Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get into medical/dental school?
- Do I have to major in a science to be competitive?
- Is it important to do undergraduate research?
- What are the basic prerequisite courses I must take?
- Is it okay to take these prerequisites over the summer in summer school?
- I did not do well in my early years at college and my GPA is bad. What should I do? Do I have a chance of getting in?
- I am a senior and I just decided that I want to go to medical school. I know this really is what I want to do with my life, can I get in?
- Do I have to work with the Pre-Med office to be a competitive applicant?
- Should I take AP credit for courses to get ahead in college?
- How do I open a folder with the University Pre-Med Advising Office?
- What do I bring with me to meet the Pre-Med advisor the first time?
- How do I get started on the pathway to medical school or dental school?
- I am a “non-traditional” student in that I graduated some years ago from Virginia Tech (or I graduated from another university and I’m in Blacksburg working at Company XYZ) and I want to go to medical school. Can I get in, and what do I need to do to begin the journey?
- How do I gain access to medical facilities for clinical experience?
- What is your acceptance rate?
1. How do I get into medical/dental school?
The pathway to medical or dental school is very clear, but not easy. It takes considerable motivation to complete. The answer to the above question exists in many places. For example, if one checks out the reserve reading list in the Virginia Tech library, books are available on the topic. One can also check the basic websites of the Association of American Medical Colleges (www.aamc.org; www.aamc.org/students), the American Dental Association (www.ada.org), and the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine for information about osteopathic medicine (www.vcom.vt.edu), as well as the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (www.aacom.org). You can also check other areas of our website for additional information.
Basically, any health professional school is looking for:
- Mastery of basic science requirements with a respectable/competitive Grade Point Average (these requirements vary, check the individual programs);
- Broad exposure to humanities and social sciences;
- Demonstration of initiative for independent learning (independent study, undergraduate research, study abroad);
- Demonstration of going beyond basic course work to examine one or more subjects, or areas, in some depth. This implies approaching your academic requirements beyond a laundry list of requirements (minors, a second major, study abroad, undergraduate research, special study, independent study are all possible pathways to demonstrate a genuine intellectual interest in learning for the pure pleasure of the activity);
- Professional growth and maturity as demonstrated through the ability to gain letters of recommendation from faculty members at the university;
- Demonstration of commitment for caring about people who are medically disadvantaged (clinical experience);
- Demonstration of community interest and involvement, or trying to make your community a better place to live (volunteer experience at some level, for example, tutoring,; working at a homeless shelter, working with Habitat for Humanity, just to mention a few);
- Demonstration of motivation to educate oneself about what they are getting into, understanding the role of the health professional (the preceptorship experience);
- Outstanding personal qualities such as maturity, stability, integrity, responsibility, trustworthiness, leadership, enthusiasm and motivation (what examples can you give of these qualities and/or who can speak to them on your behalf?);
- An indication that you have taken the initiative and have demonstrated the motivation to accomplish something worthwhile with your life (creativity/ volunteerism);
- Ability to carry on a sophisticated, meaningful, and mature conversation with older people (the advantage of the interview with the University Pre-Med Advisory Committee); and
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with others from different cultural backgrounds.
As one can readily see, preparation for medical school takes time and a good plan. That is why advisors and admissions officers lack confidence in the student who suddenly appears late in their academic career with the epiphany, “I’ve now decided to go to medical school!” The pathway is clear, but preparation takes time and considerable motivation. Plan to begin early and show consistency in your preparation.
2. Do I have to major in a science to be competitive?
The answer to this question varies with the health profession into which one is seeking to gain admission. Medical schools, for example, consider students from any major, as long as the student has completed the prerequisites. Some medical schools require courses in biochemistry and/or statistics in addition to the standard prerequisite classes. Other health profession areas are more restrictive about the classes they expect students to have. Dentistry, for example, has a longer list of prerequisites, including such courses as microbiology, genetics, cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology and animal physiology. Nursing, PA and PT fields like to see students take classes in Human Anatomy and Physiology. The bottom line is that by the time a student completes this list of science electives, he or she has already completed most of the requirements for a major in Biology, Biochemistry or related field such as Human Foods, Nutrition, and Exercise (HNFE), hence the confusion. The best information to use is the internet to look at the website of a few health professional schools that you are interested in, or talk with people in the admissions office from those schools for specific details.
3. Is it important to do undergraduate research?
It is important to do undergraduate research if doing research is important to you. Having undergraduate research on one's transcript is not an issue UNLESS one is thinking about an MD/PhD program. In this case, undergraduate research would be essential. If you do decide to pursue interests in undergraduate research, don’t be surprised if one is asked about what one did and why.
4. What are the basic prerequisite courses I must take?
The basic courses are: first year biology, first year chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics, all with their respective labs; first year math; and English. However, most Pre-Med advisors would certainly recommend additional courses in such areas as microbiology, genetics, cell and molecular biology, physiology, biochemistry and immunology.
