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Welcome to Wake Forest
University!
Academic
year 2009-2010
The following information will help you get
your feet on the ground at Wake
Forest. The sooner you
settle in, the sooner you will be able to concentrate on your studies and be
successful. We are proud of our strengths at Wake Forest
because they are directed at enhancing your success. Our school's motto, Pro
Humanitate, is reflected in our attitudes and in our service to
humankind. At Wake
Forest, we try hard to
live this ethic to its fullest.
The information below is provided to students interested in the health
careers (allopathic, osteopathic dental, podiatric and veterinary medicine,
optometry, physical therapy, physician assistant, nursing medical technology
and public health). The course requirements for the latter five disciplines
are slightly different, and students should consult with Dr. Gary Miller, in
the Health & Exercise Science Department.
Health Professions schools select their candidates along two broad
lines of assessment:
a) academic excellence and course work
b) interpersonal skills
Academic excellence and course work PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
The cumulative and sci/math GPA of successful Wake
Forest medical school
applicants in 2008 were 3.72 and 3.70 respectively. The GPA of unsuccessful applicants to medical school was a
3.28 in both cumulative and a science GPA. The averages of all applicants to
medical school were 3.57 cumulative and 3.51 sci/math The GPA of national matriculants to allopathic medical school in 2008 was a cumulative 3.66 and a 3.60 GPA in science/math. You should strive to maintain at least this
level to remain competitive. Marginally competitive
students are those that have cumulative and Sci/Math GPAs of 3.3 to 3.4.
Veterinary entry levels are as competitive, dentistry less so. Allied Health
programs vary widely in acceptable GPAs, but are generally lower. Contact Dr. Gary Miller (millergd@wfu.edu) for help if you are
interested in one of the allied health professions.
Medical schools generally do not care which
major a student chooses so long as the student does well, and is a good
problem-solver. Students majoring in a non-science area must show competence
in the science work they do. They should at least take one upper division
science course (usually biochemistry). You should think about choosing a
major in the area of your academic strength and/or an area you find enjoyable.
Science majors must ensure that their liberal arts experience is broad. Medical schools insist that they are neutral
about a candidate’s major.
The national standardized test for medicine
(the MCAT) is an exam based on one year of introductory biology, one year of
general chemistry, one year of organic chemistry, one year of introductory
physics and one year of English. These courses must be completed, or be in
the last stages of completion, by the end of your junior year typically, or
before or during the semester you plan to take the MCAT exam. Physics at Wake Forest
requires calculus. Over 50 of the 125 medical schools either have a math
requirement (one or two courses, often calculus) or strongly suggest taking
mathematics. Thus, each semester much of the pre-health professions
curriculum involves a two-laboratory science program.
Biochemistry is required, or strongly
recommended, by a number of allopathic medical schools and some Physician
Assistant programs.
Planning your course
selection
The following course numbers
satisfy most medical school requirements and are the best suited for
preparing MCAT and DAT: All courses
listed below must be taken with laboratory
·
Biology 111 Biological Principles (for
non-Biology majors only)
·
Biology 112 Comparative Physiology
·
Biology 214 Cellular Biology (strongly
recommended to be taken by all)
·
Chemistry 111 College Chemistry 1 (Fall semester only)
·
Chemistry 122 Organic Chemistry 1 (Spring
semester only)
·
Chemistry 223 Organic Chemistry 2 (Fall
semester only)
·
Chemistry 280 College Chemistry 2 (Spring
semester only)
·
Physics 113 General Physics 1
·
Physics 114 General Physics 2
·
Math 111Calculus with Analytical Geometry 1
·
Biochemistry: cross-listed in the Chemistry
& Biology departments as Bio 370 or Chem 370 (content not needed for
MCAT)
Below are grids representing possible scheduling of the courses needed to
satisfy MCAT and medical school admission. Please note that they are
suggestions that seem to work well. No one should feel shackled to a given
plan.
