Preparation for graduate traini

Since 1994, on average 24 "qualified" students have applied = to medical school, and on average 19 of those have been accepted. We consider any student with at least a 3.2 GPA and at least a 25 MCAT (24 for osteopathic medical schools) to be a "qualified" applicant. Amo= ng qualified applicants, our overall acceptance rate is 78%. Among students = not meeting these minimal criteria, only about 3% are accepted to medical sch= ool.

2. What should I major in? Should I double major?

We recommend that students major in what they are most interested in! Most applicants major in biology, chemistry, or psychology.&nbs= p; And because the MCAT consists of mostly biology, chemistry, and physics, majoring in one of these will give you an advantage when taking the exam.=

As far as what medical school admissions committees "prefer", most state that your specific undergraduate major or majors are not important. It's the courses you've taken, the grades that you've earned, and the experiences you've accumulated that matter. So for instance while becoming fluent in a foreign language will make you somewhat more competitive, whether or not you complete a major in that language isn't important.

The most popular double major at Wofford is biology and foreign language. The foreign language major, and the associated study abro= ad, provide many opportunities to expose you to other cultures and languages. So if you enjoy foreign languages, we recommend it! But do not feel that you will be at a disadvantage if you don't actually complete the second major. If completing the second major would str= ain your ability to maintain a good GPA for instance, we would advise you to = drop the second major.

3. Can I study abroad?

Yes! Many premedical students have studied abroad, and we encour= age it!

When you should study abroad is a more difficult question, which needs= to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. For most students, the fall of the senior year is best, after completing your MCATs and your application= s to medical school. But if you are "ahead of the game" with A= .P. credit for instance, you may be able to study abroad in your junior year. Consult your p= remed advisor. It's important to start your planning early.

You can see possible schedules at: http://webs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/pdf/study_abroad.pdf

4. Do I need to take summer school? If= so, when and what and where?

It depends on what else you wish to do while you are at Wofford (e.g., study abroad or double major). It does reduce the laboratory load during the year, especially for Biology majors in the junior year. = Many premedical students do devote a summer to physics, introductory chemistry= or organic chemistry.

So until you lay out your plan with your premed advisor, you should plan on taking summer school either after your freshman, or after your sophomore year.

You can take these sciences at any accredited college/university, so long as = the course has a lab, and is designed for science majors. However, in o= rder to get Wofford credit for the course, you may need to get it approved in advance, either by the Wofford Registrar or by the Chair of the departmen= t of the course you'd like to take. <= o:p>

When you apply to medical school, all = of your grades will be factored into your GPA, no matter what accredited sch= ool you take the class at, even if you don’t get Wofford credit for a class.<= o:p>

R1. What science should I take my first semester at Wofford?

That depends on what you plan to major in. If you're not sure, go with "bio" or "chem":
- If you expect to major in chemistry, register for chem123.
- If physics, register for physics 141.
- If psychology, register for psych 150.
- If bio, or any other major not listed above, register for bio150.<= /o:p>

R2. I’ve taken A.P. bio, and gotten a 4 or 5 on the exam. Can I exempt bio150? What science should I take?

&nbs= p; Bio 150 is a very different course than the one you took for A.P. biology. So many students will choose to take bio150 even though th= ey have A.P. credit. If you're not going to major in bio, then yes, you may use your A.P. credits towards your general education science requirements, and/or skip bio150.

If you intend to majo= r in biology, you may, after cons= ulting with the Department chair (Dr. Goldey), be given permission to exempt Bio= 150 if you have a particularly strong academic record in science and if other indicators of future academic performance (e.g., superior SAT, ACT scores) suggest that= you are ready for more advanced work. Such w= ell prepared students may exempt Bio 150 and substitute Bio 212 (sopho= more level genetics and molecular biology), or chemistry 123 for their first semester science.

We = do encourage you to weigh carefully the decision of exempting Bio 150. Moving up to sophomore level bio removes you from your incoming peer group. In addition, Bio 150 seeks to build skills and competencies = that are rarely taught in AP courses.

R3. Can I take TWO science classes my first semester?

