premed handbook

8/3/2019 PreMed Handbook

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Pre-Med HandbookRevised June 2010

Prepared by Mark Sutherland, Chair, Pre-Professional Advising Committee

Table of Contents Click on the link to go to the desired location in the document.

Time Line to Becoming a Physician

Types of Medical Schools: MD vs. DO programs

What Can I Do If My Application Is Not Accepted?

Repeat Applications

Post Baccalaureate Programs

Caribbean Medical Schools

Required Courses For Medical School

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Courses

Recommended Courses

Course Requirements at Some Schools (Table)

Choosing a Major

The MCAT

MCAT 2015

MCAT Preparation Programs

In-house Preparation Program

In-house Preparation Program FAQ

Applying to Medical School: AMCAS, TMDSAS and AACOMAS

The Personal Essay

Secondary Applications

Interviews

Interviews Formats

What to Do (and Not Do) in the Interview

Recommendations and Evaluations

Grade Point Average

Clinical Exposure, Volunteer Work and Undergraduate Research

Shadowing and InternshipsResearch Experience

Pre-Health Club/AED

Club Officers

Travel Abroad and Foreign Medical Experience


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Time Line to Becoming a Physician

Becoming a physician is a challenging and lengthy process. The steps in the process include:

earning a bachelors degree. Although having a bachelors degree is not technicallyrequired, very few students get into medical school without one. The option for getting

in without a degree is generally aimed at older students who have years of experienceworking in health care (e.g., military medics) to allow them to just take the requiredcourses and the MCAT before applying.

four years of medical school. The first two years of medical school are heavily focusedon class work, with a slowly growing exposure to the clinic. The third year is focused onclinical rotations in the various aspects of medicine and the fourth year completes theserotations, allows for serious investigations of specialties, and time for students to checkout future residency opportunities.

three to five years of residency. The time in residency varies with specialty, and mayinclude an internship year as well.

possible one to two years in fellowship. Fellowship training allows doctors to mastersome specific techniques or disciplines. It is only required for certain specialties.

The net result of all this training is that you will probably be in your early 30s before you getyour first real job. You will also probably be $100,000 to $150,000 in debt. Most studentsborrow most of the money they need for medical school as they have no time to work outsidejobs. In residency you will be paid, but probably not enough to both live on and also put a lot ofmoney towards paying down your debt. Fortunately you will be very well paid after yourresidency.

During your undergraduate years, you will need to fulfill a number of requirements and activitiesthat show you are developing the academic and professional skills needed for a career in

medicine. The key elements to your application are listed below, and then described in detaillater in this document:

1. Complete all the required courses, and at least some of the recommended courses.2. Do well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)3. Earn a high GPA on both science and non-science courses4. Participate in at least two of these three non-curricular activities

a. clinical exposure, usually done by shadowing or internshipsb. volunteer work, which may involve clinical experiencec. undergraduate research

5. Complete the AMCAS (and/or TMDSAS for Texas Schools) application.6. Take part in interviews at the medical school considering your application.7. Secure a composite committee evaluation from the Hendrix Pre-professionalAdvising Committee.

Return to the Table of Contents


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Types of Medical Schools: MD vs. DO programs

To the surprise of many students, there is more than one way to become a medical doctor. TheMD degree is awarded by allopathic medical schools, such as UAMS, and are the schools thatmost students think about when considering medical school. However, one can also become a

doctor by attending an osteopathic medical school and earning a DO degree; the route taken byabout 20% of new doctors each year. DO programs tend to be a little less competitive foradmission, but to some they carry less prestige than MD programs. There are several importantphilosophical differences, one of which is that DO programs are strongly focused on trainingfamily practice physicians. Some allopathic medical schools, such as UAMS, are very strong infamily practice but a large proportion of allopathic graduates go into other specialties. Whilegraduates are not restricted to family practice residencies, that is the direction that most DOgrads take. You can learn more about Osteopathic Medical Schools here:http://www.aacom.org/InfoFor/applicants/profiles/Pages/default.aspx. It is worth noting that inthe next few years there is expected to be a tremendous shortage of family practice physicians.In response, most allopathic medical schools are increasing class sizes, while several new

osteopathic medical schools have opened their doors. In recent years, Hendrix alums haveattended the Oklahoma State University and Kansas City University programs and given uspositive feedback.


What Can I Do If My Application Is Not Accepted?

Acceptance to medical school is highly competitive and many students who are fully capable ofdoing well in school and as professionals are not accepted every year. However, just because anapplicant is rejected does not mean that medical school is permanently out of the picture. Most

Hendrix students who really want to get in can do so, but you may need to take some additionalsteps to make it happen. We frequently have students get accepted after a 2nd application andoccasionally after a 3rd. It would be rare to be accepted if applying more than 3 times.

Repeat Applications

If you dont get into medical school on your first application, you may still find success on asecond or third try. If you dont get in, you should schedule a meeting with the admissions officeof one or more of your selected schools and see if they can give you advice on what was weak onyour application and what you can do to improve your application for a second try. It is oftenpossible for students to strengthen their applications by more course work (as described below

under Post Baccalaureate Programs) or working in a clinical or research setting. About half ofHendrix students who do not get in their first try are accepted on a subsequent application. Ifyou truly feel called to medicine, carefully assess your situation and consider your options.Anyone with solid academic skills and sufficient motivation can make it, but it may take moretime and lead in some directions that were not in your original plans.



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Post Baccalaureate Programs

If your MCAT score and/or GPA are not good enough to get you into medical school, you may

want to consider going on for some type of post-baccalaureate education. Many medicalschools, and other graduate programs, now host programs that are designed as an on-ramp tomedical school. There are one-year certificate programs for those who just need a little extrawork and there are two-year programs leading to a masters degree. Among the latter, some willrequire research while other programs do not. We had a recent Hendrix grad in the UAMSBiomedical Science master program who selected to do research even though it was optional.She ended up enjoying research so much that she chose to go into an MD/PhD program. Earninga masters degree is becoming a more common road into medical school. A quick survey of theMSAR indicated that 5-15% of the entering class already holding a graduate degree is verycommon, and at one school (Tulane) the number was 30%. Be aware that if you start a Mastersprogram, all medical schools will expect you to complete that program before starting on the

MD. Some programs (e.g., Public Health) can be done concurrently.

As a generally rule, I dont recommend additional coursework for students with GPAs over 3.5but strongly recommend it if the GPA is less than 3.2. A stellar MCAT score can make up for alower GPA, but a high GPA can NOT make up for a poor MCAT.