MATHEMATICS: Whether you
take one or two mathematics courses is based upon two facts:
1: Some medical
schools (about 50 of them) require some math (one or two semesters of
calculus usually, although not
exclusively), although most medical schools have no math requirement,
2: Physics 113
has a pre- or co-requisite of Math 111.
MCAT is not a calculus-based
exam although physics at Wake
Forest requires some
calculus. So, one semester of math is sufficient if you are not inclined to
take math and if you come from a state whose medical schools have one math or
no math requirement (consult “Medical School Admission
Requirements”, purchased from www.aamc.org,
or search each medical school website, accessible from www.aamc.org). If you like math and/or come from a state
whose medical schools require two semesters of calculus, then you should take
Math 111 and 112.
Students
entering Wake Forest with AP credit
·
Students who have been given credit for AP
Biology should not take Biology 111
·
Students who
have been given credit for AP Chemistry and who may be considering a Chemistry
Major should start with Chemistry 123: Organic Chemistry 1 Honors. This is a
fall semester course and is by invitation only. Students with AP in Chemistry
may alternately start with Chemistry 122 in the spring semester.
·
Students who
have been given credit for AP Physics should start with Physics 114
3. Increasing
numbers of medical schools require or recommend to varying degrees, a
biochemistry course as a prerequisite to entering their program. At Wake Forest,
biochemistry can be taken in either the Biology Department (Bio 370), or
Chemistry Department (Chem 370). Bio 370 has a prerequisite of Bio 214
(Cellular Biology). Future Biology majors will take Bio 213 (Genetics &
Molecular Biology) and Bio 214 as requirements. However, non-Biology majors
are strongly recommended to take Bio 214 as well.
The schedules in
the grids below are not intended solely for the classification of students
identified above each grid. These are just tried and true suggestions and you
should decide, with your academic advisor, which one is best suited to you.
NOTE: Chemistry
Sequence:
Fall courses:
Chemistry 111 and 223
Spring courses:
Chemistry 112 and 280
| Non-Science majors (1) |
| |
Fall |
Spring |
| Freshman |
Chem 111 |
Chem 122
Math 111 |
| Sophomore |
Chem 223
Bio 111 or Bio 112 |
Chem 280
Bio 112 or Bio 111 |
| Junior |
Phy 113 |
Phy 114
Bio 214 |
| Senior |
Biochem in Biology Department* |
Biochem in Chemistry Department* |
*Biochemistry can be taken in either, not both departments
Fill in the rest of their courses with Basic and Divisional requirements |
| Non-Science majors (2) |
| |
Fall |
Spring |
| Freshman |
Bio 111 or Bio 112 |
Bio 112 or Bio 111
Math 111 |
| Sophomore |
Chem 111
|
Chem 122
Bio 214 |
| Junior |
Chem 223
Phys 113 |
Chem 280
Phys 114 |
| Senior |
Biochem in Biology Department* |
Biochem in Chemistry Department* |
*Biochemistry can be taken in either, not both departments
Fill in the rest of their courses with Basic and Divisional requirements |
| Prospective Biology Majors |
| |
Fall |
Spring |
| Freshman |
Bio 112 or Bio 113
Chem 111 |
Bio 113 or Bio 112
Chem 122 |
| Sophomore |
Bio 213
Chem 223 |
Chem 280
Bio 214 |
| Junior |
Phys 113
Math 111 |
Bio 300
Phys 114 |
| Senior |
Biochem 370
Bio 300 |
Biochem in Chemistry Department* |
*Biochemistry can be taken in either, not both departments
Fill in the rest of their courses with Basic and Divisional requirements |
| Prospective Chemistry Majors |
| |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| Freshman |
Chem 111
Math 111 |
Chem 122
Math 112 |
|
| Sophomore |
Phys 113
Chem 223 |
Phys 114
Chem 280 |
Bio 111* |
| Junior |
Bio 111 or Bio 112 |
Bio 111* or Bio 112
Bio 214** |
|
| Senior |
|
Biochem 370 |
|
*Bio 111 can be taken in summer 1 at end of sophomore year
**Bio 214 is recommended for Chemistry majors
Fill in the rest of their courses with Basic and Divisional requirements |
| Prospective Physics Majors |
| |
Fall |
Spring |
| Freshman |
Phys 113
Math 111 |
Phys 114
Math 112 |
| Sophomore |
Chem 111 |
Chem 122
Bio 111 or Bio 112 |
| Junior |
Chem 223
Bio 112 or Bio 111 |
Chem 280
Bio 214* |
| Senior |
Biochem in Biology Department* |
Biochem in Chemistry Department* |
*Bio 214 Cell Biology is recommended for Biochemistry (Bio or Chem 370)
*Biochemistry can be taken in either, not both departments
Fill in the rest of their courses with Basic and Divisional requirements |
Future
Physics majors should consult with Dr. Salsbury or Dr. Cook in the Physics
Department to properly select the courses in mathematics and physics, and
their timing
Some comments about workload follow:
1.
