There are no valid excuses for being an uninformed premedical student at Missouri State University.

Premedical Society Notices

For General Advisement in the Health Professions

• Health Advisement for the Health Professions: Definitions, Responsibilities, Insights, and Pointers for Students.
• Advisement Pointers for Applicants to Programs in the Health and Medical Professions.

Advisement Documents for Freshman and Sophomore Premedical Students

• Recommended Reading List for Premedical Students. Although this is an extensive listing, future physicians should be able to choose appropriate books matching their interests and needs.
• Seeking a medical doctorate? What kinds of doctors are there?
• Professionalism in the Health Professions - Definitions, Rights, and Responsibilities. An important topic for any future health professional also covered in BMS 195, Introduction to the Health Professions.
• Performing a Professional/Personal Attribute Evaluation and Assessment. Do you have the attributes suited for success in medicine and are the characteristics of a successful physician suited for you? Medical school admissions officers expect applicants to know thyself and to know what medicine is all about.
• The Importance of Maintaining a Premedical Career Journal and Diary. Successful applicants to medical school report that maintaining this career journal and diary was an important aspect of their preparation for, and success in, admission into medical school.
• Special notice to international students without green cards who are interested in a medical education in a U.S. medical school. You must familiarize yourself with Obstacles facing International Premedical Students
• Beginning Second Year Medical Students List of Suggested Undergraduate Courses for Medical School Preparation. An excellent resource for the savvy premedical student who is aware of differences between coursework preparation for the MCAT and coursework preparation for medical school.
• Timeline Checklist for Freshmen Premedical Students.
• Defining Responsibilities in the Health Advisor/Advisee Relationship; a BMS 195, Introduction to the Health Professions, document .
• List of Books and Tapes That May Be Borrowed From Premedical Advisors. (See Reading List for Premedical Students and your premedical advisor.)
• Timeline Checklist for Sophomore Premedical Students.
• Practice Specialties and Subspecialties for Physicians. See lists of medical subspecialties in Pathway to Medicine and List of Careers in the Health Professions.
• List of Careers in the Health Professions - Plan B for Premedical Students. All premedical students must have a viable "plan B" alternate career path.
• The Value of the Liberal Arts in premedical student preparation. When someone refers to the fact that medical schools prefer applicants with a broad liberal arts background, what does this mean in the choice of a major, minor, or electives?

Advisement Documents for Junior and Senior Premedical Students

• Timeline Checklist for Junior Premedical Students.
• List of MCAT Preparation and Source Materials. See section in Reading List for Premedical Students.
• Foreign, Off-shore, and International Medical Schools. Should this be an alternative? Important considerations for the potential applicant.
• See tips on Preparing for the MCAT. Students at many universities start their preparation for the MCAT as freshmen. How far along are you in your knowledge and preparation for the MCAT. You should know that the MCAT score is a good predictor of your success in medical school and in your ability to pass the USMLE boards in medical school.
• Preparing for Your Medical School Interview This is often the "bottom line" in being accepted or rejected to medical school. This document contains sample questions, tips, and the formats of typical medical school interviews.
• The Ph.D./M.D. route This route to medical school combines the students interest in biomedical research and medicine. You need to be good and prepared for both to be initially accepted into these types of programs.
• Evaluating Your MCAT Scores. This information is found in the "During the Month of June" section of the Timeline Checklist for Junior Students. Also see the chapter in the most recent issue of the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) manual about "Applicant and Accepted Applicant Data".
• Preparing and Writing Your Personal Statement. It is extremely important to write a personal essay that delivers the information about you and coveys the message that admissions committees are looking for.
• Timeline Checklist for Senior Premedical Students.
• The "Early Decision" option for Medical School Admission. Early decision is not for every applicant. How does one decide if it is right for you?
• Medical School Interview Format. Different formats are used by different schools. Be prepared for the format used at the schools you interview at.
• AAMC "Traffic Rules", Applicant Responsibilities, and Acceptance Procedures. See "Applicant Responsibilities" on the AAMC website. Traffic rules have been established to protect applicants from medical schools vying for your selection. It requires a knowledge by the applicant to work for everyone's advantage. Applicants who ignore or violate their responsibilities are placed at a disadvantage in the admission process.
• Know the Jargon - A List of Common Acronyms for Students in Premedicine and Medicine. Everyone throws around acronyms at various stages of the admission and educational process. Do not be in the dark.
• Handling a Medical School Rejection. Several tips are also found at #9, Receiving a rejection, in the Senior Premedical Student Timeline Checklist. Last year, only about 60% of medical school applicants were accepted. This means that 40% were rejected by all schools to which they applied. What options should a rejected student consider next?

Advisement Documents in Preparation

• Opportunities for Minority Students in Medicine. (See premedical advisor for details.)
• List of the Most Common Mistakes Made by Medical School Applicant.
• The Value of an Undergraduate Research Experience: A Recommendation for Premedical Students.
• Do's and Don'ts in Preparing Your AMCAS or AACOMAS Application.
• Soliciting and Obtaining Meaningful Letters of Recommendation.
• Scholarship Programs and Early Admission Opportunities for Premedical Students.
• Summer Program Opportunities for Premedical Students. (See Summer Programs Bulletin Board and Premedical Bulletin Board on the third floor of Professional Building).
• The Importance of Reading for the Medical School Applicant.

Occasional hard copies of web-posted Biomedical Sciences Premedical Student Guide Sheets are available on rotation on the Biomedical Sciences Premedical Bulletin Board located near Room 329 in the Professional Building. Check weekly for new postings. Premedical students in other majors should bookmark and may copy website materials directly from the Biomedical Department's Premedical Student Advisement website and this Web page, Advisement Guides for Premedical Students,  for updates and new additions.

Students interested in health professions other than medicine should bookmark the Biomedical Sciences health profession's index page for advisement updates and new additions.

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For More Information

Contact one of the following Premedical Advisors:

Dr. Colette Witkowski* (417) 836-8961, Prof. Bldg, Room 404
Dr. Christopher Field (417) 836-5478, Prof. Bldg, Room 352
Dr. Richard Garrad (417) 836-5372, Prof. Bldg, Room 345

* indicates current member of the Premedical Committee