5 answers
Mauri
Student
Easton, Pennsylvania
1
Question
Asked
2119 views
HBCU, College vs. Medical school, OB/GYN HELP!?
Hi! I live in a random city on the edge of Pennsylvania. I want to know how I could possibly get into an HBCU. Another thing is, I want to know which one i should apply to for the major I’m interested in. That’s also another thing, how do I become an OB/GYN? What do I have to do? What classes do I have to take? Can I get a head start while in high school? Please help!
5 answers
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1093
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Mauri,
You got exciting plans! Let's unpack this from the other end: If you wan to be an OB/GYN, you need to go to medical school. To get into medical school, you first need to earn an undergraduate degree. Also, medical school admission is competitive, so you need to start early to set yourself up for success.
You also want to attend an HBCU. Since you'll do an undergraduate (bachelors) and a graduate degree (MD or DO), you could do your undergraduate degree at an HBCU and then switch to one of the general med schools. Or you could do your undergraduate degree at an HBCU and also attend med school at an HBCU. Nobody can tell you which universities to apply to. It's up to you to find the best fit for your goals and dreams.
In PA, there are 2 HBCUs: Cheyney University is the oldest HBCU in the US. Lincoln University is the first HBCU to grant college degrees. Cheyney University offers a pre-med (biology) bachelors program that prepares you for med school. Lincoln University offers bachelors degrees in biology and chemistry.
There are 4 HBCU medical schools in the US: Howard University College of Medicine, Moorehouse School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. And then there are 2 newer medical schools at HBCUs: Xavier University and Morgan State University.
Go to the websites of these schools and study what they offer and how that matches with your goal and interests. Look at their admission requirements, acceptance rates, cost, scholarship opportunities, the overall vibe etc. If you can, visit a few campuses of schools you might be interested in. Get in contact with the admissions offices. They are there to help you and answer questions. You should apply to a few schools, some that are well within your reach, 1 or 2 that might be dream schools but you are not sure if you'll get in, and 1 or 2 safety schools where you will definitely get in. For your undergraduate degree you want to look at the support they'll give you to get into med school. For your med school, you should pick one that has a great OB/GYN program.
Like I said, medical school admission is competitive and they require more than just good grades. In high-school, you should concentrate on math and science (math, biology, chemistry, physics) and any health science courses that might be offered (anatomy, psychology). Take AP or Community College courses if you can. Make sure you maintain a high GPA and don't overload your schedule though. Some social science and language classes are also useful to train your communication skills and general understanding of the world. Also, start in high-school to get medical experiences. You can e.g. volunteer at a hospital or a doctors office. You'll continue doing that when you are in college.
You also need to think about extracurricular activities. If your school has a science club or a medical club, those are obviously good ideas. Other than that, there is no fixed formula what you must do. The admissions people want to see that you are a well-rounded person, that you are interested in community service, that you show initiative, have leadership potential and can work in a team. I know, it sounds like a lot (and it is), but you don't need to do everything under the sun. Choose some things that are important to you and make sure you have some kind of sustained effort and impact.
For your undergraduate degree (4 years) you can study any field that interests you, but you must also complete a list of pre-requisite classes. Look them up for schools you would consider. They can be a bit different at different schools. Many students choose to take biology, biochemistry, chemistry or something along those lines for their undergraduate program. Those would mostly cover the pre-requisite classes for med school. If you want to do a different program, you must still cover the pre-requisite classes.
Then you have to take the MCAT before you can apply to medical school. Your undergraduate GPA and your MCAT score will be very important pieces of your application, but your medical experience, research experience etc are also part of the picture.
Medical school is another 4 years before you earn your medical doctorate (MD or DO). The first 2 years are mostly theory, the last 2 years are clinical and you'll rotate through several specialties. After 4 years of medical school, you pick a specialty (e.g. OB/GYN) to do your residency. The residency for OB/GYN is another 4 years.