It may appear that taking two laboratory science/math
courses a semester is too hard. However, please bear in mind that this pressure
can be alleviated somewhat by matching these two with non-science
courses with moderate homework. Most health professions students are capable
of this effort. I feel that the work load of two laboratory courses is no
more strenuous than taking two literature and history courses with their
inherent demands for extra reading and writing assignments. Some students may
be able to take only one science course the first semester of the freshman
year and still remain on track. However, please
note that although the basic Biology and Physics courses are offered each
semester, the Chemistry courses are in a sequence and not taking the first
course in the fall semester may mean waiting for the following fall to take
the sequence.
For those students who plan to take advantage of going
abroad for a semester, you should know that the most convenient time for
pre-health professions students to do this appears to be the fall of the
junior year. Many students would take Physics in the junior year. To help
students, the Physics Department offers both Physics 113 as well as 114 in the
spring semester, so those going abroad may take Physics 113 in the spring
semester. A section of Physics 114 is offered in the fall semester, in
addition to the regular Physics 113 sections.
2.
Summer school is an option, but should be considered as a last resort. My
view is that summer is for rest and recreation and is a time to recharge
yourself.
3.
Medical schools are interested in students who excel in things academic under
normal work loads. I think, as do other faculty in the sciences, that a
normal work load would have two science courses. See Dr. Lane or Dr. Miller
if you need help in planning your schedule.
4.
Most
students complete the pre-medical requirements in six semesters. Students who
do not, or are not able to, take two science courses may “fall
behind” and may have to take summer work in order to get back on
schedule. Those who receive college credit for science AP work may lighten the
two-lab/semester load for one semester.
5. Students who feel
particularly overwhelmed may consider taking all eight semesters to complete
their “pre-med” courses, and plan to take the MCAT the summer of
their graduation. These would apply to medical/dental school that summer for
entry the following year. They would “take a year off”.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Is this the kind of person we want to see become a physician (dentist,
veterinarian, physician's assistant, physical therapist, etc) from our
institution? Would I want to be treated by a physician (etc.) with this
person's interpersonal features? Admissions committees pay much attention to
the answers to these questions. These questions focus upon characteristics
such as motivation, sympathy, empathy, compassion, warmth, perseverance,
leadership, involvement with others, a practical knowledge of the
professions, a thirst for continued learning, etc. The questions, asked by
all graduate health career programs, are starting points for you to
investigate your nature. All of you have entered Wake Forest
with dreams of becoming a health professional. Now, it is time to determine
whether or not you are compatible with one or more of the varied health
professions. As you inquire, learn about the life styles, aptitudes and attitudes
of those working in the health professions. You will better understand
"what it takes" to be a particular health professional and will
develop insights into what the admissions offices are searching for in their
candidates. More importantly, you will learn about who you really are.
