Presenter: Daniel Valdivia Counselor/Transfer Center Coordinator

Presenter: Daniel Valdivia

Counselor/Transfer Center Coordinator

5 phases:

1. Undergraduate premedical education (college) 2. Undergraduate medical education (medical school)

▪ First two years: Scientific underpinnings of medicine.

▪ Second two years: Clinical rotations or clerkships

▪ During the fourth year. Residency or Specialty. Choose a specialty and apply to graduate medical education programs or residencies

3. Graduate medical education (residency and fellowship training): Prepares physicians for independent practice in an area of specialization. Focus is on the acquisition of detailed factual knowledge and the development of clinical skills and professional competencies in a particular specialty. 3-5 years depending on specialty.

4. Licensure and certification: Licensure to practice medicine and certification in a specialty.

Each state has a statute that describes the practice of medicine and identifies the public agency in the state that has responsibility for licensing physicians and regulating medical practice.

5. Continuing medical education: Physicians continue the educational process in the specific medical specialty in which they completed residency training, life-long.

• Pre-Med is NOT a major.

• Pre-Med means one of two things:

It is either used as a designation for a career

objective (“Ann is a pre-med student; she hopes to

be a surgeon.”) or a generalized course of study

(“John is a sociology major but he is also taking pre-

med courses as prerequisites for medical school.”)

• Choose a major that you are passionate about and

will do well in.

• Appropriate Coursework

• Strong cumulative and science GPAs

• Strong standardized test scores (MCAT)

• Strong letters of recommendation

• Extra curricular activities including volunteer and

work experience (especially clinical experience)

• Interviews

Prerequisites vary but generally science preparation includes…

•

1 year General Chemistry w/lab = CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B

•

1 year Organic Chemistry w/lab = CHEM 70/70A and 71/71A

•

1 year Physics w/lab = PHYS 2A and 2B or 4A and 4B

•

1 year Biology w/lab = BIOL-1, ZOOL-1 and BOT-1

* Although only a few medical schools require applicants to complete a specific course in mathematics, all schools appreciate mathematical competence as a strong foundation for understanding the basic sciences.

Recommended: calculus, statistics, and computer science.

* If you choose a non-science major, and finish all of your prerequisite courses at the community college, you should plan to take a number of upper division science courses at the 4-year university.

Medical School GPAs vary

•

You do not need to have a 4.0

•

Pursue a 3.5 or higher

•

Majority of GPAs are between 3.5 to 3.7

•

Science, Non-Science and Overall GPA will be considered

•

Choose a major that you are passionate about and will also

do well in.

Don’t have a high GPA

•

Approximately 25% of medical school applicants have post-

bachelorette education before going into medical school.

MCAT stands for “Medical College Admissions Test”

 The current MCAT examination includes three sections: Verbal Reasoning (VR), Physical Sciences (PS), and Biological Sciences (BS); chemistry is included in both the PS (gen chem) and BS

(organic chem) sections. This MCAT will be offered for the last time in January 2015.

 In spring 2015, the new MCAT with 4 sections will be launched:

 Biological and Chemical Foundations of Living Systems will include questions that test scientific

competencies by asking examinees to solve problems about biological and living systems and to integrate concepts from multiple disciplines, including biochemistry.

 Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems will include questions that test concepts from general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics.

 Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills which will be very much like the current VR section but with passages from the social sciences and humanities that emphasize cultural studies, population health, ethics and philosophy. Questions will require analysis and reasoning skills.

 Behavioral and Social Sciences will include concepts from psychology and sociology along with related biology concepts that provide the foundation for learning about the behavioral and sociocultural

determinants of health and health outcomes. Questions will test scientific competencies by asking examinees to integrate knowledge from different disciplines and will require scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills using research methods and statistical skills.

* Ideally you should take the MCAT no later than the Spring just before your application to medical school in June (i.e. you apply ~1.5

years before you plan to enter medical school). At the earliest this would be in your junior (3rd) year but many take the MCAT in the summer after their 3rd year or in their senior year (or later). As a general guideline, you should take the MCAT when you are ready rather than at a pre-

conceived time.

* Best if you only have to take the exam once so make sure that you are prepared.

* Some schools will take your highest scores, most will take your most current scores.

* Multiple choice exam, no penalty for wrong answers.

