Office of Academic Advising |
Pre-Med Manual
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Pre-Med Manual 2009Table of Contents1. Curricular Requirements for Medical School Admission 2. Medical School Admissions Test (MCAT) 4. Official Transcripts/Grades 5. Undergraduate Major and Academic Advising Application Services (AMCAS, TMDSAS, AACOMAS) 7. Chances of Admission: Self-Evaluation 8. Important Considerations (Length of Preparation and Early Decision Program) 10. Financing a Medical Education 11. Gaining Health-Related Experience 13. Related Health Fields (Chiropratic, Naturopathic, Oriental Medicine, Podiatric) Curricular Requirements for Medical School AdmissionHigh School Background —As a potential applicant to medical school, you must, of course, satisfactorily complete a four-year high school program or its equivalent. Where possible, basic science requirements should be supplemented with additional work in laboratory sciences and in mathematics. While the additional work is not mandatory, the skills acquired may permit enrollment in advanced or honor sections of classes at the university level. The high school transcript itself is not used in the selection process, but the skills and habits learned and developed in high school influence the success of the college program. If possible, you should also take advantage of classes or voluntary employment, which brings you in contact with medical situations. Should you take Advanced Placement (AP) tests and earn credit, you must speak with your advisors about the risks of by-passing lower-division science courses. Not all medical schools accept AP work in lieu of requirements. Undergraduate Requirements for Medical School 1. General Requirements—All US medical schools require the equivalent of three years of full-time work in an accredited college or university, exclusive of military science. If admitted without a degree, you are usually expected to complete your bachelor’s degree within two years of starting medical school, either through the transfer of credit for work done at medical school or through summer session work. In most cases, all University of Oregon graduation requirements must be satisfied (number of hours, basic courses, group requirements, major requirements, etc.). Generally, students must also have completed 132 credit hours on the UO campus, or met the residency requirement of 45 credits of the last 60. Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine requires that a bachelor’s degree be completed prior to first attendance. The vast majority of the first-year medical students in the nation have completed an undergraduate degree. It may be possible to save some time through intensive summer course work. The current trend in admissions has favored the older student with medically related experience. 2. Specific Course Requirements—Specific course requirements vary from medical school to school; minimum expectations are, however, markedly similar. All schools demand some work in biology or zoology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Exact admissions requirements are detailed in the yearly revised Medical School Admissions Requirements: USA and Canada (MSAR). This text may be ordered through <http://www.aamc.org/>. A recent edition is in the office of the Pre-Health Science Advisor for quick reference, and in the Pre-Health Science Center library (364 Oregon Hall). You should review the variations in requirements early in your academic career to ensure time to cover any outstanding deficiencies. Foreign-language requirements are especially important to note. (Only a few schools require language competency, but the number recommending Spanish is increasing.) For most Oregon residents the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine in Portland represents their first choice. Its stated minimum requirements include:
3. Recommended University of Oregon Curriculum—The minimum requirements for admission to OHSU School of Medicine and many other medical schools can be met with the following classes:
All of the courses listed above should be completed on a graded basis. Since English Composition is a required course at many schools, it too should be taken graded. Because a few schools require a year of English, you should take an English department literature course for an arts and letters group requirement. Specific courses are recommendations only, and, in some instances, alternatives may be acceptable or preferred to meet admission requirements. Transfer students, for example, might have completed courses with entirely different numbers and titles which would still be adequate. Where a transfer includes many science credits from a two-year institution (e.g., LCC), you should raise the issue with advisors, as some medical colleges do not look favorably on more than one year’s enrollment at a community college. Post-baccalaureate students and those who decide late in their undergraduate years that they wish to apply to medical school might also satisfy medical school admissions requirements without following the precise program outlined above. The Pre-Med Pamphlet shows models for a four-year undergraduate program and a one-to-two-year Post-Bac program. The models only suggest three sample arrangements based on math placement scores. Other programs may be possible, especially through the use of intensive summer courses. While the recommended biology in the models meet minimum medical school admission requirements, additional course work may be helpful in preparation for the MCAT. Comments
