Pre-Med, Pre-Vet, Pre-Dental Program

Getting the undergraduate experiences necessary to qualify a student for medical, dental, or veterinary school can be challenging. While no specific undergraduate major is required, Biology or Biochemistry combined with field specific courses is strongly recommended. Faculty members at The College of Saint Rose help to ensure that students who want to go to medical, dental, or veterinary school have the advice, coursework, and support they need to help them prepare an effective application. Students are guided by the Pre-Med committee, a group of six faculty members who are dedicated to keeping students on-track for their chosen field.

Pre-Med Committee

The Pre-Medical Program Committee includes four faculty members from the Sciences, one Psychology faculty member, and one faculty member from the Arts or Humanities. Although the official name of the committee is the Pre-Medical Committee, it guides Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, and Pre-Vet students.
 

Coursework

Students in the Saint Rose pre-med, pre-dental, pre-vet programs must complete and submit completed evaluation forms (obtained from the committee chair, Dr. Brian Jensen) for each of the following:

• Two biology courses
• Two English courses
• MAT 190 Calculus
• A second mathematics course
• PHY 190 and 191 Fundamentals of Physics I & II
• Four chemistry courses (including one in general chemistry and one in organic chemistry)

Credential Review

Each spring semester, the Pre-medical Program Committee reviews each student's progress by examining individual academic progress reports and performance in core courses (listed above). Students receive the committee's written recommendations and advice to resolve any problems and to promote strong academic performance.

Mock Medical School Interviews

As a part of the ongoing evaluation and support process, the committee offers each pre-med, pre-vet, and pre-dental student an opportunity to participate in mock interviews designed to prepare students for this important part of the medical school application process.

Letters of Recommendation

In the fall of the senior year, the members of the Pre-Medical Program Committee conduct a thorough evaluation of the student's performance and subsequently compose a committee letter of evaluation to support the student's applications to medical, dental, or veterinary school. Students are also advised to solicit letters of recommendation from individual faculty members who have taught them during their undergraduate program.

Additional Activities

Because entrance to medical, dental, and veterinary schools is highly competitive, we advise our students to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities to enhance their application packages. Many pre-medical students prepare for the required Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) by supplementing the strong instruction we offer in core courses with an MCAT preparatory course. The Pre-Medical Program Committee also encourages students to attend our monthly Science Colloquium Series on current issues in Science. Pre-med, pre-dental, and pre-vet students also are advised to participate in the opportunities we offer for undergraduate research and to engage in volunteer and service-learning activities that bring Science and Medicine to life. Many students also choose to pursue internships in a variety of exciting clinical and professional settings.