Medicine

The allopathic (M.D.) and osteopathic (D.O.) medical professions seek individuals from a variety of educational backgrounds. Although a strong foundation in the natural sciences is essential, a major in the sciences is not. A broad, liberal arts education should enable future physicians to gather and assess data, continually update their knowledge and skills, and apply this new information to the medical, scientific, and ethical problems they will face. Because much of the practice of contemporary medicine is preventative as well as curative, medical school admissions committees also look for well-developed communication skills and ample exposure to the social sciences and humanities. They are concerned with both the breadth and quality of the undergraduate coursework. Students should strive to complete coursework beyond the minimum requirements.

The requirements for U.S. and Canadian allopathic medical schools are provided in the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR). See the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website: www.aamc.org. The requirements for osteopathic schools are provided in the Osteopathic Medical College Information Book. See the Association of American Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) website: www.aacom.org.

Plan of Study

The following courses will satisfy the minimum requirements for admission to most U.S. medical schools (MD and DO) and aid in preparation for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), however, students should strive to complete coursework beyond the minimum requirements.  Medical schools are concerned with both the breadth and quality of the undergraduate coursework.  Not all classes are offered each semester, check the Whitman College Catalog. 

• Chemistry:
  Two semesters of general chemistry with labs, CHEM 125/135-General Chemistry I and Lab and CHEM 126/136-General Chemistry II and Lab or CHEM 140-Advanced General Chemistry and CHEM 310-Quantitative Analysis and Chemical Equilibrium or additional analytic/inorganic chemistry credit may be required. Note: If you have AP/IB credit for Chemistry 125, Chemistry 310 may not be required. 
  
  Two semesters of organic chemistry with labs, CHEM 245/251-Organic Chemistry I and Lab and CHEM  246/252-Organic Chemistry II and lab. 

• Physics:
  Two semesters of physics with laboratory, PHYS 145/145L-General Physics I-Life/Earth Sciences and lab, and PHYS 146/146L-General Physics II-Life/Earth Science and lab.
  Note: Preferred physics course(s) for biology and non-science majors. 
  
  
• Biology:
  Two semesters of biology, BIOL 111- Biological Principles (lab included), BIOL 205-Genetics, and one-semester 300-level course (e.g., BIOL303-Cell Biology, BIOL 305-Cellular Physiology & Signaling, BIOL 310-Physiology, BIOL 319 or 329-Developmental Biology, BIOL 315-Comparative Biology, BIOL 323-Neurophysiology, BIOL 328-Evolutionary Developmental Biology, BIOL 320-Neurobiology, BIOL 330-Human Physiology, BIOL 339-Microbiology & Immunology, BIOL 342-Gene Discovery & Functional Genomics, BIOL 350-Evolutionary Biology). Not all classes are offered each semester, check the Whitman College Catalog. 
  
  Note: A human anatomy and physiology course and lab is recommended by some schools, BIOL 221-Human Anatomy and Physiology I, BIOL 222-Human Anatomy and Physiology II.   
  
  

• Biochemistry:
  One semester of biochemistry, BBMB 325-Biochemistry
  
  
• Mathematics and Statistics:
  Two semesters of college mathematics, MATH 125-Calculus I, MATH 126-Calculus II.
  Some schools require statistics, while many others recommend a course.  Students should take one course, MATH 128-Introduction to Statistics or MATH 247-Statistics with Applications or PSYC 210-Psychological Statistics. 
  
  
• Social Sciences:
  Two semesters, PSYC 110-Introduction to Psychology, SOC 117-Principles of Sociology, or SOC 209-Health and Illness.
  
  Other courses mapped to the MCAT include ANTH 201-The Strange and Familiar: Fundamentals of Cultural Anthropology, PSYC 230-Social Psychology, PSYC 320-Seminar: Psychology Aging, and PSYC 330-Clinical Science and Research.
    