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)The Medical College Admission Test —Only an inconsequential fraction of accepted medical school applicants are admitted without the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Although the testing is administered by the University of Oregon Testing Office, you must apply to the national sponsors of MCAT for the exam and you must apply approximately one month in advance of the scheduled testing dates. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE is permitted to take the examination without prior advanced registration! The MCAT is a computer-based exam given several times a year from January through September. The UO Testing Center is a designated testing location for the exam. Space is at a premium, so plan to register as far in advance as you are able. (Registration typically opens 12 weeks before the test date; the regular deadline is 14 days before the test.) Schedule your testing time and progress through the curriculum carefully. Watch for changes in procedures for applying for the MCAT. Osteopathic schools also require the MCAT. For more information and to register for the MCAT, go to <http://www.aamc.org/mcat/>. Consider:
The MCAT—This test includes four subtests:
The best preparation for the science examinations is the required pre-medical program. The verbal reasoning section can best be prepared for through study in the university’s arts and letters and social science curriculum. Improving writing abilities requires writing experience spread out over as long a time as possible, including the freshman composition courses and any other course which permits (or requires) that students write term papers and write essay examinations in lieu of standardized multiple-choice questions. Information on commercial review courses is available in the Office of Academic Advising. Watch for MCAT preparation workshops through the Univeristy Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). They are typically much cheaper than commercial review courses and offer instruction by faculty. Some sort of formal review course is recommended for most students. The TLC also offers one-on-one appointments to discuss the MCAT and related academic material. Letters of EvaluationLetters of Evaluation—The personal evaluations you will have submitted to medical schools are extremely important, yet students frequently do not take this part of their requirements seriously. It is your obligation to become familiar with potential letter writers who can provide clear, confidential judgments of you as a student and as a human being. You must find writers who can provide what transcripts and test scores cannot: an estimate of your character, motivation, imagination, originality, scope of interests and skills, and even your emotional maturity. The Number of Letters—In general, three academic letters are the minimum demanded. OHSU and the University of Washington require at least three. Most students collect five, but in all cases, three decisive, informative letters further your application more than a score of vague, short, mediocre ones. The schools are, however, flexible in their willingness to accept and read all the letters sent. The Source and Content of Letters—Medical schools want information that can help them confirm that you will be a good science student and that you have the personality traits to be a competent physician. Without question, the experienced science faculty on any campus provide the best letters with regard to your abilities in science. Some schools desire all supportive letters from the science faculty; others want a mix of science and non-science letters; still others ask for additional letters from persons out of the academic community entirely. Your application is damaged with fewer than two letters from different sciences. OHSU suggests three letters from classroom sources. Letters from the science faculty are often the most difficult to request because of class size. It is easier to come into closer contact with the faculty in honors sections, in upper-division classes, and from research situations. This is not to say, however, that it is impossible to make an excellent showing—one worthy of a supportive letter—in the freshman classes. The pre-med advisor and/or the university do not compose an institutional letter. Letters from non-science classes can supplement the science letters. A year-long sequence in language, literature, or history, for example, could provide you with a strong reference. Extracurricular activity letters can also be useful to the application. Off-campus letters can be valuable if they record a judgment of your experience in medically allied work. Have you been an orderly in a hospital or had military medical experience? Have you volunteered your time in a retirement home or a children’s hospital? Have you been a technician in a doctor’s office? Reports on your performance in these areas can show the depth of your interest in medicine. Letters from an old family physician or an influential politician, however, are not likely to carry the authority of judgment the admissions committees are looking for. If there are key words or phrases that appear and reappear regularly on evaluation forms, they are these: passion for medicine, maturity, emotional stability, interpersonal relations, communication skills, leadership, and intellect. If no single reference can attest to your qualities in all of these matters, then try to arrange a combination of letters that do touch all these bases. The Format of the Letters—If you apply to schools that use the AMCAS letters service (the majority do), AMCAS will submit the letters you designate. You can designate different letters for different schools. For example, if your evaluator is an alumna of Duke, you can send her letter to Duke but other letters to other institutions. Once submitted to AMCAS, a letter cannot be edited or deleted; however, the evaluator can append further information. Evaluators can send letters to AMCAS electronically or by paper. AMCAS FAQ has detailed instructions. The evaluator will need 2 ID numbers: your AMCAS ID and an ID for the specific letter. AMCAS will automatically generate a letter ID for you when you indicate on your application that you wish to add a new letter. If your evaluator wishes to submit a letter by paper, give her/him the letter of reference form AMCAS will prompt you to print. It is courteous to provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope. If your evaluator wishes to submit a letter electronically, you do not need the paper form, but you will need the ID numbers. A common online means of storing and submitting letters of reference is Interfolio (www.interfolio.com). Your evaluators submit letters electronically to your account, and Interfolio sends them to AMCAS and/or other participating institutions you designate. If you enter the Interfolio site through the UO portal, you can get a discount on your subscription. Go to the Academic Advising web pages and look under “Reference Letters” on the “Prepare for the Health Professions” page. AMCAS will convert all your letters to electronic format. Thus, the format you choose (paper or electronic) will not matter to participating medical schools. Be courteous to your evaluators and allow them to select the format with which they are most comfortable. If you are applying to schools that do not use AMCAS, consult their individual guidelines. OHSU does not at present use AMCAS letters. They do accept Interfolio submissions and submissions by paper. Open or Confidential Files—Public Law 93-380 assured all registered students access to their files, but many medical and professional schools (including OHSU) prefer confidential letters of evaluation. The choice is yours--it is illegal to compel you to waive your rights of access. If you wish to establish a professional school confidential file and waive your rights of access, you may specify this on Interfolio or may sign a waiver for each letter. Special Tips—The best time to ask for a letter is when you are freshest/most familiar in the evaluator's mind. If this is well before your med school application, have the evaluator submit the letter to Interfolio or ask if she/he can keep it on file until your application cycle. When you approach a potential evaluator, ask candidly if the writer can write a letter. Does the writer know you well enough to add significantly to your application? Letter writing is time-consuming--give the writer a gracious way to refuse. In your conversations, let your reference writer know that medical schools wish both personal and academic information. Provide her/him with the facts you wish mentioned--bring old exams and term papers to refresh her/his memory. Talk about your activities. Ask your evaluator to keep an electronic copy of your letter until after you are accepted to med school. If your closest contact has been with a teaching assistant, ask her/him to collaborate on a jointly signed letter with the supervising senior faculty member or ask the senior faculty member to consult with the teaching assistant. There is, however, no doubt that medical schools prefer letters from the experienced staff. Official Transcripts/GradesOfficial Transcripts—All medical schools require official transcripts from every college you have attended. Although few medical schools publicly list mandatory GPAs for admission, accumulated statistics illustrate that only applicants with averages at 3.4 and above stand a good chance of admission. The recent national mean for accepted applicants was 3.6 in all college work. 3.7 in science has been the mean at OHSU for several years. Superior work cannot be registered in a Pass grade. OHSU notes that "pass" or "satisfactory" grades are not acceptable for prerequisite courses. Remember: English and writing classes are often required and should be taken graded. A record replete with work attempted but never finished (recorded in “Y,” “I,” and/or “W”s) does not predict success in medical schools. In general, you should maintain a full academic load of 15 or 16 term hours. In general, community college courses are not frowned upon if subsequent prerequisite coursework taken at a four-year institution shows high grades. Some medical schools do not accept AP credit. OHSU does accept it if you provide an official transcript that shows exactly which courses you received credit for; graded work is preferred. Distance education courses are generally frowned on for prerequisite coursework. If you take one, be sure it is very high quality and offered by an institution with a reputation for excellence.
