Premedical Committee

The Premedical Program is designed for students interested in pursuing a career as a physician, dentist, optometrist, or podiatrist. The Premedical Program, under the guidance of the Premedical Committee, assists students with pre-­professional planning and applications to the health professions schools that grant degrees in allopathic medicine (MD), osteopathic medicine (DO), dentistry (DDS, DMD), optometry (OD), and podiatry (DPM). Premedicine is not a major. Although most premedical students major in one of the Natural Sciences, any major offered by the College may be pursued.

Premedical Committee members include Professors Libby Yost (Committtee Chair; Sociology/Public Health), Kathleen Verville (Biology), Anne Marteel-Parrish (Chemistry), Daniel Kochli (Psychology), and Matthew McCabe (Philosophy) and the Coordinator of Pre-Health Professions Programs, Phil Ticknor. 

Premedical students should consult members of the Premedical Committee early in their academic careers and notify the Premedical Committee Chair of their interest in considering a career in medicine.  

To become aware of expectations, requirements, procedures, and deadlines, premedical students should read the advising information found on the College’s premedical website and Canvas site and in the college catalog. They should also attend all premed meetings, including the meeting held during first-year student orientation. In addition, individual advice should be sought from Premedical Committee members.

Students may plan to attend professional school in the academic year following graduation but are encouraged to consider taking additional time. Taking a year or more between college graduation and entrance to these professional schools (taking one or more gap years) is common across the nation. The benefits of a gap year are many, including additional time for experiential learning opportunities, additional time to prepare for exams such as the MCAT or to make an application more competitive, and increased flexibility in the timing of courses. The earlier this decision to take a gap year is made, the greater its positive impact on a student’s ability to have flexibility in curriculum design.

Students seeking a Committee Letter from the Washington College Premedical Committee, which is required/recommended by the majority of medical schools, must be aware of the need to complete a file with the Premedical Committee, the file requirements and file completion deadline (the last business day in February of the Junior year for students who plan to attend a health professions school in the academic year following graduation from Washington College), and the procedures for obtaining a Committee Letter. This information is provided and discussed at premed meetings.