• Have 5 to 6 letters of recommendation on hand but asking for up to 10 is not a bad idea. Three to 6 are needed for the application process and will be submitted by letter writers directly to the medical schools.

• You never know who will write you a good letter. Ask for them throughout college.

• Ask your science professors immediately after you have completed their course. Ask to have one for your records. You can always resend them the letter as you approach the application period if it is out-dated.

• Letters should not be more than 1 year old when submitted.

• The letter should show that you are academically sound, show evidence of your passion, and show how the writer knows you in a more personal way. Should show that you are compassionate, have or are willing to work with the lower-income population, and show your leadership abilities.

Clinical experience (including opportunities to observe physicians

treating patients) is expected and is considered critical because

medical schools want to be certain that you have knowledge of

the field and the job of a physician. Most applicants have research

experience as well. Research or clinical experiences that you

initiate or develop yourself are particularly rewarding and are

viewed very positively by admission committees. Community and

campus service, participation in organized sports or arts,

leadership, and well-developed personal interests are all

important in the admission process.

Other Activities:

•

AMSA conference – offered at UC Davis yearly. Early October

2014. Register Soon!

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Summer programs (USC, Stanford, UCD, UCLA, UCSF)

SECONDARIES

• Also known as secondary or supplementary applications

• They usually include writing an essay, and submitting letters of

recommendation. The process varies per school but the purpose is the same: For the school to fill in any voids from your primary application and to see if you really are serious about attending their medical school.

• These take place after the application to medical school and before the interview process. Some schools send these out to all students who applied, others do an initial screening and selectively send these out.

INTERVIEWS

• If you are given an interview that means that the school feels that you can handle the coursework and you are now being highly considered for admission.

• Interviews are either a 2 person interview or a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). MMIs are usually 10 different short interviews.

• Some medical schools do not accept AP or CLEP credit in place of course prerequisites. It can help with graduation credit but usually best to take the same course at the college level.

• P/NP (Pass/No Pass) is not accepted for courses that are prerequisites to medical school.

• Some medical schools will use only the repeated grade in the GPA others combine the two grades. (A & F = C)

• A grade of anything less than a “B” in medical school is considered a failure.

• Although more students apply to medical school from UC campuses the number of students accepted into medical school are similar when

comparing CSUs to UCs

• You don’t have to get your bachelors degree from a school that also has a medical school.

• The advantage of attending an undergraduate school with a medical program is that there are likely more opportunities in the area for volunteering, internships, and residency.

• Apply to medical schools nationwide. The average pre-med student applies to 14 schools.

• There are 9 medical schools in California, 6 are UCs. (Davis, Irvine, Los

Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco). Three are private (USC, Loma Linda, Stanford)

• 25% of applicants from California go to an in-state school. 75% go to an out- of-state school. You can always go back to Cali to practice.

• “Non-Traditional Students” are highly sought after. CCC students qualify under that definition. As do students from low-income, first generation college student status.

• There is a need to have a diverse medical school applicant. A need to relate to the “normal” patient with a similar background.

• Reviewers look at the whole person.

• Bed-side manner is very important.

• The number #1 predictor of health is economic success.

•

They receive 5,000 applications per year. 100 are offered a

seat.

•

They are “very interested” in accepting students from

Northern California.

•

They do NOT take AP credit to meet prerequisites.

•

UC Davis AMSA Conference is scheduled for October 2014.

Helpful websites:

• www.aamc.org: The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) represents all 137 accredited U.S. Medical schools. They are responsible for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and provides detailed admissions information to the medical schools and to undergraduate premedical advisors.

• www.amsaarcucd.org: The American Medical Student Association chapters at American River College and the University of California, Davis (AMSA ARC/UCD) are committed to supporting academic and admissions preparation for pre-medical and pre-health

professions students; introducing students, underrepresented in medicine (URM, as

defined by the AAMC), to a career in health care; effecting change in medical education, to make it more responsive to the needs of students and society; promoting involvement in local and regional communities; encouraging and maintaining programs that enhance the quality of health care in the community; and hosting the largest national pre-health

professions conference.

Shasta College Transfer Center

• Hardcopy materials

• Transfer Interest card

• Counseling Appointment

• Student Educational Plans

• Transfer Admission Guarantees (UC and CSU)

Daniel Valdivia

Counselor/Transfer Center Coordinator [email protected]

For a counseling appointment please call 242-7724