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Medicine

A path to gain entry into a medical school.

What MDs/DOs do

Responsibilities: Doctors of Medicine (MDs) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) are licensed physicians who diagnose and treat illnesses, manage patient care, and promote overall health and well-being. They also interpret tests, prescribe medications, and may perform surgeries depending on the specialty.

MD: Doctors of Medicine have a more traditional approach in which they are trained in “allopathic medicine” which centers on diagnosing and treating disease using medication and/or surgery.

DO: Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine undergo a holistic approach in which they are trained in “osteopathic medicine” which focuses on the connection between the body and a patient’s well-being.

Salary: According to The White Coat Investor, the average salary for a doctor in the United States was $372,000 in 2025. However, salaries can vary based on location and specialty.

Education: MDs will undergo four years of medical school before completing a residency and possibly a fellowship. MDs will take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in three steps, and they can pursue any specialty in medicine.

DO’s will undergo four years of osteopathic medical school which includes training in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OTT) and other courses on top of the traditional medical curriculum. DOs will take the Comprehensive Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX), and they can also pursue any specialty in medicine.

 

Preparation and Medical School Admissions

Bachelor’s Degree: Medical schools require a bachelor’s degree from a four-year accredited college before entering medical school. You can major in anything as long as you complete the required classes for admission. Our most popular majors are Biological Science, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemistry. However, some students choose to major in Psychology, Physics, Kinesiology, and even Accounting.

GPA: Medical admission committees will look at your GPA in multiple ways: your overall GPA, your BCPM (bio, chem, physics, math) GPA, and the trend of your GPA from your first to last semester. Every school varies in their minimum GPA requirements, but generally a 3.7 GPA, 3.6 BCPM GPA, and an upward trend in your GPA will allow you to be competitive.

Prerequisites: Required classes for medical school vary by program, so it is important to meet with Dr. Reese for a more specific list on what classes your desired school requires. However, the general coursework required by most medical colleges includes:

  • Biology I and Biology II
    • Biology I with lab | BIO 1134
    • Biology II with lab | BIO 1144
  • Chemistry I and II
    • Chemistry I with lab | CH 1213 & 1221
    • Chemistry II with lab |  CH 1223 & Ch 1221
  • Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II with labs
    • Organic Chemistry I with lab| CH 4513 & CH 4511
    • Organic Chemistry II with lab | CH 4523 & 4521 
  • General Physics I & II (Trig-Based) or Physics I & II (Cal-Based)
  • General Physics I & II | PH 1113 & PH 1123 OR
  • Physics I & II | PH 2213 & PH 2223  
    • Please note that some programs may require 8 hours and additional physics courses may be required in those cases. You can always reach out to your pre-health advisor or to your target programs to ensure that you take the correct number of credit hours 
  • 2 Upper Level Biology Courses
    • A few examples at MSU (3000 + course codes):
      • Microbiology | BIO 3304
      • Genetics I | BIO 3103
      • Human Genetics | BIO 4133
      • Human Anatomy | BIO 3004
      • Parasitology w/ lab | BIO 3303 
      • Principles of Virology | BIO 4433 (spring only) 
      • Immunology | BIO 4413 (spring only)
      • Biology of Cancer | BIO 3443 
  • Biochemistry
    • General Biochemistry I | BCH 4603

Testing Requirements: The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required by nearly all medical schools (MD and DO). The MCAT is a standardized exam administered by the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) that assesses problem solving, critical thinking, and comprehension of scientific concepts learned in undergrad. The computer-based exam has four sections which are 90-95 minutes each:

  •  Section 1: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
    • Classes to Help: General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry
  • Section 2: Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
    • Classes to Help: English, Sci Comm. Skills
  • Section 3: Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
    • Classes to Help: Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Microbiology, Physiology
  • Section 4: Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
    • Classes to Help: General Psychology, Biological Psychology, Sociology

A competitive score varies by school, but for UMMC a 504 is considered competitive. Normally, students will study and take this exam during the spring or summer of their junior year. It is important to remember the MCAT is not like the ACT because medical schools can see every attempt you take and there are also a limit to the number of times you can take the MCAT. This means you should only take it when you are ready and not as a practice run.

