November 8th Visit Day Questions

• "What category would dermatology be under as far as academic programs go?" -   Once in medical school, you can specialize in the field of dermatology.  A dermatology technician is probably someone who only needs certification or an associates degree (1-2 year program).

• "What is the difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy?"   Check out these two great websites: Click on this image for a description of PT ; click on this image for a description of OT .

• "Will the College ever have an Athletic Training Program?" Questions about sports medicine and/or athletic training are common. Check out these websites for more information:   or  .   Athletic training is a 5-year undergraduate program at most schools or a 2-year MS program. You need to be a certified AT to enter the MS programs. Augustana decided that we could not support a 5-year degree, so we do not offer an AT program. Someone interested in sports medicine could go to graduate school or medical school. The best resource is to check out the above websites.

• Damon asked this question - "Could you explain the difference between your Micro and Chemical Biology courses - as what things you do in class?"  Damon, please contact me at biscott@augustana.edu.  I'm afraid I don't understand your question.  Microbiology is a course that studies microscopic organisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses and yeast).  The lab is one of our most extensive because to be a good microbiologist you have to develop a lot of lab skills.  I'm not sure what course you are referring to when you wrote "chemical biology."

•   "What are some occupations you can do into with a biology degree?  What happens when you don't get into medical school?"  The best resource to found out about careers in biology is the Internet.  Go to Google.com and type in biology careers.  You find there are many MANY different opportunities (e.g., healthcare, animal welfare and environmental careers, education, research, industry, government jobs). Most careers in healthcare, animal welfare, and education require that you get an MS or PhD or professional training beyond the BS/BA degree.  Student who started out pre-med, but later changed their minds about medical school have chosen many different career paths.  Some have stayed within healthcare (e.g., PT, OT, physician assistant, nursing), while others have gone on to graduate school or gotten a job in industry.

• "What can you recommend as a double-major for pre-medicine or biology major?"   Most of our pre-health students major in biology; the pre-meds get the double-major (pre-med and biology).  If you are looking for something to emphasize your liberal arts experience, I would suggest something outside the sciences.  Many of our students major or minor in Spanish, English, religion, philosophy, music, art, history, psychology, etc.  Psychology is especially good for Pre-PT and pre-OT students.

• "What is the best year to travel abroad if I'm pre-med?"  Probably the sophomore or junior year, or over the summer is the best time to travel.  The fall of the senior year is a busy time for completing applications and going on interviews, so it is tough to be out of the country at this time.  It should be noted, however, that there is no dire need to go directly from undergraduate into a medical school program.   We have had many students choose to go abroad their senior year, then apply for medical school the following year.  The average age of a first year medical student is 25-26 years old, so lots of people choose to postpone their medical training until they really feel prepared and ready to commit so much time and energy to the process.

• "If I decide to change to the education major, is it easy to switch from other majors?"  The answer to this question depends on when the switch is made.   Someone starting off with a biology major, then later switching to an education major with biology emphasis, will make the transition fairly smoothly.  The biggest issue is the large number of education courses that all education majors must take to fulfill State requirements.  It is difficult for anyone to complete the education major in a 4-year time span, unless the student is willing to take summer school.   You'll find this is true at all colleges and universities.

• "Will a pre-med advisor help me acquire the internship and research opportunities that are needed to get into medical school?"  My role as the pre-med advisor is to help the student in this process - I see my role as directing the student to appropriate resources, helping with the application process, etc.  The Career Center is also a good resource, especially in arranging internship experiences.  However, I feel that it is the responsibility of the student to seek out these experiences and make the appropriate calls and inquires.  This demonstrates to me just how motivated a student is for a particular career.  

• "Is there any extra preparation provided to students preparing for the MCAT?"   I offer a free workshop focused on taking section exams similar to those on the real MCAT.  Beginning in October, we meet everyone other week to take practice exams.   I also offer two full-fledged practice exams just prior to the April MCAT.   The College also sponsors a Kaplan Review course, but this costs a lot of money and I have heard conflicting reports from students on its benefits. 

• Several questions were asked about AP credit, high school advanced courses or community college courses. Several people asked me about these experiences. English, Literature, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Calculus are just some of the credits that students have brought into Augustana from high school AP experiences. Some high schools have agreements with local colleges to take college-level classes and get college credit. These are wonderful experiences and most transfer back to Augustana. Many of them will fulfill general education and/or entry-level courses in the major. Nearly all can be applied toward the total number of credits for graduation. I would suggest that you contact the Admissions Office for a list of courses that fulfill AP credits. You are certainly welcome to contact me if you have a question about a specific college course. Advanced high school courses are not considered college-level unless they are designated AP credit or if the course is offered through a local college.

• "Will CNA certification benefit me as a pre-med student?"  CNA or EMT training is an excellent experience for a pre-med student.  First, it opens doors into hospitals and other healthcare facilities for paid jobs that people without this training are not qualified for.  Many hospitals these days only hire students with some form of healthcare training.  CNA and/or EMT training also demonstrates your desire to become a healthcare worker.  I would encourage students to take the courses, usually offered at a local community college, to become CNA or EMT certified if it fits into your busy schedule.

• What is the difference between a Pre-Professional Program vs. Minor vs. Major? To graduate from Augustana a student must successfully complete 1 major and a group of general education courses. The Biology Dept. offers the biology major and the pre-medicine major, plus a biology minor and a number of pre-health professions programs (pre-PT, pre-OT, etc.). Students interested in physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry, veterinary medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy usually major in biology. In addition, they take courses that specifically prepare them for the various graduate programs. Pre-professional programs are composed of courses commonly required for graduate schools. A student can graduate without taking all the courses designated in a pre-professional program, but a student must take all the courses designated in his/her respective major to graduate. A minor is a smaller version of the major. It simply provides the student an opportunity to focus on a specific field without taking all the credits for a full major. Many of our biology and pre-medicine students minor in one of these areas - psychology, Spanish, English, philosophy, etc. An increasing number of our pre-medicine students major in areas outside the sciences, while still taking the sciences courses needed for the MCAT.

• "What is the student:teacher ratio?"  Campus-wide, the student-teacher ratio is about 13:1.  For classes in the sciences that are taken by biology and pre-med majors, classes range in size from 10-50 students.  The large classes are those required for all students (e.g., general chemistry, cell biology, zoology, genetics, botany). 

RETURN TO DR. SCOTT'S HOMEPAGE