1. Guide for Sophomore Pre-Meds
Overview of steps on the path to readiness for
medical school
application
MICHAELE Gives intro: HANDOUTS!! – THREE.
Will try to cover everything you need to know to maximize your chance of success in the medical school application process.
Will be talking for 1 hour, then have time for ½ hour of questions
Many questions you might have will be persona/unique to your situation- for these, us or make an appt. to meet with us
Michaele Penkoske, MD, March 2, 2016

2. Your Pre-Health Advisors
Visit our website for a list of advisors, hours and locations prehealth.wustl.edu/advising
Specialty Advisors:
Warren Davis - PreDental Advisor
Matt Devoll - PreNursing Advisor
Wilmetta Toliver-Diallo - PreOptometry Advisor
Kathy Kniepman - PreOT Advisor
Carolyn Herman - PrePharmacy Advisor
Joy Kiefer - PrePhysician Assistant Advisor
Jennifer Romney - PreVet Advisor
You may see pre-health advisors other than your own; you must see your own for the PIR.
MICHAELE, PAT, AND CAROL EACH INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
SHORT BACKGROUND BIOS

3. PRE-HEALTH SOPHOMORE…..
NEXT STEPS
I AM A SECOND SEMESTER,
PRE-HEALTH SOPHOMORE…..
NOW WHAT?
PATTY’S SLIDE

4. THE BASICS: What courses should I take
Coursework varies by professional Program. If taking the MCAt:
1 Year of Intro biology and lab
1 year of general chemistry with lab
1 year of organic chemistry with lab
1 year of physics with lab
Physiology, BIOCHEM, SOCIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY
requirements can vary from school to school; check each school for their specific requirements
PATTY

5. The New MCAT Take a prep course or review on your own
It’s good for 3 years
Don’t apply without knowing your result
Can be taken more than once, but once is ideal
Schools will most likely compare percentiles (old MCAT vs. new MCAT). Acceptance statistics on new exam not published by AAMC yet.
Old MCAT – 30 was “solid”, with a maximum of now is Max score on new MCAT = 528 (4 sections worth 132 points each)
PATTY

6. Majors It does not matter what you major in
Double majors or adding a minor will not enhance your candidacy
If you want to do research, it can be in the biological sciences or your area of interest/major
PATTY

7. The Right Stuff YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED WITHOUT:
Clinical/Patient Care Experience
Get in the habit of journaling during options such as
MEDPREP, PEMRAP
Volunteering (with a potential patient population)
Working in a clinical setting like a nursing home, ER or private practice.
Demonstrated commitment to serving others
Community Service Office
Your Activities Section of the AMCAS application includes time spent in each activity. Include hours in your journaling!
PATTY

8. Listserv
Make sure you are on the PreHealth listserv for the year you plan to enter Health Professional School
s come from make sure they are not going into your spam filter
Read the s!
Be on alert for programming
PATTY

9. Do I Have To Do Research? Do it if: You did it before and you liked it
You have never done it and want to try it
You want to apply for MD/PhD (MSTP)
PI’s typically write great LOR’s
You can gain admission to most medical schools without having done research
Research does not have to be done in “hard science”;
you can do research in any area
For ideas on getting started,
MICHAELE

10. “PreHealth Application Institutional Review”
PIR
“PreHealth Application Institutional Review”
Specific appointment with your assigned advisor
Must completed by April 1 of application year
A “readiness” assessment; rehearse and refine your narrative
PIR account is a LOR repository
The PIR process will culminate into a letter of support
If you are doing gap time, the PIR can be done remotely by phone or Skype
If you are an A&S, Olin or Sam Fox student, you will use the PreHealth application Institutional Review (PIR) system to store and send your letters of recommendation to the schools to which you apply.  ENGINEERING SCHOOL – HAVE THEIR OWN ADVISORS and PROCESS FOR COVER LETTER OF SUPPORT.
The details you provide in the PIR system will play a crucial role in preparing you for your PIR interview with a pre-health adviser; additionally, asking and answering these questions now will serve as preparation both for filling out secondary applications and for interviewing. It also helps us to write a cover letter on your behalf that you will submit along with your letters of recommendation in a letter packet to health professional schools. If you opt out of our process we will not be able to offer our institutional support in the form of our cover letter.

11. Letters of Recommendation
You will need 3-5 letters
2 letters from science professors
1 letter from humanities professor
Get to know professors starting now
Letters will become part of your “letter packet”
Letters will be stored in your PIR account
MICHAELE
It is not too early to think about these
Develop a relationship with professors
Ways to increase the chances of success in getting substantial LORs

12. Break Into Medical School; Junior Jumpstart
Attend next year or senior year if taking gap year
Break Into Medical School Aimed at MD/DO application
What beyond numbers is most important in your application
Workshop on creating your narrative
How to solicit compelling letters of recommendation
Junior Jumpstart: Broad programming! MD/DO specific sessions are
Medical school deans’ admissions panel
How to choose your medical schools
Prepare for med school interviews
CAROL MOAKLEY

13. What To Do This Summer
If not taking a gap year, this will be last summer before application; use it wisely:
Get more clinical experience
Volunteer
Research
Classes if absolutely necessary
Address thin spots in portfolio
Start your PIR
Some combination of the above
CAROL MOAKLEY

14. GAP YEAR(S) Over ½ of all applicants take 1 or more gap years
Average age at matriculation: 24-25
It is neutral or positive in the admissions process
Allows you to have 4 years of experience on your application
Some take gap time to “fix” an issue
Some take gap time to do something different before graduate school, if all aspects of their application are strong
CAROL MOAKLEY

15. CHANGE OF PLANS Many roads lead to helping people
It’s OK if you change lanes
We’re here
CAROL MOAKLEY

16. What Are my Next Steps? Plan a relevant, meaningful, productive summer
Refer to prehealth website, handbook
Reach out to PreHealth advisors as needed
Create your PIR account
Go to Career Center if “documents” –resume, cover letters need refining
CAROL MOAKLEY