Preparation for Medical, Dental & Veterinary School

McDaniel College is committed to helping you pursue a health career in three key ways: confirming if your career goals are the right choice for you, crafting a competitive application, and gaining the skills to succeed in a rigorous graduate school experience.

Academic & Real-World Exposure to Health Fields in a Non-Competitive Environment

McDaniel is close to regional and national medical facilities, including some right here in Westminster, providing you the opportunity to develop hands-on experiences that complement your classroom learning. Moreover, McDaniel’s 150-year history has built a large network of alumni and associates, including working physicians, dentists, and other health professionals, who frequently offer lectures, events, and classes at the college. In recent years, alumni who have returned to campus include:

• Doug Barnes ‘79, professor and chair of the Department of General Dentistry and director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program at the University of Maryland Dental School. 
• Ann Hackman ‘80, associate professor, associate residency training director, senior psychiatrist for RA1SE (Recovery After 1st Psychotic Episode) and director of community psychiatry training at University of Maryland. Over the past several years, her work has focused on young people with newly diagnosed psychosis and schizophrenia.
• Sandra Geiman Ruby ‘99, a neurologist with the Carroll Health Group in Westminster and the stroke medical director at Carroll Hospital Center, where she provides both inpatient and outpatient consultations and acute stroke care.

McDaniel's Undergraduate Research Program provides students with an opportunity to conduct research alongside a faculty member, in many cases publishing their work or presenting it at conferences. These experiences distinguish McDaniel applicants in the application process.

McDaniel College is a collaborative community. We don't believe that there is a limit to how many students can go on to successful careers in medicine. That's why our faculty don't subscribe to the "weeding out" philosophy and instead find opportunities that help you thrive in our rigorous curriculum.

Crafting a Competitive Application

We support you in building your academic record, preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the Dental Admission Test (DAT), or the GRE, and assembling your application materials to get you accepted to your chosen graduate school. Graduate school admissions in health and medicine are primarily concerned with applicants’ test scores, GPA, and letters of recommendation. At McDaniel, you will not take a fixed curriculum and can pursue your academic interests and strengths, allowing you to maximize your GPA.

To aid in test preparation, McDaniel provides advising, workshops, and practice testing to help students maximize their scores. McDaniel’s small liberal arts environment prioritizes close relationships between faculty and students, meaning our professors are able to write highly effective, personalized letters.

Finally, our pre-med advisors provide individual counseling and workshops on the application process and are happy to assist students in selecting prospective graduate schools and to provide feedback on personal statements and other application essays.

Graduate Ready to Succeed

We ensure that you leave McDaniel with the academic skills needed to succeed in graduate school. Medical schools consistently report that the best preparation is a broad liberal arts education that focuses on developing skills in critical thinking, logical reasoning, verbal and oral communication, as well as exposure to the natural sciences that ensures broad understanding. The McDaniel Plan ensures students this exposure while ensuring a strong foundation in the sciences.