First-Year Students

As a first-year student at Rensselaer, your primary focus should be on building a strong academic foundation. A solid academic record not only ensures a smooth path to your preferred graduate school but also provides the knowledge base necessary for success in future coursework and entrance exams.

If you're confident in your academic progress, consider gaining practical experience by volunteering at a local hospital or securing a part-time position within a healthcare setting. These experiences can provide valuable insights and enhance your understanding of the field.

During the summer, begin immersing yourself in your desired healthcare field through:

• Shadowing: Observe medical professionals in action to gain firsthand insights into the field.
• Patient-Focused Work: Explore roles such as certified nursing assistant (CNA) or emergency medical technician (EMT), medical assistant, phlebotomist, or pursue certification in those areas.
• Volunteering: Engage with local organizations or hospitals to contribute to your community and gain exposure.

Second Year Students

In your second year, while maintaining your academic commitment, seize additional opportunities to engage with the medical field:

• Confirm that you are meeting the academic prerequisites for your chosen pre-health path.
• Cultivate relationships with advisors, mentors, and faculty who can support your journey and provide future letters of recommendation.
• Explore research possibilities and seek additional clinical experiences to broaden your understanding.
• Prepare for the Arch semester by planning which opportunities align with your goals.

Third Year and Beyond

As your third year approaches, it's time to plan your application to medical school. Consider whether you'll apply for immediate enrollment or opt for a Gap Year. Here's a timeline to guide your medical school application process, commencing in the fall of the two years before your intended matriculation:

If you have questions about the timeline, please feel free to email prehealth@rpi.edu or make an appointment!

In highly competitive admissions processes, students often find themselves considering a gap year—a period between undergraduate graduation and medical school matriculation. Gap years serve various purposes: addressing application weaknesses, exploring opportunities beyond academia, or engaging in research endeavors.

The decision to take a gap year should be tailored to individual circumstances and aspirations. No universal guideline dictates who should or shouldn't take a gap year. To address application shortcomings, several options merit consideration:

Post-Baccalaureate Programs:

Post-Baccalaureate (post-bacc) programs encompass diverse educational experiences bridging the gap between medical school and undergraduate studies. Some students independently pursue coursework to strengthen academic foundations, while others opt for a Master's degree in related fields like Biology or Public Health. Notably, Rensselaer's co-terminal program offers a swift route—a master's degree in a single year—following undergraduate completion.

Structured programs also exist. These specialized pathways, often in collaboration with medical school admissions, encompass academic record enhancer programs to aid students grappling with MCAT or pre-requisite challenges. Alternatively, career changer programs cater to those shifting professions. The AAMC provides comprehensive insights on these programs.

Other Gap Year Pursuits:

Many seize the opportunity to accumulate supplementary experiences—volunteering, medical work, or research—enhancing their application. For personalized guidance on gap-year opportunities, feel free to connect with us at prehealth@rpi.edu.

In essence, whether you embark on a gap year or proceed directly to medical school, the choice should align with your unique circumstances and aspirations. Our role is to support your decision, ensuring you're equipped to thrive in your chosen path.

General Pre-Health Questions

How do I order transcripts for submission to application services from RPI? 

First, visit: https://info.rpi.edu/registrar/academic-planning/#Transcripts

After, once you have started the process to order transcripts through NSC, follow these steps:

• Fill out all of the required information in Step 1.
• On Step 2 (Select Transcript and Delivery Details), first pick Education Organization, Application Service, Scholarship and Professional Licensing under "Who are you sending your transcript to?"
• After selecting this option, select the appropriate application service:
  • AMCAS: "American Medical College Application Service" (note that AMCAS is not listed before the name)
  • AACOMAS: "AACOMAS - American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Med"
  • ADEA AADSAS - "ADEA AADSAS - American Dental Education Association"
  • CASPA: "CASPA - Physician Assistant Education Association"
• Make sure to input your transcript ID into the appropriate spaces on the form.
• Submit as usual. 

How difficult is it to maintain a high GPA at RPI?

RPI offers robust academic support services, such as the Advising Learning and Assistance Center (ALAC), listed below, to assist you with acclimating to the college environment. In addition to this, we encourage you to begin the process of reaching out to your instructors early and often – our spirit of collaboration with your faculty and with your fellow students is one of the most unique things about Rensselaer, and students who take advantage of it often perform much better than those who do not. RPI is a challenging school, no doubt - but our students who take advantage of these resources perform well. 

We often get questions about 'grade deflation' on RPI's campus. On average, RPI students who are applying to medical school have a GPA of 3.74, compared to the national average of 3.71. 

Additional Resource:

• ALAC Learning Assistance

Can I transfer in courses towards pre-med requirements at RPI?

