Pre-Health FAQ
What percentage of Regis students who apply get into medical school?
This is indeed a very frequently asked question. Please be aware however, that institutions will add these numbers up in different ways, so direct comparisons are difficult. Also, med school admissions are so competitive that every year many well qualified students are declined, so there are no guarantees. The bottom line is that students who do very well at Regis will generally also do well in the med school applicant pool.
The Regis pre-health advisors do not recommend that students apply to medical school (MD) unless they have earned at least a 3.5 undergraduate science and cumulative GPA AND an MCAT score of 26 or above. National medical school averages for matriculating applicants are 3.7 GPA and an MCAT of 32.
MD acceptance rates for Regis students who applied January, 2004-May, 2013
| GPA 3.5+ and MCAT 26+ |
60% |
| GPA 3.6+ and MCAT28+ |
75% |
| GPA 3.8+ and MCAT 30+ |
100% |
For students who need an extra year of preparation before continuing on to medical school, we encourage them to look into Regis College graduate programs such as the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences program.
Does Regis “get students in” to the top tier schools?
The short answer is yes, we do have graduates who achieve acceptance to excellent universities, including some of the most competitive medical schools in the nation; however, Regis plays a supportive role for their student’s individual talents and, while we feel that a Regis undergraduate degree is excellent preparation, students need to “get in” on their own merits. Also, we encourage students to evaluate and apply to schools as a match for their own professional goals, rather than just based on general reputation, competitiveness or cost.
Do you have pre-health advisors to help me with the graduate application process?
Yes, we have several NAAHP (National Association of Advisors of the Health Professions) member advisors and a broader committee of interested advisory faculty that are distributed through various departments in the college. These advisors help with many aspects of your pre-health career planning including coursework scheduling, exam timeline planning, finding good volunteer and internship opportunities, help with entry essays and letters of recommendation.
If I want to go into nursing, physical therapy or pharmacy, what should I major in?
Regis has majors specifically geared toward nursing, exercise science and pre-pharmacy that will best help students to achieve their career goals in these areas. For more information about these majors, follow the links below.
If I want to go to a graduate program such as medical school, dental school or PA school, what should I major in?
Choose a major that you will enjoy, in which you will do well and that will allow you to complete your prerequisite courses. Historically, the most popular pre-health sciences majors at Regis College have been biology, chemistry, biochemistry and neuroscience; however, any pre-health sciences major will work as long as you keep your goals in mind.
If an eventual career in medicine or dentistry is your goal, we encourage students to earn a more general degree with an emphasis in the sciences, rather than a specific degree in something like nursing or exercise science (which are geared toward entering nursing and PT careers respectively). We have pre-health advisory faculty in many departments to help students stay on track. Please see our pre-health advisory contacts list for more information.
What if I have AP, IB, community college or dual credits for prerequisite courses? Will I need to re-take them?
This answer varies depending on the intended program and school, so you will need to meet with your advisor for help with this. Many institutions will accept AP, IB, community college or dual credits, but will want to see them supplemented with higher level coursework to prove your academic abilities.
If you feel there is an area in which your foundational knowledge is lacking, you may want to retake those courses. If you have a choice as to where you will take your prerequisite courses, we highly recommend taking them at a four-year college such as Regis, as that is much preferred by the professional school admission committees.
What should I be doing NOW to prepare for becoming a healthcare professional?
Develop your interests and experiences in the natural sciences. Read articles, books, blogs and other resources that will encourage your scientific curiosity and awareness (e.g. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, by Anne Fadiman).
Explore the variety of careers that are open to you by shadowing, volunteering, visiting sites like www.explorehealthcareers.org and asking questions.
First-hand experiences in clinical or research settings are an excellent way to determine your interests and talents. Don’t be shy to ask about potential opportunities.
Does Regis do committee letters?
No, like many other smaller, liberal arts institutions, Regis does not have a committee letter process. We feel that you will get to know your professors well enough in our small classes that our faculty will be able to write very effective and personalized individual letters of recommendation. As you go through your coursework at Regis, be sure to develop good relationships with your professors as they will be important voices in support of your application.
Does Regis have a pre-health professional honors society?
Yes! We highly encourage students to join Alpha Epsilon Delta early in their academic careers. AED meetings provide a place for pre-health sciences students to share resources, learn about different aspects of healthcare careers and get assistance with the continuing application process. AED service projects also provide opportunities for health care-related volunteer work. We also have a pre-pharmacy club on campus that is a great resource.
Learn More about AED
I have heard the MCAT is changing; should I be worried about this?
Incoming freshmen to Regis will indeed take the new competency based version of the MCAT, which will begin to be administered in 2015. However, we recommend saving your panic mode for other things, as you will have the opportunity to work with an informed advisor to set up your course schedule and study timeline to account for the changes. For more information on the exam itself, please visit the AAMC website.