Professional School Comments

First, I would like to point out (and I can already hear you saying, "I told you so.") that I wish I had taken Comp. Vert. with you. Too late, but if I come to speak with the Pre-Meds during my Spring Break vacation, I'll be sure to let them know. Other than that, everything's fine. I thank God (and Dr. Duobinis-Gray) everyday that I had Histo and Parasit. I'm already working 8 hrs./day on Anatomy, I can't even imagine having to split my time between the two! Here, Embryo is a part of the Gross class, and Cell Bio is a part of the Histo class, so the latter is boring me to tears (since I T.A.'d 4 classes of Cell Bio and just had Histo last semester). Gross is like a run-away freight train. My brain didn't actually turn on until Fri of the 1st week of classes, so I played a catch-up game for about 30 hrs. over the weekend. I'm definitely motivated now! The material is not hard to handle at all, but there's just so darn much of it! You can tell the undergrads this all you want to, but they can't really COMPREHEND until they sit in this position. I have formed a study group for Gross, and I'm staying the afternoon in labs everyday. It's not a major hassle, I'm just treating it like an 8-5 job. The more I accomplish everyday, the less I have to worry about falling behind. In Histo, at the end of each week, a study group has "formed" around me. I sit at the head of a 10-head microscope and point out structures to everyone else. Since I had old test files (they are legal), I looked at the Histo final and determined that I could get an A. So, the only time I'm having a real review is when I teach others at the end of each week, which for Histo, I think is all the review I need. D-Gray did an excellent job! We'll see how Phys goes next block (I think it starts the 2nd week of November).

I not only received a "good education" from MSU--I received an extremely competitive one! Liberal arts colleges and major universities have nothing on the personal attention you receive at Murray. The school is just large enough to offer almost any class you'd want, but at the same time small enough for the professors to know you by name. You can't beat that combination. I went to med school thinking that, "Who am I coming from a regional school to compete with people from the biggest universities in the country?" I am more than just "keeping up"...I am more than just "competitive" and far more than "average." You can get the best education possible--it's just your choice to do so.

Third Year Medical Student--MD/PhD program at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana:

My main piece of advice would be for the pre-med students not to be a bunch of pansies. Nothing can prepare you for med school, with the exception of vet school, it seems. However, you can lessen the shock by suffering in undergrad and taking the, "hard courses". If they can't handle animal phys, immuno, cell or genetics, then they don't have any business in professional school anyway. Anyone who's interested in research should get in a lab as soon as possible. They should also stay
in the lab long enough to get past the dish washing stage. If they truly find that they hate bench work, then they need to get the Hell out of the lab; so there will be room for someone else. There's really no way to convey just how much work and worry it is. I probably should have added that despite M1 being the worst year of my life, it was interesting as Heckl; and my career plans haven't changed. I don't want to discourage humanities majors from applying to med school. Many of my colleagues majored in psychology or english, and they survived. Everybody suffers through the academic portion of med school. However,
you will suffer less if you're well prepared. It's a real catch 22, and it basically comes down to your priorities. If an individual doesn't want to sacrifice his or her well-roundedness, he or she shouldn't. Just realize that, barring natural geniuses or prodigy test-takers, the first two years will be harder on you. Having good communication skills is a huge benefit during the last two years of med school, so majoring in english could be a big benefit later in the training, when your grades actually matter.

"What really helped me was the experienced gained as a PT tech. Interacting with patients as much as possible prior to PT school is essential. I credit my year of work experience as the key to getting accepted. The grades obviously must be good to even be considered for an interview but once you get to the interview portion it's all about why you think you should be accepted into the field of Physical Therapy. What skills, knowledge, and attitude regarding Physical Therapy can you bring to their program? Get some experience it is the best teacher!"

Second Year Graduate Student in Pharmacology/Toxicology at the University of Louisville:

"Undergraduate course work related to the area of interest is a very good preparation and provides a foundation from which to build the knowledge gained from graduate level classes. However, first hand experience doing undergraduate research is more valuable than classes. Research provides experience planning and performing experiments, dealing with all the unexpected problems, and then presenting the results, which are things that cannot be learned sitting in a classroom."

"My three years at Murray State provided me with an exceptional foundation for professional study in physical therapy. My advice to any current or prospective student is to take the more difficult classes (which were comparative and animal physiology while I was at MSU)! Comparative gave me an advantage over my peers when taking gross anatomy because it provided me with a firm anatomy background and extensive dissection experience. Likewise, human physiology was more of a review for me in PT school since I had taken animal physiology at MSU the semester before. Besides challenging
yourself academically, make a point to gain experience in a variety of rehab settings. My volunteer work was limited and I didn't know the breadth of the physical therapy profession upon entering school. Finding a part-time job in the therapy profession has been the most encouraging and motivational action I could have taken while in PT school. Finally, don't be discouraged by the news that the PT field is saturated these days and that graduates are not finding jobs. The job market is always in need of prepared and dedicated individuals. Start early to make yourself the type of person that would be a valued commodity in any profession!