Caribbean Medical Schools

Several Island nations in the Caribbean host medical schools. If you are considering one of theseschools there are numerous factors you should keep in mind. Be extremely careful whenselecting your school. Some have good reputations, others decidedly do not. A few of the latter

will accept any student who applies despite grade point or MCAT scores because they are onlyafter your money. Here are few criteria you should apply to your considerations:

What are the schools pass rates for the USMLE board exams? At good schools, the passrate should be over 90% for first time test takers and near 100% with repeat exams.

Are 3rd and 4th year rotations done in State-side hospitals? It is unlikely youll getadequate training without this option.

Are graduates successful in obtaining quality residency programs in the US? Can you be licensed in the state where you wish to work? Arkansas, for example, does

not recognize degrees awarded by some of these schools.

Regardless of expense, you should visit the school and check the facilities. For more issues to consider, please visit these web sites:

http://www.aacom.org/InfoFor/applicants/profiles/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/07/caribbean-medical-schools-a-good-option

Be aware that if you attend one of these schools you are likely to pay much more money (statesbear much of the cost of training for traditional medical schools), have extremely large classsizes, and may well have lower quality instruction. A former Hendrix student attending one ofthese schools told me that his instructors all had such heavy accents he could hardly understand


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what they were saying, and that the instructors were never available for answering questions orhelping out with problems.


Required Courses For Medical School

Allopathic medical schools list their requirements (and other useful information) in the MedicalSchool Admission Requirements (MSAR), a yearly publication. Up-to-date copies of this bookare kept by Dr. Mark Sutherland (DWR 330) and Mary Wiese, Administrative Assistant for theNatural Science Area. Requirements are very similar for DO schools, but you should check withany particular school to which you may want to apply. Although there is some school to schoolvariation, most requirement are fairly consistent. Almost all schools require the following:

2 laboratory courses in General Chemistry 2 laboratory courses in Organic Chemistry 2 laboratory courses in physics (calculus or non-calculus based)

2 laboratory courses in biology (we recommend Cell Biology, Zoology and Genetics at aminimum). UAMS will REQUIRE Genetics as one of the 2 biology courses in the nearfuture. Most Texas schools require either 3 or 4 biology laboratory courses and someschools also stipulate which biology courses should be taken.

Mathematics. Some schools have no mathematics requirement, beyond the ability to dowell on physics and chemistry problems (Functions and Models level math skills). Someschools require any two mathematics courses, which may include Statistics (UAMS);some specifically require Calculus I. A few schools require Calculus II. UAMS requiresany two math courses OR Calculus I.

2 courses in English, especially courses which include composition. Some schoolsspecify only composition courses. Because the goal of this requirement is to enhance

communication skills, UAMS will accept (but does not require) Speech Communicationas one of the two English courses. Passing the Writing Level I exam or completing theWriting level II requirement outside the English Department DOES NOT count towardsthis requirement.

Many schools also list recommended courses. Most schools put biochemistry in thiscategory. Other commonly recommended courses include Genetics, Psychology, andCalculus.

There is a table on the next page that details some course requirements at a select group ofschools of interest to Hendrix students. This list is NOT complete and required course dochange from time to time, so always check on specific schools with an up to date MSARor at the schools website.

In 2015, the MCAT will undergo a major change for which students will need to becomfortable using basic statistics, and should have taken coursework in Biochemistry,psychology, sociology and humanities. There will be an increased emphasis onunderstanding experimental design and data analysis within these disciplines.


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Required Courses and Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate Credit.

Thereis noconsensus among medical schools on how to deal with these courses. UAMSwill accept them as long as they appear as credit on your Hendrix transcript. Some other schoolswill not accept AP/IB courses as fulfilling admissions requirements under any circumstances.

However, all schools do agree that AP/IB courses should be used a springboard for advancedstudy rather than as terminal courses. For example, if you have AP credit for Cal I, schools hopeyou will go ahead and take Cal II in college, even if Cal I is technically all that is required. Thegoal of AP/IB credit should never be for you to get out of taking college courses, but rather toallow progress to higher level courses more quickly.


Recommended Courses

Additional upper-level science courses are strongly recommended at all medical schools.While you will not be expected to have mastered any particular content from thesecourses, you need to have takes some upper level math/science to show that you have theability to master material at that level when required. These courses also provideinformation that will be useful in medical school or perhaps on the MCAT. Valuablecourses include Advanced Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Calculus, Comparative VertebrateAnatomy, Developmental Biology, General Physiology, Immunology, Microbiology,Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience, and Physical Chemistry.

Medical schools recognize the importance of a liberal arts education and valueapplicants who have taken upper level courses in disciplines outside the science. Somecourses that work well on applications are Philosophy (Logic and/or Ethics), Psychology(1-2 courses are required at a few schools), Statistics (fulfills a math requirement at some

schools), Sociology or Anthropology, additional English courses, and Economics.

There is a table on the next page that list required and recommended courses at a select group ofschools that Hendrix students commonly apply to. While changes to required courses is rare, itdoes happen from time to time so you should check the website for any schools that you feelstrongly about.



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Course Requirements at Some Schools Commonly Applied to by Hendrix Students

Tulane None specified 2 laboratory courses

CheckMedical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) publication for each schoolsrequirements! Dr. Sutherland, and Mary Wiese have current copies, older copies may be foundin the DW Reynolds reading room. The AMCAS web site (http://www.aamc.org/) also provideslinks to medical school web sites.


School Math Biology Other

UAMS Any two math, orCal I. Statistics maybe one of the two

2 laboratory courses Genetics, Biochemistry,Psychology recommended

LSU (New Orleans) Cal I 2 laboratory courses Genetics, Biochemistry,Psychology recommended

LSU (Shreveport) None specified 2 laboratory courses Genetics and Biochemistryrecommended

St. Louis University None specified 2 laboratory courses Biochemistry recommended

Washington University Cal II 2 laboratory courses Average MCAT of 38 for 2008entering class

U. Missouri (Columbia) One math course 2 laboratory courses Specifies English compositioncourses. Biochemistryrecommended

Emory None specified 2 laboratory courses Biochemistry recommended

U. Tennessee(Memphis)

None specified 2 laboratory courses Biochemistry, Geneticsrecommended

Vanderbilt None specified 2 laboratory courses Biochemistry, Geneticsrecommended

Baylor None Specified 2 laboratory courses Average MCAT of 36 for 2008entering class

U. Texas Houston None Specified 3 4 lab courses(14 hours)

Texas A & M Statistics required 3 4 lab courses

(14 hours)

