FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PRE-MED AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PRE-MED AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONS Diablo Valley College Counseling Department Many students at DVC are interested in careers in the health sciences—medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, optometry, etc Here are some FAQ’s about the Health Professions What courses should I take for a pre-med (pre-dentistry, veterinary, pharmacy, optometry, etc.) major? Pre-med is not an academic major! Few colleges in the United States offer such a major because no specific major is required for admission to medical or other health-related field While medical schools require completion of a minimum of three years of undergraduate course work, almost all students obtain a bachelor’s degree before admission This is also true for students seeking admission to dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry and other health-related professions What should I major in? Whatever you will enjoy! As long as you take the appropriate courses required for medical (dental, veterinary, pharmacy, optometry) school admission, you can major in any area Some students choose majors like biological science, genetics, or microbiology where there is a great deal of overlap between courses required for their major and the professional school undergraduate requirements (biological science, chemistry, physics, mathematics) Many other students choose majors not directly related to their career objective, such as English, anthropology, geography, etc., and use their elective units to meet the professional school requirements Academic preparation for medical school includes two years of chemistry (general and organic), one year of physics, and at least one year of general biology Some medical and other health professional schools also require calculus What follows is NOT an articulation agreement; these are courses at Diablo Valley College which correspond to this lower-division preparation Since preparation varies according medical school, please consult the resource materials listed at the end of this handout: General Chemistry Chemistry 120 & 121 Organic Chemistry Chemistry 226 & 227 General Biology Biological Science 130 & 131 Physics Physics 120-121 or Physics 130-230 or Physics 130, 230 & 231 Calculus Math 182 & 183 or Math 192, 193 & 292 Courses in advanced biological science and/or additional chemistry are required by some medical schools and recommended by others We suggest that after you transfer to a four-year university, that you work with the professional schools advising office to determine specific requirements for those medical schools in which you are interested How can I maximize my chances for acceptance into medical school? The most important thing for you to is to complete the required preparatory course work and to maintain a high GPA Select an academic area that interests you and allows flexibility in taking the required pre-med courses Medical schools are also looking for students with additional experience, skills and/or training which may enhance their potential as medical practitioners Since admission to medical programs is highly competitive, it is also important for you to keep in mind alternative career opportunities should you not be accepted in the field of your first choice For more information…  The publication Medical School Admission Requirements United States and Canada is available from the Association of American Medical Colleges Membership and Publication Orders, 2450 N Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20037-1129, (202) 828-0416, Fax: (202) 828-1123, or www.aamc.org  Medical student web pages vary Sometimes they provide information for college and high school students about getting into medical schools and about what it is like to be a medical student They may also provide opportunities for “chats” and a forum for questions and answers Here is an example: American Medical Student Association www.amsa.org/  Information about admission requirements of U.S and Canadian dental schools is available from the American Association of Dental Schools, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036-2212; (202) 667-9433  Information about pharmacy school admission requirements is available from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 1426 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2841, (703) 7392330, Fax: (703) 836-8982, or www.kapsa.or.kr/society/aacp.htm  Information for applicants to schools and colleges of optometry is available from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, 6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 690, Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 231-5944, Fax: (301) 770-1828, or www.opted.org  Information about veterinary school admission requirements is available from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, 1101 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 710, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 371-9195, Fax: (202) 842-0773, Student Line: 1-877-862-2740, or www.aavmc.org Health Careers-10/02/2003:cj ... college and high school students about getting into medical schools and about what it is like to be a medical student They may also provide opportunities for “chats” and a forum for questions and. .. the required preparatory course work and to maintain a high GPA Select an academic area that interests you and allows flexibility in taking the required pre-med courses Medical schools are also...Courses in advanced biological science and/ or additional chemistry are required by some medical schools and recommended by others We suggest that after you transfer to a four-year