Wake Forest provides many opportunities for the health
professions students. Joining and participating in one or two organizations
(Greek, Greek honor, or other) and taking on a leadership position, as chair
of a committee or as an officer, or simply taking charge, or participating
in, a project, is an excellent means of developing interpersonal skills.
AED, the pre-health honor society, has an extensive volunteer program
that draws on the resources of N.C.
Baptist Hospital,
vet clinics, hospice and much more. This is where you will find out if you
really are interested in, and compatible with, the health professions.
However, you are encouraged to consider volunteer work only once your
freshman fall semester is complete. You should learn to be the most efficient
and effective student your freshman year. Only once this is achieved should
you move on to volunteer work
Health Professions sources of information
You are responsible for your information gathering. Use the web
resources on this home page. You should learn as much as you can about the
duties, life-styles, and educational procedures of different health
professions. You should also know what activities are available to you on
this campus and at the Bowman Gray campus.
You should use all the resources available
to you, including your advisor. You will be listed on an e-mail listserv and
will receive information from me of upcoming events, pertinent news of the
professions, and other topics. Check your e-mail for messages often. Use your
e-mail resource to contact me when questions arise. It is easier than voice
mail and less bothersome than phone tag!
All Health Professions students should go
to relevant websites for the different health professions programs (check out
www.naahp.org, scroll to web resources)
or at least buy two categories of books in their freshmen year:
A.
Admissions Requirement Bulletins. These provide detailed information about
each school
B.
Preplanning Guides. These provide a variety of useful information, from what
is the profession about, to how to
select a program, how to prepare an application,
how to prepare an interview, etc. These are generic in nature and should be
viewed that way.
A. Examples of category A are:
- a) 2010-2011 Medical School Admission
Requirements (purchase from www.aamc.org)
- b) Osteopathic Medical College
Information Book. 2010 Entering Class ( purchase from www.aacom.org)
- c) Official Guide to Dental
Schools 2009 for Students Entering in Fall 2010 (purchase from www.adea.org)
- d)
Veterinary Medical School Admissions Requirements (to order, go the Purdue University Press (publisher) Web site at www.thepress.purdue.edu
(or call the distributor at 1-800-247-6553)
- e) Physician Assistant Programs Directory: see
Dr. Gary Miller
- f) Podiatry
Schools: go to www.aacpm.org
- g) Optometry Schools: go to www.opted.org
Other directories
for Physical Therapy, Public Health, etc. are available from the Professional
Association websites.
These books can help you in that there are
differences in course and other requirements between schools. You should know
what the requirements are at your home state institutions because,
nationally, most students will return to an in-state institution.
B. Example of category B may be
purchased from www.naahp.org
- The
Official Guide to the MCAT Exam, 2009 edition (purchase from
www.aamc.org)
- Health Professions Admissions Guide –
Strategy for Success. Seventh Edition (2007) (order from www.naahp.org).
- Write for Success. Preparing a Successful Professional School
Application. 3rd Edition
(order from www.naahp.org)
- Meeting the Challenge of the MCAT. A Test Preparation Guide, 3rd
Edition (order from www,naahp.org)
- Interviewing for Health Professions Schools (order from
www.naahp.org)
.
Wake Forest Performance
The following
information is presented here to provide you with some insight as to how
competitive you must be. Generally, you should aim to maintain a 3.5 GPA to
have a good shot at being competitive for medical and veterinary schools.
Other programs are not as competitive. There are catalogues or web sites
summarizing the requirements for most programs and you should consult them.
The Association of
American Medical Schools (AAMC) and TMDSAS are the major source for
statistical data about allopathic medical school applicant. Osteopathic
medical school applications are now included (AACOM). Other organizations do
not report complete data about Wake Forest graduates. Nor
are data available for the allied health professional schools or for
optometry.
