Liberal Arts and Medical School

All medical school students take the MCAT prior to applying to medical school.  It is similar to the SAT/ACTs for undergraduate students, except it usually carries more weight than those tests do in the admission process.  I came across this article a few weeks ago and it made me smile: Revamping MCAT and Pre-Med Education.

The gist of the article is that the MCAT test will now have a Behavioral and Social Science Principles section and a Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section.  It appears as if those administering the test and reviewing the predictive results have realized what liberal arts colleges already knew - that a well rounded education is important in any career.  Liberal arts colleges (like Albright) have long argued that a strong education in all areas will develop stronger critical thinking and communication skills, crucial to any career. So future doctors, do not shy away from those social science classes, or the arts, or any other subject area. 

Here's some snippets from the article:

"It's very clear that in this country a large proportion of illness is related to behavior and social and cultural problems," he said. "So we want to encourage the applicant to medical school to be thinking about those and reading about those early." Gabbe recalled that, as an undergraduate, he took a course in "social disorganization," and he said that the topics discussed -- poverty, alcoholism and drug abuse, among others -- are subjects future doctors need to understand.

The message for undergraduates (and their advisers) is "that you do need a solid foundation in the sciences, but you need more than that. You need to think critically and reason, and understand the differences in our society and the patients you see as a physician," Gabbe said. "We need people who are critical thinkers and people who have sensitivity and understanding of different cultures."

Albright has a long tradition in the sciences and of sending alumni to medical school.  As we put the finishing touches on our new and renovated 70,000+ square foot science facility we will attract more and more aspiring doctors.  Hopefully they all realize how important their entire education, inside and outside the sciences, and inside and outside the classroom is important to reach their goals of working in the medical field.