5. Is it okay to take these prerequisites over the summer in summer school?
The answer to this question is “No.” Any health professional school likes to see these courses, especially the science courses, taken on campus with a normal academic load (15 credits) so that one's maturity, motivation, time management skills and intellect can be evaluated. The science courses approximate the difficulty of a typical medical school class if the science course is taken during the academic year. If Organic Chemistry, for example, is taken during the summer and an A is earned, that will help the GPA, but it doesn’t provide a yardstick about one's personal qualities.
If one must take a course in the summer for legitimate reasons, take the course at a home institution or another four year college. Medical schools frown on taking science classes at a community college over the summer because the perception is that these courses are not as rigorous as those taken during the normal academic year. One may argue this point, but perception counts heavily in this regard. If one or more of the prerequisite courses are taken in summer school, the Pre-Med advisor needs to address this issue in his or her letter on your behalf.
6. I did not do well in my early years at college and my GPA is bad. What should I do? Do I have a chance of getting in?
The answer depends on how bad is “bad.” If the GPA is marginal, one may need to consider an extra year and take some rigorous courses to demonstrate one's true academic potential. Another choice is a graduate program, or a post baccalaureate program at one of the medical/dental schools. There must be a line in the sands of time that clearly demonstrates pre-you and post-you, and the post-you period should represent your true academic potential, which is competitive.
If the GPA is really bad and involves academic probation or suspension, then one may need to sit down with an individual in an admissions office (for the health professional school of your choice) and develop a strategy to demonstrate improvement.
Never say never. There is always the potential to be accepted. However, you must demonstrate your true character, intellectual ability and seriousness of purpose, and it may take much longer than normal. Some students have tried for as long as four years after graduation to mount a competitive application, but they were eventually accepted to a medical school.
7. I am a senior and I just decided that I want to go to medical school. I know this really is what I want to do with my life, can I get in?
How can you convince someone that you really know what you want to do with your life if this is a spontaneous decision on your part? How do I not know that tomorrow morning, you’ll decide you want to be an aviator, a deep sea diver, a sheep herder or a sea captain? Being a competitive applicant for medical school, dental school or any other health professional school takes commitment, motivation, discipline and preparation.
In this case, and assuming one has the prerequisite classes and a competitive GPA, one needs clinical experience. What is your level of awareness about medicine as a career? Could you carry on a meaningful conversation with an admissions officer about the career of medicine? Can you demonstrate that you understand what you are getting into, that you are committing to work with sick people for the rest of your life? It usually takes some time to put together a package to demonstrate that you are convinced of your decision.
Furthermore, one needs to have a folder opened with the University’s Pre-Med Advising office and one needs to have participated in the folder review and practice interview with members of the University’s Pre-Medical/Dental Committee. Otherwise a letter cannot be written on your behalf.
The truth is that one needs to slow down, cool their jets, develop a plan to be competitive and then exercise the plan. Too often, there is a rush to finish, and, in the end, the student is not competitive. The issue here is to be competitive. Time and finishing are no longer the most important variables if one is truly sincere about gaining admission.
8. Do I have to work with the Pre-Med office to be a competitive applicant?
Medical schools and other health professional schools will want to know why you did not work with the Pre-Med advisor, or Pre-professional Health advisor, on campus. Not to do so invites an opinion that one is not a team player and that one looks for shortcuts to success. This is a bad reflection on one's character. The real question is, “Why would you not want to work with the Pre-Med office?” The office exists to promote your success. We are not gatekeepers. It is not our job to decide who gets in and who doesn’t get in. Our job is to promote our students. However, if the Pre-Med advisor doesn’t know you, then it is difficult and almost impossible to write a letter on your behalf.
9. Should I take AP credit for courses to get ahead in college?
Taking AP courses in high school is one thing, accepting the credit is another. There are many variables to consider when trying to answer this question.
For example, the most critical aspect of doing well in college is the ability to adapt quickly to a college campus – making the transition period. The secret is to find ways to reduce the size of the university and find/create a group of people with whom one can interact and to whom one has access for moral support. If one accepts the AP credit and then steps into upper division classes, there are few/no individuals with whom one can interact. Furthermore, these are sophomores, they know the system, the professor, they have their own study groups; the others on your hall probably aren’t in this class, so the feelings of being an outsider and being alone are very pervasive and detrimental to one’s development.
Secondly, there is no quality credit for an AP grade. Consider the situation where one accepts AP credit for freshman biology and advances into Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology the first semester on campus. If one makes a B in these courses, that’s great! It might have been that one could have made an A in these classes if they had taken Freshman Biology their first year and then taken the above courses the first semester of the sophomore year! Besides, if the AP scores were valid, then one should be able to earn A’s their first year in the Freshman Biology course. When it comes time to complete the primary application to medical school, the AP credit has no value and one must use the B’s in the upper division classes. However, if one had taken freshman biology and then the upper division classes, one could be looking at four biology classes with A’s which do have quality credit value!