&nbs= p; We generally discourage students from taking two lab sciences their first semester on campus. There will be many other demands on your time during your transition to college life.

&nbs= p; That said, if you've been getting A's in your science classes in high sch= ool, and don't feel like you've been overworked, you CAN opt to take both bio = and chem. And it WILL help to lighten your load later on. O= ne option would be to go ahead and register for both, and if you think during that first week of class that you’ve “bit off more…”, you can drop one.

Another option might be to s= tart with one science and a math [preferably statistics] your first semester, = and take two sciences your second semester. Chemistry 123 is usually offered both semesters.=

Q1. What are the premedical course requirements?<= /a>

In order to take the MCAT, every student applying to medical school wi= ll need:

Two semesters of physics
Two semesters of general chemistry
Two semesters of organic chemistry
One semester of biochemistry [with or without lab]
At least two semes= ters of biology [bio212 and bio214]
One semester of psychology [certain sociology classes may substitute]

Although the SC medical schools have no further requirements, a few medical schools will also require that you have a biochemistry lab course.

We also strongly recommend you take physiology before taking the MCAT. Biology 150 and 151 will also be helpful, but some students w= ill not be able to fit these in.

Q2. Which math/calculus courses should I take?

Although the SC medical schools have no math requirements, many other schools will require 3-6 credits of math [including Duke, FSU and U= of F, which require 6 credits]. We recommend you take 6: either two semesters of calculus, or one calculus plus statistics (math 140). = We also recommend you take statistics early in your career, as it will help = you in many of your science classes.

As far as calculus, it doesn't matter whether you take math 160 (calcu= lus for the social sciences) or math 181 (calculus). But faculty who te= ach the course have suggested that science majors might enjoy 181 more, as the problems and examples used are more geared towards the sciences.

To qualify for certain scholarships offered by the state of SC, you mu= st take 6 hours of math during your freshman year.

Q3. What GPA do I need to get into medical school?

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. The 'min= imal successful' GPA will vary from year to year, and from med school to med school. We can give you some guidance though:

- We consider a 3= .2 the minimal acceptable GPA for an application to allopathic medical school; 3.1 to osteopathic. As you go below these numbers, it becomes more and more unlikely that you will be accepted directly ou= t of college.

- The average = GPA accepted to medical school tends to hover around 3.5.

- The higher your GPA, the higher your chances become.

- It's important = to note that it's not your Wofford GPA that will be considered, but your GPA as calculated by the AAMC, on your "AMCAS" application. Here all of your grades from accredited colleges = are included. So this includes grades you receive from summer scho= ol courses taken elsewhere for instance. It also includes any gra= des you may have "replaced" at Wofford. So for instance = if you receive a 'C minus' in a course, and re-take it getting an 'A', = only the 'A' counts in your Wofford GPA, but both the 'A' and 'C minus' c= ount in the GPA that medical schools will see.

M1 . When should I take the MCAT?

Click here to= see the dates for the MCAT.

See the discussion in the premed advising letter, at: http://web= s.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/pdf/letter_2011.pdf

M2. Is there any way to predict what score I w= ill get on the MCAT? What MCAT score do I need?

Most medical schools use your MCAT score as one of the key academic factors th= at they use to predict your success in medical school. It's quite important that you do well.

Of course your performance on the MCAT will depend upon many things; your preparation for the exam the most important of them. But in looking= for correlations between many academic factors and MCAT, the only one that predicts MCAT score is your SATs! That's not terribly surprising, as "standardized test taking ability" seems to play a major role in both exams.

We consider 25 to be the minimal acceptable MCAT for an application to allopathic medical school [24 for osteopathic]. As you go below the= se numbers, it becomes quite unlikely that you will be accepted directly out= of college.

You should re-take the MCAT until your score reaches the average score= for the medical schools you hope to attend. The averages at the two SC allopathic schools tend to be in the 29-30 range.    If you hope to attend medical school in SC, we recommend you re-take the MCAT un= til you have at least a 29. For Emory, 31. Wake Forest 33. D= uke, 35. For other schools, you can check their web sites, or the medical scho= ol books in the library, or from your premed advisor.

IF YOUR MCAT SCORE IS:=

WE WOULD SUGGEST:

<25

You should re-take it before completing your application to medical school.