Second year student at the Pikeville School of Osteopathic Medicine (Pikesville, KY):

Medical school is a test of one's endurance. Each subject within the curriculum is not terribly difficult by itself, it is the volume of material and the speed at which it is presented that is at times overwhelming (this semester I spend 34 hours a week in class). The first two years have been physically and emotionally demanding; being a medical student is an all-consuming lifestyle. I would encourage anyone that is interested in pursuing medicine as a career to be absolutely sure that he/she really wants to become a physician. It requires sacrifices that I never imagined until I got here. Having said that, I do love school. It is rewarding and challenging, and eventually will be worth the sacrifice. I feel that I was well prepared for the rigors of medical school. My coursework at Murray State was extremely helpful to me in my first year. I would encourage pre-med students to take as many difficult courses as possible. The subject matter will be helpful later, and getting accustomed to the volume of a heavy course load will be very beneficial. I would advise future medical students to take comparative anatomy, animal physiology, histology, and biochemistry. The osteopathic medical school experience is very similar to the allopathic
experience. There are a few differences in philosophy, but they are of little significance. Osteopathic physicians, in general, are very dedicated to primary care and are trained to approach the practice of medicine holistically. In the first two years of school, osteopathic students learn some basic musculoskeletal manipulation. Upon completion of my training, I will be licensed to provide the medical treatment that my patients need, and I will be able to treat their mild aches and pains using my manipulation skills.

I would be lying if I were to say that the first year isn't that bad--the truth is, nothing can truly prepare you for the massive amounts of information you have to learn in such a short amount of time. However, it is not impossible--the first few weeks will be trying as your mind gets back into gear from the summer break just (and more than ever before in your life) to hit the ground running. The stacks of notes pile up, hours in the day fade away, and the coffee just never is strong enough. In time, though, you will begin to establish a rhythm and realize that it's very "do-able". Then the first exam comes along--these exams are typically far more difficult than (most of) the exams that you are used to taking, partly because not just one professor teaches a course but perhaps as many as 30, each w/ his or her own style and format of questions. The good news is that they are virtually all mult-choice and matching.....the bad news is that the professors have perfected the art of making more than one answer sound correct. Don't worry...you'll do fine; you'll be surprised w/ yourself on how much you actually know. About the time you get the first couple of classes figured out, that class is over and a new set begins, so it's time to re-adjust. The cycle continues. My best advice for the first year would be: 1) try to take "Histology" and some type of anatomy course (comp. vert., nursing-level anat, etc.) the spring before to start med-school (at least for UK) in order to get most of the essentials under your belt so you won't get bogged down too badly, 2) make sure to make living accomodations WELL IN ADVANCE!!! Start looking for apartments in MARCH, not June/July, and 3) no matter what you do, try to find something that you enjoy for leisure-time. Whether it's going to the gym, reading a good book, or just being a couch-potato for an hour, it is very easy to get caught up in doing nothing but school work--FIGHT IT!!! Your sanity will thank you. The second year begins much like the first, only the classes involve learning even MORE amounts of material. 3" three-ring binders will be about to burst at the seams from the volume of notes. You survived one year....you can do it again. Just take it a day at a time. Unfortunately, there is no "getting ahead", but more of just preparing for the next exam in the series. To sum up--"Damage-Control." It will be harder to find time for leisure activity, but still maintain to do so as best as possible. Before you know it, it's Christmas and you're nearly half-way through.

Murray State University's undergraduate Chemistry program offers a unique opportunity to work at your own pace, be actively involved in learning, and excel with many opportunities for research. Perhaps more importantly, the

faculty are accessible and friendly, always available and ready to help, and know your name and really care about your progress. Finally, the chemistry department provides a solid foundation for continued postgraduate education

or a career in chemistry; having the MSU name on my Chemistry degree certainly helped me to achieve my goals--I was easily accepted into medical school coming from the excellent pre-medical chemistry program at MSU."

First of all, I need to address why someone might choose pharmacy over other professional programs. First, you couldn’t ask for better job security- the demand for pharmacists is far exceeding the supply nationally. Secondly, if you know you want a career where you can use the science background you developed in undergrad, but can’t see yourself being on call every other weekend or making rounds everyday at 5am, or don’t want to be limited to one career path after graduation, I highly suggest that you give a PharmD program a serious look. Pharmacists, like MD’s, can become specialists in particular areas of care and hold teaching positions without a PhD, can hold lucrative jobs in pharmaceutical companies, can become clinical pharmacists in hospitals and see patients and monitor care in conjunction with physicians, can conduct research, and can own their own pharmacies. If you are serious about pharmacy school, here are my suggestions (based on the one year of pharmacy school at UK only):

1. Although you can get into pharmacy school after just two years of undergrad, I would caution you to think about the consequences of this. First, if you decide that pharmacy school is not for you, you still have your undergrad degree to complete. Also, the coursework is very demanding, and taking upper-level bio and chem courses prior to pharmacy school will make it less of a shock. Most importantly though, MSU is another planet compared to UK. I think it is worth your time and money to take advantage of the wonderful, personable professors at MSU as well as the small class sizes. You will find yourself extremely prepared to do well in the PharmD program if you do so.

