Allopathic physicians, more commonly known as M.D.s, diagnose illnesses and prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease using drugs and surgery.

Most M.D.s are primary care physicians. They counsel patients in general and family medicine, internal medicine, or general pediatrics. When necessary, an allopathic physician will refer a patient to a specialist in a given field.

Allopathic Skills and Attributes

M.D.s must be self-motivated, have a desire to serve patients, and must be able to make decisions quickly in emergency situations. They must be emotionally stable and possess an ability to comfort their patients. Physicians must also be willing to put in the long hours necessary to be successful during their education and practice. M.D.s should also understand that throughout their career, it is vital for them to keep up with ever-changing medical advances and technology, while staying flexible in order to deal with a rapidly evolving healthcare system.

Recommended Undergraduate Preparation

For medical school preparation, any major is appropriate. While medical schools like to have students with a diversity of backgrounds, students should realize that all applicants must meet certain requirements and expectations before applying to medical school.

The medical school application process includes submission of transcripts, MCAT scores, and letters of recommendation. Often, medical schools will also require that the applicant interview with members of the admissions committee. Schools will also consider characteristics of applicants not relating to undergraduate coursework. These include personality, character, leadership, and participation in extracurricular activities.

Most U.S. medical schools use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) for application processing. AMCAS is not involved in any admissions decisions. Students applying to schools participating in AMCAS must use the AMCAS service, available online at www.aamc.org.

The Medical College Admissions Test, or MCAT, is offered twice a year in April and August. The test should be taken by April (or earlier) of the year before grauation. Most medical schools will only accept MCAT scores within two years of taking the exam.

Links for More Information

• The Association of American Medical Colleges is a good place to start looking for more information: http://www.aamc.org.
• The American Medical Student Association is dedicated to representing concerns of physicians in training. The association includes over 30,000 members, and the AMSA website includes information on current health issues, a calendar of events, AMSA listserv, AMSA newsletter, and much more: http://www.amsa.org.
• For more information on the MCAT, visit the official MCAT website: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm
• Student Doctor is a site with more information for prospective health sciences students: http://www.studentdoctor.com.

Illinois Wesleyan Contact Person

For more information on allopathic medicine, contact either Professor Jeff Frick, jfrick@titan.iwu.edu, 556-3159, or Professor Tim Rettich, trettich@titan.iwu.edu, 556-3140.