I am so, so excited about UVA and am committed! But I was wondering - How is pre-med at UVA? Is it extremely difficult to clinch those desperately sought after grades? I am not unwilling to put in the work, graduating with 14+ APs, but am just wondering what life is like as a pre med at UVA. (I bet I’ll spend a lot of time at Alderman! :D)
I’m also wondering about other things - how is the advising? How does the major system work (i.e. if I don’t get human biology do I have other viable options)? Does not being an Echols Scholar hurt chances at med school? And how is getting shadowing/clin. hours at the hospital?
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to read this and answer! Wahoowa!
Congrats on committing to UVA! I am currently a pre-med student here, so here’s my $0.02. No matter where you attend university, the classes required for medical school admission will be difficult; UVA is no exception. That being said, I have had a wonderful experience so far, and professors do seem to care about their students’ grades. I’m only a first-year so I don’t have a whole lot of experience with advising, but I do know that it is very accessible and helpful (along with the career center).
As you may know, you can realistically major in whatever you want, even as a pre-med student–as long as you are able to fit in the required pre-med classes (which is very doable for almost any major). Human Biology is just one route; if you do not get in, there are many, many other majors that can cover similar material. I know English and Comm majors here that are still on the pre-med track, so the sky is the limit.
Echols won’t raise your chances at med schools at all; it really just gives you scheduling priority and freedom from requirements like the first-year writing requirement (which I think is a very helpful class anyways). Even though first-years are at the bottom of the scheduling totem pole, I have been able to get into all the classes I need (and I’m not an Echols scholar). The best opportunity to get shadowing/clinical experience at the UVA Medical Center is through Madison House, the volunteer center for UVA. You can find a lot of info. on their website. Wahoowa!