25-28

Continue with your medical school application, but consider re-taking the MCAT as well. You might a= lso consider applying to Osteopathic medical schools.

29-30

If you're planning on attending U= SC, MUSC, or another medical school having a median score of 30 or less, yo= u're all done with the MCAT!   Do apply to all medical schools in = your home state. You might also consider applying to Osteopathic medical schools.

31-34

If you're planning on attending U= SC, MUSC, Emory, or another medical school with a median score of 34 or les= s, you're all done with the MCAT!   Do apply to all medical scho= ols in your home state. We'd also like you to consider Emory.

35+

Congratulations! It's unlik= ely you would need to re-take the MCAT, unless perhaps you are set on atten= ding an Ivy League medical school.   Do apply to all medical schoo= ls in your home state. We'd also like you to consider Emory, Wake Forest, = and Duke.

M3. How should I prepare for the MCAT?

Assuming you have achieved the 'minimal acceptable GPA' of 3.2, &nb= sp;your performance on the MCAT is the single most important part of your application. Therefore, you must take your exam prep seriously,= and invest large amounts of time studying for this exam! We strongly recommend you begin preparing six months before the exam.

The Kaplan prep course is helpful; but we will also provide lots of st= udy materials to help you prepare on your own. If you have trouble with standardized tests, or scored below a 1300 on your SAT, then Kaplan becom= es more important for you. But you need to really use the resources of Kaplan to make it worth the cost. If you don’t have ti= me to devote to using their materials and studying regularly, you are probab= ly wasting your money.   The MCAT prep course is usually given by Kaplan on campus at Wofford starting in February. You can learn more about Kaplan at: http://www.kapte= st.com/mcat

General information about preparing for the MCAT can be found at: https://www.aamc.or= g/students/applying/mcat/

C1. How can I get clinical experience?

Medical schools will expect you to have had clinical experience.&nb= sp; Although there is no set "level" of experience you need to have, both SC medical schools have confirmed that our recommended 150 hou= rs of clinical contact or shadowing will be sufficient. You can get th= is experience in a number of ways:

Over interim.&nbs= p; We offer a "clinical internships interim"; if that doesn't work out for you, you can propose your own independent interim. You will have the opportunity to shadow health professionals for 120= -150 hours over an interim.

Arrange on your o= wn to shadow health care professionals over the summer. We can provide lists of physicians who have worked with students in the pas= t.

Volunteer at a hospital. Most hospitals will have a volunteer coordinator; contact that person.

Get a job in a hospital, such as working as a phlebotomist (drawing blood), EMT (emergency medical technician) or a CNA (nurse assistant). Eac= h of these require a small amount of training, and there are lots of jobs available.

No matter how you get your experience, make sure you document i= t by giving your supervisor/heath care professional a copy of the Clinica= l Evaluations Form to complete at the end of your work.

   Before any hospital or physician’s practice will permit you to shadow, you will need to demonstr= ate certain ‘credentials’. In Sparta= nburg these would include a criminal backbround che= ck, clean drug test, and vaccination record. See the checklist at: http://we= bs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/pdf/internship_c.pdf

A1. How do I request letters of recommend= ation for medical school?

For most medical schools, you have the choice of submitting 3 individual letters, or a "committee evaluation". A commit= tee evaluation is actually a packet of information, which includes evaluations from all of your biology, chemistry and physics professors, as well as any "clinical evaluations" you have received from health profession= als you have worked with. Some schools, including both SC medical schools, have a preference for the committee evaluations over the three separate letters.= If, however, you feel that for some reason a particular professor may not giv= e a good evaluation (due to grades or personality conflicts) you should go wi= th the individual ones. Be certain that the professors you select are ones t= hat you have performed well under and who see you as a bright student who is highly motivated. (All of us take evaluations seriously and are likely to= be very candid regarding those evaluations.) Some professors are not on camp= us in the summer, so it's best you get the process started before you leave campus in May.