Obviously, there are exams along the way and before you can practice, you need to pass board-certification. So, it's a long path, but don't let that discourage you!
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://hbcuconnect.com/hbcu/state/pennsylvania
https://cheyney.edu/who-we-are/the-first-hbcu/
https://www.lincoln.edu/index.html
https://robertsmith.com/blog/hbcu-medical-schools/
https://www.residencyprogramslist.com/obstetrics-and-gynecology
You got exciting plans! Let's unpack this from the other end: If you wan to be an OB/GYN, you need to go to medical school. To get into medical school, you first need to earn an undergraduate degree. Also, medical school admission is competitive, so you need to start early to set yourself up for success.
You also want to attend an HBCU. Since you'll do an undergraduate (bachelors) and a graduate degree (MD or DO), you could do your undergraduate degree at an HBCU and then switch to one of the general med schools. Or you could do your undergraduate degree at an HBCU and also attend med school at an HBCU. Nobody can tell you which universities to apply to. It's up to you to find the best fit for your goals and dreams.
In PA, there are 2 HBCUs: Cheyney University is the oldest HBCU in the US. Lincoln University is the first HBCU to grant college degrees. Cheyney University offers a pre-med (biology) bachelors program that prepares you for med school. Lincoln University offers bachelors degrees in biology and chemistry.
There are 4 HBCU medical schools in the US: Howard University College of Medicine, Moorehouse School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. And then there are 2 newer medical schools at HBCUs: Xavier University and Morgan State University.
Go to the websites of these schools and study what they offer and how that matches with your goal and interests. Look at their admission requirements, acceptance rates, cost, scholarship opportunities, the overall vibe etc. If you can, visit a few campuses of schools you might be interested in. Get in contact with the admissions offices. They are there to help you and answer questions. You should apply to a few schools, some that are well within your reach, 1 or 2 that might be dream schools but you are not sure if you'll get in, and 1 or 2 safety schools where you will definitely get in. For your undergraduate degree you want to look at the support they'll give you to get into med school. For your med school, you should pick one that has a great OB/GYN program.
Like I said, medical school admission is competitive and they require more than just good grades. In high-school, you should concentrate on math and science (math, biology, chemistry, physics) and any health science courses that might be offered (anatomy, psychology). Take AP or Community College courses if you can. Make sure you maintain a high GPA and don't overload your schedule though. Some social science and language classes are also useful to train your communication skills and general understanding of the world. Also, start in high-school to get medical experiences. You can e.g. volunteer at a hospital or a doctors office. You'll continue doing that when you are in college.
You also need to think about extracurricular activities. If your school has a science club or a medical club, those are obviously good ideas. Other than that, there is no fixed formula what you must do. The admissions people want to see that you are a well-rounded person, that you are interested in community service, that you show initiative, have leadership potential and can work in a team. I know, it sounds like a lot (and it is), but you don't need to do everything under the sun. Choose some things that are important to you and make sure you have some kind of sustained effort and impact.
For your undergraduate degree (4 years) you can study any field that interests you, but you must also complete a list of pre-requisite classes. Look them up for schools you would consider. They can be a bit different at different schools. Many students choose to take biology, biochemistry, chemistry or something along those lines for their undergraduate program. Those would mostly cover the pre-requisite classes for med school. If you want to do a different program, you must still cover the pre-requisite classes.
Then you have to take the MCAT before you can apply to medical school. Your undergraduate GPA and your MCAT score will be very important pieces of your application, but your medical experience, research experience etc are also part of the picture.
Medical school is another 4 years before you earn your medical doctorate (MD or DO). The first 2 years are mostly theory, the last 2 years are clinical and you'll rotate through several specialties. After 4 years of medical school, you pick a specialty (e.g. OB/GYN) to do your residency. The residency for OB/GYN is another 4 years.
Obviously, there are exams along the way and before you can practice, you need to pass board-certification. So, it's a long path, but don't let that discourage you!
