There are two options available to college graduates to strengthen your application
to medical school. If the undergraduate grades were not competitive, enrollment
as a second baccalaureate student will permit improvement in overall G.P.A.. Application
to SJSU for this second degree can be done in any field other than the one already
completed. The choice of major is generally not important, as it is unlikely that
the new degree program will be completed. With competitive undergraduate grades,
enrollment for post-baccalaureate study is recommended. This is postgraduate work,
so the undergraduate G.P.A. will be unchanged. Currently, about thirty students
in this category are taking biology classes. This group includes students with engineering,
business, anthropology, computer science, nursing, and music degrees. A few students
had prepared for medicine as first undergraduates but lacked strong applications.
There are no special classes for such students, but a few have improved their overall
academic record sufficiently to be accepted by medical schools.
All of the courses required by professional schools are offered at SJSU. There is,
however, no formal undergraduate or post-graduate pre-medical program. Pre-medical
students enroll in calculus (Math 30P or equivalent), inorganic chemistry lecture
and lab (Chemistry 1A and 1B), organic chemistry lecture and lab (Chemistry 112A,
112B, and 113A) , physics lecture and lab (Physics 2A and 2B), animal biology lecture
and lab (Biology 2), and cell biology lecture and lab (Biology 3) along with mainstream
students. Seats in these courses are usually available.
Because of their maturity and motivation, post-graduate students constitute a talented
and dedicated part of our student body that is appreciated by the faculty. There
is a sense of community among post-graduate students, as they often know and support
one another. The department’s pre-medical advisors (see
Advisors List) fully endorse the return of students from other fields to
the pre-medical curriculum and are happy to consult with those students. Post-graduate
programs at other universities, including private universities, are usually structured
very much like that at San Jose State, but with the occasional addition of a "pipeline"
for early consideration at a given medical school. That we do not offer. We also
lack a mailing service for medical-school application.
The success rate of post-baccalaureate students who partake of the support available
by conferring with an advisor is excellent. Recent national news stories and information
from medical schools indicate that medical schools are increasingly inclined towards
older (up to 35), more experienced applicants. One prestigious school awards one
point in the admission process for each year from age 20 to 30. In any event, we
are pleased with the success stories of our students, and all report back from medical
school that they are as well prepared as the graduates of any university in the
nation.
If you attend SJSU, you should contact the department advisors as soon as possible
to discuss your program of study.
There is currently no limit on admissions. Non-residents of California (especially
foreign students) are subject to out-of-state fees and may have earlier application
deadlines . A University Catalog
and a Schedule of Classes should be purchased at the
SJSU Spartan Bookstore [(408) 924-1800] or viewed online for current regulations.
For additional questions, contact the Biology Department at(408)924-4900. The document,
entitled "Premedical
Information, " answers frequently asked questiions and provide guidance
about course requirement for medical school.