How do Medical Schools view Christian colleges?

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

Hi there, I'm a non-trad student looking into post-bac programs. Although I was accepted into Loyola University (Jesuit-affiliated) of Chicago's post-bac program, I am really interested in North Park University (affiliated with the Swedish Covenant Church) or Dominican University because they both offer a Second Bachelor's Degree in Biomedical Sciences instead of just a certificate program.

Also, the facilities are nicer, newer, and there's more financial aid going around with the Jesus crowd, especially at North Park, which is highly attractive to my situation.

As a current Illinois resident (can't beat the price and the course offerings), I am also considering taking an informal post-bacc (just taking the classes I need) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, but it feels like a small city, and I don't want to fall through the cracks.

And, I am Christian. Not super Christian, but as I grow older, my faith grows stronger and I feel it will make me into a more compassionate physician.

I have a Bachelor and a Master's degree from a very good large private university in California and I loved my collegiate experience, but I am attracted to the intimate touch these small colleges offer.

I would really appreciate someone who has experience or knowledge about this, thanks!

@Goro

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[piii]

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[Mad Jack]

All of those places are fine. No one cares about the religious affiliation of your school, they care about your performance.

 

[Goro]

Ditto this and Jack's post.

Zero medical schools will care about the religious affiliation of the school you attend. You should do a post bacc program at the most reputable school and the best fit for you that you can, but its negligible in terms of helping med school admissions. What matters are your grades.

 

[candbgirl]

Just a FYI Dominican is affiliated with the Dominican Order not Jesuits. But it doesn't really matter. Go where you can get good grades and it won't cost a ton. Why are you looking at another Bachelors? Maybe if we knew your stats up til now we could help you better.

 

[WingedOx]

Hi there, I'm a non-trad student looking into post-bac programs. Although I was accepted into Loyola University (Jesuit-affiliated) of Chicago's post-bac program, I am really interested in North Park University (which is affiliated with the Swedish Covenant Church) or Dominican University (Jesuit) because they both offer a Second Bachelor's Degree in Biomedical Sciences instead of just a certificate program.

Also, the facilities are nicer, newer, and there's more financial aid going around with the Jesus crowd, especially at North Park, which is highly attractive to my situation.

As a current Illinois resident (can't beat the price and the course offerings), I am also considering taking an informal post-bacc (just taking the classes I need) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, but it feels like a small city, and I don't want to fall through the cracks.

And, I am Christian. Not super Christian, but as I grow older, my faith grows stronger and I feel it will make me into a more compassionate physician.

I have a Bachelor and a Master's degree from a very good large private university in California and I loved my collegiate experience, but I am attracted to the intimate touch these small colleges offer.

I would really appreciate someone who has experience or knowledge about this, thanks!

@Goro

All 3 schools you mention are fine institutions and no one will care.

If you were at a school like Liberty, Patrick Henry, Ave Maria, etc, you might get some skepticism, but my own med school was about 95% liberals and even we had a girl from Liberty in my class, and I gave an interview tour that contained two students from Hillsdale.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Not even a factor.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

Thanks for your help! I guess I was caught up in the "name" of the schools - it seems like these schools are lesser known - but it's good to know that names don't matter in this process.

 

[LizzyM]

Loyola and UIC are considered more rigorous than Dominican and North Park but that is a small part of the equation. The important thing is that you do well in the classes and on the MCAT.

 

[Spector1]

I mean as long as you didnt go to some crazy place like oral roberts or something like that.

 

[WingedOx]

I mean as long as you didnt go to some crazy place like oral roberts or something like that.

though as I said above... even students at those places can demonstrate their abilities. They may be RWNJs, but they are RWNJs that scored high enough on the MCAT.

 

[WedgeDawg]

I'm at a top 10 and we have people from religious institutions like Liberty. I doubt anyone will care.

 

[Womb Raider]

but as I grow older, my faith grows stronger.