Biochemistry recommended

U. Texas Galveston Cal I 2 laboratory courses Biochemistry, Geneticsrecommended

Texas Tech Lubbock Cal I and Statistics 3 4 lab courses(14 hours)

Texas Tech El Paso Cal I 3 4 lab courses(14 hours)

Biochemistry recommended

U. Texas San Antonio Cal I 3 laboratory courses Biochemistry required

U. Texas Southwestern Cal I 4 lab courses Average MCAT of 34 for 2008entering class


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Choosing a Major

While the majority of medical school applicants major in one of the sciences as undergraduates,any major is possible as long as pre-matriculation requirements are met. Medical schoolsrecognize the need for diversity and are eager to accept students who major outside the sciences

as long as they have a strong science GPA and can do well on the MCAT. We have had alumniaccepted to medical school with very diverse majors. Most Hendrix premeds major in Biology,Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, or Chemistry, but recently accepted students have majoredin Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Business, Politics, History, English, Religion, andvarious interdisciplinary majors. If you really like a subject that is what you should major in;youll get the best grades doing what you like and GPA is an important criterion for acceptance.You will also enjoy your education more; nothing burns us out faster than having to takemultiple courses in a discipline that we dont like. If you major outside the sciences, you shouldstill try to do more than the minimum number of science courses and be aware that the MCATemphasizes science strongly.


The MCAT

The MCAT is the single most important part of your application, so be serious in yourpreparation. It is weighted more heavily than other criteria due to its perceived objectivity, andbecause it predicts student success on the board exams taken during medical school. You mustprepare intensively for this test.

The MCAT is offered on 20+ occasions over a nine-month period (January September).However, relatively few seats are available for any given test date so apply early. The April

through June dates are likely to be most heavily subscribed, so apply for these dates early, or usean alternate test date. To apply, follow the MCAT links at http://www.aamc.org/.

If you take the test early and dont do well, you can retake the exam at a later date. However, donot take the test early with the idea of taking it again later, using the first test as a trial run.Schools get ALL of your scores, and, while they do appreciate seeing improvements, an earlypoor test will still reflect negatively on your application. Scores are good for three years, so poorscore will stick with you at least that long.

Students applying only to UAMS can take the test relatively late, but if youre applying out-of-state, you should take the test by early July. Many schools (Texas schools, some private schools)

use a rolling interview process by which they assign interviews as MCAT scores andapplications come in. If you are late in the process, there may not be any interview slots lefteven though you apply well before the deadline.

The MCAT will change dramatically starting in 2015. The text below describe the current test,following which is a paragraph describing the major changes that will be coming in 2015. Thecurrent test requires about 5 hours to take and is divided into four parts:


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1. Verbal Reasoning. In this section you read passages of information (most of which will havenothing to do with science) and answer questions about the reading. There is no content to studyfor this section because the passage can be about anything. You need to be able to read quicklyand think about what youve read critically. Courses that require you to read and discusssophisticated information outside the sciences are the best preparation for this section.

2. Physical Sciences (General Physics I and II and General Chemistry I and II). While there aresome stand-alone questions in the science portions of the test, most of the questions will requireyou to read a short passage (with charts, graphs, equations, reactions, etc) which you synthesizewith your basic knowledge of the sciences in order to answer the questions. While you will needto memorize the most commonly used concepts, equations, reaction mechanisms, etc, the textwill contain most of what you need. Often you will need to choose the correct equation ormechanism from multiple possibilities.3. Biological Sciences (biology and organic chemistry). This section is about two-thirdsbiology, one-third Organic Chemistry. The biology content you need to know is very broad.Cell Biology and Genetics are probably the most important content to study, but there will alsobe a fair amount of physiology and perhaps some very basic concepts from developmental

biology, immunology and microbiology as well. You dont need to have taken those latter threecourses, but you do need to be familiar with some big picture issues in those disciplines.4. Writing Sample (letter grade, not counted in the numeric MCAT score). There is nothing tostudy for this section, other than to be aware of the format that you must write in. The WritingSample is graded on a letter score of from J (lowest) to T (highest) with O being average. Mostschools put little weight on the writing sample as long as you dont come across as being semi-illiterate. In this part of the test you write two essays and are allotted 30 minutes for each. Youwill be given a simple prompt (e.g., Democracy is the most fair form of government). Youressay must do three things: (1) Put the thesis into your own words, (2) describe the antithesis,and (3) describe situations where the thesis is correct and situations when it is not. The morespecific examples that you use (and the fewer generalities) the better. Grading is based more on

clarity and your ability to follow instructions than on grammar.

Scores of at least 9 (out of 15) in each of the three numeric areas have been shown to correlatewith success in medical school, especially with regard to doing well on the board exams. Thehighest possible score is 45. The national average is a little over 8 on each section, resulting in anational average score between 24 and 25. Any sub-score less than 7 is considered unacceptableat most medical schools. UAMS wants to see a minimum of 8 on each section. While the actualnumbers vary between different test forms and across the different sections of the test, a score of8 usually correlates with getting 1/2 to 2/3 of the questions correct. The National average MCATscore for those admitted to medical schools is usually about 31 with a Writing Sample of P; theUAMS average has been between 29 and 30 in recent years.

The MCAT is heavily weighted to your ability to read critically and analyze sophisticated text,both scientific and general, quickly and efficiently. While you are expected to memorizefrequently used equations and key concepts, the test is more about your ability to read newinformation and synthesize it with your existing knowledge than about rote memorization. Inpreparation, you should spend time reading complex texts and thinking about what youve read.Participation in book discussions is very helpful.


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In 2015, the MCAT will undergo some major changes. The Writing Sample will be deleted anda 4th objective section added. There will also be additional expectations for content. Forexample, there will be increased emphases on experimental design and statistical analysis. Therewill also be expectations that students have had course work in psychology, sociology andphilosophy/ethics. In addition, the science component of the test will cover content covered in

the 1

st

semester of Biochemistry.

The four sections of the MCAT will be:1. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems2. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Living Systems3. Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

The 4th section will not cover specific content, but will expect students to be able to criticallyread and analyze passages across multiple humanities and social science disciplines, with anemphasis on philosophy and ethics.

Each of these sections will have approximately 60 65 questions for which youll be allowed90-95 minutes, making the whole test nearly 6.5 hours. More information about the new MCATwill be published in the future. You can get more information and keep up with changes byvisiting https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/.


