<p>I’m a current pre-med student at UR, and I personally think that the program is fantastic, especially compared to programs at other schools (UVA, W&M, Georgetown) that I hear about from my friends.
All pre-med students have the same advisor, and he is extremely knowledgeable about medical school admissions. Pre-med students get put on a specific “track” for planning their program, in which pre-med classes are scheduled throughout your years at UR in a way that makes you most prepared for the MCATs. Pre-med students are encouraged to do a Medical Humanities minor, which is a really fantastic program that delves into issues that doctors face, like doctor-patient relations, ethics, malpractice, politics, etc. I love the Medical Humanities minor so much that I’m turning it into a major!
That’s another great thing about UR pre-med - you don’t have to major in a science. I am double majoring in Medical Humanities and Anthropology, and I know pre-meds majoring in Music, Business, French, Political Science, and more. Pretty much, you can do what you love and still be pre-med!
As for research, EVERY pre-med does research. There are multiple research opportunities here, I’m pretty sure that every science professor is working on a research project, and they are all extremely willing to have you work in their lab. You can get great grants for summer research, as well as research during the school year. There are so many projects that you are bound to find one that really interests you, whether it’s biology, chemistry, biochem, physics, biophysics - anything!
I know many previous pre-med students that have gotten into top Med Schools, including Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Duke, and many others. My friend is even doing a PhD/MD program at Carnegie Mellon next year, and another is doing an MD/JD!
Pretty much, I have nothing but good things to say about the pre-med program here. The advisor really cares about you, your interests, and your future, as do all of the professors. I have found that everyone does their best to make sure you succeed.</p>