The Undergraduate Major and Academic AdvisingThe curricular and non-curricular requirements described so far constitute the pre-medical program, but not an undergraduate major. Science Majors—Given the pre-medical curriculum, the obvious and ready major is someplace in the sciences; chemistry, biology, biochemistry, exercise and movement science, general science, mathematics, physics, and psychology dovetail most efficiently with the recommended classes. Many of the requirements of those majors are satisfied with the pre-medical offering. As the requirements vary considerably between the majors, you should plot your second year in college very carefully in anticipation of a major choice if you have not already committed yourself. Non-Science Majors—Almost all medical colleges make a special point of welcoming non-science majors. They emphasize their interest in candidates who demonstrate competency in other disciplines, from business to music. Obviously, it demands scrupulous planning to satisfy degree requirements in a non-science major and still complete the pre-medical curriculum. UO records show non-science majors are very successful in gaining admission. The Major as an Alternative Career—As a pre-medical student, you should face realistically the possibility of not gaining admittance to medical studies. What will you do if you are not accepted? Graduate school? Another health allied career? Reapply? Don’t be surprised if you are asked this often by friends, advisors, and interviewers. It isn’t intended to discourage you but to remind you of the realities of medical school application. Academic Advising—When you enter the university, you should be assigned an advisor by your major department or the Office of Academic Advising if you are undeclared. She/he should be available to discuss any academic problems you have and should discuss with you the career possibilities of the major. Ideally, she/he is an individual with whom you will have contact over a period of years. Obviously, you must seek out your departmental advisor often, especially during regular registration periods. The Pre-Med advisors, Arwen Spicer and Lori Manson, are not science advisors but technical advisors on career choices and on admission procedures in the health fields. The Application ProcessThe American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS)—The American Medical College Application Service is a non-profit service organized and administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Its only role is the facilitation of the application process; it offers no advice and reaches no judgments. The service acts as a clearinghouse: collecting, processing, and distributing the materials of application. Some medical schools use the AMCAS as the first of a multi-stage process. The Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine will only accept applications through AMCAS. (See Medical School Admission Requirements [MSAR].)
Texas Med Schools: Texas medical schools use their own application service, TMDSAS, instead of AMCAS. See <www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas>. Other Non-AMCAS Schools—See the websites of the few schools not using an application service for instructions on how to apply. The MSAR indicates participating and non-participating schools as well as the earliest dates application forms may be requested. AACOMAS—Osteopathic schools handle applications through the AACOMAS application service. They begin application processing May of each year. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible as most schools will want to contact you for further information such as letters of recommendation and secondary application forms. Deadlines vary by school. See <http://www.aacom.org>. The Personal Interview—The personal interview is generally, but not uniformly, required of all serious contenders. Many, but not all, Oregon residents are interviewed by OHSU. Other institutions might conduct interviews with an entire admission team or a single field representative. The interview might involve a quick air trip to an eastern city or a local motel. Anticipate and be prepared for any mode of interview. Be prepared for the cost of interview trips. Ideally, the interview is two-way. The interviewer wants additional information about you, and you should want some specific information about the school. The interviewers often begin by referring to your personal statement, asking for amplification; they might ask about your academic successes and failure, your special interests in medicine, or your reasons for choosing their particular school, but they also want you to demonstrate a potential for conversation. Wit and charm are desirable luxuries, but a relaxed candidness and clarity are indispensable traits. Always maintain a professional demeanor. This includes a formal, conservative appearance in dress, hair, makeup, etc. Be amiable but formally polite with interviewers. Turn off cell phones. Pick-up sample questions in the Office of Academic Advising. Interviewing schedules start as early as August and continue into the spring of the following year. An Application Calendar—This calendar is designed for the applicant who chooses the four-year preparation. Students may also delay applying until after graduation. Fall Term of the Junior Year The best time to secure evaluations is immediately at the conclusion of a class. If you have not secured letters before, you must begin in earnest during the junior year. Attend MCAT preparation workshop given in December and January. Winter Term of the Junior Year Begin a review for the MCAT, check dates. Register for the spring MCAT <http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/>. Apply for MCAT and AMCAS fee waivers through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, if you qualify <http://www.aamc.org>. Spring Term of the Junior Year Be sure you have applied to take the spring MCAT and continue your review. Take the MCAT in spring. Notify the Pre-Med Advisor of your intention to apply to medical school. Attend the application workshops—usually scheduled in April and May. Begin to review the MSAR and