医学预科的神话

Myth #1: I must be a science major in order to be considered a strong applicant – Biology, 化学, 生物化学, 或物理, 例如.

The truth is that any major is acceptable for professional schools. A diverse academic background is essential to help broaden your perspectives and develop excellent critical thinking skills. If you are a science major, be sure to NOT take only science courses. If you choose a non-science major, be sure to take all prerequisite science courses alongside your required curriculum, 要在这些事上好好行.

Consider the following in selecting courses and a major:

There is no need to “collect” majors or minors.
Look for the relevance in a variety of courses—medicine is not just science.
追求你的兴趣. 这是你探索的机会.
Don’t try to pad your GPA with “easy” courses!
What subjects or areas do you like or enjoy?

Myth #2: Studying abroad is not possible for pre-med students.

If you plan early enough and accordingly, it is always possible to study abroad. Study abroad during the summers will be the easiest to fit into your academic plan, but you should also be able to go during the academic year. It is NOT recommended that you plan to take any of your prerequisite courses at a school outside of the 美国.

Consider the program(s) of interest and how they will affect

你在FSU的学术项目
when you will be ready to take admissions tests
when you will be ready to apply to professional schools

Myth #3: Health professional schools, 尤其是医疗, 牙科和兽医学校, will only consider applicants with 4.0 GPAs and very high test scores.

Grades and exam scores are important; however, schools also look for the following:

Professional school academic expectations:

Start off well your first year and maintain a high level of performance until graduation.
Overall GPA and science GPA should be about 3.50被认为是有竞争力的.
Do not just do what is minimally required. Schools expect you to go above and beyond the basic requirements and to demonstrate you can handle the pressure.

Develop good learning strategies and study habits:

Time management and a regular study schedule
提前备考
Know your learning style or preference
主动学习
Seek assistance via office hours

Myth #4: Shadowing one doctor for three years is going to be more than enough to demonstrate my commitment to the field.

Healthcare experience looks best when it

Starts early in your academic career and continues through the application process.
激发你的兴趣.
对你有特殊的意义吗.
Takes place in a variety of areas. Healthcare happens in a variety of places. Sticking to one area only narrows your understanding of what providing health care involves.
包括直接接触病人. You want to have opportunities to understand the nature of the doctor–patient relationship.
Provides an opportunity for you see how you act around those who will depend on you for their well-being.

There are lots of places to gain healthcare experience:

教学或社区医院
Clinics (medical, dental, physical therapy, veterinary, etc.)
私人医生办公室
辅助生活设施
疗养院和临终关怀院
Animal rescue and adoption centers

招生 Committees also like to see that you were involved in community service. It demonstrates your concern about the community and illustrates additional passions you have.

There are lots of way to gain community service experience:

Myth #5: Research is a required part of my application to a health professional school.

招生 committees are not actively looking for research in the application. 然而, while health professional schools do not require research experience it is strongly encouraged. It is important for you to see how research contributes to medicine, public policy and public health. 招生 committees like to see that students have at least attempted research so that they understand those connections.

Myth #6: It’s perfectly okay to enroll at a community college over the summer.

Taking courses outside of your home institution is ALWAYS going to have an impact— sometimes NEGATIVE—on the application. If you ABSOLUTELY must take courses outside your home institution, there should be an extenuating circumstance for doing so. Repeating courses or taking courses elsewhere will make it appear that you are avoiding courses at your primary institution and that you are not up to the challenge or rigor of a demanding course load. If you are planning to take a required pre-requisite course at a community college, it is best to contact the professional school(s) that you are planning on applying to and see if they have a policy regarding community college courses.