The Health
Career
Experience
and Advising
at Dartmouth
The Nathan Smith
Society
Veterinary Medicine
Dental Medicine
Public & Global Health
Speakers
• Lee Witters MD, Faculty Advisor, Health Professions
Program & Nathan Smith Society; Professor,
Biology/Medicine/Biochemistry
• Sarah Berger, Health Professions Program Advisor
• Carl Thum, Academic Skills Center
Another Key Person
Annette Hamilton, Health Professions Program
Administrative Coordinator
And Some Other Very Special People
Teaching Science Fellows
Faculty/students representing dental & veterinary medicine
Pre-health mentors from the Class of 2015
Where is Pre-Health
Advising at Dartmouth?
Two
Convenient
Locations
Sarah Berger
Student Academic
Support Center,
Carson/Berry
Weekly walk-in
office hours
(posted on NSS web site)
Where is Pre-Health
Advising at Dartmouth?
Two
Convenient
Locations
Dr. Lee
Witters
122 LSC
Weekly walk-in
office hours
(posted on NSS web site)
Enter Here & Check
The Electronic
Map!
A “To-Do” List
•
Join the listserv of the Nathan Smith
Society one of two ways:
1. Sign sheets on clipboards being passed around
2. Blitz ‘Nathan.Smith.Society@dartmouth.edu’
A “To-Do” List
•
Join the listserv of the Nathan Smith
Society one of two ways:
1. Sign sheets on clipboards being passed around
2. Blitz ‘Nathan.Smith.Society@dartmouth.edu’
•
Visit NSS web site (www.dartmouth.edu/~nss)
and check out the ‘Getting Started’ menu
Ten “Helpful Hints”
“Hints” #1 & #2
1. This is a challenging and time-consuming
curriculum. You will need to develop new
strategies and continually reassess (and
maybe regroup). Everyone’s pace and track
is different!
2. Be pre-emptive; don’t sit back and wait
to “see how you are doing”. Utilize course
resources, the Academic Skills Center and
knowledgeable advisors. Plan your path
carefully!
“Hints” #3 & #4
3. Learn to reflect periodically on the
experiences you are having in and out of the
classroom, the growth you are experiencing
and your sense of purpose and motivation
4. You are not alone in this! There is a
large pre-health community of other
students and alumni, who are traveling (or
have traveled) this same road, to help you.
Hint #5
5. Most Dartmouth students initiate application to
med/vet/dental school at end of senior year or as alums,
rather than spring of junior year, creating one or more
“gap years”.
EVERYONE SHOULD CONSIDER THIS OPTION TO SEE
WHAT IMPACT THIS WOULD HAVE ON YOUR
DARTMOUTH EXPERIENCE
(examples: course flexibility, FSP/LSA, curricular/major
options, avoiding “doubling up”, building your
credentials, athletics)!
Later is
greater?
Hint #6
6. Dartmouth does not have a specific pre-med or prehealth curriculum. Major in what you enjoy and are
interested in, but bear in mind that you must be able to
demonstrate scientific aptitude and excellence. A wide
experience in the humanities and social sciences is a real
asset to a health career, as well.
Not “premed”
Hint #7
7. Choose your first year courses (and especially your fall
term courses) carefully with the advice of someone
familiar with you, the courses and with the pre-health
requirements.
“Should I ease into a college science-based curriculum or
Writing/English (2not?
courses required)
• First
Year Seminar Biology
Chemistry
Math • Writing 5; Writing 2/3
Physics
Course?
Course?
Course?• Consider
Course?
other
courses
that
emphasize writing and critical
?More
than of writing
?None of the
analysis
one of above
above
Math Options
General requirement: Two math courses (calculus, statistics)
Math 3
Math 1/2
Calculus
With Algebra
Introduction
To Calculus
OR
Math 8
Variable Calculus
Have Math 3
Credit?
Statistics
(Math 10; others)
(by invitation)
Take a Math course if needed for beginning chemistry
sequence!
If you have Math 3 or 8 credit and are invited to enroll in a
higher level Math class, you don’t “have” to do that!
Chemistry Options
General requirement: Two terms general chemistry with lab;
Two terms organic chemistry with lab; one term biochemistry
Chemistry 2
Quantitative
Reasoning
in Chemistry
(by invitation or
request)
Professor
Siobhan Milde
Enter
Chemistry 5
General Chemistry
(Second term is Chem 6)
Math 3
Pre-Req
(or Math 3 credit)
Chem 5 also available in winter term
(Chem 6 in fall & spring)
Chem 10 (by exam) “counts” for 2-term general chem requirement
Completion of
Chemistry 6 or 10
in fall term
Pre-Req
Chemistry 57/58
(Honors)
in winter/spring terms
Physics Options
General requirement: Two physics courses (with labs)
Math 3
Pre-Requisite
Physics 3
General Physics I
Many pre-health
students defer
physics till later,
since it is not a prerequisite for other
required pre-health
courses
Math 3 and 8
Pre-requisite
(or concurrent Math 8)
 Physics 13
Introductory Physics I
Physics 4
Physics 14
General Physics II
Introductory Physics II
Offered winter &
spring terms
Offered winter &
spring terms
Usually taken by intended physics/math/chem/engineering
majors or with strong background in physics & math
Biology Options
Minimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs
Biology 11
The Science of Life
(no lab)
Biology 2
Human Biology
(no lab)
Foundation Classes
Lab Courses
Biology 12 (Cell Biology)
Biology 13 (Genetics)
Biology 15 (Microevolution)
Biology 16 (Ecology)
** More are strongly recommended
Biology Options
Minimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs
Biology 11
The Science of Life
(no lab)
Fall offering
(Cooperation & Conflict Across
Biological Systems)
Spring Offering
(Emerging Infectious Diseases)
Lab Courses
Foundation Classes
Biology 12 (Cell Biology)
Biology 13 (Genetics)
Biology 15 (Microevolution)
Biology 16 (Ecology)
** More are strongly recommended
Biology Options
Minimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs
Biology 2
Human Biology
(no lab)
Want background
in human biology to orient
your other studies?
