University Career Center

110 Lanier Hall  478-445-5384  career.center@gcsu.edu

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PRE-MEDICAL RESOURCES

When reviewing medical school options, there are 2 potential paths that students can choose to pursue: a Doctor of Medicine, MD

or an Osteopathic Doctor, DO. Both degrees produce licensed practitioners, but there are several differences in their approaches

and theoretical background. MyHeart.net has a comprehensive overview of the differences and similarities between MDs and DOs

here. Below are considerations for pre-med students:

• Most schools have a minimum requirement of a 3.5 GPA, although the average GPA for successful applicants is usually

around a 3.7. Science GPA is extremely important.

• At least 100-200 hours of clinical based volunteering. Quality over quantity when choosing experiences, and direct patient

contact is most beneficial.

• Shadowing in a clinical setting. Shadowing hours can be lower than volunteering, but for both types of experiences hands

on opportunities are preferred. Learn more about shadowing with either an MD (AAMC - Shadowing a Doctor) or a DO

(AACOM - Shadowing a DO)

• The mean MCAT score is 500 and the max score is 528. See the Princeton Review website for information on MCAT scores

in relation to medical school admittance.

• Pursue challenging medical related courses in addition to the required prerequisites. Rigorous elective course content will

be taken into account when looking at GPA.

• Seek out research opportunities with faculty as early as freshman year. Laboratory research strengthens your resume

tremendously when applying to medical school.

• AAMC offers an informational service called Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) intended for MD applicants.

For $28, students can access the specific requirements, average GPA, MCAT scores, etc. for every MD program available.

See the benefits here.

You can view more pre-med student resources and see if you qualify for the Pre-Med Mentoring Program with Dr. Ashok Hegde.

PREREQUISITE COURSES

Most common prerequisite courses:

English Composition I & II – ENGL 1101 & 1102

Principles of Biology I & II – BIOL 1107/L & 1108/L

Principles of Chemistry I & II – CHEM 1211/L & 1212/L

Organic Chemistry I & II – CHEM 3361/L & 3362/L

Introductory Physics I & II – PHYS 1111/L & 1112/L

Pre-Calculus – MATH 1113

Biochemistry – CHEM 3510

Probability and Statistics – MATH 2600 OR Calculus – MATH 1261

Other highly suggested courses are:

Genetics – BIOL 2100 AND Cellular and Molecular Physiology – BIOL 3200

Human Anatomy and Physiology – BIOL 2160 & 2170 OR Comparative Animal Physiology – BIOL 4440 & Comparative Vertebrae

Anatomy – BIOL 4450 (BOTH SETS ARE NOT NECESSARY)

Medical Microbiology – BIOL 4185

Medical Physiology – BIOL 4950

Medical Neuroscience – BIOL 4950

Histology – BIOL 4140

Biology of Cancer – BIOL 4155

Intro to General Psychology – PSYC 1101

View a full list of courses offered at Georgia College & State University and other valuable resources that will help students prepare

for medical school here

**Talk with your academic advisor before choosing courses!

MCAT PREPARATION

To be properly prepared for the MCAT, students should plan on spending about 300 hours (around 3 months) on intense studying. It

is suggested that students start taking practice tests in sections to familiarize themselves with the test content and eventually lead

up to taking 6-10 full length practice tests prior to taking the real test. Visit the AAMC website for information on testing

preparation (AAMC - Taking the MCAT Exam).

PERSONAL STATEMENT & SECONDARY ESSAY WRITING

Personal Statements used to apply to medical school should be general and not program specific. When applying through a

common application service, they will forward your information to the schools you select including your general personal statement.

Pay attention to the character count allotted for the essay, and remember that this could take spaces into account! Follow the

instructions listed carefully to ensure that you follow all of the parameters set. You should start writing your personal statement

early so that you can get adequate feedback prior to submitting your application.

Secondary Essays

Each school will send out a required secondary application including 5-8 prompts that require short answers, 400-800 words each.

Some schools will send the secondary application upon receiving your primary application from with AMCAS or AACOMAS, while

others filter through the primary applications before sending out secondary requirements. It is important that you answer each

question fully. Unlike personal statements, you are usually only given 1-2 weeks to complete these prompts, yet your writing should

continue to be on a professional level. You can search online in medical student blogs, help centers, or other forums to find past

secondary prompts from different schools.

OBTAINING LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Developing meaningful relationships with faculty is vital when seeking letters of recommendation. Begin thinking about faculty who

you have or will have taken several classes with, have similar research interests with, or that you feel a connection to, so that you

can begin building those relationships from day 1. Remember that a person’s title is not near as important as how well they know

you as a student and as a person. When requesting letters of recommendation, quality highly outweighs quantity. Both AMCAS and

AACOMAS allow for multiple letters of recommendations to be uploaded. Keep in mind that having 3 strong letters will look better

than having 5 letters with little context or detail. It is ideal to get at least 1 letter from a physician whom you have shadowed or

worked closely with, and at least 1 from a science faculty member.

When asking for letters, remember to be gracious and ask for the letter. “Would you be willing to,” is usually a good way to start the

conversation rather than demanding that they write you a letter. Faculty expect you to ask, and they will most likely agree if they

feel comfortable speaking on your behalf. Be sure to give the faculty member, physician, or whomever you plan to ask plenty of

notice, generally a month is suggested. Providing a resume, CV, personal statement, or some other document will show that you are

serious about obtaining a letter and give the faculty member some reference as to what you want them to talk about. ALWAYS

REMEMBER TO THANK YOUR REFERENCES!