MCAT Preparation Programs

Most students make use of MCAT preparation programs to assist with their study for the exam.The two most commonly used by Hendrix students are Kaplan and an in-house program here atHendrix. Whether you should use a preparation program, and which you should use, depends onyour ability to study effectively on your own and how much assistance you need with learningthe key concepts.

Many Hendrix students are capable of preparing for the MCAT on their own. Students whohave done very well in their classes, who were not overly challenged to get high grades, and whohave the discipline to maintain an organized course of study should be able to do well on theirown. There are two study aids that you should use, however. A good set of review books is very

important because you certainly do NOT want to be re-reading all your science textbooks andclass notes, and taking multiple practice exams is absolutely crucial.

Old Kaplan study guides are found readily online for a reasonable cost. These books are verythorough and if you buy a complete set will include some on-paper practice exams. I personallyprefer the Exam Krackers books. They contain less detail than the Kaplan books (I think Kaplanasks students to memorize too much unnecessary detail) and have only one full-length practiceexam. Exam Krackers offers a set of four books that covers the content, and then several


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supplementary texts with lots of example questions and passages. You can buy just those thatcover the areas you need to focus on. You can find these books new at Amazon, or I suspect youcan find used books for sale elsewhere online or from current and former Hendrix students whohave already taken the MCAT.

It is very important that you actually take several full-length, timed, on-line practice exams.Fortunately, you can buy access for these directly from the MCAT people (retired exams) at acost of $35 each, and you also get access to one free test for registering on the site. Follow theMCAT links at AAMC.org to register. How many of these you need to do is up to you, but doenough that you have the stamina and pacing for taking the real test. I think that one test early inyour studies to get a feel for the test and then at least three more towards the end for pacing andstamina is the minimum you should do.

In-house preparation program. There is a FAQ list appended to the end of this document withmore details of the program. In brief, the Hendrix preparation program has been offered duringthe Spring semester each year, but will probably move to Maymester in 2011. The program

costs $200, with an option to purchase 3 on-line practice exams from MCAT for $20 each ($15dollar per test group reduction). We use the Exam Krackers books described above in the classwhich will cost an additional $110+ for a total course cost of about $400. The Hendrix MCATpreparation program is built around helping students identify their weak areas so they can focustheir self study time most effectively. Lectures are brief and focused on those key conceptswhich students most often struggle with. Much of the time in class is spent working on samplepassages and problems to help develop critical thinking skills and test-taking strategies.

Kaplan MCAT preparation. Kaplan is the most frequently used of the for-profit test preparationservices by Hendrix students. For around $1800, Kaplan provides extensive in-class lectures and

abundant on-line resources, including many practice exams. For those students who will benefitfrom additional classroom lecture time and more structure in their study time, Kaplan can bevery beneficial. For more information about Kaplan, and other for-profit services, visithttp://www.studentdoctor.net/2006/12/the-price-of-mcat-prep/.


Applying to Medical School: AMCAS, TMDSAS and AACOMAS

Almost all medical schools use some type of application service rather than have you apply toeach school separately. Most allopathic schools use the American Medical Colleges ApplicationService (AMCAS); however, all Texas medical schools (other than Baylor) use the TexasMedical and Dental School Application Service (TMDSAS). The text below is focused on theAMCAS, but pertains to the TMDSAS and AACOMAS (used for osteopathic medical schools)as well. You can go to http://www.aacom.org/Pages/default.aspx for details of this service.


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The AMCAS application becomes available for you to fill out in May, and can be submittedstarting in early June. The date you need to have it submitted depends on where you apply, asdiscussed earlier with regards to the MCAT. You must allow several weeks for completing theAMCAS because you will need to gather a lot of information from diverse places and getfeedback from multiple people. The application is done online (find the links at AAMC.org) and

you can log in as many times as you like, saving your work as you go along until the finalsubmission.

Most of the application is straightforward, but some sections need extra care.

You will be asked to describe any legal actions incurred, including disciplinary actions incollege that may be on your permanent record. DO NOT try to hide anything here. Afteracceptance, the med school is likely to run a criminal background check on you. If thereare instances on your record that were not self-reported, your acceptance will be revoked.

You will be required to list the courses you will be taking, or other med-school relevantexperiences that you be gaining during the year between submitting your application andmatriculating in school. You MUST adhere to what you say you will be doing. Failing

to complete your stated plans can lead to revocation on an acceptance. If situationsbeyond your control necessitate a change in schedule, alert the admissions office of theschools you apply to as quickly as possible.

You will have the opportunity to list your work/research/volunteer experiences andprovide a narrative for each experience. Take advantage of this opportunity to highlightany experiences that pertain to your medical school preparation, especially forexperiences that you will not have space to describe in your personal essay. TheAMCAS allows much more space in this section than the TMDSAS, but the TMDSAShas 2 short optional essays where you can include much of the same information.

The personal essay is a crucial part of the application. This essay must demonstrate yourunambiguous desire to become a physician, and prove that you have done the sorts of

things that show you have the character and motivation to be successful.o The writing style, content and grammar must be impeccable. While there is not a

particular format that is superior, the one you use must be consistent so that yournarrative flows naturally through the essay. You will need to have two or threepeople with experience reading these sorts of essays critique your work and youmust allow time to do multiple rewrites.

o In my experience, there are two general essay structures that work well, thesebeing a chronological approach (describing events in the order they happened) ora thematic approach. If you chose the latter, make sure that your readers knowwhat your themes are by the end of the first paragraph and do not have to readbetween the lines to figure out what they are. Your essay has to be totally clear

and completely unambiguous.o avoid excess generalities, platitudes and philosophical statements. The

admissions committee is much more interested in what you have done than yourability to write high-minded statements. For example, while it is perfectly OK tosay you want to be a doctor because youre strongly motivated to help others, youalso need to describe the experiences which prove that youve actually spent a lotof time doing so. Pretty sentiments without proof that you live up to what you sayis important to you will be taken as hypocrisy.


