Pre-Medicine

Study + Excel. A competitive GPA is essential when considering a career in the health field. We recommend maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA. Talk with your academic advisor, professors, and the Academic Success Center for help with study skills through various workshops and tutoring.

Résumé + Interviews. Create and/or improve your résumé. You can also gain confidence and develop your interview skills with a mock interview.

Job Shadow. We recommend that you gain experience by shadowing with physicians in a variety of settings, including general practice and specialties. Document your experiences in a physical or digital format, and obtain at least one letter of reference from a physician you have shadowed.

Volunteer + Lead. We recommend that you participate in volunteer activities that benefit others. Contact the Office of Leadership and Community Engagement for more information about volunteering with local weekly trips, Alternative Break Trips, and more. We also recommend that you participate in leadership seminars, workshops, retreats and LEAD courses. Get involved and join a student club or organization, such as Phi Delta Epsilon (co-ed academic medical fraternity).

Connect + Explore. Get to know your professors and local health care professionals. These individuals are valuable resources for research experience, volunteering, shadowing and letters of recommendation. Consider Study Abroad programs through the Office of International Programs and Services. Attend information sessions, workshops, field trips, and other events for pre-medical students offered by the Office of Medical Professions Advising.

Research. Talk with your professors and peers who are involved with undergraduate research and consider opportunities within the College of Science and Mathematics.

Prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). This test requires substantial amounts of preparation and study time, so it is never too early to begin. Typically, students prepare to take the MCAT in the spring of their junior year, so necessary coursework must be completed by this time.

Biology Courses

• BIOL 1107/1107L: Principles of Biology I/Lab (4)
• BIOL 1108/1108L: Principles of Biology II/Lab (4)
• BIOL 3131: Principles of Physiology (3)
• BIOL 3134: Cell and Molecular Biology (3)

Chemistry Courses

• CHEM 1211K: Principles of Chemistry I/Lab (4)
• CHEM 1212K: Principles of Chemistry II/Lab (4)
• CHEM 3401: Organic Chemistry I/Lab (4)
• CHEM 3402: Organic Chemistry II/Lab (4)
• BCHM 5201: Biochemistry I/Lab (4), or BCHM 3200: Principles of Biochemistry (3)

Mathematics and Physics Courses

• MATH 1112 or 1113: Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus (3) (if necessary)
• MATH 1441: Calculus I (4)
• STAT 1401: Elementary Statistics (3) (starting fall 2019)
• PHYS 1111K or 2211K: Intro to or Principles of Physics I/Lab (4)
• PHYS 1112K or 2212K: Intro to or Principles of Physics II/Lab (4)

Social Science Courses

• PSYC 1101: Intro to Psychology (3)
• SOCI 1101: Intro to Sociology (3)

Additional courses to consider, depending on primary degree:

• BIOL 3133: Evolution and Ecology (3)
• BIOL 4130: Genetics (3)
• BIOL 4230: Intro to Immunology (3) or BIOL 5248: Immunology (4)
• BIOL 4240: Biology of Microorganisms (4)
• BIOL 5131: Cell Biology (3)
• BIOL 5132: Molecular Genetics (3)
• BIOL 5142: Molecular Biotechniques (4)
• BIOL 5148: Human Genetics (4)
• BIOL 5230: Comp Animal Physiology (4)
• BIOL 5239: Neurobiology (3)
• BIOL 5240: Histology (4)
• BIOL 5241: Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4)
• BIOL 5246: Human Pathophysiology (4)
• BIOL 5247: Endocrinology (4)
• BIOL 5333: Emerging Diseases (3)
• BIOL 5341: Parasitology (4)
• BIOL 5431: Virology (3)
• CHEM 5420: Principles of Drug Design (3)
• KINS 2531/2511 (or BIOL 2081/L): Human Anatomy & Physiology I/Lab (3/1)
• KINS 2532/2512 (or BIOL 2082/L): Human Anatomy & Physiology II/Lab (3/1)
• HLTH 2510: Medical Terminology (1)

The 15 Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students have been endorsed by the AAMC Group on Student Affairs (GSA) Committee on Admissions (COA). The competencies fall into four categories: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Thinking and Reasoning and Science. When preparing for medical school applications, it’s important to consider and demonstrate these competencies.

Interpersonal

• Service Orientation – Demonstrates a desire to help others and sensitivity to others’ needs and feelings; demonstrates a desire to alleviate others’ distress; recognizes and acts on his/her responsibilities to society locally, nationally and globally.
• Social Skills – Demonstrates an awareness of others’ needs, goals, feelings and the ways that social and behavioral cues affect peoples’ interactions and behaviors; adjusts behaviors appropriately in response to these cues; treats others with respect.
• Cultural Competence – Demonstrates knowledge of socio-cultural factors that affect interactions and behaviors; shows an appreciation and respect for multiple dimensions of diversity; recognizes and acts on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; engages diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship and work; recognizes and appropriately addresses bias in themselves and others; interacts effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Teamwork – Works collaboratively with others to achieve shared goals; shares information and knowledge with others and provides feedback; puts team goals ahead of individual goals.
• Oral Communication – Effectively conveys information to others using spoken words and sentences; listens effectively; recognizes potential communication barriers and adjusts approach or clarifies information as needed.

