From IB to Med School

[Amber]

I am relly nervous about the interview, can you imagine how much it would suck if you didn't get in after working so may years determined to get in?

[hijabraza__]

On 9/2/2007 at 1:28 AM, BIO-AQUA said:

Good day everyone,

Thought that a thread like this might help around here, taking into consideration the large amounts of IB students around here looking forward to med school. In this thread, you can discuss, ask questions and/or share opinions about application procedures, personal statements and anything regarding going to med school - from the IB of course... Well then, enjoy!! (This post is copied from the same thread on TSR, just to highlight a few things).

The Pre-med System (American and some Canadian Universities)

Pre-med (as in four year undergraduate study) means that you have to accomplish three things:

- You have to have a Bachelor (BS) degree in any field (some universities prefer biology or chemistry..). Well, it's according to the university, but some say it's ok to go into any faculty, yes, any faculty.

- You have to finish some courses set by the university. These include a mix of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English and Math courses. (Look at the bright side: If you take some of these at higher level in the IB, then credits are taken into account! )

- An MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) which tests you on the courses mentioned above. Those that score the highest/ a pass in the test are accepted into med school; that's why the percentage acceptance with respect to the total number of students entering pre-med is low. Anyway, if you are accepted, then you're in!!

As an IB Diploma student, many universities accept you as a sophomore student instead of a freshman. This means that you have three years of pre-med instead of four! Again, that depends on the university you're willing to enter.

Where to study?

Many people just wonder where to study medicine. I'm actually one of them. Is it best to choose the American system (3 years pre-med + 4 years med) or British system (2 years pre-clinical + 5 years med) or another system? When it comes ot the number of years, it's approximately the same, taking into account that the american system allows the student to take summer courses, which shorten the years spent, right? So which to choose? Well the answer is wather simple. Research the universities that offer medicine in different parts of the world, the ones that you like and best suit you when it comes to tuition fees, educational environment and country. Ask your university advisor and IBC regarding your marks and the percentage acceptance and competition when it comes to them. Take some time to narrow down your choices and apply to many universities. Remember, you can apply to as many as you wish, but eventually you have to make up your mind.

Personal Statements - Medicine

Here are a few things that all future med students should take into account when writing their personal statements (ps);

- You must mention relevant work experience, show motivation and passion towards the study and practise of medicine, team-work, communication skills and a well-rounded persona.

- 99% of applicants are interviewed. What are the odds that you might not be one of them?! Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid to talk and discuss any info or specific details that help in your overall admission.

- Don't be boring in your PS, be enthusiastic and grab the attention of the admissions officer who will be reading a lot of personal statements.

- Keep things simple and don't try to overimpress the people with flowery language. Be straight and right to the point. Avoid the BLA BLAs- you know.

- Be honest, and most importantly, be yourself. We hear that a lot in our lifetime, don't we?.. Then why not use it for once as a change?!

Difference between meds, biomeds and biochemistry

Biomedical engineering (BME) is basically the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. It combines the design and problem solving expertise of engineering with the medical expertise of physicians to help improve patient health care and the quality of life of healthy individuals.

As for medicine, it is the study of the human body with pharmacological sciences leading to the title of a doctor. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes and transformations in living organisms. It deals with the structure and function of cellular components, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules. It is a combination of biology and chemistry. (If you take IB Chemistry, then you can refer to Option C to give you a clearer picture). This subject can be taken as a premed course (college major) leading to med school. It is also integral in medicine and biomedical engineering.

As for research to do with medicine or Biomedical, you have to ask an expert on that!

Admission Tests

Post any question you have on this thread and/or visit this page.

Have a nice day everyone.

Hey, I am currently in my first year of the Ib and I live in japan. I am interested in Medicine. I have chosen the subjects Biology, Chemistry, Math Analysis and Applications at HL, and english A, japanese A and Global politics at SL.

I already want to look at some university options for after graduations because I know I will be extremely busy next year. However, I have no idea where to START! I believe I would prefer going directly(a program with undergraduate and medical, BS/MD) to medical school(after the DP), rather than doing pre-medical and then applying again for medical school. I know it is very difficult but could you please suggest some universities. Anywhere is fine. 

[teamothy]

Wow! I wonder if the people who commented on this thread 10＋ years ago are doctors now. :)