Prospective Student

 

Valerie Stampley doing science.


Thinking about a career in the medical or dental fields?

Start your journey with T-I-G-E-R-S!

  • Have conversations geared toward finding out what healthcare providers do on a daily basis.
  • Talk to different types of healthcare providers (i.e. medical doctors, osteopathic physicians, physician assistants, nurses, chiropractors, etc).
  • Sample questions:
    • What do you like/dislike about your job?
    • What’s the hardest/easiest part of your job?
    • How did you get into this field?

  • Read articles, journals, and books related to your career path.
  • Learn about how research impacts the medical and dental fields.
  • Look up a few medical/dental schools to find out more information (i.e. mission, vision, current admissions requirements- which may change by the time you apply, etc)

GPA

This demonstrates your ability to master a subject and gives a snapshot of your work ethic. 

Volunteer/work in medical/dental and non-medical/dental areas. Medical and dental schools are looking for well-rounded individuals. 

  • “Why do you want to be a _____________?” Think carefully about your answer because it will be asked of you many times for the rest of your career journey.
  • Think about what you want in a physician or dentist. Work to develop those types of skills.
  • After any volunteer, shadowing, or medically related experience, take a few minutes to reflect by writing your thoughts, feelings, reactions, and what you learned. This will be helpful later when applying to medical/dental school and working with future patients. 

  • This is your first look into what the medical/dental field is like and may help you decide if the medical/dental field is the career path for you.
  • Start with your personal healthcare providers, or look at websites for local healthcare facilities (some have established programs). 

Premedical & Predental Program FAQs

A career in the health professions is a rewarding and challenging opportunity. Professional health care careers require:

  • Rigorous academic preparation
  • Intellectual curiosity
  • Motivation for learning
  • Commitment to service
  • Demonstrated integrity and leadership

Ways to prepare while still in high school:

  • Complete as many math and science courses as possible (especially advanced level).
  • Focus on English and writing courses.
  • Read, read, read! Reading will prepare you for college study and professional school admission tests.
  • Volunteer at a clinic/hospital/healthcare facility.
  • Engage in extracurricular activities to help develop leadership and communication skills.

Students at LSU are provided many opportunities to prepare for medical and dental school admissions:

  • Challenging courses
  • Develop clinical skills as lab or research assistant
  • Counselors are members of National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions
  • Annual information meetings for freshmen/sophomores
  • Four-year plan for admission to medical/dental schools
  • Use of the Premedical/Predental Review Committee to obtain letters of evaluation
  • Numerous health profession student organizations and an annual Health Professions Career Fair
  • Nationally competitive acceptance rates and grade point averages
  • Nearly half of the students accepted to LSU medical and dental schools are College of Science graduates
  • Recent graduates were admitted to Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Baylor, Vanderbilt, Columbia, Stanford, UT Houston, and Washington U

At LSU, premed/predent are not majors, but professional career goals:

  • No specific major is required for medical/dental admission.
  • Most students choose a science major.
  • Students can choose fields outside of science.
  • Choose a major that most closely reflects your interests.
  • All majors must earn credit in the prerequisite coursework required for medical/dental schools.
  • Take advanced science courses to enhance competitiveness.

View a snapshot of a successful LSU medical and dental school applicant

More medical and dental career path resources: