The rise in life science and engineering majors at Wentworth has driven an increased interest in medical school and other post-graduate opportunities in healthcare (e.g. nursing, dentistry, optometry, clinical engineering, etc.). Use the information on this page as a starting point on your pre-health journey. Considering graduate school? Check out our resources for master’s- and PhD-level programs here.
Academic Advising
Graduate programs in healthcare have different entry requirements. Depending on your target schools, you may need to take classes outside your major at Wentworth. Do your research early to determine what courses you need to take in addition to your core classes. Consider the following as you plan:
- Are you a pre-med student? What are the prerequisites for medical school?
- Are you a pre-health student? What are the prerequisites for the program in which you are interested?
- Most Wentworth majors graduate in August, which poses a conflict for medical school start dates. You may need to take a gap year to account for this. Gap years are common and may allow for more time to prepare for the MCAT (see below for details).
- You may need to take classes outside of Wentworth if the equivalents we offer here do not fit into your schedule. Contact your academic advisor to determine the best options for you.
Applying to Medical School
There are two types of medical degrees: Medical Doctor (MD) and Doctor of Osteopathy (DO).
U.S. based MD schools utilize the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) as a central system for applications. Using this system, you only need to apply once regardless of the number of schools you have selected. Use the AMCAS Applicant Guide to help you navigate the application process.
U.S. based DO schools utilize American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOMAS). Using this system, you only need to apply once regardless of the number of schools you have selected. Create an applicant account here. It is common for students to apply to both MD and DO programs.
Once you have completed the first part of your applications you will need to complete secondary applications for each individual program. This part of the process is time consuming as you will need to tailor individual applications for every program you have selected.
Applying to Other Health-Based Graduate Programs
- Veterinary School
- Optometry School
- Dentistry School
- Physician’s Assistant School
- Nursing School
- Clinical Engineering – applications vary by school, talk to your Co-op & Career Advisor
Professional Groups On-Campus
Consider joining one of the below professional groups on-campus to explore careers in your field, connect with peers, and meet industry professionals.
- American Society Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) – check them out on Instagram
- Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)
MCAT and Other Entrance Exams
Be sure to plan for the entrance exams you will need for medical school or other health-based programs. Medical schools require the MCAT, other common exams are the GRE, OAT, DAT. Register for the MCAT here.
Writing a Personal Statement
Most graduate programs require some form of personal statement, statement of purpose, or personal comments essay (for medical school). Confirm the specifics of this statement on each program’s website. Use the resources below to craft your statement and be sure to have it reviewed by your Co-op & Career Advisor and trusted faculty mentors.
- Personal Comments Essay. Head to page 54 of this application guide, published by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC).
- Top Ten Tips for Writing a Personal Statement. A blog post detailing the most important considerations for personal statement writing, by Lauren Creamer.
- Perdue Owl – Writing the Personal Statement. Excellent resource highlighting the common components of personal statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Wentworth graduates in August – how will that impact my ability to enroll in medical school or other graduate programs?
- Most medical schools begin in August, and some in July, preventing August graduates from starting medical school immediately after graduation. April graduates are able to continue on to medical school immediately after graduation.
- Other graduate programs may begin in September, so it is important know in advance which ones will not require you to take a gap year.
- Should I take a gap year?
- Taking a gap year before entering MD or DO programs is common. Some individuals may need to take a gap year in order to complete missing academic requirements or prepare for the MCAT. Others choose to do so to continue skill-building or to gain additional patient contact hours.
- Taking a gap year is up to you as an individual, but may be necessary if you are planning to attend medical school. It is less common for those applying to other master’s or PhD programs.
- I’m not sure what kind of graduate program I want to enroll in, but I know I want to be in healthcare – what are my options?
- Explore the resources available to you on the AAMC website, specifically the medical career path
- This whole process seems overwhelming. Is there a step-by-step guide I can follow?
- The AAMC breaks down the process for applying to MD programs in manageable steps. Check out their Medical School 101 page and then move on to the other sections as you are ready. AACOM also has resources for applying DO programs here.
- You can find resources for applying to other health-based graduate programs on the websites of their professional organizations.
- Are there any additional resources you recommend?
- Yes! Students who have applied in the past recommend Medical School HQ and the MSAR search database for identifying programs.
- You can also watch a recording of Alex Trayford, pre-health advisor at MCPHS, giving a general overview of the pre-health experience and application processes at this link.
For more information on the application process reach out to your Co-op & Career Advisor. For more information on academic advising issues reach out to your Student Success Advisor.