Pre-Med and Pre-Dental Program

The Pre-Med program at Virginia Tech provides students with support and information concerning course selection, the MCAT, campus interviews and letters of recommendation for medical school, dentistry and other medical programs.

Pre-Medicine refers to the preparation that is required for admission to medical school. "Pre-Med" is not a major in which you get a degree, but rather a set of courses that you take along with your other graduation requirements. Being Pre-Med also means preparing personally as well as academically , including extracurricular activities and volunteer work that demonstrate your qualifications and motivation to enter the profession.

Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental advising at Virginia Tech is located within University Honors and is under the direction of Dr. Tom Sitz. The Pre-Med and Pre-Dent program is open to all students, not just Honors. The program advises students in all curricula as to the specific requirements for medical and dental school admission, and assists students in moving toward the goal of becoming competitive applicants. In the months just prior to application for admission, each student is provided with an interview with the director and faculty drawn from the Pre-Med/Dent Advisory Committee. Subsequently, the director can submit a letter of evaluation highlighting accomplishments and identifying unique qualities. The office maintains cordial relations with the admissions offices of the medical schools in Virginia and neighboring states.

Nationwide, the ratio of applicants to seats for first year students has been about 2.4:1 for the past four years. For those Virginia Tech students who come through the University Pre-Med Advising Office, who work with the Pre-Med Advisor, participate in opening a PreMed folder, participate in the campus interview and who take advantage of the constructive suggestion from the Pre-Med advisor and others on the Pre-Med Advising Committee, that group of students has an acceptance rate of ~ 90% each year. These data suggest that the highly successful Virginia Tech graduate is well respected as an applicant.

Although the majority of successful medical school applicants have majored in a life science field, such specialization is not a criterion for admission. Medical schools seek those students who have displayed academic and personal success in school and have acquired a mature and realistic view of the practice of medicine. The advising program at Virginia Tech is designed to assist students in achieving these ends.

Pre-Med Reading List

• View the reading list

Students who are considering a career in medicine are encouraged to explore a broad array of issues that impact medicine. In addition to getting observation and hands-on experience one needs to be well read. There are many books about medicine that would strengthen one’s understanding of complex issues such as health care reform, family life with a medical career, ethical dilemmas, the journey through medical school, nuances of specialties, and end of life issues to name only a few. Being well read in this area will be reflected in conversation with others and in interview. This is not something one can cram for the night before. It is recommended that premed students read at least one of these books over each of their semester breaks, winter and summer holidays.