2. Two helpful classes that are not pre-pharmacy curriculum but are helpful are biochem (not baby biochem) and cell biology. In fact, you may talk with the pharmacy school about substituting biochem for the second organic lab as a pre-pharmacy requirement (I did- but I can’t guarantee it will work for you). Biochem is VERY helpful, and friends of mine who did not take it before pharmacy school are struggling!!! Neurobiology would probably be helpful too, but I didn’t take it.

3. If you are interested in pharmacy, work in one to see if it’s something in which you may be interested. Also, shadow a clinical pharmacist and see what they do. But, don’t let your initial pharmacy experience completely cut out the field if you didn’t have a good one. My first experience working in a pharmacy was a retail store, and I HATED IT! I did like learning about the medications, so I kept and open mind and shadowed pharmacists working in other areas. You will find when you start the PharmD. Program that there are an overwhelming number of career choices in pharmacy.

I feel that Murray State University provided me with a great preparation for Physician Assistant School at UK. The only regret that I have is that I didn’t take Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy. I have heard this a lot from Murray State graduates that are now in professional school. It seems like the easy thing to do at the time to just take the bare minimum requirements to get into a professional school. Human Anatomy does give you a basic overview of anatomy and I did what most do, I took the pre-requisite of Human Anatomy instead of being an overachiever. My first semester I had Gross Anatomy and I felt like I was learning from scratch. I made it through Gross but it was no easy task.

The first semester in PA school, you have Human Physiology, Pathology, Clinical Laboratory Procedures and Gross Anatomy. It is a killer first semester but it is manageable. You have to start reading from day one. If you get behind, you will never catch up. You have to read before you go to class and you have to look over your notes continuously. 1000’s of pages of notes can’t be crammed right before a test.

Most professors print off their entire lecture notes for you so all you have to do is listen in class and take whatever additional notes you need. All the material is there and it is very organized. The material is not hard, it is just a lot of material to learn in a short amount of time. If you keep up with your studies, it isn’t that bad and you still have time to have a life.

For the interview, the best thing I can tell you is to be confident and be in professional attire. They really stress professional dress here. We dress up for class every day and in suits when we have speakers. Make you sure let them know that you are open to working in a rural area. PA school was developed to provide medical assistance to the rural areas. If you totally rule out working in one, they will most likely look for someone else who is willing.

PA school at UK is now a 2 ½ year Master degree program with 1 ½ of class work and a year of rotations. They push you through very fast! You are pretty much going through an abbreviated med school in that 1 ½ years. We even use the same books as the med school. There is a lot to learn in 1 ½ years. It is very hands-on and I have enjoyed it. PAs are going to be high in demand in the future. They offer assistance to physicians so that more patients can be seen. It offers a great deal of independence but you and the physician are still dependent on each other.

Murray State has a great science program that offers a great preparation for any professional medical program. I have not had any problems in PA school with grades and I have not felt overly frustrated with my studies- I owe that all o all the great Biology professors that we have at Murray.

My advice is threefold (and I will assume you’re interested in PT): 1) You're already at a great institution that will prepare you for Physical Torture School, so be concerned more with really gaining experience in a variety of settings. I was fortunate enough to be a Physical therapy tech at MCCH as well as having some experience in an outpatient setting at a clinic in Murray. At Belmont, we have four 8-week rotations and, because it’s an entry-level Doctorate degree preparing us to be well-rounded clinicians when we graduate, three of these rotations must be taken in different areas such as in acute, subacute, and outpatient settings. We also have half-day clinicals our second semester, and full-day clinicals the semesters following, so the more experience you get now, the more comfortable you’ll feel in those settings (schools are also requiring more extensive experience for applicants due to the rising numbers).

2) Make sure that physical therapy is what you want to do. I’ve been told stories while at Belmont of students whom had completed their first year of PT school only to boost their moral for applying to medical school! So, unless you’re just super-rich (and if you are, we need to talk!) or feel like taking a re-run year of “ology” classes, make sure that PT is what you want to do. Trust me when I say that PT is a whole different animal than any other of the professional programs, though all of the course requisites for the different professional programs are pretty much mirror images of each other at Murray, they are otherwise completely different. That is why I am placing an over-emphasis on experience.

3) Lastly, when looking at PT schools, do your homework. See what’s the best fit for you monetarily, geographically, and ultimately professionally. Some questions you might consider: is this school CAPTE accredited (commission for accreditation of physical therapy education); what are the faculty credentials; are their facilities up to par or is their equipment just thrown into what looks like a storage room. No kidding, I won’t name the school, but I found this the case, as did several of my classmates when we were talking about schools that we visited. I would highly advise you to take the time to make several road trips and visit schools you’re interested in. This might cost you a little time, usually a day or two, but you will ultimately be making a much better informed decision as well as potentially saving money in application fees by narrowing down the list of schools you’re interested in. You will also have to worry about things other than school, like where to live, so get to know the area on your visits too. Hope this helps. If you feel skippy and want to start looking right now (you know you can’t wait!) try this URL to get you started: http://www.belmont.edu/pt/index.cfm. Good luck!