Interesting. For most people it's the opposite.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

A lot of christian affiliated colleges are pretty competitive/top.. I doubt anyone cares..
Also considering that fact that there is a Christian MD school(might be more, I know of though Loma Linda), it doesn't matter. At least in America! haha

 

[caffeinemia]

It would only matter if the school refused to teach you the curriculum for religious reasons

 

[Danbo1957]

School religious affiliation may not matter, but your religious views may matter.

 

[LizzyM]

School religious affiliation may not matter, but your religious views may matter.

How so? How does that not border on discrimination on the basis of religion which is illegal?

 

[Danbo1957]

How so? How does that not border on discrimination on the basis of religion which is illegal?

I don't care about which religion, just any. "What are your views on abortion, euthanasia, blood transfusions, etc." Religion may be a part of an applicant's life, but religion plays no part in medicine-- especially in my residency program.

 

[WingedOx]

How so? How does that not border on discrimination on the basis of religion which is illegal?

The only way you'd have a problem is if you can't keep your personal/political/moral views from becoming known in your application. I have studied with people who have really far right or far left views and you wouldn't know it unless you knew these people outside of the professional setting (or worse, their facebook pages... yikes!).

For comparison, I'm sure many of our well-known posters on the Allo board seem normal and well-adjusted in real life when they're in class and not posting on the internet.

 

[Goro]

Danbo gets it. I have a few ethics questions that I pull out when my radar gets flipped on that someone's religious beliefs may actually hinder their ability to practice Medicine. In particular, having a patriarchal attitude that would place a female patient into a less than optimal position, or being unable to view an ethics question from multiple sides.

It's 100% OK to hold a view, but one should have a flexible enough intellect to view things from different angles.

I don't care about which religion, just any. "What are your views on abortion, euthanasia, blood transfusions, etc." Religion may be a part of an applicant's life, but religion plays no part in medicine-- especially in my residency program.

The only way you'd have a problem is if you can't keep your personal/political/moral views from becoming known in your application. I have studied with people who have really far right or far left views and you wouldn't know it unless you knew these people outside of the professional setting (or worse, their facebook pages... yikes!).

How so? How does that not border on discrimination on the basis of religion which is illegal?

 

[Goro]

Ditto Mormons, SDA, evangelical Christians, and Muslims. It's rare that people go so extreme on the personal belief spectrum that they become poor candidates, but it does happen.

I certainly have seen many orthodox jewish students from Yeshiva or Touro onto many top medical schools without issue.

 

[DoctorDrewOutsidetheLines]

At the risk of sounding super extremist yet again (though I assure you I'm not) - the only thing I take issue with is animal dissection/animal testing and that comes from my past as a radical vegan and current vegetarian. But luckily my state has laws saying I can object for moral reasons and schools and universities have to provide alternative means of education.

I'm a bit scared I'll have to approach this subject delicately when I take Bio soon...and I'm sure this will factor into the medical schools I apply to - I am seriously anti-animal testing and I don't think I could be around or see that...I ran out of my bio class during 7th grade during dissection and haven't seen a dead animal (aside from road kill) since. I'm sensitive like that and seriously considered veterinary medicine instead.

But this is super off-topic. Thanks for input. I'm really excited to attend Loyola's post-bac soon and glad that if I change my mind, no one will think worse of me for choosing North Park! <3

I don't care about which religion, just any. "What are your views on abortion, euthanasia, blood transfusions, etc." Religion may be a part of an applicant's life, but religion plays no part in medicine-- especially in my residency program.

No issues with abortion, euthanasia (for humans, lol), blood transfusions, etc but I do believe psychiatry might have a bit overlap with religion esp since I believe we overmedicate mental illness instead of using psychological counseling / social work / pastoral counseling to heal the underlying issues.

I don't think there is one or the other (i.e. if I subscribe to medicine, there there's no place for religious inquiry) - I think the world is big enough for all viewpoints. It'd be narrow-minded of me not to consider the possibility that my beliefs could be wrong and that I don't have all the answers.