<p>I'm looking to go pre-med but I also want a college with research opportunities. Are there a lot of possibilites there?</p>
<p>and will a Knox education get me into some of the top med schools?</p>
<p>This is copied verbatim from another post I replied to, but it should address most of your concerns:</p>
<p>As a recent Knox graduate ('06), I have to say it's about the best school on the planet. I got a BS in biochemistry and am now a PhD student at U of Florida in the Biomedical sciences program, so I can speak to your pre-med concerns a bit. It is a little isolated, being in a small midwestern town, but there are two hospitals in Galesburg, and I'm sure you could intern with either of them or a private practice in the area. The career center would be more than happy to help set up 'shadowing' practitioners and such. I'm not sure if you're aware of our early admission programs to the medical schools of Rush University in Chicago and George Washington University in DC, but here's a two links regarding premed prep and those early admission programs: <a href="http://www.knox.edu/medicine.xml%5B/url%5D">http://www.knox.edu/medicine.xml</a>
<a href="http://www.knox.edu/premedearlyadmission.xml%5B/url%5D">http://www.knox.edu/premedearlyadmission.xml</a></p>
<p>One of my close friends did the early admission Rush program, and he's loving his studies there so far.</p>
<p>Knox does have a wonderful placement as far as Med schools goes - I have a bunch of friends other than the one at Rush that are in excellent programs and have felt well prepared for their studies.</p>
<p>I'm also interested in going pre-med for Psychiatry and I was wondering if Knox had some good professors who would lead me into the right direction.</p>
<p>And how's the social atmosphere? Would I find my niche, some good friends?...I'm Asian btw O_o</p>
<p>The social atmosphere is wonderful.There's lots of odd, wonderful, independent people. Even the quieter, more reserved people make friends quickly. I miss my friends from Knox every single day now that we don't live together any more. And there's plenty of things do to, socially, academically, extracurricular-ly, so you'll never be bored (unless you want to be...) </p>
<p>PS. There's plenty of Asian kids there. Fear not. Knox is very open to everyone. It's also quite liberal, but there's a few conservatives here and there.</p>
<p>I just received this in an e-mail from Knox, and I figured that this may answer a few of your questions..</p>
<p>"Meeting the qualifications to get into medical school takes more than a daily dose of academics. Students must have a high level of academic achievement (usually at a 3.5 GPA or better) and do well on the Medical College Admission Test (composite score usually above 30). But, they also must demonstrate a working knowledge of the medical field by taking advantage of research opportunities, volunteer positions, internships, job shadowing opportunities, and showing a commitment to service.</p>
<p>At Knox, pre-med students receive a healthy dose of all of these and the prescription results in a high rate of success in gaining entry to medical school. In fact, 100 percent of this year’s graduating seniors who applied to medical school were accepted and half of them were accepted to medical school as early as the spring of their first year at Knox through Knox’s early admission programs to Rush and George Washington University medical schools. While numbers depend on the specific pool of applicants each year, 85-100 percent of the qualified students and alumni who apply are typically accepted to medical school each year.</p>
<p>Knox provides a strong pre-medical preparation including outstanding programs in the sciences, research and internship opportunities, pre-medical honor society, and close mentoring by professors. Nearly every student in the sciences completes an undergraduate research project, which are supported by more than $150,000 in individual research grants awarded to students each year. Students also receive support from a $1-million grant from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) that supports student research and a new program in neuroscience.</p>
<p>“Knox not only tested whether I could handle the academics of medicine, but the individual professors and classes helped me deepen my desire to practice medicine,” says senior Jennifer Presley. Jennifer will be attending Rush Medical College in Chicago in the fall. “Medical schools want well-rounded, devoted students, and those are what our pre-med adviser, Judy Thorn, and the whole Knox faculty are so successful in shaping,” Jennifer says.</p>
<p>Pre-med Adviser and Assistant Professor of Biology Judy Thorn agrees. “Being the medical adviser is not about just getting students into medical school. It is to get people where they want to be. Maybe that is medicine or a slue of other things they don’t know exists. That is what we do on the Knox campus,” says Professor Thorn.</p>
<p>Besides the one-on-one faculty mentoring and the interaction with other students, Professor Thorn says that a liberal arts education makes the student a better physician. “The majority of time you spend talking to your physician is not discussing organic chemistry, Ph buffers, and evolution. The time is spent discussing the human condition. The liberal arts education gives the student the perspective in how people think and makes them a better physician. Science and research give perspective too, but the liberal arts education is important,” she says. “The most important Knox thing is providing the freedom to flourish. Our 100 percent is not a rare event. It is business as usual.”</p>
<p>After a complete examination of her Knox experience, Jennifer says, “I know the high workload at Knox will smooth my transition into medical school and practice. The diversity of the classes and the professors I’ve encountered at Knox have not just made me a better scientist, but one who better connects with the person behind the illness.”</p>
<p>For more on Knox’s pre-med program—including the early admission program to Rush and George Washington University medical schools—click here."</p>
<p>That would be what made me apply to Knox, and that is also the reason why I'm so happy I'm in.</p>