Lauren Bishop has been accepted to several post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs and hopes this presentation will help her decide which to attend. The programs discussed are at Mississippi College, University of Pennsylvania, American University, and Barry University. She also provides information on requirements for admission to medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina and the career of a surgeon. Organizing this information has helped her evaluate how each graduate program prepares her for acceptance into medical school and her goal of becoming a surgeon.

1. L A U R E N B I S H O P
Research on Career Powerpoint

2. Introduction
In this presentation, I hope to explore the options I am currently
weighing for graduate school programs that I have been accepted to for this
August. I hope that organizing this information will aid me in making a decision
on which graduate program to attend. I will explore the requirements for
medical school following the completion of my graduate program. Finally, I will
provide some information about the career I hope to pursue upon the
completion of medical school.

3. A C C E P T E D T O T H E F O L L O W I N G S C H O O L S
F O R A P O S T - B A C C A L A U R E A T E P R E - M E D I C A L
P R O G R A M S
Graduate Schools

4. Mississippi College
The Master of Biology (Medical Science)
• Location: Clinton, Mississippi
• Purpose: “prepare students for a
career in medical science
research or for those students
wishing to enter medical, dental
optometry, physician assistant,
and pharmacy schools.”
• Length: 1 calendar year (Fall,
Spring, and summer terms)
• Credit hour requirements: 33
credit hours
• Tuition: $650/hour= $21,450

5. Mississippi College
Program Features
• 20,000 square foot medical
science facility with a 4,800
square foot Human Cadaver lab
• Human Gross Anatomy course
with full body cadaver dissection
• Students may take National Board
Subject Exams (Shelf Exams),
which allow students to see how
they compare to current medical
school students in courses taken
• Take courses extremely similar to
those taken by first year medical
students
• Learn to read basic x-rays, CAT
scans, and MRIs.
http://www.mc.edu/academics/departm
ents/biology/graduate-
programs/biology-ms/medical-sciences/

6. University of Pennsylvania
Pre-Health Specialized Studies Certificate Program
• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Purpose: “designed to help you build a
more competitive professional school
application. The Specialized Studies
Program will meet your needs if you
already have a significant scientific
background but seek to bolster your
academic credentials and update your
knowledge of more advanced topics in the
sciences, such as biology or neuroscience.”
• Length: 9 months (Fall and Spring terms)
• Credit hour requirements: 8 course units
(equals about 24-26 credit hours)
• Tuition: $2,860/course unit= $22,880

7. University of Pennsylvania
Program Features
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/lps/postb
acc/pre-health/specialized
• Personalized advisors provide a
committee letter for medical school
applications
• Linkage agreements with 8 medical
schools (contingent on successful
completion of the program)
• Volunteer, shadowing, and research
opportunities
• Assistance in excellent job placement
for students during ‘glide year’
during medical school application
process, such as research assistant
positions at hospitals, Academic
associates at hospitals, and Harrison
Surgical Scholars

8. American University
Postbaccalaureate Premedical Certificate
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Purpose: “designed for students who
have a bachelor’s degree and either
lack the prerequisites required by
health professional schools, or wish
to strengthen their credentials.
• Length: 1 calendar year (Fall, Spring,
and Summer terms)
• Credit hour requirements: 24 credit
hours
• Tuition: $1,526/credit hour=
$36,624

9. American University
Program Features
http://www.american.edu/cas/preme
d/CERT-GPMD.cfm
• Composite letter of evaluation upon
program completion for graduate
school applications
• Guidance/assistance in the medical
school application process
• Help students polish essay writing
and interview skills
• Preparation for entrance exams
(MCAT)
• Certificate upon completion

10. Barry University
• Location: Miami, Florida
• Purpose: “prepares students who wish to
advance as health care professionals or
biomedical scientists. The curriculum
serves to strengthen a student’s
application for medical, dental or other
professional health education by
delivering a sequence of core science
courses similar to the first-year of a
medical, dental, or podiatric curriculum.
• Length: 18 months(Fall, Spring, and
Summer, and Fall terms)
• Credit hour requirements: 36 credit
hours
• Tuition: $990/credit hour= $35,640
Biomedical Sciences Degree (Master of Science)

11. Barry University
Program Features
https://www.barry.edu/biomedical-
sciences/
• Comprehensive Exam at the end of
the program for completion
• Anatomage table, which is the most
technologically advanced virtual
dissection and visualization system.
• Curriculum similar to first year
medical school classes
• Accredited through 2021 by the
Southern Association for Colleges
and Schools (SACS) Commission.

12. I N F O R M A T I O N A B O U T A D M I S S I O N
R E Q U I R E M E N T S A N D P R O G R A M F E A T U R E S
Medical School

13. Medical University of South Carolina
College of Medicine: Medical Doctor (MD) Program
• Location: Charleston, South
Carolina
• Length: 4 years
• Tuition: $59,685 1st year, $57,210
2nd year, $68,678 3rd year, and $65,
795 4th year= $251,368 total
• All expenses included (room,
board, transportation, etc.)
http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/com/admissions/

14. Medical University of South Carolina
Admissions Criteria
• MCAT: new scoring requirements
will be released in June when MCAT
2015 scores are released
• Completion of a baccalaureate
degree- must have at least 90 credit
hours complete to apply
• No prerequisite courses required,
but recommend 2 semesters of
general biology, general chemistry,
organic chemistry, and physics
• 3 letters of recommendation- 2 from
science professors and 1 from a non
science professor
Selection Process
• Intellectual ability- GPA and MCAT
scores
• Noncognitive traits desirable in future
physicians- integrity, enthusiasm,
interpersonal skills, judgment,
compassion.
• Accomplishments- letters of
recommendation, leadership, volunteer
experience, shadowing/clinical
exposure, etc.
• Added Value- cultural experiences,
research, graduate degrees,
artistic/athletic achievements,
overcoming adversity, etc.

15. I N F O R M A T I O N A B O U T A C A R E E R A S A
S U R G E O N I N C L U D I N G S A L A R Y , H I S T O R Y ,
A N D R E Q U I R E M E N T S
Career in Surgery

16. Surgeon
• Average Salary: 2012 median
pay>$187,200/year
• Requirements: 4 years
undergraduate school, 4 years
medical school, 3-8 years in
internship/residency programs
(depending on specialty)
• History: surgery dates back to the
Neolithic and Egyptian periods with
trephining, which involved cutting a
small hole in the head for currently
unknown reasons. Now surgery has
evolved as a way of treating injury,
deformity, and disease.
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physi
cians-and-surgeons.htm#tab-1

17. Traits of a Surgeon
• Onet lists the Interest types of a
surgeon as Investigative, Realistic,
and Social
• My Onet test results were highest of
Investigative, Artistic, and Social.
• Both my test and the information
about the emphasis on an
investigative personality make be
believe that I would enjoy a career as
a surgeon. There is an emphasis on
working with ideas and solving
problems, which I can see myself
excelling at.
• Some of the work styles given for a
surgeon are attention to detail,
stress tolerance, concern for others,
dependability, and integrity.
http://www.onetonline.org/link/s
ummary/29-1067.00

18. Conclusion
Through this presentation, I feel as though I have gained and organized
knowledge about the path that my future might take. I was able to find and
organize information about the graduate programs I have been accepted to,
which will help me make a decision about what program to choose. I found
information on what medical schools require and entail, and also found the
requirements and job description for a surgeon, a career I hope to achieve one
day. I feel that through this research I was able to see that my graduate
programs all have many different strengths that will prepare me for acceptance
into medical school. I also was able to look at a career as a surgeon and see that I
think my preparation and personality makes it a good fit for my future career.