Acceptance Rates for Medical School 2001 - 2008
Source: AAMC AIS; TMDSAS Report, AACOM, Off-Shore
reporting (St. George’s)
The data are extracted from the above sources and
presented as acceptances of Wake Forest
students by their year of graduation rather than by year of the applicant
pool.
Wake
Forest University
Applicants Success
Rates 2001-2008
By Graduation Year
|
Year
|
Wake Forest success% *
|
National success
% **
|
|
2008
|
65.3
|
42.7
|
|
2007
|
77.8
|
42.0
|
|
2006
|
69.2
|
44.4
|
|
2005
|
84.8
|
45.5
|
|
2004
|
76.5
|
46.6
|
|
2003
|
77.9
|
47.5
|
|
2002
|
82.1
|
49.0
|
|
2001
|
76.2
|
46.0
|
* WFU by graduation year, accepted to
allopathic and osteopathic colleges of medicine
** National ALLOPATHIC
success by year of matriculation
- Alumni
who applied more than once were counted only once, by their year of
graduation from Wake
Forest.
|
|
Medical
Schools to which Wake Forest students were accepted in the years 2001 -2008
|
state code
|
Alphabetical listing of Allopathic
Medical Schools
|
|
|
|
|
NY
|
Albany Medical College
|
|
TX
|
Baylor College of Medicine
|
|
MA
|
Boston University School of Medicine
|
|
NC
|
Brody School of Medicine
of East Carolina University
|
|
NY
|
Columbia University College of
Physicians & Surgeons
|
|
|
NH
|
Dartmouth Medical School
|
|
|
PA
|
Drexel University College of Medicine
|
|
|
NC
|
Duke University School of Medicine
|
|
|
TN
|
East Tennessee State University James H.
Quillen College of Medicine
|
|
|
VA
|
Eastern Virginia Medical
School
|
|
|
GA
|
Emory University School of Medicine
|
|
|
FL
|
Florida State University College of
Medicine
|
|
|
DC
|
George Washington University School of
Medicine and Health Sciences
|
|
|
DC
|
Georgetown University School of Medicine
|
|
|
MA
|
Harvard Medical School
|
|
|
DC
|
Howard University College
of Medicine
|
|
|
IN
|
Indiana University School of Medicine
|
|
|
PA
|
Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson
University
|
|
|
MA
|
Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine
|
|
|
LA
|
Louisiana State University School of
Medicine in New Orleans
|
|
|
LA
|
Louisiana State University
School of Medicine at Shreveport
|
|
|
IL
|
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School
of Medicine
|
|
|
WV
|
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School
of Medicine
|
|
|
GA
|
Medical College of Georgia School of
Medicine
|
|
|
SC
|
Medical University of South Carolina
|
|
|
GA
|
Mercer University School of Medicine
|
|
|
NY
|
Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New
York University
|
|
|
NY
|
New York Medical College
|
|
|
OH
|
Northeastern Ohio Universities College
of Medicine
|
|
|
IL
|
Northwestern University Feinberg School
of Medicine
|
|
|
OH
|
Ohio State University College of
Medicine
|
|
|
PA
|
Pennsylvania State University College of
Medicine
|
|
|
PR
|
Ponce School of Medicine
|
|
|
IL
|
Rosalind Franklin University
of Medicine & Science Chicago School of Medicine
|
|
|
MO
|
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine
|
|
|
Grenada
|
St. George's University School of
Medicine
|
|
|
NY
|
State University of New York Downstate Medical
University College of Medicine
|
|
|
NY
|
Stony Brook University School of
Medicine
|
|
|
PA
|
Temple University School of Medicine
|
|
|
LA
|
Tulane University School of Medicine
|
|
|
TX
|
Texas Tech University
|
|
|
NY
|
University at Buffalo School of Medicine
& Biomedical Sciences
|
|
|
MN
|
University of Minnesota Medical School
|
|
|
AL
|
University of Alabama School of Medicine
|
|
|
AR
|
University of Arkansas College of
Medicine
|
|
|
Il
|
University of Chicago Division of the
Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine
|
|
|
OH
|
University of Cincinnati College of
Medicine
|
|
|
CT
|
University of Connecticut School of
Medicine
|
|
|
FL
|
University of Florida College of
Medicine
|
|
|
KS
|
University of Kansas School of Medicine
|
|
|
KY
|
University of Kentucky College of
Medicine
|
|
|
KY
|
University of Louisville School of
Medicine
|
|
|
MD
|
University of Maryland School of
Medicine
|
|
|
MA
|
University of Massachusetts
Medical School
|
|
|
NJ
|
