Krista Stowe, Bemidji State: Attending Med School in Duluth, fall 2010
1. Why is your school good for pre-meds?
BSU is good for self-motivated pre-meds. Like any school, you need to be focused on what you want. It has a strong Sciences program, and with the exception of physics I was really pleased with the way the classes prepared me to take the MCAT. A note on physics: I took Calc-based and it was hard and complicated-aka over and way past what was needed for MCAT, but I learned a lot. I have had friends who took general physics instead and they seemed to be a little more comfortable with MCAT physics--but ultimately, I would recommend taking whichever class you want and using the Princeton books because they really isolate what you need to know for the MCAT.
BSU has an awesome environment.
Everyone that I came across there has been SUPER supportive. It is like a big family; the faculty and staff care about the students. I have a lot of lasting relationships with my professors. They invest in you and want to know what you are doing after graduation.
2. What are some clubs pre-meds should be involved in?
Medical Post 911- it's a pre-professional club, so you gain exposure to the medical field but also to pre-pharmacy, pre-chiropractic, pre-physical therapy (etc) students and presenters. It helps to gain exposure across the health care field. It is an excellent networking opportunity.
Majors clubs- i.e. Biology, Chemistry, Psychology- whatever major you choose.
I would also recommend a service club- it can help keep you motivated and moving. There are several on campus- Habitat for Humanity, Sororities/Fraternities, Students w/ Scholarships, Religious organizations, etc.
Be sure to check out your options and find a good fit:
http://www.bemidjistate.edu/students/organizations/
3. Who are some good advisers?
Dr. Openshaw- Biology/Pre-med. He was my adviser, he will probably push you the hardest, but that may not be your style. He is also probably the most updated on upcoming pre-medical events in Minnesota.
Dr. Larson- Chemistry/Pre-med- really nice and very straight forward with you.
Dr. Traxler-Chemistry/Pre-med- I really haven't had any interactions with him.
Also- keep in mind that you can have more than one adviser, so go ahead and ask for guidance from any of your professors.
4. Who are some good professors?
Dr. Hamann- Biology; Super nice, extremely intelligent, great enthusiasm for courses and research! I worked for him, had him as a teacher, and did research with him. He is really invested in student success! Overall- great teacher, great guy :) You can definitely go to him if you ever need help.
Dr. Larson-Chemistry; Amazing! People have different learning styles, but I would have taken all my chemistry classes with her if I could have. She made Organic Chemistry really easy to understand--there were even things from general chemistry that made a lot more sense when she explained them.
Dr. Guelda- Biology; Super fun! Really enthusiastic in class. Great person to talk to if you need re-assurance or a fire lit under you. She was very much a mentor for me, even though her area is more in zoology/aquatic biology.
Dr. Fulton-Biology; Again-really fun! I choose him as my thesis adviser. His area is more towards botany/ecology, but he will offer very good and straightforward advice.
Dr. Ketel-Biology; Very nice person. She is a newer teacher so I only had her for one class, but I enjoyed her teaching style. I think she has strong expectations for her students, so if you take a lower level class, the not-as-serious students will not be able to convince her to make her tests 'easier'-- definitely a good thing for the serious med students who really want to learn the material.
Dr. Openshaw-Biology; His classes are NOT for the overloaded. They are hard and he will push you individually, but this is good preparation for Medical School. He has a strong reputation for being one of the hardest professors in the department. He is also the one that teaches courses specific to medicine. Dr. Openshaw definitely pays attention to whether you are working hard or hardly working.
Dr. Lund-Mathematics; I struggle with math and he was able to explain it really well. Also a very nice guy.
Dr. Weaver-English
Dr. Driscoll-Psychology
I had lots of outstanding professors, but these are probably the ones you will have the most contact with.
5. What classes do you recommend taking, especially for MCAT prep?
For MCAT Prep:
Into Biology I & II
Principles of Chemistry I & II
Organic Chemistry I & II
Physics I & II (gen or calc)
Anatomy and Physiology
Medical Physiology
Microbiology
Genetics
Immunology
Biochemistry I & II
Some type of reading/writing class- this well help keep your mind trained for the verbal reasoning and writing sections (and can help prevent science overload)
(if you have time- Cell Biology would probably be good too)
Don't overload yourself in trying to prepare for the MCAT- GPA is important too!
Histology is a good course to prepare you for Medical school, but I would take it after applying if possible, for most people it isn't very healthy for the GPA.
There are also a lot of electives like Cancer and Tumor Biology, Hematology, Medical Terminology which are good classes, but they won't necessarily be extremely helpful on the MCAT, so you can save them for later.
Remember that you will typically need at least one letter of recommendation from an instructor--you want the instructor to be able to comment on you personally (work ethic, attitude, passions/goals, etc) not your grade in the class-that's on the transcript.
7. What are some research and paid job opportunities?
There are lots of job opportunities on campus. Try to find something science or public service oriented. I worked with the Biology Department and Admissions Office. Check out this link for job postings:
http://www.bemidjistate.edu/students/services/employment/
Research:
Biology-See Dr. Hamann, Dr. Ketel, or Dr. Guelda: They are the most likely to have research opportunities for you.
Chemistry- I believe Dr. Traxler usually oversees most of the research.
8. Anything else you would like to add.
Get to know your instructors and peers- it will make your road a lot smoother and can help prevent unnecessary turns ;)
Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Whatever you are passionate about.