Uncertain about rigor of college
science courses?
Testing your interest in health
or biology?
Fall Offering
Foundation Classes Lab Course
Biology 12 (Cell Biology)
Biology 13 (Genetics)
Biology 15 (Microevolution)
Biology 16 (Ecology)
** More are strongly recommended
Biology Options
Minimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs
How to Decide?Biology 11
Biology 2
The Science of Life
Human
Biology‘My Courses): Advising
• Canvas
(under
Test
(no lab)
(no lab)
Results + Academic indices (SAT (verbal +
math))+ AP test
scores Classes
Foundation
Lab Courses &
• Strength of your background in Chemistry
Biology 12 (Cell Biology)
Biology
Biology 13 (Genetics)
• UncertaintiesBiology
about15interest
in pre-health or
(Microevolution)
Biology
16 (Ecology)
hesitancy about
college
science courses
• Talking to an advisor
** More are strongly recommended
Psychology & Sociology
• Psychology
• Psychology 1 (fall, winter, spring)
• Sociology
• Sociology 1 (fall, spring)
OR
• Sociology 2 (winter)
Teaching Science Fellows
Natalia Vecerek 14 (Biology 12 & 13)
Rui Shu 14 (Chemistry 5 & 6)
How Do I Decide Which Classes to Take?
Have a conversation about YOU and your specific goals,
aspirations and scholastic background with a knowledgeable
advisor before committing to a specific class schedule and
keep on talking to knowledgeable advisors as you proceed
through Dartmouth!
Walk-in D-plan help Friday, Sept 12, 9:00 AM-4:00
PM; 125 Haldeman; new group every 30 minutes
HPP offices (Student Academic Support Center; LSC)
weekly (hours toCEM
be e-mailed
& as posted on home page
5
of Nathan Smith Society)
Many combinations possible (only some shown)!
Hint #8
8. Get to know your professors (as mentors & future letter
writers)
USE OFFICE HOURS!
Hint #9
9. Learn to write well! The process of med/vet/dental
school application will emphasize your verbal reasoning
skills and ability to write well-structured and reasoned
essays (MCAT; applications to schools). In addition to
working with professors, use the Student Center for
Research, Writing, and Information Technology (RWiT)
whenever you have the opportunity.
Hint #10
10. Participate in extracurricular activities that abut on
the health care profession and service to society;
sustain your involvement, so that your humanity,
creativity and impact are evident.
Elements of a Successful Application to
Medical/Vet/Dental School
MCAT
DAT
GRE
Letters of
Evaluation
Courses
(GPA,
Science
GPA)
Extracurricular
Experiences
Personal &
Professional
Characteristics
Skills &
Abilities
Clinical Exposure
Altruistic Service
Scholarly Activity
(outside classroom)
Evaluating Beyond Grades,MCAT/DAT/GRE Scores and
Prior Experiences in Health
Skills & Abilities
• Active listener
• Problem solver
• Communicator
(oral, written)
• Critical thinker
• Multilingual
Personal & Professional Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Resiliency
Integrity/Judgment
Adaptability
Persistence
Motivation
Intellectual curiosity
Empathy
Altruistic service
Nathan Smith Society Events
Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer Terms 2013-14
A Sampling
• DHMC /VA Shadowing Program
• Community Veterinary Shadowing
Program
• Community Dental Shadowing
Program
• Dartmouth Ears (a patient
visiting program at DHMC/VA)
• Dartmouth-Geisel Ethics
Discussion Group
• Dartmouth Cancer Scholars
• Symposium on Gender Inequity in
Health with Geisel Physicians for
Human Rights
• ‘Dinner with a
Doc/Vet/Dentist’ Program
• ‘Take a Med Student to Lunch’
Mentoring Program
• “Mock Admissions”
• Paying for Medical School
(Geisel Financial Aid office)
• Senior Night
• DC/Geisel Nights
• NSS Research Opportunities
Database
• MD/PhD, MD/MBA, MPH
programs
Dental & Veterinary Contacts at Dartmouth
• Dentistry
– Dr. Robert Keene (Robert.C.Keene@dartmouth.edu or
dmdsmile@gmail.com)
– Ryan Lisann 15
– Elisabeth Schricker 17
• Veterinary Medicine
– Suzanne Rosen 15
– Angela Jin 15
Pre-Health Mentor Corps
Stephanie Chavez 14
Sara Heard 15
Rachael Williams 15
Max Jentzsch 15