Pre-Med Seniors Preparing For Medical School

Tobin Robinson, Thalia Mulvihill, and Amanda O. Litz joined together to compose ‘Bound and Determined: Perceptions of Pre-Med Seniors Regarding Their Persistence In Preparing For Medical School.† Students are being examined on their different perceptions of studying and preparing for medical school placement exams. Studies show that classes are viewed on the values of where they contribute to their fields of study while the results of different perceptions are preparing students for further learning. Mulvihill begins by expressing how â€Å"much attention has been placed on factors such as science confidence and aptitude development, as well as persistence through difficult courses or academic programs.† (Weimar, 2012) In this approach, such topics can assist the student in understanding the factors that contribute to the high volume that may eventually change their academic focus. It is stated that â€Å"beginning students often predict they will receive a much higher course grade in introductory biology than what their current marks in the course would predict, and this trend occurs even when the instructor is transparent about the course grading process.† (Robinson, 224) There were also studies done on different programs that are characterized by an intense , short course span, consisting of only a few weeks of course instruction that consist for a certain number of hours a day. These classes were found to be successful in teaching science to a community college of students, especially those who involved shifting focus from lecture to active student learning, developing student leadership skills, and democratizing learning. (Lloyd & Eckhardt, 2010) Similar studies relating to the medical school admissions and underrepresented populations have found that certain medical school requirements, such as the MCAT, often hinder minority groups from medical school acceptance. (Henry, 2006) The MCAT has been a major hurdle for students seeking admissions to medical schools for a vast majority of years. In other words, this assessment can be categorized as a placement test into the student's desired medical school. Because of the extreme importance of test scores in school admissions, many students take the time to prepare through a private course that is, in no way, affiliated with their college or university. These courses will fall as the greatest way to prepare the collegiate senior in medical school acceptances. In Robinson, Mulvihill, and Litz's article in Bound and Determined: Perceptions of Pre-Med Seniors Regarding Their Persistence In Preparing For Medical School, the authors are gathering information and creating methods to prepare Pre-Medical college seniors for Medical school by assigning assessments and providing practices to be admitted into a collegiate medical program.