Pre-Medicine (Advising Track)
VCU Student Success
Students interested in the pre-medicine advising track must obtain a bachelor’s degree and complete the necessary prerequisites for medical school. All prerequisites should be completed or on track to be complete prior to medical school matriculation. Best results occur when all prerequisite courses have been taken and grades are available at the time of application. Students interested in medical school should consult with a pre-professional health adviser to learn about requirements that are specific to the schools of medicine to which they hope to apply.
Declaration of a pre-medical advising track through the Office of Pre-Professional Health Advising does not constitute admission to the VCU School of Medicine. Students must apply separately to the medical school of their choice at the appropriate time.
Students with an interest in preparing for medical school must declare an academic major and should declare and maintain their pre-medical advising track. Students do not earn a pre-medical degree. Students unsure of their academic majors initially should clarify their academic interests through regular conversations with their primary/major academic adviser. Pre-medical students are encouraged to major in fields of greatest interest to them. To declare a pre-medicine advising track, please see the pre-professional health advising blog.
Physician (M.D.) - Allopathic Medicine, Physician (D.O,) - Osteopathic Medicine, Both types of physicians must select a speciality in which they will practice patient care - i.e. pediatrics, cardiology, dermatology, surgery. Additional career opportunities for physicians include research, teaching, healthcare administration, public health and advocacy, to name a few.
As a student interested in a pre-professional health program, you must complete curriculum and professional development requirements listed on the Pre-Professional Health Advising Blog.
Students interested in declaring a pre-medicine advising track must attend an “Interest in Medicine” workshop. For workshop dates, times, and to RSVP, click here.
n/a
- MATH 151
- 5+ additional science courses
- No
- No
- A minimum GPA of 2.7 is required to apply to become a pre-professional health student and to stay on the pre-professional health advising track.
Contact information
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Familiarize yourself with the Office of Pre-Professional Health Advising (PPHA) blog.
- A stellar GPA is vital to being a competitive student - attend SI sessions at least 6 times a semester per class and receive tutoring.
- REQUIRED: Take BIOL/Z 151, CHEM/Z 101, CHEM/Z 102, and MATH 151 or 200 in your first year.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Review the volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the PPHA blog to find non-healthcare volunteering.
- Sign-up for the PPHA newsletter to start learning about opportunities to connect to your community.
- Follow PPHA on Instagram (@VCUPreprofadv) to stay up-to-date on what’s going on in our office.
- Subscribe to the VCU Preprofadv calendar so you always know when our events are happening.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about your study abroad options by visiting a study abroad fair and completing Rams Abroad 101 online.
- Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore study abroad and other nationally competitive scholarship opportunities.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Attend the Experiential Opportunities Fair in October.
- Create a draft resume and meet with a career advisor in VCU Career Services to discuss it.
- Review the volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the PPHA blog to find healthcare volunteering and information about shadowing.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Explore all health professions at www.explorehealthcareers.org .
- REQUIRED: Attend the “Interest In Medicine” workshop. Visit go.vcu.edu/healthprofworkshops for workshop times.
- Learn about your credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future. Access your free credit report.
- Read as much as possible for fun, not just for class - newspapers, novels, magazines will help improve CARS score on MCAT.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to start mapping your path towards successful application to professional programs.
- Calculate your true GPA and count every course (include dual enrollment, historical repeats).
- Review the Academic Requirements for Pre-Professional Health Advising Tracks.
- Learn more about the core competencies for professional school in the VCU Libraries Pre-Professional Health guide.
- Practice using flashcards and continuously assessing your knowledge of subjects that will be tested on the MCAT.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore peer leadership opportunities or apply for the New Leaders Retreat or Alternative Spring Break.
- Take a service-learning class or volunteer to address a social issue (Hands on Greater Richmond).
- Learn about the community resources available to all community members.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Volunteer with a vulnerable, under-represented and/or underserved community. Focus on depth of experience instead of breath. Reflect on the challenges these populations might face with their healthcare.
- Get to know other VCU students and meet new friends from all over the world at a monthly Global Café.
- Join a cultural or identity-related organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
- Complete your Pre-Professional Health Self-Assessment Worksheet to assess your current competitiveness for application to professional schools.
- Find healthcare experience that’s paid, volunteer or shadowing experience - answer the question, "is this really what I want to do?"
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Consider who you would like to have serve as future letter of recommendation writers. Research the number of letters you need and who can write them. For medical school, applicants should have at least 1 letter from a science professor, 1 from a clinician and 1 from a professional.
- Research required coursework and application cycles for your health profession to determine when you should apply.
- Review resources at AAMC and begin to develop your own plan for applying and taking the MCAT.
- Attend the Graduate and Professional School Fair in April.
- Begin researching professional schools of interest and map out their application requirements and deadlines.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to review the pre-professional health appointment syllabus .
- Decide, with your pre-professional health advisor, whether you should apply this year or apply next year and take a gap year. (NOTE: If not taking a gap year, YEAR 4 of the major map must be completed prior to application) .
- Participate in the Pre-Health Advisory Committee in the spring.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Consider being a mentor to 1st or 2nd year pre-medicine students and teach others what you’ve learned about the journey of preparing for professional school.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn how to navigate tough conversations with a variety of different people who depend on you.
- Update your resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
- Explore paid healthcare positions that do and do not require certifications.
- Look for opportunities at VCU, your place of employment and/or in your greater community that allows you to apply for a leadership role or assume greater responsibility. Focus on opportunities in areas that you are passionate about.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Build your personal brand. What makes you unique? Why should professional schools pick you to attend their school?
- Research scholarship opportunities and application fee waivers through the AAMC Fee Assistance Program..
- Review material and begin studying for the MCAT. Plan to incorporate multiple study skills and techniques.
- Understand the background check process for your profession. Talk with your pre-professional health advisor about any concerns.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to assess your progress through the application process and discuss gap year options.
- Review your true cumulative GPA, science GPA, non-science GPA, grade trend and semester course difficulty to see a full picture of your academic profile.
- Schedule an appointment with your major academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Have your personal statement reviewed by the Office of Pre-Professional Health Advising, VCU Career Services, and other professionals.
- If taking a gap year, review options relevant to application areas that need strengthening.
- Serve in a leadership role on campus or as a board member of a local community organization.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
- Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations based on the Community Connection Competencies in the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
- Reflect on the experiential learning you have engaged in thus far, and discuss with current or potential mentors (peers, faculty, advisers, alumni, professionals).
- Do a mock interview at VCU Career Services.
- If taking a gap year, talk with a financial aid counselor about tuition repayment plans.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Review test day information, sign up for and take the MCAT. Meet with your pre-professional health advisor to review your MCAT score and how it impacts your application competitiveness.
- If accepted to a professional healthcare program, make sure to understand the process of acceptance to a school, including tuition deposits, background check, and traffic rules.
Pre-Medicine (Advising Track)
VCU Student Success
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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Explore | Year 1 |
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Experience | Year 2 |
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Year 3 |
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Excel | Year 4 |
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