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o the essay should be composed primarily of specific details of what you have doneto prepare for med school outside the normal classroom (research, volunteerwork, clinical experience, study abroad, internships, etc). However, it is not a listof everything you have done (there is space for that elsewhere in the application),but rather a more full explanation of two or three experiences that have been

particularly formative for you.o You should write the essay with the understanding that almost everyone who

applies to medical school has the academic credentials to be successful.Admission committee members are faced with the very difficult task of selectingamong students with very similar credentials. What often makes for a successfulcandidate with good but not stellar GPA and MCAT numbers is an essay thatmakes a positive impact in the mind of the reviewer. This positive impact is madeby describing interesting, productive experiences passionately, concisely andclearly.

o Like the interview, the essay is your chance to prove you are a motivated,empathetic, energetic and caring person committed to the health care profession.

oYou may use the essay to explain what may be perceived as problems with yourapplication. For example, one bad semester that lowered your GPA may be lessof an issue if you can provide a good reason for why you had academic problemsat that time. These sorts of explanations should not be more than a small part ofyour essay with most of the text accentuating more positive experiences. Anylegal infractions or collegiate disciplinary actions should also be explained here.Again, do not dwell on these negative situations; state the issue, describe howyouve overcome the problem, and move on.

o The TMDSAS has you write three essays that are more directed than the AMCASessays. Even though some are techncially optional, you should have enoughinteresting things to say to fill all the allotted space.

oBe sure to use all the space allotted for your essay(s). Failure to do so will lookodd because anyone well prepared for medical school should have moreinteresting experiences than they can possibly describe in this short amount ofspace.

Secondary Applications. Many medical schools will send you a secondary application. Eventhough this secondary application may be somewhat redundant with the AMCAS, give it thesame care and consideration. There may well be opportunities on the secondary application foryou to discuss issues that are relevant to that particular medical school. One complaint Iveheard over and over again from UAMS is that students send poor quality photographs with theirsecondary application. They expect you to use this photograph as another opportunity to

demonstrate your professionalism.


Interviews


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The interview is a crucial part of your medical school application. You must take the interviewseriously, prepare for it (doing one or two mock interviews if the interview process is new toyou), and understand it ranks right behind MCAT and GPA scores in importance towardsacceptance. The way interviews are done varies widely at different schools; how they work atUAMS is described in detail below, and more generally how they may differ at other schools.

Interview Schedule, Scheduling Interviews and Acceptances at UAMS

All Arkansas resident applicants are guaranteed an interview, but you must call toschedule, starting July 15. You must submit your AMCAS prior to scheduling theinterview. The deadline for scheduling your interview is November 15, but itbehooves you to have it set up well before this date.

Out-of-state applicants are not guaranteed an interview. UAMS will contact you ifthey want you to speak with you. These interviews are done in early January

If you wish to be considered for a UAMS academic scholarship, you shouldparticipate in one of the October interviews. Scholarship decisions are made early inthe consideration process, and the November interview date may be too late for you

to be considered. Hendrix students have been very competitive for these scholarshipsin past years.

The January interview date is all but exclusively for out-of-state students so Arkansasresidents should definitely schedule for one of the earlier sessions.

Acceptance letters go out in mid December, mid January and mid February. Onlyabout 20 are accepted in December, about 30 in January and by far the largest groupin February.

Because UAMS does not start evaluating applications until December, you can takethe MCAT during the later fall dates and still have everything in on time.

Interviews at schools other than UAMS

Interviews are NOT automatic at other medical schools. They will invite selectedstudents to interview, based primarily on MCAT and GPA numbers. They will set theinterview time, giving you little if any flexibility in scheduling.

Many medical schools use a rolling interview assignment process. In this process,interviews are scheduled when applications are received that have acceptable GPA andMCAT scores. Once they have filled their quota of interview slots, they are gone. As aconsequence, even if the stated deadline for application is October 15th, all the interviewslots are likely to be gone by September 1st. Therefore, you need to apply as early aspossible for these schools, and take the MCAT as early as you can be well prepared. TheJune MCAT date would be fine, and perhaps the early July dates, but late in July may betoo late for some schools. These schools do interview a few students who apply late, but

it takes very high numbers (35+ MCAT, 3.8+ GPA) to get one of the late interview slots.Most Texas medical schools and most private medical schools use this process.

Interviews Formats Medical schools put a lot of emphasis on the interview because there are somany candidates with roughly equal academic qualifications. Thus, the interview can have apowerful impact on your acceptance.


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You should be aware that different schools have very different approaches to doing theinterview. At UAMS, the interview is done cold, meaning the interviewers do NOT haveaccess to your files, and so will know nothing about you. The interviewers are NOT on theadmissions committee, but will write a report describing your interview that will be added toyour application package. At some other schools, the interviewers will have your application

and so may ask questions about specific courses or other issues that arise from your record.

The UAMS interview is done with at least two interviewers, and sometimes three with the thirdbeing a current upper-level medical student. Most often, the current student will ask the mostchallenging questions and will the first to hone in on inadequate answers. You will meet with allthe interviewers at one time. At other schools, you will find various strategies. For example,you may have multiple short interviews at different times during the day. In addition, someschools actually interview students in small groups, so you will need to find a balance betweenhaving your voice heard but not hogging the spotlight.

What to do (and not do) in the interview. The purpose of the interview is to allow you the

opportunity to demonstrate aspects of your qualifications and character that cannot be readilyassessed from GPA and MCAT scores. Beyond good academic skills, successful applicants needto be compassionate, poised, confident, enthusiastic, excited, energetic, possess goodcommunication skills and able to think clearly in stressful situations. And you have todemonstrate all of this in a 30-45 minute interview. The bulleted points below list some waysthat you can show these characteristics, along with some things to avoid doing during theinterview:

You are likely to be very nervous. However, if you have done well in your Hendrixcourses and taken advantage of extracurricular opportunities, you should be confident inyour qualifications and abilities. Hendrix students as a rule are as well prepared for

medical school as students from any other school, and better than most. Professionalism in attire and demeanor is paramount. First impressions are crucial and if

you come in looking like you dont care, they wont care about you. You should think interms of formal business dress rather than formal party dress. Your attire and physicalpresence should inspire confidence that you are a serious professional.

Interviewers are particularly harsh about any perceived immaturity in their applicants.Examples of what they may perceive as immaturity include:

o poor body language (slouching, signs of agitation).o lack of sensitivity to people from other cultures, gender, ethnic or age groups.o frequent use of words such as like and you know along with excessive ums

and uhs. My personal pet peeves are describing routine events as awesome

and saying countless about things that readily quantifiable. In other words,avoid sloppy language.

o inability to give answers that directly and concisely address the questions. Youneed to give complete answers to questions, but avoid long, rambling answers thatare only more or less on track.

o absence of school-specific questions by the applicant, which will be perceived asa lack of interest in the medical school. The admissions committees want students


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who are interested in their school specially, not just getting into any medicalschool.

Avoid giving the perception that you are arrogant or conceited. It is important to have apositive, confident outlook and be willing to talk about achievements, but avoid any hintof condescension or personal superiority.

