A few pre-med questions

[tvelocity514]

Hey everyone, I have a few questions if anyone could answer for me please:
-My state schools accept some students after 90 hours and I will be applying this year for this. I have already taken all the pre-reqs and have a lot of EC and stuff but was wondering if anyone had an experience like this or any helpful information.
-Does anyone know where the range for MCAT scores are online? I need it for 3 schools but all I am finding are averages.
-I am going to do research this summer and was wondering if anyone had any biology ideas for research? I was thinking about research through my parasitology prof. but I'm not sure.
-I looked on the 2011-2012 guide for BCPM and parasitology wasn't on the list. But, parasitology is listed under Biology and Biology is listed. Will my grade in parasitology count towards my BCPM GPA?
-Also, can you do research at another school? I'm not sure if this is possible or not.
Thanks!

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[mybubbles627]

Hey everyone, I have a few questions if anyone could answer for me please:
-My state schools accept some students after 90 hours and I will be applying this year for this. I have already taken all the pre-reqs and have a lot of EC and stuff but was wondering if anyone had an experience like this or any helpful information.
-Does anyone know where the range for MCAT scores are online? I need it for 3 schools but all I am finding are averages.
-I am going to do research this summer and was wondering if anyone had any biology ideas for research? I was thinking about research through my parasitology prof. but I'm not sure.
-I looked on the 2011-2012 guide for BCPM and parasitology wasn't on the list. But, parasitology is listed under Biology and Biology is listed. Will my grade in parasitology count towards my BCPM GPA?
-Also, can you do research at another school? I'm not sure if this is possible or not.
Thanks!

1. I don't understand what you mean by your state school accept some students after 90 credits. You mean you can go to medical school prior to receiving a bachelors?
2. The MSAR books show the 10th-90th percentile ranges for all schools.
3. If you want to do research you need to get a hold of PI's and ask about getting into their lab.
4. If parasitology has a biology prefix for your course, it SHOULD be a BCPM class. Thats the point of the course pre-fix. You can call amcas and clarify if you are still unsure.
5. Research at another school over the summer? Yes its possible. I did research for the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at a city 2 hours away from my university because that is my home city and I was there for the summer.

Feel free to PM me if you want more specifics.

 

[StoicJosher]

Hey everyone, I have a few questions if anyone could answer for me please:
-My state schools accept some students after 90 hours and I will be applying this year for this. I have already taken all the pre-reqs and have a lot of EC and stuff but was wondering if anyone had an experience like this or any helpful information.
-Does anyone know where the range for MCAT scores are online? I need it for 3 schools but all I am finding are averages.
-I am going to do research this summer and was wondering if anyone had any biology ideas for research? I was thinking about research through my parasitology prof. but I'm not sure.
-I looked on the 2011-2012 guide for BCPM and parasitology wasn't on the list. But, parasitology is listed under Biology and Biology is listed. Will my grade in parasitology count towards my BCPM GPA?
-Also, can you do research at another school? I'm not sure if this is possible or not.
Thanks!

1. I don't have any experience with this but I have noticed that most of the people who matriculate to medical school have a degree (somewhere between 99 and 100%)

2. Usually, all you get is averages. You could contact the admissions office and ask for it but I wouldn't recommend doing that. As long as you are pretty close to the averages, you should be doing well. Also, do a search for LizzyM score.

3. Talk to your professor about the kind of research his lab does. Ask about taking on a project. You can do that with other professors at your school as well.

4. It did for me.

5. Yes. Many schools have summer research programs you can apply to.

 

[tvelocity514]

1. I don't understand what you mean by your state school accept some students after 90 credits. You mean you can go to medical school prior to receiving a bachelors?
2. The MSAR books show the 10th-90th percentile ranges for all schools.
3. If you want to do research you need to get a hold of PI's and ask about getting into their lab.
4. If parasitology has a biology prefix for your course, it SHOULD be a BCPM class. Thats the point of the course pre-fix. You can call amcas and clarify if you are still unsure.
5. Research at another school over the summer? Yes its possible. I did research for the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at a city 2 hours away from my university because that is my home city and I was there for the summer.

Feel free to PM me if you want more specifics.

yeah 2 schools in my state accept students with at least 90 credit hours without a bachelors degree. You wouldn't actually get a degree, you just matriculate in without one. Thanks to the both of you for your responses!