Intrapersonal

• Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others – Behaves in an honest and ethical manner; cultivates personal and academic integrity; adheres to ethical principles and follows rules and procedures; resists peer pressure to engage in unethical behavior and encourages others to behave in honest and ethical ways; develops and demonstrates ethical and moral reasoning.
• Reliability and Dependability – Consistently fulfills obligations in a timely and satisfactory manner; takes responsibility for personal actions and performance.
• Resilience and Adaptability – Demonstrates tolerance of stressful or changing environments or situations and adapts effectively to them; is persistent, even under difficult situations; recovers from setbacks.
• Capacity for Improvement – Sets goals for continuous improvement and for learning new concepts and skills; engages in reflective practice for improvement; solicits and responds appropriately to feedback.

Thinking and Reasoning

• Critical Thinking – Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Quantitative Reasoning – Applies quantitative reasoning and appropriate mathematics to describe or explain phenomena in the natural world.
• Scientific Inquiry – Applies knowledge of the scientific process to integrate and synthesize information, solve problems and formulate research questions and hypotheses; is facile in the language of the sciences and uses it to participate in the discourse of science and explain how scientific knowledge is discovered and validated.
• Written Communication – Effectively conveys information to others using written words and sentences.

Science

• Living Systems – Applies knowledge and skill in the natural sciences to solve problems related to molecular and macro systems, including biomolecules, molecules, cells and organs.
• Human Behavior – Applies knowledge of the self, others and social systems to solve problems related to the psychological, socio-cultural and biological factors that influence health and well-being.

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess your problem solving, critical thinking and knowledge of natural, behavioral and social science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.

Cost: $330.00
More information about fees

Length of Test: 7 hours, 30 minutes

Score Range: 472 to 528

Test/Retest Policy:

• You can only register for ONE seat at a time,
• Single Testing Year: The MCAT can be taken up to three times,
• Two Consecutive-Year Period: The MCAT can be taken up to four times,
• Lifetime: The MCAT can be taken up to seven times in a lifetime.
• Voids and no-shows count toward your lifetime limit.

CASPer – (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) – Required for Medical College of Georgia

The Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer) is a situational judgment test that seeks to measure attributes such as ethics, communication, empathy and professionalism. CASPer is being used by medical schools as a supplement or instead of the medical school interview.

Cost: $85

Length of Test: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Score Range: Quartile

Test/Retest Policy:

• CASPer test scores are only valid for a single admission cycle,
• The CASPer test changes each year, making test scores untransferable between admissions cycle.

To register, begin by creating an Acuity Insights account with the following:

• Government-issued photo ID (English/French)
• Valid email address,
• Working webcam,
• Working microphone,
• Desktop or laptop computer,
• Reliable, high-speed internet connection with a bandwidth speed of at least 2 megabytes per second.

AAMC PREview Professional Readiness Exam – Required for Morehouse School of Medicine and Mercer School of Medicine

The AAMC PREview professional readiness exam is a standardized exam created to evaluate examinee’s understanding of effective pre-professional conduct across eight core competencies for assimilating into medical school.

Cost: $100

Length of Test: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Score Range: Quartile Ranking AND 1 – 9 Score

Test/Retest Policy:

• There is only one attempt per year,
• Terminated exams are considered an attempt,
• At its sole discretion, the AAMC may offer a retake of the exam depending on the outcome of its investigation.

Shadowing

As a prospective medical student, you are expected to spend time shadowing a physician.  Specifically, this means hands-off observation only.  You should not engage in any activity that could be construed as the practice of medicine if you are not licensed and trained to provide such care.  You can find the AAMC’s shadowing FAQ here.

The purpose of shadowing is to learn the nuances of patient-care that may not be apparent from what is shown on television or in books. Outside of interacting with and treating patients, physicians have a lot of responsibilities that may include running a business, teaching, or doing research.  It is important that you understand the realities of being a physician, so be sure to ask questions and engage with the physician you are shadowing as much as possible.  (If you are shadowing a surgeon, try to see more than just what happens in the OR!)

Most medical schools do not require a specific number of shadowing or observation hours; however, competitive applicants usually have around 100 hours.  You should  aim for getting a variety of experiences with physicians in various fields to gain a better understanding of the breadth of the medical profession.  While you should try to shadow specialties that you are interested in, you are not required to have shadowing experiences in any specific specialties.  Shadowing opportunities can sometimes be hard to find, so you are encouraged to take advantage of any shadowing experiences. 

