I am currently a high school student and I have decided to go into pre-medicinal studies in college. I do know that tis is a path I am very interested in and would like to continue down the path of medicine, due to past experiences and internships, etc. I was looking into the College of William and Mary and their program. I fell in love with the school previously and I really wanted answers as to how the program is and what to expect, and possibly more information.
Thank you.
There is no Pre-Med studies. You can major in anything as long as you take the required Pre-Med courses.
W&M is a fine university, perhaps the best “smaller” public school in America. It is also the second oldest higher educational institution is the United States, having celebrated the 300th anniversary of its founding a few decades ago. I cannot imagine how many physicians have been prepared at W&M, but it has to be a large number. You can be assure that pre-med courses at W&M will – if you do your part – ready you for medical school.
W&M specifically has a major in Physics - Pre-Med.
http://catalog.wm.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=7&poid=1131
They also discuss the premed track for biology majors.
http://www.wm.edu/as/biology/undergraduate/major/healthprofessions/index.php
They have a pre-med “program” which does not require any specific major, but does include course recommendations and a dedicated advisor. http://www.wm.edu/as/undergraduate/advising/for_students/advising-resources/preprofessional/premed/index.php
http://wmpeople.wm.edu/index.php/site/page/btsher/handouts
I suggest you contact Dr. Sher (the pre-med advisor) for more information.
This is included in the above link posted, but worth repeating that there’s a “Early Assurance” program with EVMS and VCU medical schools: http://wmpeople.wm.edu/asset/index/btsher/earlyassuranceprograms - I don’t know how many take advantage of this, but it’s a nice safety net if Med school is your ultimate ambition.
A couple other random points:
Oh, as mentioned, there’s no “pre-med” major - somewhat traditionally, pre-med students major in Biology, but it’s hardly necessary, and there’s a significant amount of data to suggest that “non-BIO majors” have a higher acceptance rate than “BIO majors”, that med schools are looking to matriculate physicians with a greater variety of backgrounds. But that’s just IMO, these are things you’ll have to check out and decide for yourself.
Dr. Sher is a great resource! Several of my friends have her as an academic advisor and have said she is very helpful. I can’t speak to many pre-med specific issues, but I am a student at the college and can answer any general questions you may have. In any case, the size of William and Mary lends itself to certain research opportunities available for freshman. For instance, there is the PLUS-S program and a relationship with the HMNI that specifically works to get freshmen in the biology department involved in research.
You can read more about it here http://www.theprospect.net/how-to-get-a-research-position-as-a-college-freshman-21433. Other than that, there are many active groups that work with students interested in medicine related fields on campus, some of them being the Public Health club, Global Medical Brigade, and SOMOS & MANOS (which is headed by one of my all time favorite professors). There are also clubs for students interested in a particular major or the pre-med track.