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
William Stueve
Medical doctor
4
Answers
Lawrence, Kansas
Updated
William’s Answer
Great questions and it is astonishing what you are thinking about at your age!
Karin provided a detailed specific roadmap that is virtually fool-proof.
Your question about how to get a head start in high school to prepare you for your life journey resonated with me.
What's great about high school is that the school curriculum doesn't have much influence on your career and life fulfillment as long as you have a good school system, have an aptitude for learning and develop a habit to work hard.
An important thing to accomplish in high school is to learn the importance of close friendships. Great friends are the catalyst for resilience. Your friends will be instrumental in getting you through rough patches during training and a career in medicine.
If you have the means, international travel while in high school is highly recommended by me. Even better is to learn a second language (or third language if English is not one's first language) and immerse yourself during travel. When traveling pay attention to the way other cultures solve problems, rely on family and friends, and respond to adversity. Even if you don't have the opportunity to travel extensively when you are young, it is never too late to become an international traveler or learn another language at any age. There's no better feeling than acting as an interpreter for a frustrated traveler in passport control in an airport in a former Soviet Republic.
I would ask you to consider taking a year off between high school and college. Spend that time doing something completely unrelated to the medical field. I'm not advocating a year of loafing. Give yourself challenges during this time. Even if you don't take extra time off between high school and college, work at a summer job that is as far from the medical field as you can imagine. Full disclosure, while my future classmates were working in laboratories or hospitals during the summer before first year of medical school, I worked in accounts receivable at a company that sold trailer hitches. I computerized their invoice system for them, delivered money and checks to the bank, and trained the person following me who was the permanent employee. Those were invaluable lessons that I never would have had if I didn't stretch my horizons.
(My answer was composed without the assistance of AI)
Karin provided a detailed specific roadmap that is virtually fool-proof.
Your question about how to get a head start in high school to prepare you for your life journey resonated with me.
What's great about high school is that the school curriculum doesn't have much influence on your career and life fulfillment as long as you have a good school system, have an aptitude for learning and develop a habit to work hard.
An important thing to accomplish in high school is to learn the importance of close friendships. Great friends are the catalyst for resilience. Your friends will be instrumental in getting you through rough patches during training and a career in medicine.
If you have the means, international travel while in high school is highly recommended by me. Even better is to learn a second language (or third language if English is not one's first language) and immerse yourself during travel. When traveling pay attention to the way other cultures solve problems, rely on family and friends, and respond to adversity. Even if you don't have the opportunity to travel extensively when you are young, it is never too late to become an international traveler or learn another language at any age. There's no better feeling than acting as an interpreter for a frustrated traveler in passport control in an airport in a former Soviet Republic.
I would ask you to consider taking a year off between high school and college. Spend that time doing something completely unrelated to the medical field. I'm not advocating a year of loafing. Give yourself challenges during this time. Even if you don't take extra time off between high school and college, work at a summer job that is as far from the medical field as you can imagine. Full disclosure, while my future classmates were working in laboratories or hospitals during the summer before first year of medical school, I worked in accounts receivable at a company that sold trailer hitches. I computerized their invoice system for them, delivered money and checks to the bank, and trained the person following me who was the permanent employee. Those were invaluable lessons that I never would have had if I didn't stretch my horizons.
(My answer was composed without the assistance of AI)
Cheri Hall
Physical Therapist
103
Answers
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Updated
Cheri’s Answer
Hi Mauri,
Karin and Michelle have given you detailed advice on HBCUs and becoming an OB/Gyn doctor. You also asked about what you can do in high school. One option is to see if your high school offers dual enrollment with a local community college. This lets you take college courses and earn credits for both high school and college at the same time, which can save you time and money. If dual enrollment isn't available, consider taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes. With a high score on the AP exams, you can earn college credit. Make sure to take math every year, aiming for pre-calculus or calculus if possible. Also, focus on science classes like physics, chemistry, and biology.
You've set a great goal for yourself, and high school is the first step on your journey. Good luck!
