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Preprofessional Programs: Preparing for Medical SchoolWith the new technologies changing the face of medicine and related fields, today is an exciting time to be preparing for a career in the health professions. It's also a challenging time. Medical schools received record numbers of applications in recent years. Because they typically accept only one in every four applicants, careful preparation in essential. How will a Susquehanna education help me prepare for a career in the health professions?Strong advising helps you investigate options and prepare for your choice. The small group learning environment means you will benefit from a challenging program and individual attention. An excellent faculty is committed to teaching and research. Facilities in our attractive, recently renovated Fisher Science Hall are designed to encourage student-faculty interaction. Sophisticated equipment for your use includes a fully-equipped molecular biology laboratory area, regular and bioguard laminar flow hoods, a tissue culture lab, scanning electron and fluorescent microscopes, and radio-isotope facilities. Practical experience, through internships and research, is a priority. What options do I have for a premed curriculum at Susquehanna?Susquehanna students planning for medical school have a variety of options. Most major in sciences, especially biology and biochemistry, but chemistry or psychology are also frequent choices. Any major is possible if you do well in science courses generally. Medical schools usually require two courses in biology, two in general chemistry, two in organic chemistry, two in physics and two in English. Additional upper-level courses are recommended because they can help you score well on admissions exams and prepare for transition to professional school life. How does a liberal arts education complement my plans?Susquehanna's Core curriculum offers you the advantages of a broad-based education. This enhances your ability to relate to patients and helps develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You might also want to take business courses to prepare for running a professional practice. A well-rounded back-ground will assure you many options, even if for some reason you don't go on to medical school. How does Susquehanna handle premedical advising?A special Health Professions Advising Committee helps you to plan, prepare and apply to professional school. Margaret Peeler, associate professor of biology, chairs the group. It includes faculty members from all the science departments as well as local health professionals, including physicians, a dentist and a veterinarian. Committee members guide your course selection and help you locate valuable internship opportunities. Their publication, A Guide to Careers in the Health Professions, provides more details on the process. They also assist in the application process, stage your practice interview and write your letter of recommendation. What does it take to be admitted to medical school?Students should consult the catalogs of the profession-al schools of their choice as early as possible. Requirements can vary, but three things are a must:
What can give me a competitive edge in applying to professional school?Internships are an excellent way to gain practical experience, confirm your interest or decide on a specialty. Susquehanna strongly encourages internships for pre-med students. (Veterinary schools, the most competitive, insist on practical experience.) Internships can be credit or non-credit. The best time for most is the sophomore or junior year. Each semester four Susquehanna students spend one afternoon a week interning at Sunbury Community Hospital. This rotation program exposes them to departments from physical therapy and radiology to the operating room. Our EXPLORE externship program also offers early opportunities to observe medical settings firsthand. Research opportunities are another way to get practical experience and develop teamwork skills. Faculty-student research is a priority at Susquehanna, and most science and psychology majors complete significant research projects before graduation. Some also choose to do summer research at Penn State Geisinger medical centers in Danville and Hershey - both about an hour from Susquehanna - or other facilities. Co-curricular activities enhance your studies and demonstrate your commitment to a health career. You can meet others who share your interests in our Pre-Health Professional club. This student-run organization sponsors speakers, field trips to medical schools and an annual service project. Many premed students are also active in the University's Biology, Chemistry or Psychology clubs. What is Susquehanna's medical school placement record?More than 75 percent of Susquehanna students applying to professional schools in the past five years have been accepted. Susquehanna graduates have success-fully completed advanced degrees at schools of medicine, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic and veterinary science in many parts of the United States and abroad. Schools where students have been accepted include:
Selected Susquehanna Alumni Profiles
For more information about premed at Susquehanna, please contact Assistant Professor of Health Care Studies and Biology Jan Reichard-Brown at 570-372-4031, or the Office of Admissions at 1-800-326-9672 or 570-372-4260. |
