Which medical schools do most OSU pre-med students attend?
Our graduates attend medical schools all across the country, with the majority of them at OHSU (the only medical school in the State of Oregon).

What makes OSU graduates so successful in getting admitted to med school?
OSU students get off to a good start, getting the right information from the very beginning about what it takes to be a competitive medical school applicant. Then they get the support they need through all aspects of the application process.

Are there any characteristics that make for a successful med school applicant?
There is no single cookie-cutter best-med-school applicant. Medical schools are looking for excellence and accomplishment, and both depth and breadth. Students must excel in academics and communication skills, have very good health care experience, a commitment to community service and an understanding of health care issues.

Are there any unique things about OSU that help our students?
Research opportunities, a broad choice of majors that work well for medical school preparation, experienced and accessible premed advisors, Premedical Orientation course, Application Seminars, Scholarships for premed and medical students….
these all help our students become fantastic med school applicants.

Are there any trends regarding entrance to med school either nationally or regionally? There is a shortage of health care providers. Medical schools are increasing their class sizes, and new medical schools are opening.

What majors are best suited for students interested in medical school? Are activities important? Students can apply to medical school with any major, as long as required courses are completed. Most OSU students choose a science major (Biology, Biochemistry/biophysics, Microbiology, Chemistry, Zoology). Others choose applied science (EXSS, Nutrition) or engineering (Bioengineering, Radiation Health Physics) or liberal arts (Spanish, Psychology, etc).
Activities are very important, and students should pursue areas of personal interest . Medical schools are especially interested in applicants who have challenged themselves outside of their comfort zone. Looking for opportunities to work with people who are different from themselves, to learn more about the human condition, is very important.

Is there anything else that you would share with someone considering OSU for pre-med?
Get A’s- here are the keys to your success:
Academics
Activities
Advisors
Self Assessment
Advocates
Achievement
=ADMISSION!

What is a good way to learn about other health professions?
There are many outstanding career opportunities in the health professions, and there are excellent websites that will give you insight into some of these. http://www.explorehealthcareers.org/ is a good place to start. Also consult the Occupational Handbook at http://www.bls.gov/ .

For more information about health careers in Oregon visit the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) website at http://www.oregonhealthcareers.org/ . On campus every year the College of Science sponsors a Health Professions Career Fair in April and this is an excellent opportunity to talk to people who represent many different health careers. Examples of some excellent career options to consider are Audiology, Medical Informatics, Anesthesiologist Assistants, Pathologist Assistants, etc.

Thanks to Chere for her insight. For more frequently asked questions about medical school visit the College of Science med school FAQ website.

-bv

For the last two years, OSU undergraduates have been researching and documenting bacteriophages, commonly known as phages (viruses that infect bacteria), as part of a three-year research project funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

OSU was one of 12 universities to be chosen by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute over a year ago to create an undergraduate genomics lab for students to research and catalogue phage DNA. The project has now expanded to 28 schools and OSU has increased from 14 students last year to 17 now in their second year.

Phages are microscopic viruses that attack and kill bacteria by using the bacteria as a host to create more and more phages, while destroying the bacteria in the process….The program also offers undergraduate students a chance to have their genome sequences and research published, as the 14 lab members did last spring at the National Center for Biology Technology Information.

According to Dee Denver, a co-instructor of the lab and an associate professor of zoology, their genome sequence for the phage “Colbert,” named after Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central, is published with the all the students’ names and could eventually play a part in developing treatments for tuberculosis.

How about a spot on the ‘Cheating Death with Dr. Stephen Colbert, DFA’ or ‘Alpha Dog of the Week’?

-bv