So, you want to be a doctor?

• So, you want to be a doctor?

• Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

• Premedical Workshop...
• The Basics

What do I need to Know to be competitive for Medical/Professional School?

• What do I need to Know to be competitive for Medical/Professional School?
• How do I get started?

Where to Start:

• 1. Use the Pre-Health Professions Office
• 2. Inquire about professional schools and their requirements EARLY!
• 3. Know the importance of academics: especially your GPA, test scores
• 4. Begin your personal essay and brush up on your interview skills
• 5. Develop you interpersonal and communication skills
• 6. Show your interest in the field
• 7. Show your compassion and caring for others

Pre-Health Professions Office

• Sci & Eng 308 561-297-3307
• Open Daily From 9-5 p.m.
• Full library of resources:
• Catalogs, videos, various applications, guide books, books on admission requirements, etc.
• Pre-Health Professions Guidebook available online at: ww.science.fau.edu/preprof.htm

Opening a Folder with the PHP Office

• Open file the semester before you take your admissions test so you will not have out of date information/evaluations in your folder
• You should have at least a 3.0 GPA
• What goes in your folder?
• Transcript, waiver form, 2 evaluations from professors, 1-2 evaluations from Health Care Professionals, copy of you application
• What is the Pre-Health Professions committee?
• Dr.’s and professors
• Interview you and write a recommendation letter based on their evaluation of you

Know the Schools and their Requirements

ACADEMICS

• a. Admissions tests
• b. Pre-requisite Courses
• c. GPA/ timeline
• d. Broad Based Curriculum

Standardized Admissions Tests

• MCAT- Medical College Admissions Test
• OAT- Optometry Admissions Test
• PCAT- Pharmacy admissions Test
• DAT- Dental Admissions Test
• GRE for Vet school, PA, PT, OT…
• Information about all admissions tests available on our website: www.science.fau.edu/preprof.htm

What is the MCAT?

• The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
• Standardized, multiple-choice examination
• Designed to assist admission committees in predicting which of their applicants will perform adequately in the medical school curriculum.
• Includes:
• Problem solving,
• Critical thinking
• Writing skills
• Science concepts and principles

Pre-requisite Courses (Classes Needed Before Taking The MCAT)

• READ, READ, READ!!! (medical journals, current information). We recommend reading Scientific American and Smithsonian.
• Very important to read quickly and thoroughly to score high on the MCAT

Pre-Professional Studies Certificate

• Maintain 3.0 GPA
• Minimum 100 hours of volunteer work
• Courses:
• Biodiversity & Bioprinciples w/Lab
• General Chemistry 1 & 2 w/Labs
• Organic Chemistry 1 & 2 w/Labs
• College Physics 1 & 2 w/Labs
• Biochemistry 1
• Genetics
• Microbiology w/Lab
• Human Morph & Function 1 & 2 w/Labs
• Intro to Pre-professional Studies w/Lab
• Premed Success
• Calculus and Statistics

• Recommended Course Schedule

• Fr

• so

• Jr

• Fall

• Spring

• Summer

• (If SAT ABOVE 1100)/ See Advisor for individual scheduling

When do you take the MCAT?

• The MCAT is offered multiple times / year on computer
• You should normally take it by April of your Junior year (so you will be in the first round of considered applicants, especially for those schools with rolling admissions)
• Re-take the test in Summer if necessary
• Take a prep class first!

The MCAT Format

• 4 sections:
• Physical Sciences scoring range of 1-15
• Physics and general chemistry questions
• Verbal Reasoning scoring range of 1-15
• Read passages and answer multiple choice questions
• Writing sample scoring range of J-T
• Biological Sciences scoring range of 1-15
• Biology and organic chemistry questions, a few questions on DNA and genetics
• Need special permission to take the MCAT more than 3X
• Takes ~30 days to get your scores back
• MCAT scores are valid for 3 years.

Centralized Application Services

• AMCAS- Allopathic Medical Schools
• AACOMAS- Osteopathic Medical Schools
• AADSAS- Dental Schools
• VMCAS – Veterinary Schools
• PharmCas- Pharmacy Schools
• Caspa- PA schools
• OptomCAS – Optometery schools
• The applications take ~4 weeks to process
• Start early!
• Find out more information online

What do these primary application services do?