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey - New Jersey Medical School
|
|
|
NJ
|
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
|
|
|
Fl
|
University of Miami School of Medicine
|
|
|
MI
|
University of Michigan Medical School
|
|
|
NC
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill School of Medicine
|
|
|
PA
|
University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine
|
|
|
PA
|
University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine
|
|
|
NY
|
University of Rochester School of
Medicine and Dentistry
|
|
|
AL
|
University of South Alabama College of
Medicine
|
|
|
SC
|
University of South Carolina School of
Medicine
|
|
|
FL
|
University of South Florida College of
Medicine
|
|
|
TN
|
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
College of Medicine
|
|
|
TX
|
University of Texas Medical School at Galveston
|
|
|
TX
|
University of Texas Medical School at Houston
|
|
|
TX
|
University of Texas Medical School at San
Antonio
|
|
|
TX
|
University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center at Dallas Southwestern Medical School
|
|
|
UT
|
University of Utah School of Medicine
|
|
|
VA
|
University of Virginia School of
Medicine
|
|
|
WA
|
University of Washington School of
Medicine
|
|
|
TN
|
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
|
|
|
VA
|
Virginia Commonwealth University College
of Medicine
|
|
|
NC
|
Wake Forest University School of
Medicine
|
|
|
WV
|
West Virginia University School of
Medicine
|
|
|
CT
|
Yale University School of Medicine
|
|
|
77 colleges of 129 allopathic medicine
|
|
|
Listing of Osteopathic Colleges of
Medicine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CA
|
Touro University College of Osteopathic
Medicine
|
|
|
IL
|
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
of Midwestern University
|
|
|
GA
|
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine – Georgia Campus
|
|
|
ME
|
University of New England College of Osteopathic
Medicine
|
|
|
NY
|
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
of New York Institute of technology
|
|
|
PA
|
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine
|
|
|
VA
|
Edward Via Virginia College of
Osteopathic Medicine
|
|
|
7 colleges of 28 osteopathic medicine
|
Important notice
At some point, those applying to medical, dental and
veterinary schools will apply to the Health Professions Committee for a
composite letter of recommendation. Typically, this is in January of the
junior spring semester. During that junior summer you will be applying to
medical school and should be aware that one of the questions on the
application asks about honor or conduct code violations. You should be aware
of the following text:
You have decided to use the services and procedures of the
Health Professions Committee. Please read the following statement and sign
the authorization below
"All students submitting an application to the Health
Professions Committee for a level of support for its Letter of Recommendation
should understand that the Office of the Dean will release to the Health
Professions Advisor details about any honor code or conduct violations
adjudicated in these areas
The Office of the Dean will review the file of each
student, and will contact those who have honor code violations or conduct
violations. Such students will be encouraged to meet with an associate dean
so that the dean may have the opportunity of interpreting the problem and
putting it in perspective for the benefit of the medical schools. If the
student requests it, the dean can address the medical schools in a short
letter, providing context. If the student does not request such a letter, the
charge, pleas, verdict and penalty will be forwarded to the Health
Professions Advisor without comment. In either case, a copy of the
Dean’s Letter and/or comments will be forwarded to the medical schools
with the Health Professions Committee letter of recommendation ."
I, _____________________________, consent
to the procedure above and accept the release of said information to the
medical schools and the Health Professions Advisor
Date_________________________
| 