Ideally, you should build a good relationship with at least one M.D. or D.O., as you will want to request a letter of recommendation once you begin the application process.

Volunteering

Volunteering is an important portion of the medical school application which should not be neglected.  Medical schools are looking for you to show depth of commitment and substantial involvement and leadership in the community.  You need to demonstrate that you can excel in rigorous courses, but also that you are compassionate and enjoy working with people.  Many students say that they want to go into medicine to help people; you must show direct evidence of your dedication to helping and serving the community.  You can find the AAMC’s volunteering FAQ here.

Volunteering can be done in a clinical setting such as a hospital or hospice, but it can also be done with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society, or any other organization (on-campus or off-campus) that you are passionate about.

If you are hoping to volunteer at a local hospital or clinic (e.g., East Georgia Regional Medical Center or St. Joseph’s/Candler), it is important to be mindful of deadlines and requirements. Most hospitals and clinics have a specific time-window each year that they accept and train potential volunteers. Further, most require volunteers to pass background checks and have up-to-date immunizations and tuberculosis testing. It is your responsibility to research deadlines and requirements when seeking out volunteer opportunities.

Each year, the number of medical school applicants who have significant medical or laboratory research experience grows. In fact, many medical schools expect students to have some experience with research and over 70% of medical school matriculants have participated in research.  You can find the AAMC’s research FAQ here.  

Do I have to do research?

While research experience is not a pre-requisite for most medical schools, working in a lab setting will help make you a more competitive applicant and will also help you to determine if a career in medicine or medical research is right for you.  In addition, research is a hands-on learning experience which can develop a number of skills that are vital for a career in healthcare such as critical thinking, communication, adaptability, patience, resilience, and teamwork. (To learn more about the skillsets that medical schools value, please review the AAMC’s Core Competencies here.) 

Since research settings are smaller than the average Georgia Southern lecture class, you will also have the opportunity to build a solid relationship with a faculty member who can then write you a strong letter of recommendation.

If you are interested in pursing an MD/PhD program, you will be expected to have significant research experience as you must demonstrate your desire to become a physician scientist. You should begin seeking out research opportunities as soon as you know that you want to pursue a dual-degree program. 

Undergraduate research has numerous benefits even for those students who do not wish to pursue research as a career.  However, if you have no interest in research, it may be a better use of your time to engage in activities that you are more passionate about, such as clinical or community volunteering.

When should I begin doing research?

You should begin looking for research opportunities as soon as possible.  Ideally, freshman or sophomore year.  It can be intimidating to reach out to research mentors so early in your academic career, but you will receive training and support when you join a lab. 

Due to course scheduling and the lock-step nature of certain majors, it can sometimes be difficult to fit in research prior to junior or senior year.  However, you should not put off research until junior or senior year if you can fit it in sooner.  Asking early not only means that you are more likely to find opportunities, but it also gives you the chance to remain in the lab for a longer period of time and to get more deeply involved. 

How do I find research opportunities?

Georgia Southern has many opportunities for research. Nearly every faculty member on campus is conducting some type of research. You can get involved in research in a number of ways: as a volunteer, paid lab assistant or for course credit.

If you are looking to simply volunteer in a laboratory or receive course credit for research, the first step is to make a list of faculty members that are currently doing work you may be interested in. Review departmental webpages or visit the Office of Research’s homepage for more information about opportunities and areas of interest for current research.

Once you have found a lab you are interested in, reach out to the faculty member. E-mail is usually the best way to do this. In your email, express your specific reasons for wanting to join the lab (i.e., what about the research interests you) and provide some details about yourself and your future goals.

Finding a lab does require you to be proactive. Lab openings are limited. You should expect to send out a number of e-mails before you find an open lab. Do not get discouraged!

How “much” research should I do?

Our office recommends that you participate in a research lab for at least a year. However, keep in mind that medical schools care more about the “depth” of your research experience than the length of time. In other words, it is important that you are able to talk intelligently and in detail about your role in the lab and the goals/results of the project.

Students interested in a pursuing a dual-degree (e.g., MD/PhD) must dedicate a significant amount of time towards research and, if possible, develop their own project. Competitive applicants will have presented their research at conferences or symposiums and some will have written and submitted manuscripts.

Medical Schools in Georgia:

• Emory University School of Medicine – Program Information and Reviews | Secondary Essay Information
• Mercer University School of Medicine – Program Information and Reviews | Secondary Essay Information
• Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University – Program Information and Reviews | Secondary Essay Information
• Morehouse School of Medicine – Program Information and Reviews | Secondary Essay Information
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – Program Information and Reviews | Secondary Essay Information

Medical Programs in US: Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR)

When a student meets the requirements of the articulation agreement (partnership), the student is guaranteed an interview with the school. Georgia Southern University currently holds an articulation agreement with the following program, with multiple additional partnerships in development.