|
Before Whitworth formalized its pre-med
program in 2004, the medical school
acceptance rate for Whitworth students
varied widely – from 50 percent in 2001
to 14 percent in 2002. Since then, the
university has maintained a 100 percent
acceptance rate for pre-med students who
perform all of the prescribed activities in
the pre-med program. About 20 students
in the program apply to medical, dental
and veterinary schools each year.
In the last three years, students
have been accepted to some of the top
med schools in the country, including
the University of Washington,
Cornell University, the University of
Pennsylvania, Washington University,
Loma Linda University, Boston
University, Chicago Medical School,
Mount Sinai University, and Oregon
Health & Science University, among
others. Last year marked the first time
that two Whitworth students got into
the UW's School of Medicine in the
same year; this year, seven students have
already been accepted to that highly
competitive program. There are currently
59 Whitworth alumni from 2007-11
enrolled in medical school.
Whitworth's interdisciplinary pre-med
program consists of advising, counseling
and optional seminar classes. Freshmen
start the program by taking Introduction
to the Health Professions, a seminar-style
course in which students meet with guest
speakers representing a variety of health
fields. This course also introduces students
to the "Big Seven" of the program: seven
tasks that students are strongly encouraged
to accomplish before graduating. Those
tasks include earning a 3.7 GPA, obtaining
a specific minimum MCAT score, logging
a minimum of 500 hours of medical
experience, serving a minimum of 500
hours of community service, completing at
least 50 credits of science classes, gaining
experience with diverse populations or
other cultures, and applying "early and
well" to medical schools.
Whitworth Professor of Chemistry
Karen Stevens, who oversees the pre-med
program with Associate Professor of
Biology Mike Sardinia, '87, says one of
the program's biggest strengths is that it
draws on information she and Sardinia
have learned as members of the National
Association of Advisors for Health
Professions. Deans of medical schools
have spoken at NAAHP meetings and
explained the application process from
their end, which she says helped her and
Sardinia build a pre-med program based
on what medical schools are looking for
in applicants. They also have instituted
a year-long pre-application process that
prepares students for the med-school
application process. The process includes
a committee letter system for submitting
student reference letters, in which
pre-med advisors hold informational
interviews with each applicant, prior
to collecting reference letters, and then
prepare a cumulative committee letter
using all of that information.
The new Robinson Science Hall,
due to open for classes this fall, also
will help give students a leg up for
medical school, Sardinia says. The
facility will house the chemistry and
biology departments, and will include a
dedicated anatomy and physiology lab
with state-of-the-art equipment and
a walk-in cold room that will support
student and faculty research projects.
|