If you choose to do a committee evaluation for medical school, = you can access the form at: ht= tp://webs.wofford.edu/mossre/hc/ . Fill it out online according to the instructions, print it out, and ret= urn the signed form to Ms. Thomas in the biology office. Dr. Bass has the form for dental school. We suggest you submit the form late in your junior yea= r, but it MUST be in no later than September 15 of your senior year. If any = of the comments made by faculty on your evaluation would be detrimental to y= our application, you will be advised to seek out individual letters of recommendation instead.

Most medical schools now ask that recommendations or committee evaluat= ions be submitted online. In this case, you will print out a form to give to t= he people you request letters from. If you're doing a committee evalua= tion through AMCAS, do attach the AMCAS letters form to the Wofford form that = you give to Ms. Thomas. Where the AMCAS form asks you to enter the "Primary Author/Contact" for the letter, give Dr. Moeller's information. See the AAMC web site at: http://w= ww.aamc.org/students/amcas/faq/amcasletters.htm

** IMPORTANT: ** If you do a committee evaluation, we will automatical= ly send out your "clinical evaluations" along with your committee evaluation, to the institutions you designate on the form. However, if yo= u do the three individual letters, since you will not be going through the nor= mal committee procedure, we will not know to send these additional physician evaluations out for you. In this case, you must fill out a form to have M= s. Thomas send out your clinical evaluations.

A2. How do I start the application? What is AMCAS?<= /a>

Most medical schools, including both SC schools, use a common application from= the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

After May 15 of the year you= are applying, you can view or download the application at:

http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm=

Remember that osteopathic medical school applications use a different application service: = https://aacoma= s.aacom.org/

Regardless of the number of AMCAS schools to which y= ou apply, you submit just one application to AMCAS. After AMCAS collec= ts all of your information and forwards it on to each medical school, each individual medical school will contact you regarding an individual, "secondary application", which is usually quite short.

A3. When should I apply to medical school?

The AMCAS application becomes available on June 1. You should ap= ply the summer after your junior year.

Most medical schools, including both SC schools, use a common applicat= ion from the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). You = can fill out their application online at: http://www.aamc.org= /students/amcas/start.htm. Regardless of the number of AMCAS schools to which you apply, you submit = just one application to AMCAS. After AMCAS collects all of your informat= ion and forwards it on to each medical school, each individual medical school will contact you regarding an individual, "secondary application&quo= t;, which is usually quite short. Your AMCAS application should be completed = by September 1 of your senior year!

A4. What constitutes a good personal essay?&nbs= p; Should I seek editorial help on my essay?

The "personal essay" is an important part of your AMCAS application. Medical school admissions committees use the statement to get a feel for you as a person, an individual. But since it is a "personal" essay, it's difficult to give generalized advice about how to write it. <= /p>
Your essay needs to accomplish two objectives:

It should demonstrate your commitment to a career in medicine, and show that medicine is the ri= ght choice for you.

·       It should 'set you apart' from 'the typical applica= nt'. The reader will see dozens of personal essays. If yours simply stat= es that you want to go into medicine because you want to help people, your e= ssay will fade into the background. Use something from your personal experience to let the reader get to know you.   By this time in your life you’ve had ma= ny life experiences: tackled challe= nges, experienced disappointment, learned lessons, even learned a lot about yourself as a person. Now you’re= going to share one or two of these personal experiences with the admissions committee; this is not a time to re-list things already located somewhere= in your application, but a time to share personal aspects of your life, particularly ones that relate to your experience with medicine, or traits that will make you a good doctor. This process can take lots of time, even weeks. After reading dozens of essays, you wa= nt the reader to come away thinking about yours (in a positive way!).

Avoid espousing strong political or religious opinions. There is nothing wrong with your having opinions, but it may be challenging for admissions personnel to read in an unbiased way something that could be considered highly controversial, offensive, or disturbing.

Before you begin:

1.=      Think about your audience. Who will be reading your statement?

2.=      Read the prompt for the essay and be su= re to answer the question that is asked if you are given one.

3.     Reflect back = on past experiences and how they have affected you. Some questions you might ask yourself= are:

<= o:p>

o   = What unusual challenges have you overcome and what did you learn?

o   = Have you studied abroad, or had experience with medical systems outside the U.= S.?

o   = Why do you want to go to medical school?

o   = Who or what inspired you to pursue this path?

o   = Is there something in particular that is interesting about you and/or your family = that relates to health care, or why you’ll make a good doctor?

