Barron's Guide to Medical and Dental Schools

by Wischnitzer, Saul; Wischnitzer, Edith

• ISBN13: 9780764120411
• ISBN10: 0764120417
• Edition: 10th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-01
• Publisher: Barrons Educational Series Inc

Summary

Newly updated with the latest facts and figures, this school directory and guidance manual presents profiles of all accredited medical, dental, and osteopathic schools in the United States and Canada. It also includes a full-length model Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) with answers, and selected questions with answers from recent Dental College Admission Tests (DAT). The authors offer advice on when and where to apply to dental and medical schools, information on assessing one's chances for acceptance at the schools, plus test-taking tips for students preparing to take the MCAT or DAT. This new edition includes a substantial number of sample essays for medical school applications and a new special section dedicated to high school students who are considering a medical or dental career.

Author Biography

Dr. Saul Wischnitzer is a nationally recognized authority on career guidance for the health professions. He has extensive experience as a college advisor and is currently a private medical careers consultant. Dr. Wischnitzer's unique program has helped hundreds of applicants gain admission to U.S. medical and dental schools

Table of Contents

List of Tables	ix
List of Sample Documents	ix
Acknowledgments and Dedication	x
Preface	xi
Abbreviations	xiv
Part One MEDICINE	1	(482)
Medicine as a Career	3	(8)
On being a physician	3	(1)
Why study medicine?	3	(1)
Historical overview	4	(1)
The need for physicians	5	(1)
Physician supply: current debate	6	(1)
Desirable attributes for a medical career	7	(2)
The challenge to becoming a physician	9	(2)
Preparing for College	11	(13)
High school: an overview	11	(1)
Program of studies	11	(1)
Selecting a college	12	(1)
Getting into college	13	(3)
The essay: your personal statement	16	(4)
Extracurricular activities	20	(1)
The interview	21	(1)
Recommendations	22	(2)
Preparing for Medical School	24	(40)
Program of studies	24	(5)
Succeeding in college	29	(14)
Extracurricular and summer activities	43	(4)
The premedical advisor and/or committee	47	(3)
Postbaccalaureate programs	50	(6)
Humanistic aspects of premedical education	56	(8)
Applying to Medical School	64	(42)
General considerations	64	(3)
Selection factors	67	(6)
The application process	73	(7)
Recommendations	80	(2)
The interview	82	(7)
The selection process	89	(2)
Acceptance	91	(3)
Ranking of medical schools	94	(1)
Rejection	94	(6)
Special educational programs	100	(5)
Canadian medical schools	105	(1)
The admission process: timetable	105	(1)
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)	106	(84)
Overview of the MCAT	106	(1)
Importance of the MCAT	107	(1)
Contents of the MCAT	108	(3)
Preparing for the MCAT	111	(5)
Reference data for model test	116	(7)
Model MCAT	123	(65)
Hugo R. Seibel
Kenneth E. Guyer
Scoring of the MCAT	188	(1)
Scoring your model MCAT performance	188	(2)
Medical Schools	190	(24)
Basic data on medical schools	190	(24)
Medical School Profiles	214	(151)
In-depth medical school profiles	214	(151)
Opportunities for Women	365	(9)
Historical overview	365	(1)
Women's health issues	366	(1)
Medicine: a career for women	367	(1)
Doors are open	368	(1)
Admission to medical school	368	(1)
The woman physician: a status report	368	(4)
Unique challenges for women in medicine	372	(1)
Financial aid and support sources	373	(1)
Opportunities for Minorities	374	(12)
Minorities in medicine: historical perspective	374	(1)
Doors are open for minorities	374	(1)
Admission of minorities: a status report	375	(3)
Current challenges	378	(1)
Financial aid for minority students	379	(1)
Summer programs	380	(6)
Financing Your Medical Education	386	(6)
