Pre-Med Handbook

Revised June 2010

Prepared by Mark Sutherland, Chair, Pre-Professional Advising Committee Table of Contents Click on the link to go to the desired location in the document. Time Line to Becoming a Physician Types of Medical Schools: MD vs. DO programs What Can I Do If My Application Is Not Accepted? Repeat Applications Post Baccalaureate Programs Caribbean Medical Schools Required Courses For Medical School Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Courses Recommended Courses Course Requirements at Some Schools (Table) Choosing a Major The MCAT MCAT 2015 MCAT Preparation Programs In-house Preparation Program In-house Preparation Program FAQ Applying to Medical School: AMCAS, TMDSAS and AACOMAS The Personal Essay Secondary Applications Interviews Interviews Formats What to Do (and Not Do) in the Interview Recommendations and Evaluations Grade Point Average Clinical Exposure, Volunteer Work and Undergraduate Research Shadowing and Internships Research Experience Pre-Health Club/AED Club Officers Travel Abroad and Foreign Medical Experience

Time Line to Becoming a Physician Becoming a physician is a challenging and lengthy process. The steps in the process include: earning a bachelors degree. Although having a bachelors degree is not technically required, very few students get into medical school without one. The option for getting in without a degree is generally aimed at older students who have years of experience working in health care (e.g., military medics) to allow them to just take the required courses and the MCAT before applying. four years of medical school. The first two years of medical school are heavily focused on class work, with a slowly growing exposure to the clinic. The third year is focused on clinical rotations in the various aspects of medicine and the fourth year completes these rotations, allows for serious investigations of specialties, and time for students to check out future residency opportunities. three to five years of residency. The time in residency varies with specialty, and may include an internship year as well. possible one to two years in fellowship. Fellowship training allows doctors to master some specific techniques or disciplines. It is only required for certain specialties. The net result of all this training is that you will probably be in your early 30s before you get your first real job. You will also probably be $100,000 to $150,000 in debt. Most students borrow most of the money they need for medical school as they have no time to work outside jobs. In residency you will be paid, but probably not enough to both live on and also put a lot of money towards paying down your debt. Fortunately you will be very well paid after your residency. During your undergraduate years, you will need to fulfill a number of requirements and activities that show you are developing the academic and professional skills needed for a career in medicine. The key elements to your application are listed below, and then described in detail later in this document: 1. Complete all the required courses, and at least some of the recommended courses. 2. Do well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) 3. Earn a high GPA on both science and non-science courses 4. Participate in at least two of these three non-curricular activities a. clinical exposure, usually done by shadowing or internships b. volunteer work, which may involve clinical experience c. undergraduate research 5. Complete the AMCAS (and/or TMDSAS for Texas Schools) application. 6. Take part in interviews at the medical school considering your application. 7. Secure a composite committee evaluation from the Hendrix Pre-professional Advising Committee. Return to the Table of Contents

Types of Medical Schools: MD vs. DO programs To the surprise of many students, there is more than one way to become a medical doctor. The MD degree is awarded by allopathic medical schools, such as UAMS, and are the schools that most students think about when considering medical school. However, one can also become a doctor by attending an osteopathic medical school and earning a DO degree; the route taken by about 20% of new doctors each year. DO programs tend to be a little less competitive for admission, but to some they carry less prestige than MD programs. There are several important philosophical differences, one of which is that DO programs are strongly focused on training family practice physicians. Some allopathic medical schools, such as UAMS, are very strong in family practice but a large proportion of allopathic graduates go into other specialties. While graduates are not restricted to family practice residencies, that is the direction that most DO grads take. You can learn more about Osteopathic Medical Schools here: http://www.aacom.org/InfoFor/applicants/profiles/Pages/default.aspx. It is worth noting that in the next few years there is expected to be a tremendous shortage of family practice physicians. In response, most allopathic medical schools are increasing class sizes, while several new osteopathic medical schools have opened their doors. In recent years, Hendrix alums have attended the Oklahoma State University and Kansas City University programs and given us positive feedback. Return to the Table of Contents What Can I Do If My Application Is Not Accepted? Acceptance to medical school is highly competitive and many students who are fully capable of doing well in school and as professionals are not accepted every year. However, just because an applicant is rejected does not mean that medical school is permanently out of the picture. Most Hendrix students who really want to get in can do so, but you may need to take some additional steps to make it happen. We frequently have students get accepted after a 2nd application and occasionally after a 3rd. It would be rare to be accepted if applying more than 3 times. Repeat Applications If you dont get into medical school on your first application, you may still find success on a second or third try. If you dont get in, you should schedule a meeting with the admissions office of one or more of your selected schools and see if they can give you advice on what was weak on your application and what you can do to improve your application for a second try. It is often possible for students to strengthen their applications by more course work (as described below under Post Baccalaureate Programs) or working in a clinical or research setting. About half of Hendrix students who do not get in their first try are accepted on a subsequent application. If you truly feel called to medicine, carefully assess your situation and consider your options. Anyone with solid academic skills and sufficient motivation can make it, but it may take more time and lead in some directions that were not in your original plans. Return to the Table of Contents

Post Baccalaureate Programs If your MCAT score and/or GPA are not good enough to get you into medical school, you may want to consider going on for some type of post-baccalaureate education. Many medical schools, and other graduate programs, now host programs that are designed as an on-ramp to medical school. There are one-year certificate programs for those who just need a little extra work and there are two-year programs leading to a masters degree. Among the latter, some will require research while other programs do not. We had a recent Hendrix grad in the UAMS Biomedical Science master program who selected to do research even though it was optional. She ended up enjoying research so much that she chose to go into an MD/PhD program. Earning a masters degree is becoming a more common road into medical school. A quick survey of the MSAR indicated that 5-15% of the entering class already holding a graduate degree is very common, and at one school (Tulane) the number was 30%. Be aware that if you start a Masters program, all medical schools will expect you to complete that program before starting on the MD. Some programs (e.g., Public Health) can be done concurrently. As a generally rule, I dont recommend additional coursework for students with GPAs over 3.5 but strongly recommend it if the GPA is less than 3.2. A stellar MCAT score can make up for a lower GPA, but a high GPA can NOT make up for a poor MCAT. Caribbean Medical Schools Several Island nations in the Caribbean host medical schools. If you are considering one of these schools there are numerous factors you should keep in mind. Be extremely careful when selecting your school. Some have good reputations, others decidedly do not. A few of the latter will accept any student who applies despite grade point or MCAT scores because they are only after your money. Here are few criteria you should apply to your considerations: What are the schools pass rates for the USMLE board exams? At good schools, the pass rate should be over 90% for first time test takers and near 100% with repeat exams. Are 3rd and 4th year rotations done in State-side hospitals? It is unlikely youll get adequate training without this option. Are graduates successful in obtaining quality residency programs in the US? Can you be licensed in the state where you wish to work? Arkansas, for example, does not recognize degrees awarded by some of these schools. Regardless of expense, you should visit the school and check the facilities. For more issues to consider, please visit these web sites: http://www.aacom.org/InfoFor/applicants/profiles/Pages/default.aspx http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/07/caribbean-medical-schools-a-good-option Be aware that if you attend one of these schools you are likely to pay much more money (states bear much of the cost of training for traditional medical schools), have extremely large class sizes, and may well have lower quality instruction. A former Hendrix student attending one of these schools told me that his instructors all had such heavy accents he could hardly understand