= Time to Start Writing:

1.=      Make sure you write in the first person= . It is a personal statement! Make this similar to a letter you mig= ht write a friend. It does not need to be formal (but it does need to be technically perfect: grammar, spelling, appropriate word usage, etc.). Feel free to use humor and creativity= , but don’t go overboard!

2.=      Don’t write what you think someone else wants to hear. Write about yours= elf with feeling. That is what they = want to read!

3.=      Start to put stories/paragraphs into an appropriate order with good transitions in between.

4.=      Proof and re-write as necessary.

5.=      Once you are satisfied, transfer the statement to your application.

We strongly suggest that you ask at least two faculty members to revie= w a draft of your essay. One who can critique your essay for grammar and style; perhaps a professor you've had for an English or humanities course. The other who has experience with medical school essays, typically your advisor in the biology or chemistry department.

Expect the faculty to read your essay with a critical eye. It's = not unusual for one of the faculty advisors to recommend that you scrap your first attempt and start again. Don't take this personally! We wouldn't be doing you any favors by holding back and letting you submit a mediocre essay. But of course, you should view any advice on your e= ssay as just that... advice. It's your essay, and your app= lication. So you need to decide which individual bits of advice to take, and which = to ignore.

If your advisor feels your essay needs a major re-write, you may want = to submit another draft for more feedback. If so, you should submit yo= ur next draft to a different member of the faculty. It's to your advantage to get a different perspective on your next draft.

A5. Which schools should I apply to?

We recommend that you apply to all of the medical schools in your home state. In addition, we suggest you consider applying to Emory University's medical school, as we have established a relationship with t= hem over the years. We also suggest that you consider applying to one or more osteopathic medical schools, as they are usually a bit less competit= ive than the allopathic schools.

A6. Should I apply “early decision?”

The SC medical schools require that you apply for Early Decision between June= 1 and August 1. You will be notified of your status by October 1. If MUSC or USCSM is your first choice, you are certain you will = go there if accepted, and you have an excellent record, this may be a good option. You must accept the offer if it is made, but if you are not accepted by ED, you may apply to other schools after you are notified that you have not been accepted as an ED applicant..   If not accept= ed under the ED program, you may still be considered for regular admission to that school, although you will be applying a month late.

If you would be equally happy attending any one of a number of medical schoo= ls, we recommend that you not app= ly by early decision.
=

=

I1. What can I expect during an interview? How should I prepare?=

Interviews are scheduled after all of your application materials are received. It's best to apply early, and to get an early interview, due to the rolli= ng admissions process.

At MUSC, you will be interviewed by three people - a member of the admissions committee, a member of the MUSC faculty and a private physicia= n. From MUSC's web site:

“Noncognitive traits that are desirable in future physicians, as well as previous accomplishments, are evaluated during the interviews. The noncognitive traits include emotional stability, integrity, reasoning skills, enthusiasm, brightness,= and genuine concern for others…On interview days there are opportunities for applicants to tour the university and medical facilities, visit with facu= lty and students and meet with representatives from support organizations to discuss personal, academic and financial concerns.”

Dr. Moss' advice on interview preparation is at: http://webs.= wofford.edu/mossre/hc/pdf/interview.pdf

What should I wear to an interview?

Wow, do you really want to take advice on how to dress from Dr. Moss?? := -)

Dress as a professional. For women, this means some sort of suit – pants = or skirt. For men, a coat and tie is expected. Wear clean, comfortable shoes, as you will be touring and perhaps standing for long periods.

I2. Should I call the admissions of= fice to check on the status of my application? When should I expect to hear back?

You may call them if you haven't heard from by the date you're expecting to. But don't overdo it. One phone call shows interest; ten m= ay start to irritate! If you haven’t heard anything within three weeks after submitting your secondary application, a call seems appropriate; perhaps a call every three weeks or so thereafter.