INTERVIEWING PREPARATION

When preparing for professional school interviews, a lot of the same rules apply as with most job interviews. Remember to dress

accordingly to interview etiquette and conduct yourself in a professional manner. On Handshake, you can view the Career Center’s

“Dress for Success” handouts by clicking on the Resources tab. In addition, you want to be sure that you practice ahead of time.

“Why do you want to be a doctor?” or “Why our program?” are common types of questions that you want to be sure and prepare

for. There are different types of interviews for medical school such as traditional interviews, video interviews, multiple mini

interviews (MMI), among others. MMIs are becoming increasingly popular and stray from the traditional interview set-up. Learn

more about MMIs and how to prepare for them here. To become more familiar with interview types and preparation, make an

appointment with a pre-professional advisor.

Also, you will want to prepare your own questions to ask. Much like job interviews, you are interviewing the school and program just

like they are interviewing you. Finding a good fit is important for you to thrive in a program. Once the interview is over, it is always a

good idea to write thank you notes. These can be via email or hand written. Making it to the interview stage is a huge feat, so you

want to make sure that you make the best impression!

MAJORING IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN SCIENCE?

You do not need to have a degree in a science discipline to go to medical school! This is a misconception that many have about most

health professions. Professional programs are seeking out students that will bring a different perspective to their program, and a

major other than a STEM field could help you stand out. However, you must consider the required prerequisites that will need to be

worked into the curriculum of your chosen major. Also, consider seeking out additional challenging science or medical related

courses as electives to make yourself a well-rounded candidate. Be sure to consult with your academic advisor before choosing

courses!

DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS

Some schools offer dual degree programs where you can earn an MD and a PhD through integrated training. MD-PhD programs are

intended for students who are wanting to pursue primarily research throughout their career. If obtaining both an MD and a PhD fits

your long-term career goals, a dual degree program would take less time than pursuing each one separately. However, these

programs still take around 7-8 years to complete. The AAMC offers extensive information on seeking out these programs, here.

TIMELINE

Year 1

Meet with a pre-

professional advisor to

start building your

timeline and to explore

options and opportunities

available to you.

Use the Learning Center

for Supplemental

Instruction to maintain a

strong GPA from day 1

especially in science

courses!

Club to stay up to date on

events and information.

Check the requirements

for the

Pre-Med

Mentoring Program to see

if you qualify!

Explore professional

healthcare careers using

Focus2 and Occupational

Outlook Handbook, as

well as attending the

Graduate & Professional

School Fair.

Summer 1

*Work with the Career Center to start building your resume or CV to prepare your applications for summer

experiences*

Volunteer at local hospitals or health centers and keep a journal about your experiences. Other summer

experiences could include: research with a faculty member, summer enrichment programs, participate on campus

with community science education programs for youth

Year 2

Assess academic standing

and plans for completing

prerequisite courses with

Academic Advisor.

Identify and connect with

faculty for mentorship,

research opportunities,

and professional advice.

Seek out campus

leadership opportunities

in addition to

participation in Pre-Med

Club

Continue gaining

experience in your field as

mentioned above. Attend

the Graduate &

Professional School Fair to

continue growing your

network and knowledge

of programs available.

Summer 2

*Work with a pre-professional advisor to begin looking at schools/programs of interest and choose several*

Start familiarizing yourself with the MCAT (AAMC - Taking the MCAT Exam) and the medical school application

process (MD: AAMC - Understanding the Process or DO: AACOMAS - Applicant Help Center). Continue to gain

meaningful shadowing and volunteer hours, preferably with direct patient care. Create a budget that will include

MCAT, test preparation, and application fees for each program of interest including secondary application fees.

Year 3

Begin preparing for the

MCAT by registering for a

course with companies

such as Princeton Review,

Kaplan, etc. and choose

test date by the start of

second semester.

Consider what faculty,

advisors, and mentors

could potentially write

your letters of

recommendation and

consult with them so that

you can include their

names on your AMCAS or

AACOMAS application.

Keep regular contact with

your pre-professional

advisor to fine tune your

application strategy,

schools of interest,

personal statement, and

create your

AMCAS

Account or AACOMAS

Account

Discuss alternatives with

your pre-professional

advisor in case of needed

gap year or change in

career plans. Attend the

Graduate & Professional

School Fair to explore

your options.

Summer 3

By the end of summer 3, you should have your final MCAT score and be ready to start applying if you are not

taking a gap year. Complete and submit your AMCAS or AACOMAS application and any secondary application

requirements. Continue involvement, research, and/or meaningful volunteering and shadowing that can be

added to your experiences when applying

Year 4

Prepare with the Career

Center for different types

of interviews with medical

schools.

Complete secondary

applications/essays as

requested.

Evaluate acceptance

offers and talk with your

pre-professional advisor

for guidance.

Consider if a gap year

would be in your best

interest to acquire the

needed shadowing or

volunteer hours, practical

experiences, or

prerequisites. If you

decide on a gap year,

begin preparing to sign up

for the MCAT in the

upcoming summer.