• They send out a complete verified set of data to the schools you designate
• Including:
• Applicant contact information
• Biographic information
• Personal Statement
• Colleges attended
• Admission test scores
• GPA

GPA/ Timeline (The Competitive Applicant)

• GPA- minimum 3.4 (avg: ~3.7)
• MCAT- spring of junior year
• Avg score accepted ~30
• APPLY- summer between jr/sr year (Apply to 10-15 schools)
• INTERVIEW- fall of senior year
• ACCEPT- spring of senior year
• ATTEND- fall of graduation year

• Attend Medical
• School

• Jr
• Year

• Sr
• Year

• Fall

• Spring

• Summer

• Spring

• Summer

• June

• MCAT

• MCAT

• Apply

• Prep
• Class

• Interview

• Secondary Applications

• Graduate from FAU

• Open PHP File

• Review for MCAT

Broad Based Curriculum (Do I have to be A Biology Major to go to Medical School?)

• NOT Necessarily
• Pick a major that interests you!
• Medical Schools appreciate well rounded students
• Expand your horizons
• (Note: Studies show that those student with advanced science courses do better in medical school)

Other Factors (besides GPA and Admissions test) Considered by Professional Schools:

• Course load each semester (minimum 24 credits/year)
• State of residency (best chances in your state)
• Your interview
• Your personal statement, experience in the field, motivation, character and maturity
• Letters of evaluation from Pre-professional Committee, community service, employers, professors, etc.
• Research (DIS)

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Show your ability to interact with a diverse population
• Develop leadership skills (via student groups/clubs)
• Take a speech course (will help with interviews)
• Extracurricular activities (outside interests)

Interest in the Field/ Patient Experience

• Volunteer: Show your commitment (Show you know what medicine is all about)
• With Alzheimer’s patients
• At a hospice
• Pediatric Care
• Observing/ Shadowing
• Investigate various health settings
• Check out FAU’s volunteer center (UC 221)

Courses of Interest

• Basic Clinical Skills for Pre-Health Students - Provides undergraduate students with basic clinical skills that will ensure more meaningful medical experiences (through shadowing or volunteering) prior to entering a health related graduate program (medical, dental, pharmacy, physician assistant, veterinary, and optometry). Students will learn professionalism, patient care and communication skills and gain medical knowledge through training on blood born pathogens, vital signs, CPR, HIPAA, EKG’s and taking patient histories.
• Shadowing Externship - You will be permitted to register for one credit (IDS 3940) each semester, six semesters maximum (3 credits of which may count towards a Biology major).  You must shadow a minimum of three hours per week to receive credit. 
• Introduction to Pre-Professional Studies and Lab (PCB 3083 & Lab) – The purpose of this course is to familiarize premedical or allied field students with the requirements, demands, and rewards of a career in medicine. The course features lectures about a variety of medical disciplines. The lab requires shadowing of physicians in hospital and office settings, including visits to local facilities and observations of actual medical procedures.
• Pre-Med Success (IDS 3122)- Designed to help pre-health professional students (medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, etc.) negotiate the complex and often confusing world of medical school applications, admission tests, admission essays, interviews, financing medical school and much more. The scope of this course can be expanded to fit student needs and interests.

Involvement at FAU

• The Center for Civic Engagement and Service – Located in the Student Union, the Campus Volunteer Center has many volunteer opportunities available. If you log your volunteer hours, they will record them on your transcript. www.fauvolunteer.org

Compassion and Caring for Others: Getting Involved

• Community Involvement
• Tutoring
• Habitat for Humanity
• Public School Programs
• Study Abroad

Involvement at FAU

• Pre-Health Professions Clubs at FAU

• Instructions to join a group in MYFAU:
• Log into MYFAU
• Click on the link “Groups” at the top near the email link
• Click the tab (at the top) called GROUPS INDEX
• Click ACADEMIC or SERVICE to find a list of all groups in that category
• Click on the group you want to join

• Stay up-to-date…
• Follow us on FACEBOOK:
• Keyword: FAU Pre-Health Professions Office

• Good Luck!

• Questions?
• Call 561-297-3307