 

[Rescue 51]

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[Total180]

yeah 2 schools in my state accept students with at least 90 credit hours without a bachelors degree. You wouldn't actually get a degree, you just matriculate in without one. Thanks to the both of you for your responses!

I would get an MSAR. The MCAT ranges are in there, but also a lot of schools say they "accept" students with 90 credit hours (without having finished a bachelors) but if you look at the MSAR it says 99-100% of students have a bachelors prior to matriculation. If you get the MSAR you can check to see if your state schools are the exception to this rule, but I am pretty sure you are going to find that if you apply without the possibility of finishing your bachelors before matriculation you are just going to be wasting money. Also, you are asking questions that (if you are applying this year) you should probably already know the answer to. What kind of EC's do you have? You obviously have no research....not that it is a requirement, but a lot of applicants have it and if you are doing it this summer it isn't going to be able to be on your application (maybe an update letter?). Why not just take the extra year and get your degree while working to strengthen your app?

 

[tvelocity514]

1. I don't understand what you mean by your state school accept some students after 90 credits. You mean you can go to medical school prior to receiving a bachelors?QUOTE]

Hi,

Yes. Not all medical schools require a bachelor's degree, although it is highly reccomended. My state school is similar to the OP's with regard to early admission.

Agree with mybubbles627. The MSAR (Medical School Admission Requirements) will have this information. Check with your university library.

If you have a premedical advisor, ask him/her about research opportunities. If you do not have an advisor, talk to some upper-level students or some of your professors. They should be able to assist you.

Agree with mybubbles627 (again ). I think their is a list of courses on the AAMC website.

Yes, it is certainly possible to work on a research project at another university. Your advisor(s) or professor(s) may know of opportunities. If you are interested in a specific project, contact the the PI.

Best of luck!

Rescue 51

Thanks for your response!! Two follow-up questions
-Have you heard if applying early-decision to one school will help or not?
-what does PI mean haha

 

[tvelocity514]

I would get an MSAR. The MCAT ranges are in there, but also a lot of schools say they "accept" students with 90 credit hours (without having finished a bachelors) but if you look at the MSAR it says 99-100% of students have a bachelors prior to matriculation. If you get the MSAR you can check to see if your state schools are the exception to this rule, but I am pretty sure you are going to find that if you apply without the possibility of finishing your bachelors before matriculation you are just going to be wasting money. Also, you are asking questions that (if you are applying this year) you should probably already know the answer to. What kind of EC's do you have? You obviously have no research....not that it is a requirement, but a lot of applicants have it and if you are doing it this summer it isn't going to be able to be on your application (maybe an update letter?). Why not just take the extra year and get your degree while working to strengthen your app?

Early Decision ends August 1 and I will hopefully be doing research May, June, and July so I will have time to add it before I apply hopefully. I have started my own special needs camp which still continues and I volunteered over 200 hours at the free medical clinic in my hometown. I have also shadowed about 8 doctors so far. I could take the extra year but the medical school is at the school I am at now so my view is why not try and get in a year early because I will already be in this place so why not just finish a year earlier than usual. My honors advisor said she didn't see why not. Also, my school isn't a research school and doesn't have a research year. I know it looks good anywhere though which is the reason I'm doing it but it is not required

 

[Rescue 51]

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[mybubbles627]

Thanks for your response!! Two follow-up questions
-Have you heard if applying early-decision to one school will help or not?
-what does PI mean haha

1. I personally don't know too much about early-decision programs because my state only has 1 medical which doesn't do early decision, or if it does I don't know about it. People seem to have mixed feelings about early decision programs from earlier posts on this site. If you do early decision and don't get in, then you are stuck applying super late if you hadn't submitted to other schools cause you will only find out in October. My suggestion is even if you do early decision, apply to other schools early as well, so you don't make it difficult for yourself in case it doesn't work out.

2. PI is the principal investigator. Its basically the professor in charge of the research lab that you are interested in joining.

 

[tvelocity514]

1. I personally don't know too much about early-decision programs because my state only has 1 medical which doesn't do early decision, or if it does I don't know about it. People seem to have mixed feelings about early decision programs from earlier posts on this site. If you do early decision and don't get in, then you are stuck applying super late if you hadn't submitted to other schools cause you will only find out in October. My suggestion is even if you do early decision, apply to other schools early as well, so you don't make it difficult for yourself in case it doesn't work out.

2. PI is the principal investigator. Its basically the professor in charge of the research lab that you are interested in joining.

Awesome, thanks so much!!