How Does a Pre-Med Program Work?

Introduction

It is no secret that medical schools are getting increasingly more difficult to get into. This means that admittance boards are looking for much more well-rounded individual candidates, and choosing the correct pre-med program is becoming even more important. Different pre-med programs vary in curricula, standards and requirements. Choosing the right one to pursue can be crucial in getting into the medical school of your choice.

Classes

Most pre-med programs work by offering the required classes that are needed for acceptance to most major medical schools. However, checking the requirements of the medical school of your choice for transfer requirements will ensure that your are choosing the right pre-med school for your future plans. Classes that most pre-med programs offer should include college-level biology, calculus, organic chemistry, general college-level chemistry, physics and biochemistry.

Preparation

Pre-med programs also work by preparing their students for the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test). This means that during your stay in a pre-med program, you will be encouraged to take classes in microbiology, anatomy and physiology, physics and biology, which will give you an overall knowledge of the material contained on the test. Additional study outside of the class is required as well, but a good pre-med program will give you a solid foundation on which to base your study methods.

Advising

Pre-med programs also work by having student advisers who specialize in the requirements needed to be accepted into a medical school. These advisers help each individual student plan their schedules and give advice on how to best prepare for the medical school of the student's choice.

Experience

Pre-med programs also work by exposing their students to hands-on opportunities in the field that they would not otherwise be able to experience without being in the program. This allows students to shadow medical professionals in all aspects of the field, including emergency medicine, general medicine and specialized medicine. This becomes a valuable resource both for the student's learning experience, as well as for their medical-school application.

GPAs

Most pre-med programs will require that the student's grade point average (GPA) stay above a predetermined mark through the entire time the student is enrolled in the program. This number may vary, but falling below it may put the student on probation or may cause the student to be dropped from the program.

Feeder Programs

Some pre-med programs act as feeder programs to specific medical schools. If you plan to attend a specific medical school, finding these feeder schools could put you substantially above applicants from outside schools. Feeder programs are usually undergraduate programs located at the same university the the medical-school program is offered through.