In general, medical and dental schools will accept whatever the university accepts for graduation. Hence, these professional schools will accept AP credit. However, using the AP credit for advancement at the undergraduate level may be shortsighted in the long run in terms of developing a competitive application.
If one does accept AP credit, the general rule is to take one or two additional courses at the upper division level to demonstrate that the AP credit was not a fluke.
10. How do I open a folder with the University Pre-Med Advising Office?
See the Pre-Med Folder page.
11. What do I bring with me to meet the Pre-Med advisor the first time?
I like to see a resume, a personal statement outlining why one wants to pursue a career in medicine or dentistry, an academic course of study plan and a timeline that highlights clinical experience, shadowing, taking the MCATs and the application process. This provides something concrete that we both can review together.
In subsequent meetings, I like to discuss accomplishment of goals and establish the next level of accomplishment.
12. How do I get started on the pathway to medical school or dental school?
See the “Planning your Admission to Medical School” and “Planning your Admission to Dental School” pages.
13. I am a “non-traditional” student in that I graduated some years ago from Virginia Tech (or I graduated from another university and I’m in Blacksburg working at Company XYZ) and I want to go to medical school. Can I get in, and what do I need to do to begin the journey?
To begin the journey, one needs to schedule an appointment with the university Pre-Med advisor and initiate a Pre-Med Folder. If the latter is already open, it must be updated. What needs to be demonstrated is evidence that the sudden interest in a medical career is not a fanciful decision. There needs to be evidence that this decision is based on accumulated experiences. Too often, non-traditional students become tired or bored with their present job and are looking about for a new career area – hey, why not medicine? But how long will it be before the person is bored with medicine and is off looking for yet another career?
The pathway to medical school is very clear, but it is not easy. One of the tasks is to demonstrate commitment and this takes time to build a record that says medicine is what one really wants to do with his or her life.
14. How do I gain access to medical facilities for clinical experience?
The first thing to do is present oneself professionally. Cover all the tattoos, get rid of the extra body jewelry/armor (in the nose, tongue, lips, eyebrows, the six or so pins in the ears, cover the belly button and get rid of the one there anyway!), get the cigarette smoke off your breath and clothes, and make sure that you are well groomed and hygienically presentable (take a bath and put on some deodorant!). You are seeking admission to a profession where public perception is very important. You are not the center of the universe any longer, the world is not about you any longer; it is about one's patients and what they think about one's professional ability. If one wants to be a professional, dress like one. This seems to be self-evident, but it is not.
Secondly, seek volunteer offices at local hospitals, free clinics and nursing homes. Again, don’t call and ask about volunteering nor send emails. Show up in person and present yourself as a young professional person. Be prepared to be able to converse with the volunteer coordinator and explain why the position is important to you; fill out the application legibly, especially so they can get in touch if a position materializes. Many hospitals have training programs that they will put one through so one will have credentials and be able to work in the medical environment. But one's first impression will go a long way in paving the way for an invitation to participate in the training program.
Thirdly, consider taking a Certified Nursing Assistant class to become a C.N.A. or complete a radiology certification program (the latter is an excellent way to gain a presence in dentist offices). These programs are often offered at the high school level or in community colleges. Most medical clinics have strict guidelines about who can be in the environment and around patients for liability reasons. These guidelines limit students gaining access to the clinical environment, and hence the much-needed clinical experience. Certification in a medically-related field, such as C.N.A. or radiology, ensures that you have credentials to work in a medical environment and be around patients. Many physicians are reluctant to allow you to shadow them for the same reasons.
15. What is your acceptance rate?
This is a simple question that is not easy to answer. First one needs to consider which group of students one is evaluating with respect to acceptance. Who should be included in the statistical analysis? There are many students who have not partnered with the Pre-Med Advising Office, who have not opened a folder, but who appear in my office at the last minute asking for a letter of evaluation. These are students I do not know and for whom I cannot write a letter. Should they be included?
Then, there are students who never contact this office and who apply to medical/dental school without my knowledge. They never ask for a letter of evaluation from this office. I may not even know they applied to medical or dental school. Should these students be included?
There are students who apply who definitely are not competitive in one or more areas and who should not be applying. They have absolutely no chance of gaining admission. Should these students be included?
If the population of students is considered who have competitive GPAs, competitive MCAT scores, reasonable amounts of clinical/volunteer/preceptorship experience, good letters of recommendations, who have partnered with the Pre-Med Advising Office and who have interviewed with the University Pre-Med Advisory Committee, then the acceptance rate approaches or exceeds about 90 percent each year! This is an excellent statistic, but what does it mean?
As the beginning population of Pre-Med/Dental students pass through their undergraduate years, a self-selection process occurs based on motivation, perseverance and persistence. There are many who talk about becoming physicians or dentists, but many fewer who actually begin to consciously build a record that will enable them to be a competitive applicant. As an individual, you need to take the long view and not compare yourself with those around you because most of these people are “talkers” and not “do-ers.” You are an individual and the probability of your gaining admission to medical/dental school will approach 100 percent if you consider the guidelines presented on this website.
Good luck to you in the journey.