Lisa:
I am a graduate from Central Michigan University's Exercise Phys program and I am currently working as a graduate assistant, teaching UG human physiology. When I selected this major, I hadn't planned on attending medical school and If I had realized earlier in my life that I wanted to be a physician, my choice may have been different.
This is not say that I regret choosing this major, only that I might have selected a "hard" rather than "soft" science major. It seems that many medical schools tend to lean towards selecting students with biology or chemistry backgrounds (or maybe it is that most applicants tend to lean towards these UG majors).
My undergrad background did not affect my application too much though, I was accepted to one of my top choices. The principles gained within an exercise phys background do not seem to be emphasized in many medical school courses, so in a sense, I have gained important knowledge in the areas of preventive and rehabilitative medicine. I believe that this background will allow me to provide something "extra" to my future patients.
As far as preparing for med-school, an ex-phys background won't cut it! Even though I was required to take some basic chemistry and physics courses, they weren't enough for any school's requirements let alone the MCAT. I took an additional year to work on a CHM/BIO minor and felt much more prepared for medical school.
An exercise physiology background is not the most "traditional" approach to medical school, as it requires a great deal of extra classes to be able to apply. By taking several upper level biology courses taught by reputable professors, I increased my confidence in being able to handle medical school and believe I boosted my MCAT scores significantly.
I don't know if this is the information that you wanted. If I can help you any more, please E-mail me at
[email protected]