• Ethics:
  One semester of ethics is recommended, PHIL 127-Ethics or PHIL 217-Bioethics

Other Considerations:
Developing Competencies

The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has identified core competencies that focus on the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes essential for entering medical students and future physicians.  Through academic excellence and strong co-curricular and extracurricular programs, the broad liberal arts education offered at Whitman College supports students in their development of the fifteen core competencies as outlined by the AAMC.    

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Commitment to Learning and Growth - Practices continuous personal and professional growth for improvement, including setting and communicating goals for learning and development; reflects on successes, challenges, and mistakes; pursues opportunities to improve knowledge and understanding; and asks for and incorporates feedback to learn and grow.
  
  
• Cultural Awareness - Appreciates how historical, sociocultural, political, and economic factors affect others interactions, behaviors, and well-being; values diversity; and demonstrates a desire to learn about different cultures, beliefs, and values.
  
  
• Cultural Humility - Seeks out and engages diverse and divergent perspectives with a desire to understand and willingnessto adjust one’s mindset; understands a situation or idea from alternative viewpoints; reflects on one’s values, beliefs, and identities and how they may affect others; reflects on and addresses bias in oneself and others; and fosters a supportive environment that values inclusivity.
  
  
• Empathy and Compassion - Recognizes, understands, and acknowledges others’ experiences, feelings, perspectives, and reactions to situations; is sensitive to others’ needs and feelings; and demonstrates a desire to help others and alleviate others’ distress.
  
  
• Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others - Behaves with honesty and integrity; considers multiple and/or conflicting principles and values to inform decisions; adheres to ethical principles when carrying out professional obligations; resists pressure to engage in unethical behavior; and encourages others to behave honestly and ethically.
  
  
• Interpersonal Skills - Demonstratesan awareness of how social and behavioral cues affect people’s interactions and behaviors; adjusts behaviors appropriately in response to these cues; recognizes and manages one’s emotions and understands how emotions impact others or a situation; and treats others with dignity, courtesy, and respect.
  
  
• Oral Communication Effectively conveys information to others using spoken words and sentences; actively listens to understand the meaning and intent behind what others say; and recognizes potential communication barriers and adjusts approach or clarifies information as needed.
  
  
• Reliability and Dependability Demonstrates accountability for performance and responsibilities to self and others; prioritizes and fulfills obligations in a timely and satisfactory manner; and understands consequences of not fulfilling one’s responsibilities to self and others.
  
  
• Resilience and Adaptability Perseveres in challenging, stressful, or ambiguous environments or situations by adjusting behavior or approach in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles, and recognizes and seeks help and support when needed; recovers from and reflects on setbacks; and balances personal well-being with responsibilities.
  
  
• Service Orientation Shows a commitment to something larger than oneself; demonstrates dedication to service and a commitment to making meaningful contributions that meet the needs of communities.
  
  
• Teamwork and Collaboration Collaborates with others to achieve shared goals and prioritizes shared goals; adjusts role between team member and leader based on one’s own and others’ expertise and experience; shares information with team members and encourages this behavior in others; and gives and accepts feedback to improve team performance.

SCIENCE COMPETENCIES

• Human Behavior - Applies knowledge of the self, others, and social systems to solve problems related to the psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors that influence health and well-being.
  
  
• Living Systems - Applies knowledge and skill in the natural sciences to solve problems related to molecular and macro systems, including biomolecules, molecules, cells, and organs.

THINKING AND REASONING COMPETENCIES

• Critical Thinking Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  
  
• Quantitative Reasoning - Applies quantitative reasoning and appropriate mathematics to describe or explain phenomena in the natural world.
  
  
• Scientific Inquiry - Applies knowledge of the scientific process to integrate and synthesize information, solve problems, and formulate research questions and hypotheses; is facile in the language of the sciences and uses it to participate in the discourse of science and explain how scientific knowledge is discovered and validated.
  
  
• Written Communication - Effectively conveys information to others by using written words and sentences.

Health Professions Advisory Committee

Medical School Applications (MD,DO)

For most allopathic medical schools (MD), you complete the AMCAS application, sponsored by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC).  Students interested in Texas medical schools will apply using the Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service (TMDSAS). For osteopathic medical schools (DO), you complete the AACOMAS application, sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM).