Biology for Premedical Studies
Although premedical students can major in any program of study, Biology is by far the most common undergraduate major for medical students nationwide. These students discovered that the Biology major offers many benefits to the premedical student. Biology could be the right choice for you, too!
Meeting course requirements for admission to medical school.—The prerequisite courses for all medical schools are similar. For example, the School of Medicine at The University of Missouri–Columbia requires 2 semesters of English composition, 1 semester of mathematics, 8 hours of general biology, 8 hours of inorganic chemistry, 8 hours of organic chemistry, and 8 hours of general physics. By pursuing a Biology major, you easily meet these requirements as part of your degree program.
Going beyond minimum admission requirements.—The Biology Department offers many courses to help you prepare for a challenging curriculum in medical school. Moreover, additional course-work in biology can be good preparation for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), which includes an entire section on the “biological sciences”. Pre-medical students majoring in Biology usually take courses in areas such as genetics, cell biology, microbiology, immunology, anatomy, and physiology. In a recent questionnaire, medical students listed 9 undergraduate courses that were most important in the preparation for medical school—6 were Biology courses!
Developing your laboratory skills—Technical proficiency will be required for successful medical students. In the Biology Department, we teach these skills through a strong laboratory emphasis in most of our courses. In addition to the excitement of hands-on experiences, these laboratories offer students an opportunity to see how concepts learned in the classroom are applied to real systems. If you want more individualized hands-on experience, you can become involved in undergraduate research in one of the many active research laboratories in the department.
Developing your leadership skills—Most medical school admissions committees look for evidence of leadership, and the Biology Department offers numerous leadership opportunities. Many of our majors take leadership positions in the Biological Honor Society (Tri-Beta) or the Pre-medical Society. Most importantly, there are daily opportunities for students to emerge as leaders during laboratory exercises or class discussions.
Getting good advice--- The Biology Department has 4 premedical advisors with many years of experience working with premedical students. They are aware of the newest trends in both medical education and the practice of medicine and can recommend the best possible program of study tailored for the individual. For an appointment call Dr. Durham, Dr. Bowe, Dr. Saunders, Dr. Kim, or Dr. Russell at 417-836-5126.
See also: http://biology.missouristate.edu/
