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GRADUATE ENROLLMENT INFORMATION

Information for Students Intending to Pursue Advanced Degrees

Medical School
Premed advice for MB&B majors with AP
Graduate School

Preparing for Medical School

Yale offers students the opportunity to fulfill premedical requirements without the restrictions of a specific "premedical major." Students are encouraged to pursue a course of study which is compatible with their interests and needs. Most premedical students major in one of the sciences, although this is not mandatory. A student who loves composing, for instance, may choose to major in music while also taking science courses. It should be noted that Yale students majoring in one of the humanities or social sciences have enjoyed the same rate of acceptance to medical schools as science majors. In recent years, the average rate of acceptance has been 92%. The philosophies of education, specific premedical course requirements, and other qualifications for enrollment vary among the nation's medical schools. However, all medical schools recognize the desirability of a broad education: strong foundations in the natural sciences, well-developed communication skills, and a solid background in the social sciences and humanities.

Most medical schools require one year each of biology, physics, chemistry, and organic chemistry with laboratories. Most schools further require a year of college level mathematics and English. An Advanced Placement course from high school is not a substitute for any of these, but may be used to qualify for a higher level course in a particular department. Although not required by most medical schools, advanced biology courses with particular relevance to medicine such as biochemistry, cell biology and genetics may be helpful. Experience with computer science, statistics and psychology is becoming increasingly important to those who wish to engage in virtually any health career. The basic requirements for admission to medical school in the United States are listed below. Some require additional coursework. These requirements are listed in Medical School Admission Requirements as well as in medical school catalogs and are available in the Resource Library of Career Services at 1 Hillhouse Avenue.

A student pursuing an MB&B degree will satisfy most specific course requirements for medical schools as a consequence of fulfilling degree requirements. It is important to emphasize that while Advanced Placement courses may satisfy requirements to earn a MB&B degree, these do not substitute for the general requirements for medical schools stated above. For instance, if a student places out of Introductory Biology and Biology Lab with a sufficient score on an Advanced Placement Exam, the student must still take a course in Biology (a higher level course) while in college to satisfy the medical school biology requirement. Note also that courses MB&B 300 and MB&B 301, Principles of Biochemistry are counted towards the chemistry and not the biology requirement for medical schools.

While academic performance is an important criterion in medical school admissions, it is by no means the only one. As one medical school bulletin explains, "preference is given to those who have demonstrated interest in and commitment to human services." The New Haven and Yale communities offer a wide variety of experiences in which one can explore an interest in human services. Volunteer programs include those sponsored by the Yale-New Haven Hospital, Benhaven School for Autistic Children and the New Haven Big Brother/Big Sister organizations, as well as programs in many of the city's public schools, nursing homes, day care centers, half-way houses, and other community organizations.

Yale's career counseling services include the Health Professions Advisory Committee and a premedical advisory program. Students considering medical school are assisted by faculty and physicians throughout the application process. Students who plan to apply for admission to medical school are advised to consult the University Career Services Health Professions Office (1 Hillhouse Avenue) for detailed information about entrance requirements of individual schools. Appointments to discuss individual problems may be made by calling 432-0818. In addition, during the first two weeks of each term, premedical curricular questions are answered Monday through Thursday from 3:30-4:45 P.M. Brief questions can be addressed during Pre-Med Quick Question, Monday from 10-11:30 and Wednesday from 1:30-3:30 at Career Services, and to "Uncle Eli" via E-mail at: Undergraduate_CareerServices@quickmail.cis.yale.edu

Preparing for Graduate School

Requirements for admission to a graduate school differ with both field of study and individual school. The basic timetable presented below offers a general background of the application process.

Junior Year (Spring Term)

• Meet with professors and director of graduate study in your area of interest to ask for advice about the best programs to research. Also, speak with graduate students studying in your field of interest; their advice can be invaluable.
  
  
• Increase your familiarity with schools and programs which seem especially suited to your educational goals. Helpful resources include graduate school catalogs in the Library (Room 122) at Undergraduate Career Services (also available on microfiche at Sterling Memorial Library) and the "University Study Resources" and "Science Resources" bibliographies compiled by Career Services. The Peterson's Guide to Graduate Programs are also extremely useful reference volumes. These Guides contain general information about the application process and financial aid and specific information about individual programs of study, including addresses, contact persons and so forth. They are available in the Career Services Library as well.
  
  
• Begin building a file of letters of recommendation in your residential college dean's office.
  
  
• Register to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) in early June. Forms are available on the shelves in the lobby at Career Services.

Summer following Junior Year

• Prepare a list of selected schools and programs to which you plan to apply.
  
  
• Send for catalogs and application materials, including forms for financial aid.
  
  
• Review requirements for admission to determine if a GRE subject test in your area of proposed study is required by any schools to which you will apply. If so, register with the GRE to take the subject test early in the fall term.
  
  
• Register for the October administration of the GRE if you did not take the exam in the early summer or if you plan to retake it.

Senior Year (Fall Term)

• Check with your residential college dean's office regarding completion of your file of letters of recommendation.
  
  
• Take October GRE (if first-time test taker or repeater) or subject test if required.
  
  
• Complete and submit applications to selected graduate school programs. (Most deadlines for submission of applications and supporting documents for the class entering in the fall term occur between January and April of the preceding spring term. Since most schools have rolling admissions, it is advantageous to submit your applications during the fall term of senior year. Read carefully the instructions for submitting graduate school applications. Some schools require you to submit all material in the same envelope; this includes letters of recommendation.)
  
  
• Request the registrar's office of Yale College to send official transcripts to the schools to which you have applied for admission.
  
  
• Complete and submit the forms necessary for financial aid. Graduate schools frequently require you and your parents to complete the Graduate and Professional School Financial Aid Service (GAPSFAS) form, which is available on the shelves in the lobby at Undergraduate Career Services. If the Financial Aid Form (FAF) is required, it is available at the Yale College Financial Aid Office.
  
  
• Use the fellowship guides and related financial aid directories in Room 119 at Undergraduate Career Services to research scholarships to support your graduate studies.

A file containing information about individual graduate schools is available for use by students in the MB&B DUS Registrar office (309 JWG).