what they were saying, and that the instructors were never available for answering questions or helping out with problems. Return to the Table of Contents Required Courses For Medical School Allopathic medical schools list their requirements (and other useful information) in the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR), a yearly publication. Up-to-date copies of this book are kept by Dr. Mark Sutherland (DWR 330) and Mary Wiese, Administrative Assistant for the Natural Science Area. Requirements are very similar for DO schools, but you should check with any particular school to which you may want to apply. Although there is some school to school variation, most requirement are fairly consistent. Almost all schools require the following: 2 laboratory courses in General Chemistry 2 laboratory courses in Organic Chemistry 2 laboratory courses in physics (calculus or non-calculus based) 2 laboratory courses in biology (we recommend Cell Biology, Zoology and Genetics at a minimum). UAMS will REQUIRE Genetics as one of the 2 biology courses in the near future. Most Texas schools require either 3 or 4 biology laboratory courses and some schools also stipulate which biology courses should be taken. Mathematics. Some schools have no mathematics requirement, beyond the ability to do well on physics and chemistry problems (Functions and Models level math skills). Some schools require any two mathematics courses, which may include Statistics (UAMS); some specifically require Calculus I. A few schools require Calculus II. UAMS requires any two math courses OR Calculus I. 2 courses in English, especially courses which include composition. Some schools specify only composition courses. Because the goal of this requirement is to enhance communication skills, UAMS will accept (but does not require) Speech Communication as one of the two English courses. Passing the Writing Level I exam or completing the Writing level II requirement outside the English Department DOES NOT count towards this requirement. Many schools also list recommended courses. Most schools put biochemistry in this category. Other commonly recommended courses include Genetics, Psychology, and Calculus. There is a table on the next page that details some course requirements at a select group of schools of interest to Hendrix students. This list is NOT complete and required course do change from time to time, so always check on specific schools with an up to date MSAR or at the schools website. In 2015, the MCAT will undergo a major change for which students will need to be comfortable using basic statistics, and should have taken coursework in Biochemistry, psychology, sociology and humanities. There will be an increased emphasis on understanding experimental design and data analysis within these disciplines.

Required Courses and Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate Credit. There is no consensus among medical schools on how to deal with these courses. UAMS will accept them as long as they appear as credit on your Hendrix transcript. Some other schools will not accept AP/IB courses as fulfilling admissions requirements under any circumstances. However, all schools do agree that AP/IB courses should be used a springboard for advanced study rather than as terminal courses. For example, if you have AP credit for Cal I, schools hope you will go ahead and take Cal II in college, even if Cal I is technically all that is required. The goal of AP/IB credit should never be for you to get out of taking college courses, but rather to allow progress to higher level courses more quickly. Return to the Table of Contents Recommended Courses Additional upper-level science courses are strongly recommended at all medical schools. While you will not be expected to have mastered any particular content from these courses, you need to have takes some upper level math/science to show that you have the ability to master material at that level when required. These courses also provide information that will be useful in medical school or perhaps on the MCAT. Valuable courses include Advanced Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Calculus, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Developmental Biology, General Physiology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience, and Physical Chemistry. Medical schools recognize the importance of a liberal arts education and value applicants who have taken upper level courses in disciplines outside the science. Some courses that work well on applications are Philosophy (Logic and/or Ethics), Psychology (1-2 courses are required at a few schools), Statistics (fulfills a math requirement at some schools), Sociology or Anthropology, additional English courses, and Economics. There is a table on the next page that list required and recommended courses at a select group of schools that Hendrix students commonly apply to. While changes to required courses is rare, it does happen from time to time so you should check the website for any schools that you feel strongly about. Return to the Table of Contents

Course Requirements at Some Schools Commonly Applied to by Hendrix Students School

UAMS

Math
Any two math, or Cal I. Statistics may be one of the two Cal I None specified None specified None specified Cal II One math course

Biology
2 laboratory courses

Other
Genetics, Biochemistry, Psychology recommended Genetics, Biochemistry, Psychology recommended Genetics and Biochemistry recommended Biochemistry recommended Average MCAT of 38 for 2008 entering class Specifies English composition courses. Biochemistry recommended Biochemistry recommended Biochemistry, Genetics recommended Biochemistry, Genetics recommended Average MCAT of 36 for 2008 entering class

LSU (New Orleans) LSU (Shreveport) St. Louis University Tulane Washington University U. Missouri (Columbia)

2 laboratory courses 2 laboratory courses 2 laboratory courses 2 laboratory courses 2 laboratory courses 2 laboratory courses

Emory U. Tennessee (Memphis) Vanderbilt Baylor U. Texas Houston Texas A & M U. Texas Galveston Texas Tech Lubbock Texas Tech El Paso U. Texas San Antonio U. Texas Southwestern

None specified None specified

2 laboratory courses 2 laboratory courses

None specified None Specified None Specified Statistics required Cal I Cal I and Statistics Cal I Cal I Cal I

2 laboratory courses 2 laboratory courses 3 4 lab courses (14 hours) 3 4 lab courses (14 hours) 2 laboratory courses 3 4 lab courses (14 hours) 3 4 lab courses (14 hours) 3 laboratory courses 4 lab courses

Biochemistry recommended Biochemistry, Genetics recommended

Biochemistry recommended Biochemistry required Average MCAT of 34 for 2008 entering class

Check Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) publication for each schools requirements! Dr. Sutherland, and Mary Wiese have current copies, older copies may be found in the DW Reynolds reading room. The AMCAS web site (http://www.aamc.org/) also provides links to medical school web sites. Return to the Table of Contents

Choosing a Major While the majority of medical school applicants major in one of the sciences as undergraduates, any major is possible as long as pre-matriculation requirements are met. Medical schools recognize the need for diversity and are eager to accept students who major outside the sciences as long as they have a strong science GPA and can do well on the MCAT. We have had alumni accepted to medical school with very diverse majors. Most Hendrix premeds major in Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, or Chemistry, but recently accepted students have majored in Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Business, Politics, History, English, Religion, and various interdisciplinary majors. If you really like a subject that is what you should major in; youll get the best grades doing what you like and GPA is an important criterion for acceptance. You will also enjoy your education more; nothing burns us out faster than having to take multiple courses in a discipline that we dont like. If you major outside the sciences, you should still try to do more than the minimum number of science courses and be aware that the MCAT emphasizes science strongly. Return to the Table of Contents The MCAT The MCAT is the single most important part of your application, so be serious in your preparation. It is weighted more heavily than other criteria due to its perceived objectivity, and because it predicts student success on the board exams taken during medical school. You must prepare intensively for this test. The MCAT is offered on 20+ occasions over a nine-month period (January September). However, relatively few seats are available for any given test date so apply early. The April through June dates are likely to be most heavily subscribed, so apply for these dates early, or use an alternate test date. To apply, follow the MCAT links at http://www.aamc.org/. If you take the test early and dont do well, you can retake the exam at a later date. However, do not take the test early with the idea of taking it again later, using the first test as a trial run. Schools get ALL of your scores, and, while they do appreciate seeing improvements, an early poor test will still reflect negatively on your application. Scores are good for three years, so poor score will stick with you at least that long. Students applying only to UAMS can take the test relatively late, but if youre applying out-ofstate, you should take the test by early July. Many schools (Texas schools, some private schools) use a rolling interview process by which they assign interviews as MCAT scores and applications come in. If you are late in the process, there may not be any interview slots left even though you apply well before the deadline. The MCAT will change dramatically starting in 2015. The text below describe the current test, following which is a paragraph describing the major changes that will be coming in 2015. The current test requires about 5 hours to take and is divided into four parts:

1. Verbal Reasoning. In this section you read passages of information (most of which will have nothing to do with science) and answer questions about the reading. There is no content to study for this section because the passage can be about anything. You need to be able to read quickly and think about what youve read critically. Courses that require you to read and discuss sophisticated information outside the sciences are the best preparation for this section. 2. Physical Sciences (General Physics I and II and General Chemistry I and II). While there are some stand-alone questions in the science portions of the test, most of the questions will require you to read a short passage (with charts, graphs, equations, reactions, etc) which you synthesize with your basic knowledge of the sciences in order to answer the questions. While you will need to memorize the most commonly used concepts, equations, reaction mechanisms, etc, the text will contain most of what you need. Often you will need to choose the correct equation or mechanism from multiple possibilities. 3. Biological Sciences (biology and organic chemistry). This section is about two-thirds biology, one-third Organic Chemistry. The biology content you need to know is very broad. Cell Biology and Genetics are probably the most important content to study, but there will also be a fair amount of physiology and perhaps some very basic concepts from developmental biology, immunology and microbiology as well. You dont need to have taken those latter three courses, but you do need to be familiar with some big picture issues in those disciplines. 4. Writing Sample (letter grade, not counted in the numeric MCAT score). There is nothing to study for this section, other than to be aware of the format that you must write in. The Writing Sample is graded on a letter score of from J (lowest) to T (highest) with O being average. Most schools put little weight on the writing sample as long as you dont come across as being semiilliterate. In this part of the test you write two essays and are allotted 30 minutes for each. You will be given a simple prompt (e.g., Democracy is the most fair form of government). Your essay must do three things: (1) Put the thesis into your own words, (2) describe the antithesis, and (3) describe situations where the thesis is correct and situations when it is not. The more specific examples that you use (and the fewer generalities) the better. Grading is based more on clarity and your ability to follow instructions than on grammar. Scores of at least 9 (out of 15) in each of the three numeric areas have been shown to correlate with success in medical school, especially with regard to doing well on the board exams. The highest possible score is 45. The national average is a little over 8 on each section, resulting in a national average score between 24 and 25. Any sub-score less than 7 is considered unacceptable at most medical schools. UAMS wants to see a minimum of 8 on each section. While the actual numbers vary between different test forms and across the different sections of the test, a score of 8 usually correlates with getting 1/2 to 2/3 of the questions correct. The National average MCAT score for those admitted to medical schools is usually about 31 with a Writing Sample of P; the UAMS average has been between 29 and 30 in recent years. The MCAT is heavily weighted to your ability to read critically and analyze sophisticated text, both scientific and general, quickly and efficiently. While you are expected to memorize frequently used equations and key concepts, the test is more about your ability to read new information and synthesize it with your existing knowledge than about rote memorization. In preparation, you should spend time reading complex texts and thinking about what youve read. Participation in book discussions is very helpful.

In 2015, the MCAT will undergo some major changes. The Writing Sample will be deleted and a 4th objective section added. There will also be additional expectations for content. For example, there will be increased emphases on experimental design and statistical analysis. There will also be expectations that students have had course work in psychology, sociology and philosophy/ethics. In addition, the science component of the test will cover content covered in the 1st semester of Biochemistry. The four sections of the MCAT will be: 1. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems 2. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Living Systems 3. Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior 4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills The 4th section will not cover specific content, but will expect students to be able to critically read and analyze passages across multiple humanities and social science disciplines, with an emphasis on philosophy and ethics. Each of these sections will have approximately 60 65 questions for which youll be allowed 90-95 minutes, making the whole test nearly 6.5 hours. More information about the new MCAT will be published in the future. You can get more information and keep up with changes by visiting https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/.

Return to the Table of Contents MCAT Preparation Programs Most students make use of MCAT preparation programs to assist with their study for the exam. The two most commonly used by Hendrix students are Kaplan and an in-house program here at Hendrix. Whether you should use a preparation program, and which you should use, depends on your ability to study effectively on your own and how much assistance you need with learning the key concepts. Many Hendrix students are capable of preparing for the MCAT on their own. Students who have done very well in their classes, who were not overly challenged to get high grades, and who have the discipline to maintain an organized course of study should be able to do well on their own. There are two study aids that you should use, however. A good set of review books is very important because you certainly do NOT want to be re-reading all your science textbooks and class notes, and taking multiple practice exams is absolutely crucial. Old Kaplan study guides are found readily online for a reasonable cost. These books are very thorough and if you buy a complete set will include some on-paper practice exams. I personally prefer the Exam Krackers books. They contain less detail than the Kaplan books (I think Kaplan asks students to memorize too much unnecessary detail) and have only one full-length practice exam. Exam Krackers offers a set of four books that covers the content, and then several

supplementary texts with lots of example questions and passages. You can buy just those that cover the areas you need to focus on. You can find these books new at Amazon, or I suspect you can find used books for sale elsewhere online or from current and former Hendrix students who have already taken the MCAT. It is very important that you actually take several full-length, timed, on-line practice exams. Fortunately, you can buy access for these directly from the MCAT people (retired exams) at a cost of $35 each, and you also get access to one free test for registering on the site. Follow the MCAT links at AAMC.org to register. How many of these you need to do is up to you, but do enough that you have the stamina and pacing for taking the real test. I think that one test early in your studies to get a feel for the test and then at least three more towards the end for pacing and stamina is the minimum you should do. In-house preparation program. There is a FAQ list appended to the end of this document with more details of the program. In brief, the Hendrix preparation program has been offered during the Spring semester each year, but will probably move to Maymester in 2011. The program costs $200, with an option to purchase 3 on-line practice exams from MCAT for $20 each ($15 dollar per test group reduction). We use the Exam Krackers books described above in the class which will cost an additional $110+ for a total course cost of about $400. The Hendrix MCAT preparation program is built around helping students identify their weak areas so they can focus their self study time most effectively. Lectures are brief and focused on those key concepts which students most often struggle with. Much of the time in class is spent working on sample passages and problems to help develop critical thinking skills and test-taking strategies. Kaplan MCAT preparation. Kaplan is the most frequently used of the for-profit test preparation services by Hendrix students. For around $1800, Kaplan provides extensive in-class lectures and abundant on-line resources, including many practice exams. For those students who will benefit from additional classroom lecture time and more structure in their study time, Kaplan can be very beneficial. For more information about Kaplan, and other for-profit services, visit http://www.studentdoctor.net/2006/12/the-price-of-mcat-prep/.

Return to the Table of Contents Applying to Medical School: AMCAS, TMDSAS and AACOMAS Almost all medical schools use some type of application service rather than have you apply to each school separately. Most allopathic schools use the American Medical Colleges Application Service (AMCAS); however, all Texas medical schools (other than Baylor) use the Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service (TMDSAS). The text below is focused on the AMCAS, but pertains to the TMDSAS and AACOMAS (used for osteopathic medical schools) as well. You can go to http://www.aacom.org/Pages/default.aspx for details of this service.

The AMCAS application becomes available for you to fill out in May, and can be submitted starting in early June. The date you need to have it submitted depends on where you apply, as discussed earlier with regards to the MCAT. You must allow several weeks for completing the AMCAS because you will need to gather a lot of information from diverse places and get feedback from multiple people. The application is done online (find the links at AAMC.org) and you can log in as many times as you like, saving your work as you go along until the final submission. Most of the application is straightforward, but some sections need extra care. You will be asked to describe any legal actions incurred, including disciplinary actions in college that may be on your permanent record. DO NOT try to hide anything here. After acceptance, the med school is likely to run a criminal background check on you. If there are instances on your record that were not self-reported, your acceptance will be revoked. You will be required to list the courses you will be taking, or other med-school relevant experiences that you be gaining during the year between submitting your application and matriculating in school. You MUST adhere to what you say you will be doing. Failing to complete your stated plans can lead to revocation on an acceptance. If situations beyond your control necessitate a change in schedule, alert the admissions office of the schools you apply to as quickly as possible. You will have the opportunity to list your work/research/volunteer experiences and provide a narrative for each experience. Take advantage of this opportunity to highlight any experiences that pertain to your medical school preparation, especially for experiences that you will not have space to describe in your personal essay. The AMCAS allows much more space in this section than the TMDSAS, but the TMDSAS has 2 short optional essays where you can include much of the same information. The personal essay is a crucial part of the application. This essay must demonstrate your unambiguous desire to become a physician, and prove that you have done the sorts of things that show you have the character and motivation to be successful. o The writing style, content and grammar must be impeccable. While there is not a particular format that is superior, the one you use must be consistent so that your narrative flows naturally through the essay. You will need to have two or three people with experience reading these sorts of essays critique your work and you must allow time to do multiple rewrites. o In my experience, there are two general essay structures that work well, these being a chronological approach (describing events in the order they happened) or a thematic approach. If you chose the latter, make sure that your readers know what your themes are by the end of the first paragraph and do not have to read between the lines to figure out what they are. Your essay has to be totally clear and completely unambiguous. o avoid excess generalities, platitudes and philosophical statements. The admissions committee is much more interested in what you have done than your ability to write high-minded statements. For example, while it is perfectly OK to say you want to be a doctor because youre strongly motivated to help others, you also need to describe the experiences which prove that youve actually spent a lot of time doing so. Pretty sentiments without proof that you live up to what you say is important to you will be taken as hypocrisy.

o the essay should be composed primarily of specific details of what you have done to prepare for med school outside the normal classroom (research, volunteer work, clinical experience, study abroad, internships, etc). However, it is not a list of everything you have done (there is space for that elsewhere in the application), but rather a more full explanation of two or three experiences that have been particularly formative for you. o You should write the essay with the understanding that almost everyone who applies to medical school has the academic credentials to be successful. Admission committee members are faced with the very difficult task of selecting among students with very similar credentials. What often makes for a successful candidate with good but not stellar GPA and MCAT numbers is an essay that makes a positive impact in the mind of the reviewer. This positive impact is made by describing interesting, productive experiences passionately, concisely and clearly. o Like the interview, the essay is your chance to prove you are a motivated, empathetic, energetic and caring person committed to the health care profession. o You may use the essay to explain what may be perceived as problems with your application. For example, one bad semester that lowered your GPA may be less of an issue if you can provide a good reason for why you had academic problems at that time. These sorts of explanations should not be more than a small part of your essay with most of the text accentuating more positive experiences. Any legal infractions or collegiate disciplinary actions should also be explained here. Again, do not dwell on these negative situations; state the issue, describe how youve overcome the problem, and move on. o The TMDSAS has you write three essays that are more directed than the AMCAS essays. Even though some are techncially optional, you should have enough interesting things to say to fill all the allotted space. o Be sure to use all the space allotted for your essay(s). Failure to do so will look odd because anyone well prepared for medical school should have more interesting experiences than they can possibly describe in this short amount of space. Secondary Applications. Many medical schools will send you a secondary application. Even though this secondary application may be somewhat redundant with the AMCAS, give it the same care and consideration. There may well be opportunities on the secondary application for you to discuss issues that are relevant to that particular medical school. One complaint Ive heard over and over again from UAMS is that students send poor quality photographs with their secondary application. They expect you to use this photograph as another opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism. Return to the Table of Contents Interviews

The interview is a crucial part of your medical school application. You must take the interview seriously, prepare for it (doing one or two mock interviews if the interview process is new to you), and understand it ranks right behind MCAT and GPA scores in importance towards acceptance. The way interviews are done varies widely at different schools; how they work at UAMS is described in detail below, and more generally how they may differ at other schools. Interview Schedule, Scheduling Interviews and Acceptances at UAMS All Arkansas resident applicants are guaranteed an interview, but you must call to schedule, starting July 15. You must submit your AMCAS prior to scheduling the interview. The deadline for scheduling your interview is November 15, but it behooves you to have it set up well before this date. Out-of-state applicants are not guaranteed an interview. UAMS will contact you if they want you to speak with you. These interviews are done in early January If you wish to be considered for a UAMS academic scholarship, you should participate in one of the October interviews. Scholarship decisions are made early in the consideration process, and the November interview date may be too late for you to be considered. Hendrix students have been very competitive for these scholarships in past years. The January interview date is all but exclusively for out-of-state students so Arkansas residents should definitely schedule for one of the earlier sessions. Acceptance letters go out in mid December, mid January and mid February. Only about 20 are accepted in December, about 30 in January and by far the largest group in February. Because UAMS does not start evaluating applications until December, you can take the MCAT during the later fall dates and still have everything in on time. Interviews at schools other than UAMS Interviews are NOT automatic at other medical schools. They will invite selected students to interview, based primarily on MCAT and GPA numbers. They will set the interview time, giving you little if any flexibility in scheduling. Many medical schools use a rolling interview assignment process. In this process, interviews are scheduled when applications are received that have acceptable GPA and MCAT scores. Once they have filled their quota of interview slots, they are gone. As a consequence, even if the stated deadline for application is October 15th, all the interview slots are likely to be gone by September 1st. Therefore, you need to apply as early as possible for these schools, and take the MCAT as early as you can be well prepared. The June MCAT date would be fine, and perhaps the early July dates, but late in July may be too late for some schools. These schools do interview a few students who apply late, but it takes very high numbers (35+ MCAT, 3.8+ GPA) to get one of the late interview slots. Most Texas medical schools and most private medical schools use this process. Interviews Formats Medical schools put a lot of emphasis on the interview because there are so many candidates with roughly equal academic qualifications. Thus, the interview can have a powerful impact on your acceptance.

You should be aware that different schools have very different approaches to doing the interview. At UAMS, the interview is done cold, meaning the interviewers do NOT have access to your files, and so will know nothing about you. The interviewers are NOT on the admissions committee, but will write a report describing your interview that will be added to your application package. At some other schools, the interviewers will have your application and so may ask questions about specific courses or other issues that arise from your record. The UAMS interview is done with at least two interviewers, and sometimes three with the third being a current upper-level medical student. Most often, the current student will ask the most challenging questions and will the first to hone in on inadequate answers. You will meet with all the interviewers at one time. At other schools, you will find various strategies. For example, you may have multiple short interviews at different times during the day. In addition, some schools actually interview students in small groups, so you will need to find a balance between having your voice heard but not hogging the spotlight. What to do (and not do) in the interview. The purpose of the interview is to allow you the opportunity to demonstrate aspects of your qualifications and character that cannot be readily assessed from GPA and MCAT scores. Beyond good academic skills, successful applicants need to be compassionate, poised, confident, enthusiastic, excited, energetic, possess good communication skills and able to think clearly in stressful situations. And you have to demonstrate all of this in a 30-45 minute interview. The bulleted points below list some ways that you can show these characteristics, along with some things to avoid doing during the interview: You are likely to be very nervous. However, if you have done well in your Hendrix courses and taken advantage of extracurricular opportunities, you should be confident in your qualifications and abilities. Hendrix students as a rule are as well prepared for medical school as students from any other school, and better than most. Professionalism in attire and demeanor is paramount. First impressions are crucial and if you come in looking like you dont care, they wont care about you. You should think in terms of formal business dress rather than formal party dress. Your attire and physical presence should inspire confidence that you are a serious professional. Interviewers are particularly harsh about any perceived immaturity in their applicants. Examples of what they may perceive as immaturity include: o poor body language (slouching, signs of agitation). o lack of sensitivity to people from other cultures, gender, ethnic or age groups. o frequent use of words such as like and you know along with excessive ums and uhs. My personal pet peeves are describing routine events as awesome and saying countless about things that readily quantifiable. In other words, avoid sloppy language. o inability to give answers that directly and concisely address the questions. You need to give complete answers to questions, but avoid long, rambling answers that are only more or less on track. o absence of school-specific questions by the applicant, which will be perceived as a lack of interest in the medical school. The admissions committees want students

