Two questions - Biology Program and Med School Admissions

mmcnell
Thu, 03 Feb 2011 01:47:13 +0000

Sorry for the delay, this last exam was especially challenging and I haven’t been able to be on here much.



I have two questions. Can anyone tell me anything about the Cell and Molecular Biology concentration at Arkansas? I’m interested in learning about instructor quality, approachability, classes sizes, etc.

Unfortunately I’m not very familiar with the Cell or Molecular Biology faculty (I was Electrical Engineering, then Biology, only had limited contact with them as such), so I can’t provide direct input on the faculty in any comprehensive way. I will say that I was very pleased with the faculty in my part of the biology department and most non-intro classes are very small. Honors classes are smaller yet and generally have more in-depth labs. Access to research for Honors students is a big plus for the CV (and the experience, of course) and gives the student some unique opportunities to work on faculty projects at a large research university. Access for non-honors students is possible, but much more difficult in a department that tends to have a lot of Honors College students, and they get first pick.

From my experience, faculty are very approachable and encourage students to come talk with them if they have any questions or are interested in talking more a particular topic. Beyond that, I’m not sure what I else I can tell you that might help in determining the quality of the faculty, but if you have any other questions about them, let me know and I’ll do my best to answer.

If you’re interesting in finding out more about what’s going on in the department (research, classes, etc.) I’d recommend contacting Dr. Douglas Rhoads. He teaches several undergraduate cell/molecular biology classes and is the director for the graduate program. His contact information can be found here: [Cell&Molecular Biology Program - University of Arkansas](http://www.uark.edu/depts/cemb/)



My second question pertains to medical school admissions. I was reading on the Honors College website that over 90% of the pre-med students have been admitted to medical school. That’s an impressive percentage. Is there a lot of weeding out going on or are the students/program that good?

Thank you.

Ah, my favorite topic :). The actual admitted percentage is normally a bit higher than 90% for Honors, or at least was during my time there. I would imagine there is some “weeding” in the sense that some students change their minds because of a challenging course-load, but it should be minimal in Honors, and certainly no more so that you normally experience in pre-med… Having worked in admissions, and specifically with the pre-med program, it is almost surprising how many people come in claiming they want to do pre-med. It’s not your undergrad university’s job to tell you what you can or can’t do, so everyone is welcome to go through the program if they choose, but you’re made aware of what it’s like to be a premed and the long path ahead of you from day one. For many, the reality doesn’t necessarily match up with what they thought it was, and they change their minds. The other thing to consider is that college students are indecisive. Recent stats demonstrated that about 85% of undergraduate students in the U.S. change their major at least once, so general indecisiveness also plays a role in people leaving the premed program. The majority of this happens in the first year though, so from there on out you pretty much know who the other premeds are and will get to know them. So, the stats are a reflection of the program and the students and aren’t a reflection of weeding on the University’s part, would be my answer to your question.

In my opinion, the program itself is truly exceptional and starts prepping you from registration, which is the benefit of having dedicated pre-med advisors who provide not just resources and connections to help build your resume and prepare for the application process from Day 1, but also provide personal (and honest) input on virtually anything you might want to know throughout the pre-med process. I am a big proponent of this system, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach that I’ve seen used at some universities, because not only does it generally do far better in acceptance percentages to medical schools due to better preparation and resources, but also because you have someone with you every step of the way though undergrad that knows the process inside and out and can help you stay “ahead of the game” so to speak. If you’re in Honors, you will likely have three faculty advisors- your major advisor, your pre-med advisor, and your Honors research advisor. By utilizing the expertise of faculty instead of relying on jack-of-all-trades advisors or massive advising centers for student guidance I feel you get a better outcome. I think these things are worth looking for at any university you might be interested in attending.

The program can only help you if you let it of course, but it will certainly put everything you need to succeed at your disposal. If you have any other questions about Honors Biology or pre-med, I’d recommend contacting Dr. Jeanne McLachlin, one of the associate directors of the premedical program and an Honors Biology advisor. Her contact information can be found here: [Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences Advising Center](http://fcac.uark.edu/advisingcenter/staff.php) . I’m also happy to answer any further questions, but most of my stats, etc. are now a year or two old so Dr. McLachlin will certainly be your most up-to-date and comprehensive resource for those kinds of questions.

-Matt