Pre-Medicine Program

Character traits, such as humanitarian inclinations and motivation to help others, are important criteria for persons who want to enter medical careers. From a Christian Anabaptist perspective, helping others through loving and sacrificial service, is a characteristic of what it means to follow Jesus, who was the Supreme Servant. Through a career in medicine, one can embody the "way of Jesus," who went about healing the sick and doing good.

Any undergraduate major is acceptable for medical school, but the required science courses must be completed no matter a student's major. (See list to right.) It is, of course, easier to complete these requirements if one is a biology or biochemistry major.

Click here to review the program's mission and goals for students.

Clinical, Volunteer, and Practical Experiences

Students must demonstrate some level of involvement in medicine which may consist of shadowing a physician, volunteering at a clinic, or employment in a hospital or nursing home as a technician or nursing assistant. Involve yourself in some community volunteer work that relates to people. These experiences do not need to be "medical-related" but they should directly affect or influence people.

"EMU taught me how to be analytical. It is the best educational environment I have experienced."

--Dr. Kevin F. Foley
EMU alumnus and professor of laboratory medicine at The Mayo Clinic

Choose to complete a collaborative research project with a faculty person. Research participation indicates your interest and involvement in the process of science and will enhance your critical and creative thinking skills. Extracurricular activities during the undergraduate years are important and are noticed. They indicate your broader interests and experiences. Active participation in the Preprofessional Health Science Society is a minimal expectation.

Liberal Arts Foundation

One of the important aspects in your education is the broad liberal arts exposure you receive at EMU.

EMU students uniquely have a strong cross-cultural component in their liberal arts experience which encourages development of relational skills with those of other ethic backgrounds and cultures.

The cross-cultural experience may validate one’s involvement in liberal arts. Humanitarian values are an important selection criterion in gaining admission to medical school.

Gaining entrance into a medical school is a difficult process, but if you have the interest, aptitude, and resolve to work through the various steps, you can join the successful ranks of EMU students who have completed programs in medicine and are practicing as physicians in their chosen specialties.

Click here to learn more about available surgical assistant programs.