who are interested in their school specially, not just getting into any medical school. Avoid giving the perception that you are arrogant or conceited. It is important to have a positive, confident outlook and be willing to talk about achievements, but avoid any hint of condescension or personal superiority. The interview is a formal affair. Each interviewer will have his/her own interviewing style with some being more formal than others. You can adjust your level of formality somewhat in response to the interviewer, but the interview is never just a casual conversation, even if it may seem that way on the surface. In addition to maturity and professionalism, the interviewers will be looking for evidence of enthusiasm, excitement, energy level, compassion, empathy, commitment, etc. There are a variety of ways to demonstrate these characteristics including: o listen to their questions very carefully and provide concise, thoughtful answers that address the question specifically. Its OK to take a moment to collect your thoughts in response to complex questions. o use positive body language. Lean forward a bit (never slouch!) and make good eye contact. o be confident in your answers, but dont be afraid to admit when you dont know the answer to a question. The interviewer may well throw an impossible question or two at you just to see how you respond when faced with a stressful situation. o ask questions that show youve read as much as possible about this specific medical school and are that you are eager to learn more. o show excitement when you talk about your shadowing, internship or volunteer experiences. You need to be passionate about helping others in need. The interviewer is likely to be interested in your support system. Medical school is highly stressful, and successful students have resources (family, friends, stress-release activities) to fall back on when times get tough. The interviewers will have an appreciation for the distance traveled. This means that they will have high expectations for students from advantaged backgrounds for having done a lot of volunteer work, etc., while recognizing that disadvantaged students will probably have had to work to pay for school and so have had less time for these other activities. As a rule, Hendrix students have more opportunities for doing the extracurricular projects than students from large state schools, which is to your advantage if youve done these things, but could be a problem if you have not. Some exposure to the healthcare environment (shadowing, internships, volunteering in hospitals, etc.) is crucial. They want you to know what youre getting into; recruiting and training medical students is a very expensive proposition and they dont want students dropping out because they discover too late that the medical profession was the wrong choice. They will NOT expect you to have done much, if any, hands-on medicine, but will expect you to have extensive exposure to medicine. If youve done research, be ready to discuss it in detail so you wont look like all you did was wash test tubes. This is especially true if youre considering MD/PhD programs. Be ready to discuss your motivation for medical school. Ive heard interviewers express surprise (and annoyance) about how often students seem to have little idea of why they are applying or what theyre getting into. If you really want to go to med school, you will have done all you can do to see what its all about.

Show that you have a good awareness of your personal strengths and weaknesses. Everyone has some weaknesses; you need to be aware of what they are and be able to talk about how you are working to improve them. If you dont have significant experience in interviewing, arrange one or two mock interviews with science faculty in the week or so preceding your real interview. You dont know how youll respond in that situation until you have actually gone trough it. Most of these criteria are highly subjective. Making a good first impression is central to your success, so plan and prepare accordingly.

It is useful to consider the trust issue as you go into your interview. The average hospital patient is elderly and often very worried. As you walk into the room this person is likely to wonder why they should trust some this 20-something freshly minted MD with their fragile health. The interviewers are likely to think much like this elderly patient. You have to be able to establish that trust immediately. And that trust comes from you presenting yourself as a professional. Return to the Table of Contents

Recommendations and Evaluations Recommendations and evaluations are an integral part of your application. Hendrix students must use the composite committee evaluation prepared by the Pre-Health Advising Committee, chaired by Dr. Mark Sutherland. All Natural Science Area faculty are part of this committee. You will work with Mary Wiese, Natural Science Area Administrative Assistant, to organize the materials included in your evaluation package. The composite evaluation has two main parts, one being a check list that looks much like the table below. Those faculty who know you will mark this form as illustrated. The second part is composed of supplemental comments in paragraph form that will be written by those faculty who know you well (research mentors, advisors, etc) and who can comment on specific activities that reinforce or expand on the list of attributes in the table. Medical schools strongly prefer an evaluation form such as this over letters of recommendation alone. In addition, you are welcome to ask faculty outside the Natural Science area, or other professionals who know you well, to write letters of recommendation. These may be sent to Mary Wiese and she will add them to the evaluation packet. Medical schools strongly recommend no more than three additional letters.
UNK 1. MENTAL ALERTNESS Intellectual curiosity and creativity 2. UNDERSTANDING Application and synthesis of knowledge 3. JUDGMENT Ability to analyze problems and make decisions 4. MATURITY Emotional stability, ability to cope 5. INTEGRITY Moral standards and intellectual honesty 6. RELIABILITY AND WORK ETHIC Dependability, promptness, attention to detail 7. EMPATHY Sensitivity to others, consideration, tact 8. PERSEVERANCE Stamina, endurance, completing tasks 9. INITIATIVE Ability to work independently and creatively 10. POISE Self Confidence, awareness of strengths and weaknesses 11. PERSONAL MANAGEMENT Use of time, study habits 12. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS Ability to get along with peers and supervisors 13. INVOLVEMENT Extra-curricular campus and civic activities 14. APPROPRIATE MOTIVATION Sincere interest in medicine and serving patients 15. PROBABLE SUCCESS IN FIELD Poor Fair Good S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S Excellent

Return to the Table of Contents

Grade Point Average You must have a good grade point average to be competitive for medical school, but this does not mean you must have a 4.0. What grade point you need depends on where you hope to gain admission, your MCAT score, and the extra projects youve been involved in. If you want to attend a prestigious private school such as Washington University or Vanderbilt, a 3.8 is very acceptable while a 3.6 is getting towards the low end of acceptability. AT UAMS, a 3.6 is fine, a 3.4 is usually OK, below 3.2 is getting dicey and below 3.0 acceptance is unlikely. I have seen students get in with a Hendrix GPA around 3 (even a tiny bit below), but it generally required multiple tries and significant post-baccalaureate experience of some kind such as graduate-level coursework or quality research experience. It is important to realize that the admissions committee will look beyond just the final GPA number. They will look at both total GPA and science GPA; a science GPA of 2.9 will be unacceptable even if your overall GPA is 3.4, for example. They may well also look at what specific courses you have taken. A 3.5 GPA with lots of upper-level courses in a variety of disciplines will serve you better than a 3.8 with only Freshman/Sophomore level courses outside your major. Grade padding for the sake of a higher GPA is easy to spot on a transcript. Repeating classes. It is usually not a good idea to repeat courses. A few grades of C will not have a huge impact on your GPA by the end of your Junior year. Also, the medical school will know that you got that C, even if by repeating the course the C no longer affects your official GPA. All admissions committee members that Ive heard talk about the subject say that theyd rather see a student take higher level courses in the same discipline (and do well in them) than retake lower level courses. If you get a D or worse in a course, that course will need to be repeated. While re-taking a course at Hendrix removes the original grade from your Hendrix GPA calculation, on the application you will list all your courses and the grade received (even repeat courses) so that grade will still figure into your application GPA/ Return to the Table of Contents Clinical Exposure, Volunteer Work and Undergraduate Research Medical schools place a high value on students having some form of clinical exposure and extensive volunteer work. There are two very valid reasons for this. The primary motivation one should have for becoming a doctor is a sincere desire to help people. If that desire is sincere, applicants will have done all they can to help people at whatever level they can. Expressing a desire to help people in your application without proof of having ever done so will be viewed as the height of hypocrisy and will likely result in rejection. It is also important that applicants have a clear understanding of what they are getting into. You cannot know how well you will thrive in a clinical environment until you have spent time there. Historically, many students would get into their second or third year of medical school before realizing they could not bear being around sick people. Medical schools have tried to eliminate this problem by demanding clinical experience from their applicants. While technically not an official requirement, it is very difficult to get into medical schools without some clinical exposure.

