The two most important questions a prospective student interested in medicine (or another health care career) should ask are: What does it take to get into medical school and How does this college or university help? The answers to the first question are found on the Current Students web page. This page contains answers to the second question. This page also contains a list of questions that you should ask when you are visiting colleges and links to the answers you will get at Centre College.

What Does Centre College Offer to
Students Interested in a Health Care Career?

Advising students who are interested in the health care field is handled by the the Health Professions Advisory Group (HPAG). The HPAG is a group of professors who advise students in specific fields (medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, etc.) Our most important duties are to be available to all students who have even the slightest interest in the health professions and to provide an honest, ongoing evaluation of a student's qualifications for a career in the health professions. Some of the important services offered by the HPAG are listed below. These services are available to current students as well as graduates.

Course Scheduling Assistance

• The HPAG helps students schedule the medical school (or other health care schools) course prerequisites throughout their careers at Centre College
• Long range course planning is especially important for students interested in studying abroad and for those who have double majors
• The HPAG works in concert with the student's academic advisor

Internship Resource

• The HPAG works with the pre-med society, career development office, and alumni association to coordinate internship and volunteer opportunities
• HPAG members can serve as internship directors
• Volunteer opportunities are available right up the street at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center and with other physicians in Danville
• Students also work with Centre College alumni based in their hometowns

Test Preparation

• The HPAG and the pre-med society provide practice material for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and other entrance tests
• Dr. Workman holds weekly MCAT review sessions for juniors and seniors starting in the fall and continuing until the MCAT in April. There are sessions on test-taking strategies, verbal reasoning, general chemistry, physics, biochemistry, biology, and organic chemistry.

Assistance in the Admissions Process

• The HPAG assists students in applying to the different health care professional schools
• The most important job of the HPAG for the medical school admissions process is to compile a composite letter of evaluation for all medical school applicants

• Five science professors and two non-science professors or staff members or administrators are solicited for evaluations of the applicant's academic, personal, and professional qualifications
• The HPAG also provides an evaluation of the applicant based on an interview and review of other academic information
• The final composite evaluation provides a comprehensive portrait of the applicant; a completed composite can be seen here. (Note that two professors also wrote long letters that were sent in their entirety with the composite)
  
• The HPAG (and Career Development Office) offer practice interviews which provide important feedback
• Members of the HPAG also help students with their personal statements and other essays for their respective applications

Assistance in course scheduling and setting up internships are both an integral part of the Centre Commitment.

Other Important Organizations at Centre College

Pre-Med Society: An organization comprised of students interested in all of the health professions. It brings in speakers and has important test preparation materials. It also organizes the annual alumni visits.

C.A.R.E.: Centre Action Reaches Everyone is Centre's umbrella volunteer service organization. The student group serves as a liaison between Centre's campus and the Danville/Boyle county area by providing an extensive variety of service opportunities for Centre students. Click here for a full description of the organization and contact information.

Here is a list of questions you might want to ask when you are visiting other colleges. Click the question to see Centre's answers.

1. What percentage of your medical school applicants are accepted?
2. Do you have a pre-medical advisory committee and what is its role?
3. How is the composite letter of evaluation compiled?
4. What are the average GPA and MCAT scores of successful applicants?
5. What is the typical profile of a successful applicant?
6. What types of medical experiences and research internships are available to students here?
7. What other organizations on campus are available to help me prepare for medical school?
8. Where do most of your students attend medical school?

Why Is All of This Important?

Centre students are very successful at getting into medical school and other health professions graduate schools. Part of their success is due to the advising system that is in place at the college. All of the professors in the HPAG are very approachable and the one-on-one advice that students receive starting in their freshman year is very valuable. As a high school student, it is vital for you to realize that medical school is very difficult to get into and that you will need to make many sacrifices to achieve that goal. There are many other professions out there that may be better suited to you, so try to come to college with an open mind.