The current financial aid crisis	387	(1)
Successfully managing educational indebtedness	388	(1)
Scholarships and loans	389	(3)
Medical Education	392	(19)
Evolution of the medical curriculum	392	(1)
The traditional curriculum	393	(3)
The curriculum in transition	396	(2)
The new medical school curricula	398	(3)
Attrition in medical school	401	(1)
Preparing for medical school	402	(7)
The making of a physician	409	(1)
United States medical licensing examination	409	(2)
Postgraduate Medical Education	411	(13)
Incorporating the residency and internship	411	(1)
Resident matching program	412	(1)
Residency training	413	(4)
Fellowship training	417	(2)
Improving postgraduate training	419	(1)
Challenges in training	419	(1)
New trends in medical specialties	420	(3)
Physician employment opportunities	423	(1)
Foreign Medical Study	424	(13)
Admission	424	(1)
Transfer to U.S. schools	425	(1)
Internship and residency	425	(1)
Fifth Pathway opportunities	426	(1)
Requirements for residency and/or practice	427	(1)
Selecting a foreign medical school	428	(1)
Foreign medical schools	429	(8)
Osteopathic Medicine	437	(24)
Basic philosophy	437	(1)
Educational data	438	(1)
Admission prospects	439	(1)
Internship, residency, and practice	439	(1)
Relationship between osteopathic and allopathic medicine	439	(1)
Financial assistance	440	(1)
The osteopathic scene in a nutshell	440	(1)
Osteopathic medical school profiles	440	(21)
Medical Practice	461	(13)
Physician-patient relationship	461	(2)
Clinical skills	463	(1)
Diagnosing disease	464	(1)
Patient care	465	(1)
Assessing treatment	465	(1)
Accountability	466	(1)
Guidelines to practicing medicine	466	(1)
Teaching and research	466	(1)
Types of practices	467	(4)
Professional hazards	471	(1)
Physician remuneration	472	(2)
Physicians and Medicine in the Twenty-first Century	474	(9)
The challenge	474	(2)
Premedical education	476	(1)
Admission to medical school	476	(1)
Medical school education	477	(1)
Medical students	477	(1)
Medical practice	478	(1)
Specialists versus primary care physicians	479	(1)
Medical litigation crisis	480	(1)
Cybermedicine	480	(1)
Medical informatics	481	(2)
Part Two DENTISTRY	483	(115)
Dentistry as a Career	485	(5)
Why study dentistry?	485	(1)
The need for dentists	485	(1)
Today's trends in dentistry	486	(1)
Dental specialties	487	(1)
Is dentistry for you?	488	(1)
Dentistry as an alternative to medicine	489	(1)
Preparing for and Applying to Dental School	490	(7)
Educational preparation	490	(1)
Application procedures	490	(2)
Admissions criteria	492	(5)
The Dental Admission Test (DAT)	497	(11)
Importance of the DAT	497	(1)
Contents of the DAT	498	(1)
Preparing for the DAT	499	(1)
Sample DAT questions	500	(7)
Scoring of the DAT	507	(1)
Canadian DAT	507	(1)
Opportunities in Dentistry for Women and Minorities	508	(4)
Doors are open for women	508	(1)
Minorities in dentistry	509	(3)
Financing Your Dental Education	512	(3)
The current financial aid crisis	512	(1)
Scholarships and loans	512	(3)
Dental Education	515	(5)
Dental curriculum	515	(3)
Other educational programs	518	(1)
Postgraduate training	519	(1)
Dental Schools	520	(78)
The dental scene in a nutshell	520	(12)
In-depth dental school profiles	532	(66)
APPENDIX A A Self-assessment Admission Profile	598	(3)
APPENDIX B Medical School Application Forms	601	(11)
Sample Application from a non-AMCAS School	602	(4)
AACOMAS Application Form	606	(6)
APPENDIX C Sample Essays for AMCAS Application	612	(26)
APPENDIX D Major Professional Organizations	638	(5)
APPENDIX E Alternative Medical Terminology	643	(2)
APPENDIX F Tracking Tables	645	(11)
APPENDIX G Regional Maps	656	(4)
APPENDIX H Medical and Dental Admissions and the World Wide Web	660	(2)
APPENDIX I Glossary	662	(3)
BIBLIOGRAPHY	665	(2)
INDEXES
Medical School Profiles	667	(3)
Osteopathic School Profiles	670	(1)
Dental School Profiles	670	(2)
Subject	672