Office of Career Services.