The interview is a formal affair. Each interviewer will have his/her own interviewingstyle with some being more formal than others. You can adjust your level of formalitysomewhat in response to the interviewer, but the interview is never just a casualconversation, even if it may seem that way on the surface.

In addition to maturity and professionalism, the interviewers will be looking for evidenceof enthusiasm, excitement, energy level, compassion, empathy, commitment, etc. Thereare a variety of ways to demonstrate these characteristics including:

o listen to their questions very carefully and provide concise, thoughtful answersthat address the question specifically. Its OK to take a moment to collect yourthoughts in response to complex questions.

o use positive body language. Lean forward a bit (never slouch!) and make goodeye contact.

o be confident in your answers, but dont be afraid to admit when you dont knowthe answer to a question. The interviewer may well throw an impossible questionor two at you just to see how you respond when faced with a stressful situation.

o ask questions that show youve read as much as possible about this specificmedical school and are that you are eager to learn more.

o show excitement when you talk about your shadowing, internship or volunteerexperiences. You need to be passionate about helping others in need.

The interviewer is likely to be interested in your support system. Medical school ishighly stressful, and successful students have resources (family, friends, stress-releaseactivities) to fall back on when times get tough.

The interviewers will have an appreciation for the distance traveled. This means thatthey will have high expectations for students from advantaged backgrounds for havingdone a lot of volunteer work, etc., while recognizing that disadvantaged students willprobably have had to work to pay for school and so have had less time for these otheractivities. As a rule, Hendrix students have more opportunities for doing theextracurricular projects than students from large state schools, which is to your advantageif youve done these things, but could be a problem if you have not.

Some exposure to the healthcare environment (shadowing, internships, volunteering inhospitals, etc.) is crucial. They want you to know what youre getting into; recruiting andtraining medical students is a very expensive proposition and they dont want studentsdropping out because they discover too late that the medical profession was the wrong

choice. They will NOT expect you to have done much, if any, hands-on medicine, butwill expect you to have extensive exposure to medicine.

If youve done research, be ready to discuss it in detail so you wont look like all you didwas wash test tubes. This is especially true if youre considering MD/PhD programs.

Be ready to discuss your motivation for medical school. Ive heard interviewers expresssurprise (and annoyance) about how often students seem to have little idea of why theyare applying or what theyre getting into. If you really want to go to med school, you willhave done all you can do to see what its all about.


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Show that you have a good awareness of your personal strengths and weaknesses.Everyone has some weaknesses; you need to be aware of what they are and be able totalk about how you are working to improve them.

If you dont have significant experience in interviewing, arrange one or two mockinterviews with science faculty in the week or so preceding your real interview. You

dont know how youll respond in that situation until you have actually gone trough it. Most of these criteria are highly subjective. Making a good first impression is central to

your success, so plan and prepare accordingly.

It is useful to consider the trust issue as you go into your interview. The average hospital patientis elderly and often very worried. As you walk into the room this person is likely to wonder whythey should trust some this 20-something freshly minted MD with their fragile health. Theinterviewers are likely to think much like this elderly patient. You have to be able to establishthat trust immediately. And that trust comes from you presenting yourself as a professional.



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Recommendations and Evaluations

Recommendations and evaluations are an integral part of your application. Hendrixstudents must use the composite committee evaluation prepared by the Pre-Health AdvisingCommittee, chaired by Dr. Mark Sutherland. All Natural Science Area faculty are part of this

committee. You will work with Mary Wiese, Natural Science Area Administrative Assistant, toorganize the materials included in your evaluation package. The composite evaluation has twomain parts, one being a check list that looks much like the table below. Those faculty who knowyou will mark this form as illustrated. The second part is composed of supplemental commentsin paragraph form that will be written by those faculty who know you well (research mentors,advisors, etc) and who can comment on specific activities that reinforce or expand on the list ofattributes in the table. Medical schools strongly prefer an evaluation form such as this overletters of recommendation alone. In addition, you are welcome to ask faculty outside the NaturalScience area, or other professionals who know you well, to write letters of recommendation.These may be sent to Mary Wiese and she will add them to the evaluation packet. Medicalschools strongly recommend no more than three additional letters.

UNK Poor Fair Good Excellent

1. MENTAL ALERTNESSIntellectual curiosity and creativity

S

2. UNDERSTANDINGApplication and synthesis of knowledge

S

3. JUDGMENTAbility to analyze problems and make decisions

S

4. MATURITYEmotional stability, ability to cope

S

5. INTEGRITYMoral standards and intellectual honesty

S

6. RELIABILITY AND WORK ETHIC

Dependability, promptness, attention to detail

S

7. EMPATHYSensitivity to others, consideration, tact

S

8. PERSEVERANCE

Stamina, endurance, completing tasks

S

9. INITIATIVEAbility to work independently and creatively

S

10. POISESelf Confidence, awareness of strengths and weaknesses

S

11. PERSONAL MANAGEMENTUse of time, study habits

S

12. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSAbility to get along with peers and supervisors

S

13. INVOLVEMENTExtra-curricular campus and civic activities

S

14. APPROPRIATE MOTIVATIONSincere interest in medicine and serving patients

S

15. PROBABLE SUCCESS IN FIELD S



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Grade Point Average

You must have a good grade point average to be competitive for medical school, but this doesnot mean you must have a 4.0. What grade point you need depends on where you hope to gainadmission, your MCAT score, and the extra projects youve been involved in. If you want to

attend a prestigious private school such as Washington University or Vanderbilt, a 3.8 is veryacceptable while a 3.6 is getting towards the low end of acceptability. AT UAMS, a 3.6 is fine, a3.4 is usually OK, below 3.2 is getting dicey and below 3.0 acceptance is unlikely. I have seenstudents get in with a Hendrix GPA around 3 (even a tiny bit below), but it generally requiredmultiple tries and significant post-baccalaureate experience of some kind such as graduate-levelcoursework or quality research experience.

It is important to realize that the admissions committee will look beyond just the final GPAnumber. They will look at both total GPA and science GPA; a science GPA of 2.9 will beunacceptable even if your overall GPA is 3.4, for example. They may well also look at whatspecific courses you have taken. A 3.5 GPA with lots of upper-level courses in a variety of

disciplines will serve you better than a 3.8 with only Freshman/Sophomore level courses outsideyour major. Grade padding for the sake of a higher GPA is easy to spot on a transcript.