Clinical exposure can occur at a variety of levels including volunteer work, shadowing and internships. Volunteer work can be accomplished in many ways; for example Hendrix students have volunteered for the local Hospice, at the Pine Street Clinic, and at Childrens Hospital in Little Rock. Volunteering outside of a clinical setting is also a valuable for showing your concern for others, but does not count towards clinical exposure, of course. Our AED/Pre-health club sponsors multiple opportunities for volunteer work every semester, and VAC offers more. Shadowing is done by observing a doctor for a day (or several days) in their normal day-to-day business. It is good to shadow doctors in several different specialties in order to observe the breadth of work that physicians do. If there is an area of medicine that you are particularly interested in, you may want to arrange an internship. As an intern, you will spend much more time is a particular clinical setting, and go beyond observing a doctor into actually participating to a small degree in the practice. There are strict federal guidelines that limit how involved nonprofessionals can be. Internships can actually be used for college credit. If you chose this option, there is a contract signed between you and the doctor, and a Hendrix faculty person serves as your on-campus mentor. These contracts are developed by the Hendrix Career Services office. The time required for an internship is comparable to the time you would spend on a regular Hendrix class. Career Services may also be able to help you identify good places to go for internships or help you set up shadowing opportunities. Research Experience. Many medical schools prize scientific research experience from their applicants. They dont really care what type of research youve done, but rather appreciate the overall research experience. In general, a good undergraduate research experience allows you to demonstrate attention to detail, critical thinking, analytical skills, team work and commitment. You may also get the opportunity to teach others how to do the research and to present your research at a regional or national meeting, both of which can be big plusses on your application. How valuable research experience is depends on where you are applying. It probably wont be a big deal if youre applying to DO programs. At UAMS, it will be a valuable addition to your application, but not crucial. At some institutions, however, especially high-end research universities such as Washington University, Vanderbilt or UT Southwestern, a quality research experience is crucial. It will be absolutely mandatory if you wish to apply to MD/PhD programs. Return to the Table of Contents Pre-Health Club/AED Participation in the Pre-Health club, and membership in AED, can be very valuable in your preparation for medical school. This group brings in speakers such as med school representatives, specialists in a variety of fields, and current medical school students. There is no better way for your to see the breadth of your future career than regular attendance at these meetings. This group organizes/hosts volunteer activities, proving you a venue for starting the volunteer work you will need for you med school application. You can also demonstrate leadership skills by becoming an officer in the group. Membership in this group is open to any student interested in learning more about the health-care professions (especially medical school); there is a small membership fee. The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month during the school year, 6 PM, in DW Reynolds 10.

AED (Alpha Epsilon Delta) is an honorary organization for pre-medical students. You can apply for membership once you have met the minimum qualifications in the number of classes (usually obtained by midway through the Sophomore year) maintaining a 3.3 GPA in science and nonscience classes, and regular attendance at Pre-health club meetings. You can get details about AED membership from one of the Pre-health club officers. AED membership is a positive attribute on your medical school application; serving as an officer for this group is a much stronger plus. Pre-health club officers for 2011 2012 President: Linsey Miller VP-Programming: Tafi Mukunyadzi VP-Membership: Djamali Muhoza Treasurer: Sara Prince Secretary: Charis Lorenz Return to the Table of Contents Travel Abroad and Foreign Medical Experience/Exposure Traveling abroad, and especially study abroad, can be a very good experience for premeds. The opportunities to interact with diverse groups of people, and the maturity gained from being abroad, are viewed favorably by admissions committee members. However, it can be challenging to arrange your schedule to make study abroad work. If you study abroad during your first three years, you still have to get in the 8 10 required math/science courses, which can mean having to take several science courses in one semester. If you study abroad your senior year there can be extreme difficulty in scheduling interviews. It will take careful scheduling on your part in order to study abroad without overly complicating your med school preparation, but well worth doing if you can make it happen. There are some foreign schools, particularly in England, that offer med school required courses such as organic chemistry and physics that you may want to consider. Taking these types of courses detracts from taking site-specific courses, of course, but still allows you to experience a new culture. You should work closely with the Hendrix Study Abroad office as you plan your journey. Although not a popular option, you may want to consider not applying to medical school until the end of your senior year. This will leave you with a gap year (time which can be used to very good ends) but will allow you time to study abroad or do other long-term projects, and get in your required courses in a more leisurely fashion. If you use that gap year productively, a late application like this can be to your advantage. Some students are highly motivated to get clinical experience while abroad. There are several services that will, for a fee, help place you in a country with a host family and a hospital/clinic where you can get clinical experience. You need to be very careful when using these services; some do a good job while others do not. Make sure you check references and communicate with former students who have used these services. Also, do not assume that medical schools will

