Going back to professional school? For alumni interested in returning to school to pursue a career in Medicine or in Dentistry

Do I have the required course work? You will need to have completed (with a C or better) ideally in the last 5 to 7 years: o 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry with lab o 2 semesters of Inorganic (or General) Chemistry with lab o 2 semesters of Physics with lab o 2 semesters of Biology with lab o 2 semesters of college math (calculus and statistics is common) o 2 semesters of “writing intensive” coursework or English courses

Required courses, continued… o Any classes that the schools that you are interested in may also require. Some require Biochemistry, a Behavioral Science (Psychology or Sociology) or additional Biology courses. o Most dental schools require Biochemistry. o If you are taking the MCAT in 2015 or after, you will need a working knowledge of Biochemistry and of the Behavioral Sciences.

If I need courses, where should I take them? Ideally, not a community college. A state university is fine…just do well! If you intend to continue working, look for evening classes. Many larger universities cater to “non-traditional” students by offering courses that allow for a full-time job. You generally don’t have to enroll full time, but can take individual classes as they suit your schedule.

What about a Post-Baccalaureate program? These are nice in that they offer the courses you need in a defined sequence. They also give you a built-in peer group for support and often administrative support as well. Some allow for a part-time program to allow students to continue to work. One major downside: they aren’t cheap.

What about the MCAT/DAT? You will need to have the science coursework completed before sitting for the exam (the exception is that Physics isn’t on the DAT). Kaplan and ExamKrackers offer on-site courses; Kaplan offers online on demand ones as well (there are other companies, too, these are just the more commonly used ones here).

Finances? MCAT prep: $0-$2000+ MCAT: $270 Primary Application: $160 (includes first school); additional schools are $34 each. Secondary Applications: $50-$150 each Travel to interviews: ??? Cost of applying fact sheet AAMC "Can I Afford Medical School?" Podcast

AAMC FIRST Financial Information, Resources, Services, and Tools (FIRST)

Experience The most “efficient” way to get experience may be to look for a paid position in health care…this isn’t always easy (or glamorous!) If this isn’t an option, look for volunteering/observational experiences with a clinical direction. If you’re working, the ER is open 24-hours. Maybe start there.

Non-clinical service Be involved in your community just like you were probably involved in the campus community when you were here. Service to others (not just in a medical capacity) and leadership are important.

What schools do I apply to? Schools in your state of residency. Texas and California have lots of schools but tend to be very preferential to residents. Private schools out-of-state.

General Timeline: 1.Complete any necessary coursework 2.Prepare for MCAT or DAT (minimally 3 months) 3.Take exam and write application. 4.Submit primary (Ideally in early summer – June/July) and complete supplementals. 5.Interviews begin late summer and go through early spring (Mar/Apr) 6.Matriculate (Aug/Sept) 7.4 years of school; minimum of 3 years residency…more depending on chosen field.

Still interested? Next step is to contact me to start the preparation process. Alison Patterson