select schools you are interested in. Begin working on AMCAS application <http://www.aamc.org/> and/or AACOMAS application <http://aacomas.aacom.org> and obtain applications from non-participating schools. Gently remind faculty to turn in letters. Begin to anticipate the costs of applying to medical school. There are fee waivers for some of the costs but not all of them. Summer Term between Junior and Senior Year Complete and submit your AMCAS and/or AACOMAS applications after you have the MCAT results. When your spring grades are posted, order official transcripts from the Registrar’s Office utilizing the AMCAS (or appropriate) request form. If you plan to take the summer MCAT, register for the test early in the summer. Double check with all medical schools on the completeness of your application materials. Mail application materials before summer MCATs are returned. Receive and complete secondary applications from medical schools--make sure that your address is accurate and up to date with AMCAS and AACOMAS! Fall Term and Early Winter of Senior Year Continue receiving and completing secondary applications. Anticipate and fulfill requests for letters and interviews. Schedule a practice interview through the Career Center. Some interview appointments are made before the first of the year, most are not. Review interview material in the Office of Academic Advising. Chances for Admission: Self-EvaluationMedical schools are increasingly using holistic admissions, a system that takes into account both the tangible "pieces" of your application (scores, grades, hours of experience, etc.) and your characteristics as an individual. Watchwords include maturity, self-reflection, leadership, communication, demonstrated passion for medicine, demonstrated commitment to service, understanding of diversity, and "grit." Below is a breakdown of the "pieces." Remember that they do not, by themselves, show the whole picture of holistic admissions. Residence—The likelihood of acceptance is greatest at the public institutions in the state of which you are a legal resident. Most state schools automatically screen out non-residents unless their objective record is spectacular. OHSU favors Oregon residents but, as of 2009, will accept more non-residents than in the past. Admission for non-residents will still be extremely competitive, but Oregon residents must also be prepared with a spectacular application. Academic Record—GPA is critical in selection. The national mean has been 3.5 or 3.6 for some time. Good grades guarantee nothing, however, by themselves. They do indicate a solid performance in the past and can be used to predict a high probability of repeated success in the first two years of the medical school curriculum. It is clear that students with a 3.2 GPA and below are in a high-risk category. Average GPA for osteopathic schools is generally a little lower than allopathic schools, but the gap is closing as osteopathic admissions become more competitive. MCAT Scores—MCATs are scored on a 1–15 scale on each of the three sections. The national mean score of accepted applicants has been 10’s on each section for the last two years. OHSU means have been 10’s and 11’s on each section. Motivation/Experience—Grades prove scientific competence; medically allied experience can demonstrate both your commitment and your understanding of health careers. Pick up the handout on medically related experiences at the Office of Academic Advising. Almost all schools want to see breadth and depth. A range of experiences should be balanced with one type of experience you have practiced for at least a year (preferably more) and in which you have demonstrated excellence. Give great attention to this important part of your preparation. Health-related experiences are required at almost every school. Reapplicants—Reapplication by strong students is usually welcome. Applying more than twice may be problematic. Consult individual schools for their preferences. Minority Students—All U.S. public and private schools are seeking underrepresented minority and other non-traditional applicants. Contact the Office of Academic Advising for information. International Students—When applying to public schools, foreign students are considered non-residents. Private schools accept some foreign students; review the MSAR for recent statistics. UO foreign students have in the past few years been accepted at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, Northwestern, Medical College of Wisconsin, Creighton, Washington University (St. Louis), and Chicago Medical. Students with permanent residence (green card) status are considered Oregon residents. Important ConsiderationsLength of Preparation—Three completed college years satisfies the minimum requirement for entrance to some medical schools. The possibility of beginning your medical education a year early may be attractive, but you should consider the problems as well as the advantages of such an early entrance. OHSU and many other schools require a bachelor’s degree. Many students plan for a gap year between completing their bachelor's degree and entering to med school. This time allows them to gain additional health-related experience, work, save money, travel, and/or take a break from school and recharge before the rigors of medical school. The Early Decision Program—Because the application process is lengthy and creates so much anxiety, some institutions have decided to announce appointments to medical school for a selected small group early in the fall. MSAR lists participating schools. Under the Early Decision Program, the student can apply to a single participating school of his/her choice in early summer and expect a decision usually by October 1st. The student cannot apply to more than one school until a decision is reached, and she/he is committed to accept any offer given. The Early Decision Program is designed only for the superior candidate—the candidate with excellent chances of being admitted to any medical school. Some state medical schools will consider non-resident applicants only through the Early Decision Program. OHSU does not accept early decision applications.