Observations/Shadowing: Observing physicians in multiple specialties is highly encouraged and most medical schools require a minimum of shadowing hours. The minimums usually are around 40 hours, but 60-100+ hours are competitive. Shadowing will help you gain a better understanding of medicine while demonstrating commitment to medical admission committees.

Tips for Shadowing:

  • Start by asking your own family doctor and if they know any other doctors you can shadow
  • Dress professionally if shadowing in a clinic or scrubs in the OR (ask the physician before going)
  • Be on time!
  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions
  • Take notes to write down your experiences or medical terminology you may want to look up later (but never write down any personal information of the patients)
    • These notes can be useful when you are applying to medical school and are writing about an experience you had two years ago
  • Send a thank you note to the doctor following your shadowing

Clinical Experience: While direct patient care is not always required for MD/DO admissions, many matriculants have clinical volunteering, medical scribing, or EMT/CNA experience. Some students utilize the local Good Samaritan Clinic (free clinic in Columbus) or the Jackson Free Clinic if they are from the Jackson area to gain clinical experience.

Involvement/Extracurriculars: Admissions committees want to make sure their students are well-rounded and use a holistic approach when evaluating candidates. This means you need to have more than your GPA and MCAT on your resume. This could mean working a job, taking on leadership roles in a club, undergraduate research, etc. Student organizations can be joined on Cowbell Connect, and some students utilize the URSP for research opportunities. As a freshman, it is recommended to join the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) to learn more about the medical profession and network with your peers on the same journey as you.

Community Service: Medical schools value applicants that show humanistic qualities and a genuine desire to help others. Community service is evidence of your interest in people and your commitment to serving others. This can be done through various student organizations, churches, civic organizations, or independently. You can volunteer in both clinical and non-clinical settings and try to seek out opportunities in underserved communities.

Strong Letters of Recommendation: Most medical schools require 3-5 letters with at least 2-3 from science faculty whom students took a class with or did research under. Most pre-med students don’t officially start their application until the summer of their junior year, but it is important to form relationships with your professors early so you can ask for strong letters of recommendation. It is difficult for professors to write a good letter of recommendation if they don’t know who you are.

 

Application Process

The AMCAS: The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) is the centralized application service for most U.S. medical schools (besides medical schools in Texas). Here you will enter your personal statement, undergraduate experiences, letters of recommendation, and your transcript.

The AACOMAS: The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) is like the AMCAS but for DO programs. There are slight differences in the guidelines for listing activities and your personal statement should be geared more towards osteopathic medicine.

The Application Cycle:

· Remember, as a pre-med student, you are always “working” on your application

· Before your application year, it is important to meet with Dr. Reese to make a timeline and game plan for MCAT, essays, etc.

· The MCAT should be taken in the spring or summer of your junior year if you are planning to not take a gap year after undergrad

· The primary application opens in May, but you can’t submit your application until June

· The application will take some time to complete (likely more than a week), so it is important to start working on your personal statement early

· BEFORE submitting, print out your entire application and have someone check for errors

· Once submitted, secondary applications from the medical schools you applied for will be sent out in mid-summer

· Interviews may begin as early as August, and acceptances will roll out anywhere from October to April

· Apply early! Since medical school admissions are rolling, an earlier application could give you a better chance of matriculation

 

 

Mississippi Medical Schools

University of Mississippi Medical Center (MD):

· Location: Jackson, MS

· Tuition: $38,812

· Average GPA/MCAT: 3.8/506

· Only accepts Mississippi residents

William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO):

· Location: Hattiesburg, MS

· Tuition: $48,000

· Average GPA/MCAT: 3.4/504

· Strong emphasis on primary care and rural medicine

 

What We Offer

Pre-medical advising at MSU provides a more individualized pathway through one on one advising with Dr. Reese in the Health Professions Resource Center. Students that work with Dr. Reese have an 80% acceptance rate into medical school which is well above the national average of 44.6% (according to InspiraAdvantage).

Our one-on-one advising assists with:

· navigating prerequisites and developing a suitable progression tailored to each student

· plans for shadowing, involvement, letters of recommendation, and preparation for MCAT

· guiding through the application process including personal statements

· interview practice

 

For assistance in planning a pre-medicine path at MSU, contact M.C. Reese