Repeating classes. It is usually not a good idea to repeat courses. A few grades of C will nothave a huge impact on your GPA by the end of your Junior year. Also, the medical school willknow that you got that C, even if by repeating the course the C no longer affects your officialGPA. All admissions committee members that Ive heard talk about the subject say that theydrather see a student take higher level courses in the same discipline (and do well in them) than re-take lower level courses. If you get a D or worse in a course, that course will need to berepeated. While re-taking a course at Hendrix removes the original grade from your HendrixGPA calculation, on the application you will list all your courses and the grade received (even

repeat courses) so that grade will still figure into your application GPA/


Clinical Exposure, Volunteer Work and Undergraduate Research

Medical schools place a high value on students having some form of clinical exposure andextensive volunteer work. There are two very valid reasons for this. The primary motivationone should have for becoming a doctor is a sincere desire to help people. If that desire is sincere,applicants will have done all they can to help people at whatever level they can. Expressing adesire to help people in your application without proof of having ever done so will be viewed as

the height of hypocrisy and will likely result in rejection. It is also important that applicants havea clear understanding of what they are getting into. You cannot know how well you will thrivein a clinical environment until you have spent time there. Historically, many students would getinto their second or third year of medical school before realizing they could not bear beingaround sick people. Medical schools have tried to eliminate this problem by demanding clinicalexperience from their applicants. While technically not an official requirement, it is verydifficult to get into medical schools without some clinical exposure.


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Clinical exposure can occur at a variety of levels including volunteer work, shadowing andinternships. Volunteer work can be accomplished in many ways; for example Hendrix studentshave volunteered for the local Hospice, at the Pine Street Clinic, and at Childrens Hospital inLittle Rock. Volunteering outside of a clinical setting is also a valuable for showing yourconcern for others, but does not count towards clinical exposure, of course. Our AED/Pre-health

club sponsors multiple opportunities for volunteer work every semester, and VAC offers more.Shadowing is done by observing a doctor for a day (or several days) in their normal day-to-daybusiness. It is good to shadow doctors in several different specialties in order to observe thebreadth of work that physicians do. If there is an area of medicine that you are particularlyinterested in, you may want to arrange an internship. As an intern, you will spend much moretime is a particular clinical setting, and go beyond observing a doctor into actually participatingto a small degree in the practice. There are strict federal guidelines that limit how involved non-professionals can be. Internships can actually be used for college credit. If you chose thisoption, there is a contract signed between you and the doctor, and a Hendrix faculty personserves as your on-campus mentor. These contracts are developed by the Hendrix CareerServices office. The time required for an internship is comparable to the time you would spend

on a regular Hendrix class. Career Services may also be able to help you identify good places togo for internships or help you set up shadowing opportunities.

Research Experience. Many medical schools prize scientific research experience from theirapplicants. They dont really care what type of research youve done, but rather appreciate theoverall research experience. In general, a good undergraduate research experience allows you todemonstrate attention to detail, critical thinking, analytical skills, team work and commitment.You may also get the opportunity to teach others how to do the research and to present yourresearch at a regional or national meeting, both of which can be big plusses on your application.How valuable research experience is depends on where you are applying. It probably wont be abig deal if youre applying to DO programs. At UAMS, it will be a valuable addition to your

application, but not crucial. At some institutions, however, especially high-end researchuniversities such as Washington University, Vanderbilt or UT Southwestern, a quality researchexperience is crucial. It will be absolutely mandatory if you wish to apply to MD/PhD programs.


Pre-Health Club/AED

Participation in the Pre-Health club, and membership in AED, can be very valuable in yourpreparation for medical school. This group brings in speakers such as med school

representatives, specialists in a variety of fields, and current medical school students. There is nobetter way for your to see the breadth of your future career than regular attendance at thesemeetings. This group organizes/hosts volunteer activities, proving you a venue for starting thevolunteer work you will need for you med school application. You can also demonstrateleadership skills by becoming an officer in the group. Membership in this group is open to anystudent interested in learning more about the health-care professions (especially medical school);there is a small membership fee. The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month duringthe school year, 6 PM, in DW Reynolds 10.


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AED (Alpha Epsilon Delta) is an honorary organization for pre-medical students. You can applyfor membership once you have met the minimum qualifications in the number of classes (usuallyobtained by midway through the Sophomore year) maintaining a 3.3 GPA in science and non-science classes, and regular attendance at Pre-health club meetings. You can get details about

AED membership from one of the Pre-health club officers. AED membership is a positiveattribute on your medical school application; serving as an officer for this group is a muchstronger plus.

Pre-health club officers for 2011 2012President: Linsey MillerVP-Programming: Tafi MukunyadziVP-Membership: Djamali MuhozaTreasurer: Sara PrinceSecretary: Charis Lorenz


Travel Abroad and Foreign Medical Experience/Exposure

Traveling abroad, and especially study abroad, can be a very good experience for premeds. Theopportunities to interact with diverse groups of people, and the maturity gained from beingabroad, are viewed favorably by admissions committee members. However, it can bechallenging to arrange your schedule to make study abroad work. If you study abroad duringyour first three years, you still have to get in the 8 10 required math/science courses, which canmean having to take several science courses in one semester. If you study abroad your senior

year there can be extreme difficulty in scheduling interviews. It will take careful scheduling onyour part in order to study abroad without overly complicating your med school preparation, butwell worth doing if you can make it happen. There are some foreign schools, particularly inEngland, that offer med school required courses such as organic chemistry and physics that youmay want to consider. Taking these types of courses detracts from taking site-specific courses,of course, but still allows you to experience a new culture. You should work closely with theHendrix Study Abroad office as you plan your journey.

Although not a popular option, you may want to consider not applying to medical school untilthe end of your senior year. This will leave you with a gap year (time which can be used to verygood ends) but will allow you time to study abroad or do other long-term projects, and get in

your required courses in a more leisurely fashion. If you use that gap year productively, a lateapplication like this can be to your advantage.

Some students are highly motivated to get clinical experience while abroad. There are severalservices that will, for a fee, help place you in a country with a host family and a hospital/clinicwhere you can get clinical experience. You need to be very careful when using these services;some do a good job while others do not. Make sure you check references and communicate withformer students who have used these services. Also, do not assume that medical schools will


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place a high value on this type of experience. The medical schools officials that Ive spokenwith indicated they would rather see students volunteering in impoverished areas of the US thantraveling to underdeveloped countries for the same type of experience. In addition, hands-onexperience in excess of what the law allows, or what best medical practices dictates, will not belooked upon favorably by medical schools. They want you to be exposed to medicine, not

practicing medicine.

If you choose to go abroad for a medical experience trip for Odyssey credit, the Odyssey officewill provide you with the form below and require you to sign to indicate that you have read andunderstood your responsibilities and the colleges expectations.

MEDICAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Appropriate Student Participation in Providing Patient CareDuring Clinical Experiences Abroad

Acquiring clinical experience is a vital part of student preparation for careers in medicine,

dentistry and other health care professions. Many students are now taking advantage of medicalvolunteer programs in foreign countries. While some students have gained excellent experiencesabroad and valuable service has been provided to people in need, the potential for harm andabuse in these situations cannot be ignored. Participation of inadequately trained students canhave negative consequences including:

Harm done to the patient. The primary objective is to help those in need, and the firststep in that direction must be to avoid causing harm. As a student, it may be difficult toknow what might cause harm so you must carefully avoid situations where there is anypossibility that you might hurt someone.

Legal trouble with local authorities. Even if a local doctor is supervising, or says that itis OK for you to perform a procedure, violation of local laws is still a punishable offense.

Risking your acceptance to professional schools. Many students think that the morein-depth clinical experience they have, the stronger their applications will be. However,taking on tasks that are beyond your training will make you look unethical, foolish andirresponsible to admission committees, and thus may diminish or eliminate your chancefor acceptance.

Losing money to a fraudulent company. There are many companies that will, for a fee,help place you in a foreign clinic. Be aware that these companies are in the business ofmaking money first, and some may act dishonestly. Check out these companies verycarefully before signing any contracts. If an agency is pushing the idea that you willactually get to practice medicine while abroad, rather than simply observe and learn, you

should have serious reservations about its ethical practices. Physical harm to yourself. Engaging in medical practices without sufficient training

and protection can under certain circumstances result in harm to you as well as to thepatient.

Although we cannot provide a list of every appropriate and inappropriate activity students mayencounter, please consider carefully these broad guidelines to help choose your course of action:


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1. The primary purpose of student clinical experience is observation, not hands-ontreatment. You are there to learn, not to treat.

2. While it may be possible for students to learn and provide some basic patient care, moreadvanced techniques are far beyond the scope of a short training period. For example,students should not diagnose diseases, dispense medications, use scalpels or perform any

invasive techniques. In dentistry, providing anesthesia, tooth extraction and applyingsealants are among the procedures in which students should never engage personally.3. Some students may have additional training such as EMT certification prior to the foreign

service trip. Those students are qualified to perform certain tasks that other students arenot. Be aware of your own limitations and qualifications and do not try to exceed them.

4. Always keep the welfare of the patient foremost in your mind, not the perceivedopportunity for proving yourself to an admissions committee. Ask yourself how youwould feel if you were in the place of a patient and a college student with no significantmedical experience were about to perform this procedure on you. If this thought makesyou feel uncomfortable, it is probably not an appropriate task for you to be doing.

You should also be aware that it is not necessary to travel abroad to serve those in dire need.There are many opportunities to help the poor and other needy groups here in the US. There arelikely many worthwhile volunteer opportunities in your community, with many more around thecountry. Many professional schools will be more impressed with what you can do to help closeto home rather than while abroad.



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MCAT Preparation Program FAQ

How much does the program cost? There is a fee for taking the course, and some materials thatmust be purchased, with a total cost of approximately $400 for current Hendrix students,and somewhat higher for alums or students from outside the Hendrix community. These

costs include three online practice exams purchased from the AAMC and purchasing theExam Krackers review books. This is less than one-fourth the cost of Kaplan and relatedservices. Buying these on-line exams as part of a group packages saves you $45 over thecost of buying them on your own.

Does the program count as a course? The program does not count for Hendrix credit nor is itlisted on the transcript.

When does the program meet? The program is offered during Maymester, but is NOT anofficial Maymester course. There are 15 sessions in the program, each about two hours inlength. Although not a Maymester course, students have access to the same housing and

meal options as those who are taking Maymester classes.

What are the teaching goals of the program? The goals of the program are:

to make students aware of what is expected of them in order to do well on the test. to teach and encourage effective study habits and MCAT test taking skills. These skills

are not identical to those you use for Hendrix courses.

to make students comfortable with types of questions on the MCAT, some of which arevery different that what you are accustomed to at Hendrix.

to assess student progress towards having a solid knowledge base for the test. to help students identify those areas where they need to focus their individual study time.

This is probably the most important aspect of the program.

What will I need to do on my own to prepare for the MCAT?

You will need a lot of study time. Twenty-four hours of class is not nearly enough timefor learning all the material you will need to know.

You will need to learn/review a lot of content on your own. The program is not designedto extensively teach content, but rather to help you identify which areas of content youneed to focus on in your personal study time.

You will take the three full-length practice exams on your own time. These should bedone fairly close to when you take the real exam in order to have the stamina and pacingnecessary for success.

What is covered in the program? We will do one session on the Verbal Reasoning and EssayWriting portions of the MCAT, three on biology, three on General Chemistry, two onOrganic Chemistry and three on General Physics. The course syllabus will list specifictopics to be covered in each session.

How does this program compare with Kaplan? The Kaplan course has a heavy emphasis onlecture and in-class work on content. Students take practice tests outside the classroom


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setting. In the Hendrix program, there is little time spent on lecture. Instead, there are aseries of assessment quizzes and in-class practice on actual MCAT questions. We coversome content areas that are troubling to many students, but most content is left for thestudents idividual study time. For students who need a structured lecture environment andassistance in mastering content, Kaplan would probably be a better solution. For those who

need familiarity with the MCAT style of testing and some guidance on which topics tofocus on, the Hendrix program should work well.

When should I take the program? You should take this program close to when you plan totake the MCAT. You need to have completed (or be close to completing) two semesterseach of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. There is no specificmath requirement for the MCAT, but you need to be sufficiently adept with algebra towork basic problems in chemistry and physics quickly and accurately.

How does a normal class session work? Each of the 15 class sessions is designed to cover a setof topics as described in the syllabus. For each of the 13 sessions on science topics there

will be a short (about 30 minutes) quiz for you to take on-line using the Educator coursemanagement system. This must be done by midnight prior to the class session. For thefirst hour of the subsequent class session we will discuss the content of the quiz, payingspecial attention to those content areas where most people had difficulty. The second hourof the session will be spent taking and then analyzing actual readings and questions fromold MCAT exams.

Can I take this course after my Sophomore Year? You can, but Im not sure if it will be aproductive use of your time. You really need to have taken all the course work well bereviewing prior to the course. You can also split your time over two years if you chose.For example, if you have not yet taken physics, you can skip those session and come in the

next year after you have taken the courses.


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