Abstract: An academic advisor at a rural liberal arts college meets with a premedical student and discusses applying to medical school.
Keywords/Phrases: Academic Advising, Medical School, MCAT
Primary Characters
Tom (He/Him/His)
Tom is a first-generation student. While going to college, he works part-time at a local bookstore. His brother did not go to college but works two jobs at a local hotel and a local supermarket. His mother is an office coordinator in the accounting department of a local hospital and his father is not working due to illness. Therefore, he, his brother, and his mother are the financial providers of his household. Although Tom and his family do not receive financial help from the government and public programs, their annual household income is below the low-income threshold. His father’s illness has inspired Tom to pursue a career in medicine. Tom comes from a Filipino-American background.
Mr. Lee (He/Him/His)
Mr. Lee has been a premedical advisor at the institution for more than 11 years. Mr. Lee has not met with Tom in the previous semester so this semester is their first meeting (Tom’s primary advisor was his biology professor who specializes in vertebrates). Tom’s biology professor recommended he see Mr. Lee as he specializes in medical school applications. Mr. Lee holds a B.S. degree in Chemistry and a master’s degree in Biochemistry from State University. Although Mr. Lee was accepted into medical school when he first applied, he opted to work as a pre-medical advisor to help undergraduate students who want to pursue medicine. He wants to use his experience in applying and getting accepted to medical school to guide students. Mr. Lee was born and raised in China, but when he was 10, his family relocated to the US for more opportunities.
Case Study
Tom is one semester away from graduating with his bachelor’s degree in biology at the State University. Although he has plans to apply to medical school, he is unsure if he is ready. He does not have experience in volunteering, caring for patients, or participating in medical-related research. Furthermore, he has not prepared for the MCAT, the entrance exam required for all medical schools. The only experience he has is physician shadowing. As a result, he feels unsure and underprepared for his medical school application.
To ease his concerns, he has met with his new academic advisor, Mr. Lee, to discuss Tom’s plans to apply to medical school. Mr. Lee explained to Tom that his grades are competitive as his science GPA is 3.6 and his non-science GPA is 3.7. The advisor acknowledged that although Tom has the grades, he is at a disadvantage geographically. He lives in a rural area, which is classified as an underserved community and lacks the academic resources that other students have access to. In fact, students are often encouraged to pursue medical-related opportunities in urban areas.
However, Mr. Lee provided some suggestions for Tom to consider. For example, State University is strong in research related to marine and environmental science, education, and liberal arts. His university offers a summer research program in which he can participate. The program is open to undergraduate and graduate students, so Tom is eligible to participate the summer after he graduates. At the same time, Tom can contact and coordinate with local hospitals and clinics about obtaining experience caring for patients. Likewise, he can make volunteer arrangements with student clubs and organizations at State University. As a result, Tom will most likely spend one or two years expanding his experience in order to strengthen his medical school application. For his MCAT preparation, Mr. Lee suggests that Tom could self-study the material. Although Tom will not accumulate any debt from participating in these activities, he is not enthusiastic about the suggestions as they seemed stressful and Mr. Lee offered less guidance than he had expected. Tom hoped to gain more medical research and hospital experience as an undergraduate, however, his university was limited in offering those types of experiences.
The last suggestion that the academic advisor offered was for Tom to apply for a two-year premedical school postbaccalaureate program. The program provides students with medical research experience, hospital experience, physician shadowing, and MCAT and medical school application preparation. The program has a 90% success rate of its graduates getting accepted into medical school in their first attempt in applying. Tom’s only concern is that the program is in a different state. Mr. Lee is willing to help Tom with completing and submitting his application if he is interested in applying. Mr. Lee explained that although the program is in a different state, students accepted into the program receive a full-ride scholarship with monthly stipends. The purpose of the program is to financially support deserving students with financial need. In this way the program allows students to focus on and commit to their academic studies. The program is designed to expand access to students who might not otherwise be able to afford experiences to get them into medical school. Hence, participants in this program do not have to worry about additional financial burdens while completing the program.
Although the program seems promising and will definitely help Tom achieve his goal of becoming a medical doctor, he is concerned about personal support as he has no family members who live in the state where the premed program is located. Although Tom is motivated to pursue a career in medicine, his personal situation may prevent him from reaching his goal. He is an important financial provider for his family and since there is no medical school in the area, moving away from his family will bring unexpected financial challenges. In addition, Tom does not get financial support from his family for his schooling as he relies on supported based on his FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) award. The money that Tom and his family make is for housing and living expenses. In short, Tom spends his money on his needs and not his wants. While the financial aspects of the program described above will be covered, the stipend does not provide Tom with the funds he has earned in the past that have helped him support his family as well as covering his own expenses.
Discussion Questions
- What is the academic advisor’s role in this advising session? How could Mr. Lee address Tom’s needs?
- What are Tom’s options for his situation?
- While time and money are central to this case, what other issues or considerations does Tom need to take into account? What other factors should Mr. Lee raise and help Tom address?
- What other staff, offices, or resources might help Tom navigate his situation?
Author Bio
Ryu Espinosa (He/His/Him) is a graduate student in the master’s program in academic advising at Kansas State University.