place a high value on this type of experience. The medical schools officials that Ive spoken with indicated they would rather see students volunteering in impoverished areas of the US than traveling to underdeveloped countries for the same type of experience. In addition, hands-on experience in excess of what the law allows, or what best medical practices dictates, will not be looked upon favorably by medical schools. They want you to be exposed to medicine, not practicing medicine. If you choose to go abroad for a medical experience trip for Odyssey credit, the Odyssey office will provide you with the form below and require you to sign to indicate that you have read and understood your responsibilities and the colleges expectations. MEDICAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM GUIDELINES Appropriate Student Participation in Providing Patient Care During Clinical Experiences Abroad Acquiring clinical experience is a vital part of student preparation for careers in medicine, dentistry and other health care professions. Many students are now taking advantage of medical volunteer programs in foreign countries. While some students have gained excellent experiences abroad and valuable service has been provided to people in need, the potential for harm and abuse in these situations cannot be ignored. Participation of inadequately trained students can have negative consequences including: Harm done to the patient. The primary objective is to help those in need, and the first step in that direction must be to avoid causing harm. As a student, it may be difficult to know what might cause harm so you must carefully avoid situations where there is any possibility that you might hurt someone. Legal trouble with local authorities. Even if a local doctor is supervising, or says that it is OK for you to perform a procedure, violation of local laws is still a punishable offense. Risking your acceptance to professional schools. Many students think that the more in-depth clinical experience they have, the stronger their applications will be. However, taking on tasks that are beyond your training will make you look unethical, foolish and irresponsible to admission committees, and thus may diminish or eliminate your chance for acceptance. Losing money to a fraudulent company. There are many companies that will, for a fee, help place you in a foreign clinic. Be aware that these companies are in the business of making money first, and some may act dishonestly. Check out these companies very carefully before signing any contracts. If an agency is pushing the idea that you will actually get to practice medicine while abroad, rather than simply observe and learn, you should have serious reservations about its ethical practices. Physical harm to yourself. Engaging in medical practices without sufficient training and protection can under certain circumstances result in harm to you as well as to the patient.

Although we cannot provide a list of every appropriate and inappropriate activity students may encounter, please consider carefully these broad guidelines to help choose your course of action:

1. The primary purpose of student clinical experience is observation, not hands-on treatment. You are there to learn, not to treat. 2. While it may be possible for students to learn and provide some basic patient care, more advanced techniques are far beyond the scope of a short training period. For example, students should not diagnose diseases, dispense medications, use scalpels or perform any invasive techniques. In dentistry, providing anesthesia, tooth extraction and applying sealants are among the procedures in which students should never engage personally. 3. Some students may have additional training such as EMT certification prior to the foreign service trip. Those students are qualified to perform certain tasks that other students are not. Be aware of your own limitations and qualifications and do not try to exceed them. 4. Always keep the welfare of the patient foremost in your mind, not the perceived opportunity for proving yourself to an admissions committee. Ask yourself how you would feel if you were in the place of a patient and a college student with no significant medical experience were about to perform this procedure on you. If this thought makes you feel uncomfortable, it is probably not an appropriate task for you to be doing. You should also be aware that it is not necessary to travel abroad to serve those in dire need. There are many opportunities to help the poor and other needy groups here in the US. There are likely many worthwhile volunteer opportunities in your community, with many more around the country. Many professional schools will be more impressed with what you can do to help close to home rather than while abroad. Return to the Table of Contents

MCAT Preparation Program FAQ

How much does the program cost? There is a fee for taking the course, and some materials that must be purchased, with a total cost of approximately $400 for current Hendrix students, and somewhat higher for alums or students from outside the Hendrix community. These costs include three online practice exams purchased from the AAMC and purchasing the Exam Krackers review books. This is less than one-fourth the cost of Kaplan and related services. Buying these on-line exams as part of a group packages saves you $45 over the cost of buying them on your own. Does the program count as a course? The program does not count for Hendrix credit nor is it listed on the transcript. When does the program meet? The program is offered during Maymester, but is NOT an official Maymester course. There are 15 sessions in the program, each about two hours in length. Although not a Maymester course, students have access to the same housing and meal options as those who are taking Maymester classes. What are the teaching goals of the program? The goals of the program are: to make students aware of what is expected of them in order to do well on the test. to teach and encourage effective study habits and MCAT test taking skills. These skills are not identical to those you use for Hendrix courses. to make students comfortable with types of questions on the MCAT, some of which are very different that what you are accustomed to at Hendrix. to assess student progress towards having a solid knowledge base for the test. to help students identify those areas where they need to focus their individual study time. This is probably the most important aspect of the program. What will I need to do on my own to prepare for the MCAT? You will need a lot of study time. Twenty-four hours of class is not nearly enough time for learning all the material you will need to know. You will need to learn/review a lot of content on your own. The program is not designed to extensively teach content, but rather to help you identify which areas of content you need to focus on in your personal study time. You will take the three full-length practice exams on your own time. These should be done fairly close to when you take the real exam in order to have the stamina and pacing necessary for success. What is covered in the program? We will do one session on the Verbal Reasoning and Essay Writing portions of the MCAT, three on biology, three on General Chemistry, two on Organic Chemistry and three on General Physics. The course syllabus will list specific topics to be covered in each session. How does this program compare with Kaplan? The Kaplan course has a heavy emphasis on lecture and in-class work on content. Students take practice tests outside the classroom

setting. In the Hendrix program, there is little time spent on lecture. Instead, there are a series of assessment quizzes and in-class practice on actual MCAT questions. We cover some content areas that are troubling to many students, but most content is left for the students idividual study time. For students who need a structured lecture environment and assistance in mastering content, Kaplan would probably be a better solution. For those who need familiarity with the MCAT style of testing and some guidance on which topics to focus on, the Hendrix program should work well. When should I take the program? You should take this program close to when you plan to take the MCAT. You need to have completed (or be close to completing) two semesters each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. There is no specific math requirement for the MCAT, but you need to be sufficiently adept with algebra to work basic problems in chemistry and physics quickly and accurately. How does a normal class session work? Each of the 15 class sessions is designed to cover a set of topics as described in the syllabus. For each of the 13 sessions on science topics there will be a short (about 30 minutes) quiz for you to take on-line using the Educator course management system. This must be done by midnight prior to the class session. For the first hour of the subsequent class session we will discuss the content of the quiz, paying special attention to those content areas where most people had difficulty. The second hour of the session will be spent taking and then analyzing actual readings and questions from old MCAT exams. Can I take this course after my Sophomore Year? You can, but Im not sure if it will be a productive use of your time. You really need to have taken all the course work well be reviewing prior to the course. You can also split your time over two years if you chose. For example, if you have not yet taken physics, you can skip those session and come in the next year after you have taken the courses. Return to the Table of Contents