Karin and Michelle have given you detailed advice on HBCUs and becoming an OB/Gyn doctor. You also asked about what you can do in high school. One option is to see if your high school offers dual enrollment with a local community college. This lets you take college courses and earn credits for both high school and college at the same time, which can save you time and money. If dual enrollment isn't available, consider taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes. With a high score on the AP exams, you can earn college credit. Make sure to take math every year, aiming for pre-calculus or calculus if possible. Also, focus on science classes like physics, chemistry, and biology.
You've set a great goal for yourself, and high school is the first step on your journey. Good luck!
Madison Buchman
doctor
160
Answers
West Hartford
Updated
Madison’s Answer
For OBGYN you need to attend medical school (4 years), residency (4 years) and then can choose if you wanted to also do a fellowship. OBGYN is a really rewarding career and involves so many diverse career opportunities/ways to tailor your career. It involves both surgical/non-surgical options. You could certainly/should look into seeing if any local physicians in your area/OBGYNs would let you shadow/mentor you. I would also look to see if there is a teaching hospital with an OBGYN residency program near you. Alot of times residency programs will let pre-med students come shadow for a few days and this can help you gain experience/mentorship/get advice/guidance and more exposure to the field to see if you're truly interested in this long term.
In the mean time, any college can get you into medical school. In college work on pre-med courses, volunteering, shadow local doctors or OBGYN even if you can! Maybe try and do some research in womens health as well! When considering which school in particular to attend for college, it is always helpful to be at a college with a medical school (if you want to go to med school) because there is more access to clubs/engagement/research/mentorship/and likely slightly higher acceptance from in house students (though definitely not guaranteed). 100% though you can absolutely still attend medical school from a college that does not currently have a medical school at their university/college. If that is the case, I would talk to a career advisor/counselor and see if they could give any advice/information about previous pre-medical students from this college and their success/not of getting accepted to medical schools and maybe even which medical schools students got into. You also want to consider if they have the major pre-medical courses you will need. Look at the MCAT/ERAS website and check with the college to make sure no matter what you can fullfill those basic requirements and if you can't meet them all there is there another way you can meet them even at other schools in the area.
Hope this helps!
Madison
In the mean time, any college can get you into medical school. In college work on pre-med courses, volunteering, shadow local doctors or OBGYN even if you can! Maybe try and do some research in womens health as well! When considering which school in particular to attend for college, it is always helpful to be at a college with a medical school (if you want to go to med school) because there is more access to clubs/engagement/research/mentorship/and likely slightly higher acceptance from in house students (though definitely not guaranteed). 100% though you can absolutely still attend medical school from a college that does not currently have a medical school at their university/college. If that is the case, I would talk to a career advisor/counselor and see if they could give any advice/information about previous pre-medical students from this college and their success/not of getting accepted to medical schools and maybe even which medical schools students got into. You also want to consider if they have the major pre-medical courses you will need. Look at the MCAT/ERAS website and check with the college to make sure no matter what you can fullfill those basic requirements and if you can't meet them all there is there another way you can meet them even at other schools in the area.
Hope this helps!
Madison
Michelle M.
Actress
3284
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Mauri !
When it comes to being accepted at a college, you first have to apply to that college and wait to hear back. The college reviewers make that decision, so no one can tell you how to be guaranteed acceptance. You'd get a letter from the college in response to your admissions application telling you yes, you've been accepted or sorry that we will not be accepting any more students at this time. That's how that works, but I wouldn't worry about it because there are a lot of colleges to apply to, so just apply to whatever colleges you'd like and wait to hear back.
As for HBCU's, there are 104 that you have your choice of and can apply to. As far as Pre-Med Programs at HBCU's I would say that the ones with the strongest pre-med path are Howard University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Morehouse College. Try to apply to these three first. Howard accepts 35% of the students that apply. Xavier University of Louisiana's acceptance rate fluctuates between 74% - 94%. Morehouse College accepts between 51% - 60% of all that apply. That just gives you an idea of how many students get accepted out of all the applications they receive, but apply to all three of these colleges as their pre-med programs are top notch.
