UMD's Premed Program

Hi there. I've been looking at the University of Maryland as a potential school for my undergraduate studies with a premed focus. What's the vibe there when it comes to premed? Is the program well-regarded?

The University of Maryland, College Park, indeed offers a strong premed track, through their College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. While it's not technically a "program," students aiming for a medical career are quite common at the university, and you'll find resources and advising aimed at premed students.

UMD has an office known as Reed-Yorke Health Professions Advising Office that provides support for pre-health students, including those aiming for medical school. This office offers application workshops and one-on-one advising appointments where you can discuss course selection, experiential learning opportunities, and how to prepare a competitive medical school application, among other topics.

Courses needed for med school (biology, chemistry, physics, math, and sometimes English and social sciences) can be taken as part of many majors, but many premed students at UMD choose to major in something like Biology, Biochemistry, or Neurobiology and Physiology.

There is a vibrant premed community at UMD. They offer premed-focused clubs where you could meet and network with other premed students, get involved in medical volunteering, and sometimes even meet current medical students or doctors. Some clubs to look into are the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), Doctors Without Borders Student Chapter, and the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS).

Given UMD's location in College Park, Maryland, students also have the advantage of being so close to a plethora of biomedical research and healthcare institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins University, and many renowned hospitals. These can provide many opportunities for shadowing, internships, and research experiences, which can greatly enhance your med school application.

In terms of rigor, premed at UMD is challenging, as is the case at most universities. The classes are designed to be rigorous because medical school is rigorous. They can be highly competitive, especially since they tend to be curved. Many students say that, apart from the traditional challenges associated with premed, the large class sizes can make it extra tough.

Overall, UMD has a solid option for premed, with robust resources and a location that puts students in close proximity with some of the nation's top healthcare institutions. This said, remember that any premed track is going to require a lot of dedication and hard work, and you'll need to maintain a solid GPA to be competitive for medical schools. A good fit will also depend on your other preferences for college: size, location, social scene, etc. Be sure to consider these factors as well in your college search.