You can also check your status via the website at MUSC –

http://www.musc= .edu/es/application/progress.html

If you finish your AMCAS application by September 1, and send in your second= ary applications promptly, you are more likely to get a fall interview,= and you might hear during the fall of your senior year from MUSC.   October 15 is the earliest date listed for acceptance by USCSM.

Both schools have rolling admissions, and the final decisions are made by the = end of March.    So don't panic if you don't hear back immedia= tely after your interview, or if you hear back that they are deferring a decis= ion until as late as March.

I3. What should I do if I get “wait listed?”

Try to relax. Of course, it is disappointing hear that you have not been accepted right away, but many medical schools take a large number of stud= ents from their “wait list”. Many stu= dents are accepted to more than one medical school, and then must of course dec= line their other invitations.   So, space opens up. Medical schools regularly admit wait-listed students later in the spring or early summer. By July 1 the class is pretty much full, although on occasi= on a student may change his/her mind as late as the first day of class. =

O1= . What if I'm not ready to apply to medical school by the time I graduate?

The average age of matriculation at medical school is approximately 26. This means that many students do not enter medical school direc= tly after college. Many elect to take a year or two off before applying; others enter different careers before electing to apply to med school.

O2. Can I reapply to medical school if I have be= en rejected?

Certainly. Many students who are not accepted on their first try= get into med school the following year, after addressing any weakness in their applications.   If your MCAT or GPA are below the average for t= he medical schools you applied to, then you can improve your application by improving these scores. Perhaps your interview skills need some work. Or your clinical experience was weak. It is usually worthwhile to meet with an admissions representative at one of the medical schools; they are usually happy to tell you what weaknesses need to be addressed.

What if I don't ge= t in the first year?

Because there are so many qualified applicants, many applicants will n= ot be accepted during their first attempt, but are later accepted. You should contact the medical schools, and have them identify any weaknesses= in your application. You may need to improve your MCAT score, or your interview skills.

For the intervening year, some students choose to attend a "Post-Baccalaureate Program"; and intensified course that prepa= res you for medical school. Many medical schools have such programs.&nb= sp;

We generally DON'T recommend these programs, unless the program grants admission to the institution's medical school if you do well in the bostbac program. Two that do so are:

Virginia's Colle= ge of Osteopathic Medicine has an extra feature in theirs: If you maintain a 3.5 GPA in their one year program, and get good evaluatio= ns from their faculty, they will promise you a spot in their next Docto= r of Osteopathy class. Interested students should contact Julianne = Smartt at jsmartt@vcom.vt.edu

Drexel Universit= y: "Students accepted into the DPMS program are given a provisiona= l acceptance to enter the College of Medicine following successful completion of = this one-year program." http://www.drexelmed.edu/Home/AcademicPrograms/ProfessionalStudiesint= heHealthSciences/Programs/DrexelPathwaytoMedicalSchoolDPMSProgram.aspx

·        Georgetown Universit= y: " Based on their successful performance during the GEMS year, 80% of GEMS s= tudents that matriculated in the program between 2003 and 2007 have been admitted= to Georgetown University School of Medicine." http://gems.georgetown.edu/
Other alternatives are:
- Get a job that gives you clinical experience. Graduates can be employed as EMTs, phlebotomists (the people who draw blood), lab technici= ans, etc.
- Begin coursework towards a MS in public health, or in any clinical or scientific field. Doing well in these programs shows the medical sc= hools that you are capable of handling the work in med school, and you’re also working towards a graduate degree in a field you’ll enjoy.
The MPH program at USC will allow you to take a few classes as “non-matriculated” students for the fall, and you can apply for admission= for January. In this way you’ll be able to dive in for the fall semeste= r!
Another MS to take a look at: Georgetown University’s MS program in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). This is an 11 month master’s degree. The application deadline is June 1, and the course= work will be quite helpful no matter where you end up in health care.
http://camprogram= .georgetown.edu/index.html

Please report any problems with this page to Dr. Moss.

General Information Your premedical advisors: Biology Department: Dr. Moss, Dr. Moeller Chemistry Department: Dr. Wai= dner

General Information
Your premedical advisors:

Biology Department:

Dr. Moss,

Dr. Moeller

Chemistry Department: Dr. Wai= dner