So, you'd get your Bachelors Degree in a pre-med human science subject and then apply to Medical School. The HBCU Medical Schools are Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. So, if you get into Howard or Morehouse, you could just continue at the same university for their Medical Program to become a Medical Doctor.
At some point in Medical School, you will choose a specialty and as you've stated, for you it would be Obstetrics and Gynecology. If you can remember when you get to this phase, choose this specialty quickly as I hear it's one that gets filled up very fast. Also keep in mind that doctors many times change specialties. An uncle of mine went from practicing Psychiatry, then OB/GYN and lastly Ophthalmology. While you are in undergrad college, it will start to become clear to you about the path for Medical School. Your pre-med program in undergrad will tell you exactly what courses to take at that time. Look at the college websites to know what courses are included in the college's Pre-Med Program. You may need to choose a major like Biology or Anatomy as I think there's really no Major titled Pre-Med per se.
No, you cannot get a head start with being a medical doctor while you are in high school. It's a process and not done in high school. While in high school, however, you can read up on and watch videos about OB/GYN, you can do volunteer work at a clinic or the Department of Health and you can join science clubs at your high school. You'll have lab and practicum opportunities in college that will prepare you for medical school, so no need to rush things right now. Take one step at a time.
I hope this helps ! Look into the other HBCU's, too and see what they offer in the way of pre-med. Read their websites and choose to apply to the program you like. Best wishes in all you do !
When it comes to being accepted at a college, you first have to apply to that college and wait to hear back. The college reviewers make that decision, so no one can tell you how to be guaranteed acceptance. You'd get a letter from the college in response to your admissions application telling you yes, you've been accepted or sorry that we will not be accepting any more students at this time. That's how that works, but I wouldn't worry about it because there are a lot of colleges to apply to, so just apply to whatever colleges you'd like and wait to hear back.
As for HBCU's, there are 104 that you have your choice of and can apply to. As far as Pre-Med Programs at HBCU's I would say that the ones with the strongest pre-med path are Howard University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Morehouse College. Try to apply to these three first. Howard accepts 35% of the students that apply. Xavier University of Louisiana's acceptance rate fluctuates between 74% - 94%. Morehouse College accepts between 51% - 60% of all that apply. That just gives you an idea of how many students get accepted out of all the applications they receive, but apply to all three of these colleges as their pre-med programs are top notch.
So, you'd get your Bachelors Degree in a pre-med human science subject and then apply to Medical School. The HBCU Medical Schools are Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. So, if you get into Howard or Morehouse, you could just continue at the same university for their Medical Program to become a Medical Doctor.
At some point in Medical School, you will choose a specialty and as you've stated, for you it would be Obstetrics and Gynecology. If you can remember when you get to this phase, choose this specialty quickly as I hear it's one that gets filled up very fast. Also keep in mind that doctors many times change specialties. An uncle of mine went from practicing Psychiatry, then OB/GYN and lastly Ophthalmology. While you are in undergrad college, it will start to become clear to you about the path for Medical School. Your pre-med program in undergrad will tell you exactly what courses to take at that time. Look at the college websites to know what courses are included in the college's Pre-Med Program. You may need to choose a major like Biology or Anatomy as I think there's really no Major titled Pre-Med per se.
No, you cannot get a head start with being a medical doctor while you are in high school. It's a process and not done in high school. While in high school, however, you can read up on and watch videos about OB/GYN, you can do volunteer work at a clinic or the Department of Health and you can join science clubs at your high school. You'll have lab and practicum opportunities in college that will prepare you for medical school, so no need to rush things right now. Take one step at a time.
I hope this helps ! Look into the other HBCU's, too and see what they offer in the way of pre-med. Read their websites and choose to apply to the program you like. Best wishes in all you do !
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