It is preferable to take your courses at RPI. With that said, this is not a steadfast rule. All transcripts of all courses that you have taken will be evaluated by your medical school application committees and will count towards your overall GPA for medical school admissions. If you do plan to take courses outside of RPI while enrolled as a student at RPI, we recommend taking any outside coursework at an accredited four-year institution or high-quality community college and ensure that your GPA remains a top priority. 

I was not directly admitted, but can I apply to RPI’s BS-MD (BIAM) program? 

No. The RPI Accelerated Physician-Scientist Program does not accept students who have not been directly admitted into the program except under exceptional circumstances. With that said, there are other guaranteed admit programs - including the FlexMed program at Mount Sinai’s College of Medicine - that you may wish to consider if you want to secure an early place in a medical school without the traditional application process being a concern. Keep in mind that these programs remain highly competitive and only rarely do applicants get accepted. 

Does RPI offer a pre-Health ‘track’ to students?

Only to students within the Biomedical Engineering Program; see below for information about that program. For students in other majors, our program guides list courses that students in any major should follow if they are interested in seeking admission into a health professions program. This is general advice - requirements vary by school - but this set of courses is generally going to help prepare you for admission to most schools in the United States.

If you have specific questions about the medical field and how best to prepare, you should contact the School of Science Hub’s pre-health advising email.

Do I have access to a pre-health advisor from the first day of Freshman year? 

You do. You can meet with Emma Harmon in the School of Science Hub by scheduling an appointment online. 

Are there certain steps I need to follow to obtain Letters of Evaluation for graduate school?

There are no certain steps that you need to take, but the following can help you find productive relationships:  

• Speak early and often with your faculty members on campus, and take an interest in your classes. Perform well and go above and beyond the normal requirements of your coursework. Positive relationships go a long way!
• If you can, find research or other opportunities to demonstrate your skills outside of the classroom, but remember that your academics take priority.
• Remember the following: You will eventually want two letters from science faculty, one letter from a non-science faculty, and one letter from a person outside of the faculty who can speak to your development.

What is the Pre-Health Advising Committee?

The Pre-Health Advising Committee offers assistance in writing recommendation letters for students who are seeking admission into medical school or other allied health professions. This committee's role is to offer guidance on the admissions process, assistance in ensuring that your application is complete, and a letter of recommendation that speaks to your unique talents as an individual. They also assist in preparation for the medical school admissions interview process.  

Biomedical Engineering Questions

What is the Biomedical Engineering pre-Medical Track?

Students in the Biomedical Engineering major should consult with their advisors in that program about the pre-medical track specific to that major. In general, the pre-medical track requires a total of 133 credit hours and is designed to ensure that you reach your goal of having all pre-Health course requirements met prior to graduation, but is more formalized within the BME curriculum to ensure that you can meet all BME and pre-medical requirements within a reasonable timeframe. 

What is the Physician-Engineer Program?

The Biomedical Engineering Department, in conjunction with Albany Medical College, offers the Physician Engineer program in which students are able to earn a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Rensselaer and an M.D. from Albany Medical College in 8 years. The MCAT requirement is waived for this combined program. A separate application for this program is needed, where students apply just before the Arch, i.e., by May 31 of their second year. Application requirements are that a student follows the BME B.S. pre-med template, has a GPA > 3.5, has a strong interest in research, and is on track to meet all degree requirements. The application material consists of a one-page statement of purpose, a letter of recommendation, an official transcript, and a waiver/release form allowing the BME Department to obtain your application material. Application materials should be submitted to the departmental staff.

Applications are reviewed by the department and a decision will be made during the summer of the second year. Selected students will be invited to interview at Albany Medical College in the second half of this summer and will be informed about their application before the beginning of the third year. Students admitted to the program need to participate in The Arch and plan to spend their “away” semester in the Personal Care Assistant program at AMC to start/increase their hours of patient contact. Students will receive a B.S. in BME from Rensselaer after the fourth year and a M.D. from Albany Medical College after the eighth year. Please note that this program is very selective.

Allopathic Medical Schools

AAMC.org - Official Website of the American Association of Medical Colleges

• MCAT Information - Information on the The Medical College Admissions Test
• AMCAS Information - Medical School Application information.
• MSAR - Medical School Admission Requirements - Provides comparison information for medical school admissions standards. The Pre-Health Advising office has free access to this information, as well. 

Osteopathic Medical Schools

AACOM - Official Website of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine

• AACOMAS - Application service for Osteopathic Medical Schools

Additional Medical School Resources

• TMDSAS - Texas Medical, Veterinary, and Dental School Application Service (for all applications for schools located in Texas)
• Information on the CASPer Assessment - An additional assessment that is part of the Medical School Interview process at many schools
• American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine - Information on Podiatric Medical Colleges

Dental Schools

Dental School Resources

The American Dental Association - Official Website for the ADA's Education Programs

The American Dental Education Association - Information on applying for Dental School

• The DAT - Information on the Dental Admissions Test
• The ADEA AADSAS - The American Dental Education Association's Application Service