Strong academic back ground and intellectual potential – excellent grades (GPA) and
test scores (MCAT, DAT)
Evidence of the qualities of leadership and character
Knowledge and motivation in the field – Experiences (shadowing, volunteering)
Broad range of interests/talents - Extracurricular Activities
Required Major?
NONE – There is NO PRE-MEDICAL OR PRE-DENTAL MAJOR AT TOWSON! Be any major you want
to be and PLEASE always remember that life does not always go the way we wish it would
– so pick a major where you will be able to do something ELSE, if you are not successful
in this application process.
Tasks for Pre-Professionals:
Before Applying to Professional School
Begin to take required courses
Meet regularly with your academic advisor and make yourself known to your professors
who will be writing recommendations
Become involved in campus life activities
Acquire experiences in medicine or dentistry; Volunteer positions, jobs during break
and summer, internships, etc.
Hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, clinics, dental offices – anywhere patients are
being cared for by doctors or dentists
Why? Through these experiences you will gain insight and develop a unique perspective
on your field. For the application process, they will demonstrate sincere interest
in the field OR …
You may learn that medicine or dentistry is NOT the field for you!
Get information about specific Medical/Dental School prerequisites so you can intelligently
plan your curriculum. Resource: the AAMC publication Medical School Admissions Requirements
in the library or sold by the Association of American Medical Colleges or the American Dental Education Association's Official Guide to Dental Schools.
Select a MAJOR that is comfortable. Medical schools want mature, multi-dimensional
students. You can major in any field, as long as you fulfill the medical school prerequisites.
Select a major that will prepare you for a career of interest if you decide, for whatever
reason, not to become a physician or dentist.
If you are pre-medical: Gather information about the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
They have a great deal of information on their website.
Alternatively, you can call AAMC: 202-828-0400; they will send a free PRACTICE EXAM
Talk to admissions officers at Medical Schools
If you are Pre-Dental: Gather information on the Dental Admissions Test (DAT).
Find a mentor, perhaps a physician, medical student, or professor, who can advise
you and provide a role model
Work with other Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental students in study groups or on special projects to prepare yourselves for the medical school curriculum
Go the extra mile, intellectually
Do extra, personal reading: fiction, nonfiction, news …
Study unique cases from medical journals or from the Internet
Learn about national, state, and local health care issues
Investigate ethical issues related to health care delivery
Learn to express yourself clearly in writing: Take writing intensive courses and/or choose courses that require you to write and
to apply the information you learn to solve important and interesting problems.
Keep your GPA up – distinguish yourself: you will be competing against many students with 4.0 GPA
Investigate alternative career options:
An undergraduate major which will result in gainful employment, if not accepted into
medical school
The Year in which You will Apply to Professional School
Study for upcoming admission tests (i.e. MCAT, DAT). Commercial preparation courses
(Kaplan, Princeton Review, ExamKrackers) are expensive, but they are highly recommended. Remember, the students you are competing
with for seats in medical or dental school are probably taking courses like these!
February: Acquire the pre-medical/pre-dental application materials required for the interview
process in (detailed meeting in February)
Register for MCAT or DAT or other admission test
Begin writing your resume and your personal statement for your upcoming Pre-Med/Pre-Dent
Committee interview. Give copies of these to the TU faculty members that are writing your letters of recommendation
so that they may write a better letter.
You will need 3 TU faculty reviewers, 2 must be from the sciences, and the other can
be from any discipline (including science). You may not have more than 2 from the
same department.
You should give the faculty at least a few weeks notice to have the letters written.
May: Committee Interview during Finals Week
Continue volunteer work and extracurricular activities
During the summer one year before you plan to attend med/dental school, apply to the
schools of your choice using the common applications for medical school (AMCAS) and
dental school (AADSAS). These applications may be submitted as early as June, even
if the schools’ deadlines are later. You should aim to submit your application early,
preferably by the end of the summer, as the school’s available seats begin to fill
as soon as the application window opens.
After Applying to Professional School
Retake MCAT/DAT if necessary
Provide Director of Pre-Med/Pre-Dent committee with list of schools you applied to, as
well as your MCAT and DAT scores.
Interview at schools
Inform the Pre-Med/Pre-Dent committee Director of the outcome of your applications