Selecting Medical SchoolsSelecting Medical Schools—The best students, the most knowledgeable and highly motivated, begin thinking about selecting medical schools long in advance of the application season. You should know about the remarkably different programs, specialty opportunities, and timetables for beginning clinical work. Since selection for interviews depends first on residency, then on GPAs and MCAT scores, a reasonable approach is to review the MSAR. Match your objective data to national means; examine which schools admit non-residents and then pick perhaps 15 (besides OHSU) that appeal to you. Cross-check the school’s website for information on their academic program and profiles of recent classes. The 15 names might drop to 10. Then, read the individual school catalogs and the AAMC Curriculum Directory; ask critical questions of yourself and your interests: Do you want to wait until your third year for clinical experiences? Do you want schools which have only Pass/No Pass grading? Do substantial online research. Each medical school has online information on its academic programs and admission procedures; there are chat rooms of premedical and medical students. Testing agencies discuss their wares. In addition, there is much information on hot medically related topics: managed care, health care reform, physician assisted suicide, etc. Most students apply to 13-14 schools. If your grades and MCATs are below the national means of accepted students, you might wish to apply to more schools, but don't waste time and money applying to schools far above your qualifications. International Medical Schools—Information is available in the Office of Academic Advising on this route to medical school. Considerations: 1) Some advertised schools may be a scam. Consider only schools that are listed in the online International Medical Education Directory (IMED) <https://imed.faimer.org/>, published by the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER). 2) Graduates of an international school may have difficulty obtaining a residency in the United States. 3) Statistically, graduates of international medical schools are less likely to pass their licensure exams than students educated in the US or Canada. 4) Are you prepared to undertake the challenges of medical school while dealing with stresses such as being far from home/family, learning a new language, culture shock, and unfamiliar teaching methods? International medical school is right for some, but it should not be viewed as an "easier" or "less competitive" way to get into medical school. While initial acceptance may be easier, the process of becoming a doctor will most likely be more challenging than if the applicant attended a US or Canadian school. Financing a Medical EducationThe costs of a medical education have escalated over the past decade. Most students fund their education through borrowing; each medical institution has its own pattern for distributing monies to students (loans, small scholarships, loan forgiveness in exchange for service). Because the federal regulations that determine eligibility and available funds change frequently, it is difficult to plan ahead. One principle, however, is unchanging: borrow as little as possible during your undergraduate days and have no consumer debt when you enter medical school. Consumer debt cannot be funded by medical school financial aid, and if that debt is high, a student’s ability to fund a medical education is seriously jeopardized. Read the section on financing a medical education in Medical School Admission Requirements. A major source of information is the Financial Aid Information Page located at <http://www.finaid.org/>. Scholarships—The Pre-Medical Scholarship Committee awards several scholarships. (Some scholarships may not be offered every year due to funding constraints.)
For more information see Pre-Health Scholarships. Financial assistance is also available through military scholarships. We strongly encourage all pre-medical students to apply for all university scholarships through the office of student Financial Aid at <http://financialaid.uoregon.edu/uo_scholarship>. ExploreHealthCareers.org also offers funding information under "Career Explorer." Gaining Health-Related ExperienceHealth-related experience will be crucial to your application. Medical schools look at your experience to answer three questions.
