The Nathan Smith Society

Veterinary Medicine

Dental MedicinePublic & Global Health

The Health Career

Experience and

Advising at Dartmouth

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 CenterAnother Key Person

Annette Hamilton, Health Professions Program Administrative Coordinator

And Some Other Very Special PeopleTeaching Science Fellows

Faculty/students representing dental & veterinary medicine

Pre-health mentors from the Class of 2015

Sarah BergerStudent

Academic Support Center,

Carson/Berry

Weekly walk-in office hours (posted on NSS web site)

TwoConvenie

ntLocations

Where is Pre-Health Advising at Dartmouth?

Where is Pre-Health Advising at Dartmouth?Enter Here & Check

The ElectronicMap!

Dr. Lee Witters

122 LSC

Weekly walk-in office hours (posted on NSS web site)

TwoConvenie

ntLocations

A “To-Do” List• Join the listserv of the Nathan Smith

Society one of two ways:1. Sign sheets on clipboards being passed around2. 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

around2. 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 motivation4. 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 #55. 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 isgreater?

Hint #6

6. Dartmouth does not have a specific pre-med or pre-health 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 #77. 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 not?

Math Course?

Chemistry Course?

Biology Course?

?More than one of above

?None of theabove

Physics Course?

Writing/English (2 courses required)• First Year Seminar• Writing 5; Writing 2/3• Consider other courses that

emphasize writing and critical analysis of writing

Math OptionsGeneral requirement: Two math courses (calculus, statistics)

Math 3IntroductionTo Calculus

OR

Math 8Variable Calculus

Math 1/2Calculus

With Algebra(by invitation)

Statistics (Math 10; others)

Take a Math course if needed for beginning chemistry sequence!

Have Math 3 Credit?

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 OptionsGeneral requirement: Two terms general chemistry with lab;

Two terms organic chemistry with lab; one term biochemistry

Chemistry 5General Chemistry(Second term is Chem 6)

Chem 5 also available in winter term (Chem 6 in fall & spring)

Math 3(or Math 3 credit)

Pre-Req

Chem 10 (by exam) “counts” for 2-term general chem requirement

Completion of Chemistry 6 or 10

in fall term

Chemistry 57/58(Honors)

in winter/spring terms

Pre-Req

Chemistry 2QuantitativeReasoning

in Chemistry(by invitation or

request)

Enter

Professor Siobhan Milde

Physics OptionsGeneral requirement: Two physics courses (with labs)

Physics 3General Physics I

Physics 4General Physics II

Offered winter &spring terms

Math 3 Pre-Requisite

Physics 13Introductory Physics I

Physics 14Introductory Physics II

Offered winter &spring terms

Usually taken by intended physics/math/chem/engineering majors or with strong background in physics & math

Many pre-health students defer

physics till later, since it is not a pre-requisite for other

required pre-health courses

Math 3 and 8Pre-requisite

(or concurrent Math 8)

Biology OptionsMinimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs

Lab CoursesFoundation Classes

Biology 12 (Cell Biology) Biology 13 (Genetics) Biology 15 (Microevolution) Biology 16 (Ecology)

** More are strongly recommended

Biology 11The Science of Life

(no lab)

Biology 2Human Biology

(no lab)

Biology OptionsMinimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs

Lab CoursesFoundation Classes

Biology 12 (Cell Biology) Biology 13 (Genetics) Biology 15 (Microevolution) Biology 16 (Ecology)

** More are strongly recommended

Biology 11The Science of Life

(no lab)

Fall offering(Cooperation & Conflict Across

Biological Systems)Spring Offering

(Emerging Infectious Diseases)

Biology OptionsMinimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs

Lab CoursesFoundation Classes

Biology 12 (Cell Biology) Biology 13 (Genetics) Biology 15 (Microevolution) Biology 16 (Ecology)

Biology 2Human Biology

(no lab)Fall Offering

Want backgroundin human biology to orient

your other studies?Uncertain about rigor of college

science courses?Testing your interest in health

or biology?

** More are strongly recommended

Biology OptionsMinimum** required: 2 Biology courses with labs

Lab CoursesFoundation Classes

Biology 12 (Cell Biology) Biology 13 (Genetics) Biology 15 (Microevolution) Biology 16 (Ecology)

** More are strongly recommended

Biology 11The Science of Life

(no lab)

Biology 2Human Biology

(no lab)

How to Decide?

• Canvas (under ‘My Courses): Advising TestResults + Academic indices (SAT (verbal + math))+ AP test scores

• Strength of your background in Chemistry & Biology

• Uncertainties about interest in pre-health or hesitancy about college science courses

• Talking to an advisor

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?

CEM 5

Many combinations possible (only some shown)!

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 to be e-mailed & as posted

on home page of Nathan Smith Society)

Hint #8

8. Get to know your professors (as mentors & future letter writers)

USE OFFICE HOURS!

Hint #99. 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.

Courses (GPA,

Science GPA)

MCAT DAT GRE

Extracurricular Experiences

Letters of Evaluation

Personal & Professional Characteristi

cs

Skills & Abilities

Clinical ExposureAltruistic ServiceScholarly Activity(outside classroom)

Elements of a Successful Application to Medical/Vet/Dental School

Evaluating Beyond Grades,MCAT/DAT/GRE Scores and Prior Experiences in Health

• Active listener• Problem solver• Communicator

(oral, written)• Critical thinker• Multilingual

• Resiliency• Integrity/

Judgment• Adaptability• Persistence• Motivation• Intellectual

curiosity• Empathy• Altruistic service

Skills & Abilities Personal & Professional Characteristics

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