Med School Bound

Hi everyone! My name is Lacey Martin. I am a junior majoring in Biological Sciences with a Human Biology Concentration. I am hoping to attend medical school following my few, great years at NC State. To reach my goal, I take advantage of the Pre-Health resources CALS has to offer; but there is so much, I cannot possibly do it all, much less mention it all here!

The key to all these resources is the Health Professions Advising Center, or HealthPAC. This office provides advising, interview preparations, entrance exam preparation materials, information on professional schools and internships, and so much more. Personally, I'm in the HealthPAC office at least once every two weeks meeting friends, asking questions, or looking at materials.

I am also about to start the application process for medical school. One thing I know I will take advantage of is the NCSU Health Professions Committee Review process. The HealthPAC website has a portfolio system which allows students to upload activities and descriptions as they complete them. That way, you don't have to try to remember everything when the time comes to apply. Also, once you complete the Medical School application, you have the option of submitting it to the review committee. This committee examines all your information and writes a recommendation for you, which is then sent to the schools to which you are applying. This committee review is nationally recognized. Of course, you're not required to use this resource, but it is definitely a great option!

I am also a member of the Pre-Health Club. This club meets once per month and holds many different workshops, as well as hosts various speakers, all of which help the members prepare for applications, interviews, professional school, and our future careers in the medical field. The Pre-Health Club also holds many different service events throughout the year which members can take advantage of. In order to meet the needs of every member, the club is divided into ten different interests group. These groups include the Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, Pre-Optometry, and Pre-Pharmacy groups, as well as many others. Each of these groups meets at a different time of the month. There are also two medical-related honor societies: Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Medical) and Delta Delta Sigma (Pre-Dental). These societies also meet for workshops, service activities, and social events.

Right now, I am in a class called “BIO 295” on campus. This class meets on Tuesdays for 75 minutes. We have a wonderful Kaplan instructor who teaches us critical thinking skills that help on tests like the MCAT, PCAT, DAT, or OAT. These are the standardized tests you must take to get into professional school (sort of like your high school SAT). Also, for an amazingly low price we received a full set of brand-new, newly-revised Kaplan MCAT test preparation books! No other school in the area has this! The idea behind this course is that by beginning it as a freshman and continuing it every semester, you will have four full semesters of it completed by the time you take the test (usually in your junior year). This is the equivalent of a full preparation course. It is just spread over an extended period, which is much more preferable than cramming all of this information into just a few months before you take your exams!

I know all of these options can seem overwhelming, but keep in mind everything is optional. These are simply a few of the ways NC State and CALS helps prepare you for your next step after college. If you work hard and participate in these activities, you will get so much out of it -- not just another entry on your resume, but a lot of friends, support, and fun!
Lacey

For more info:
HealthPAC: http://harvest.cals.ncsu.edu/health_pac/
Pre-Health Club: http://clubs.ncsu.edu/premed/