Pre-Medical/Dental Advisor — Dr. Markwardt, Biological Sciences & Academic Affairs
The pre-medicine/pre-dentistry major is designed to develop the content knowledge, competencies, and skills required for success: 1) on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) or Dental Admission Test (DAT); 2) in classes to be taken in medical and dental school; and 3) in the ultimate practice of the profession of medicine or dentistry. In addition, students who finish the major will have taken the courses required for admission to US medical and dental colleges. Students should consult with the pre-medical/dental advisor early in their college careers to determine the admissions requirements for specific medical or dental schools. Courses for this major may not be taken on a credit/no entry basis. A general description of Ohio Wesleyan’s pre-professional programs appears in the previous chapter of this Catalog, Degrees and Special Programs.
This major must be combined with a second major. Any student wishing to pursue only a single major should choose a major in a regular department or program (e.g., Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Psychology, Neuroscience, or some other area) and take the courses necessary to prepare for the professional school admissions test.
Students wishing to attend professional school directly after graduating must take either the MCAT or the DAT by late spring of their junior year and apply by June 1 of that year, so scheduling is critical. Such students should prioritize the following courses in their schedules during their first three years:
• Year One: CHEM 110 & CHEM 111 , BIOL 120 , and MATH 110 .
• Year Two: CHEM 260 /CHEM 262 & CHEM 261 /CHEM 263 , a 200- or 300-level biology course, and PHIL 112 .
• Year Three: PHYS 110 C /PHYS 110 L & PHYS 111 C /PHYS 111 L or PHYS 115 & PHYS 116 , CHEM 340 /CHEM 342 , and an upper-level biology (preferably BIOL 325 ).
Currently, less than half of entering medical students come directly from undergraduate schools. Students who choose to take an intervening year can spread the required courses out over four years. Students should work closely with their advisors and Dr. Markwardt to ensure that their sequence of courses will prepare them both for the admissions tests and for professional school. Not every course necessary to achieve these goals is required for the major; for example, the MCAT now includes sections on psychology, sociology, and statistics, in addition to the physical and biological sciences, and some dental schools require a course in microbiology.
