1. Is medicine the right career for you?

Find out about medicine as a career and make a decision to apply to medical school based on your informed interest.

Develop excellent academic credentials. You must make very good grades. Take your courses very seriously from the beginning of your undergraduate experience. You should also structure your undergraduate program to include certain courses. There are two reasons for this. First, medical schools expect these courses to be on your transcript. Second, you need appropriate background to do well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) . The coursework required for the physiology major is essentially a subset of "pre-med" courses, making the major an excellent choice for students who are interested in medical school.

Keep in mind that when you apply to medical school, you will also need letters from individuals who know you well and who can strongly support your application. Begin early to develop relationships with people who can provide this support. The best letters will come from well-respected individuals who are in a position to evaluate you critically and fully, who strongly believe in your potential, and who have experience and skill in writing letters of reference. A good example would be a class professor with whom you also did a special laboratory or library project. The longer and the more extensive your relationship, the more valuable his or her letter will likely be.

3. Have I done all I can do to prepare myself?

Get complete advice from the right sources as early as possible in your academic life.

CLA RESOURCES:

At the University of Minnesota, an important source of advice for Physiology majors is CLA Advising: Natural Sciences Student Community, B-18 Johnston Hall, (612)624-6044. Pre-Med students should speak with their CLA academic adviser to discuss Pre-Med course planning with a Pre-Med planning sheet, as well as to receive referrals to other resources on campus.

The Health Careers Center represents a partnership between the University of Minnesota’s undergraduate colleges and the programs within the University’s Academic Health Center. They are located in 2-565 Moos Tower and can be reached by phone (612-624-6767) or e-mail (Health.Careers.Center@umn.edu).

Career and Community Learning Center (135 Johnston Hall): CCLC is open to any student at the University, not just CLA students. They have an online health science volunteer opportunities web site called CLA Link. CLCC also has career books about medicine, MCAT prep books, the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) book and the letter file for recommendations.