SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY PREMEDICINE INFORMATION

Medical colleges nationwide encourage interested students to pursue any undergraduate degree they desire, from interdisciplinary sciences to chemistry to physics to engineering...the agreed-upon course prerequisites required by medical colleges for entrance are the fundamental four all of which may be taken at the SDSM&T: (1) a year of general biology with laboratories, (2) a year of general chemistry with laboratories, (3) a year of general physics with laboratories, and (4) a year of organic chemistry with laboratories.  Of course, related courses are encouraged by medical colleges and you should speak with your advisor in this regard.  

Prerequisites to Take:

        Biol 151  General Biology I   

        Biol 151L General Biology I Laboratory

        Biol 153 General Biology II

        Biol 153L General Biology II Laboratory

        Chem 112 General Chemistry I

        Chem 112L Experimental General Chemistry

        Chem 114 General Chemistry II

        Chem 114L Experimental General Chemistry II

        Phys111 Introduction to Physics I (although Phys 211/211A      University  Physics I is preferred for medical colleges with calculus requirements)

        Phys 111L Introduction to Physics I Laboratory

        Phys 113/113L Introduction to Physics II (although Phys 213/213L is preferred for medical colleges with calculus requirements)

        Phys 213L University Physics II Laboratory

        Chem 326 Organic Chemistry I

        Chem 326L Experimental Organic Chemistry I

        Chem 328 Organic Chemistry II

        Chem 328L Experimental Organic Chemistry II

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has the reputation of having had numerous of its graduates throughout its history from a variety of its degree majors go on to medical college 

Medical colleges are interested in students who have shadowed physicians and who thereby know both the advantages and disadvantages of a medical career:  Be knowledgeable about what you want to do if you want someone to give you the opportunity to do it. 

Medical colleges accept those students they believe have the intellectual and emotional stamina to make it though a rigorous and intense program of study as evidenced by

(1) superior course performance at the undergraduate level

(2) superior performance on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

(3) letters of recommendation from faculty members

(4) knowledge of one's own aptitude for medicine gained from shadowing experiences

(5) on-site interview

(6) experience shadowing a physician is generally regarded as beneficial:  it is not enough to be in love with what you want to do--it is just as important to recognize the disadvantages of any profession

Statistics for the Interested

Who gets into Sanford School of Medicine at The University of South Dakota?

Click on the below year for the respective USD student profile:

2015                                2014                        2013

Below is the profile of the 2005 Matriculating USD School of Medicine Students.  

1.            Number Accepted:  50

              Number of Applicants: 720 (last year = 508)

              Number of SD Resident Applicants: 142  (two years ago = 97)

              Priority Pool = 173

              Number interviewed = 158

              Acceptance Rate = 30% compared with ~ 45% nationally

2.            Gender:  Men = 27, Women = 23

3.            State of Residence:     SD = 46.  Non-resident with ties to SD = 4.

4.            Graduate of a SD High School:  RC + SF = 15; >10,000 = 8; < 10,000 =  21; Non-SD HS = 6

5.            College Major

                        Biology            22

                      Biology Double Major or Biology related = 10

                        Chemistry        6

                       Chemistry Double Major or Chem related = 5

                        Math     1

                        Other = 6 (comp sci, history, studio art, exercise sci, Spanish, psychology)

6.            Undergraduate College Attended

                        USD                  14

                        SDSU                3

                        Augustana         5

                        U SF                   3

                        BHSU                 1

                        USF                    1

                        SDSM&T           4

                        DWU                  1

7.         Undergraduate GPA

                        Sciences                           3.65

                        Non-sciences                    3.83

                       Total:                                  3.71

8.        MCAT Score Averages

                        Verbal Reasoning             9.8

                        Physical Science              9.2

                        Biological Science            9.9

                        Writing Sample                  P

Above statistics Courtesy Dr. Paul Bunger, Dean, Medical Student Affairs, USD School of Medicine

 American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Homepage

Massive official site with all aspects of academic medicine including a search engine.  The source for information on application to medical college, medical colleges (including contact information for all 125 medical colleges), residency information, official student and applicant information, financial aid, community and minority programs.

University of South Dakota School of Medicine Physician Assistant Studies Program

Dr. David A. Boyles, Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, SDSM&T, Rapid City, SD 57701