Clinical experience with direct patient contact is vital to demonstrating your knowledge of medicine. Other types of experience may be relevant even if they aren't directly health related. For example, waiting tables requires excellent people skills, organization, and stress management. To find health-related opportunities, you can consult the volunteer handout. The Career Center (541-346-3235) is a great source for jobs and internships. You can also use personal contacts: example, ask your family doctor for tips on finding opportunities. Medical schools appreciate applicants who are proactive about finding opportunities for themselves. Asking for help is great, but be a strong self-advocate in seeking out experience. Your first experience might not be your ideal. You might start out answering phones in a clinic and move up to direct patient care. Medical schools appreciate such commitment to "moving up through the ranks," as long as you give yourself time to get substantial direct patient experience. Some students choose certification in a health-related area to open up more volunteer and professional opportunities. Community colleges commonly offer a range of programs for certification in fields such as Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and Phlebotomist, among others. CPR certification is offered through the UO. If you intend to apply to an MD/PhD program or to a specific school that values undergraduate research, your professors will be invaluable contacts. You can research faculty members' fields of interest through departmental websites. Find someone whose projects feel like a good match for your interests and experience and go to office hours to explore the possibility of being a research assistant. Be creative! There is no formula for getting the "right" experience. Admissions committees will want a clear picture of an applicant who has explored medicine broadly but tailored her experience around her particular interests. Steer toward work you find satisfying and worth doing for several years. Top of PageOsteopathic MedicineOsteopaths are physicians like M.D.s, but they have graduated from an institution granting the D.O. degree rather than the M.D. degree. Osteopathic physicians share “equal but separate” status with M.D.s; both are licensed in the U.S. to deliver full health care. Osteopathic physicians maintain that all patients should have a choice to select the kind of health care of their preference and that no single organization of physicians should have the advantage of monopolizing the health care system. As a result, the profession has resisted past attempts by the AMA to merge the two. Osteopathic physicians do the same types of things as allopathic physicians. They are not chiropractors or physical therapists. Only M.D.s and D.O.s are fully licensed to practice all areas of medicine, which include performing major surgery and prescribing drugs. The osteopathic curriculum is intended to interrelate the body systems and to emphasize the overall influence of the musculoskeletal system. Some 300-500 additional hours are spent learning osteopathic techniques employing palpation diagnosis and manipulative therapy to be used in conjunction with all other forms of medicine. American Osteopathic Association American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM)
Related Health FieldsChiropractic Medicine Naturopathic Medicine Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine American Association of Oriental Medicine Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Podiatric Medicine ResourcesAsklepiads: Asklepiads is the Pre-medical society of the UO, formed by students who are interested in pursuing a medical career. Asklepiads provides opportunities for medical preceptorships, volunteer projects, and presentations by relevant speakers. Email: premed@uoregon.edu. Association of American Medical Colleges: See links under "For Students": AMCAS, MCAT, etc. Student Doctor.net: Support and insights from other pre-med and med school students. (Includes many health fields.) The Office of Academic Advising: The Office of Academic Advising (364 Oregon Hall, 541-346-3211) gathers and publishes information on programs in the health professions. There are over 200 professional and occupational categories in health-allied jobs, and while the medical doctor is often the first field considered, it should not be the only one examined as a career possibility. Many other fields require the similar undergraduate preparation as outlined in the pre-medical curriculum. The recommended freshman program of chemistry and mathematics, for example, prepares one as well for dentistry, medical technology, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, podiatry, veterinary medicine, and many other health professions. Pre-Health Mailing List: The mailing list includes a monthly newsletter and periodic announcements about Pre-Health opportunities and approaching deadlines. To be added, email arwens@uoregon.edu MCAT MCAT: Click "2009 MCAT Essentials" for useful 24 page PDF that explain the format, content, and procedures for the test. Click "Ordering Practice Tests" to purchase practice tests and view one FREE. Academic Learning Services (ALS): 541-346-3226, 68 PLC. ALS offers an MCAT prep workshop twice a year (winter and summer). It is cheaper than Kaplan's and includes visits by UO faculty. (www.uoregon.edu/~als/index.html) Kaplan: Kaplan offers courses, tutoring, and publications/software. |
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