Most students on the pre-med track at LCM major in biology. Regardless of your major there are specific courses you will need, or are strongly recommended, for you to perform well on the MCAT, get into medical school, and pursue a healthcare career in your chosen clinical setting. At the same time, you’ll benefit from individualized support from professors who share or understand your Jewish values and worldview.
Personal Attention to Help You Stand Out
Lander’s pre-med program is structured with your needs and success in mind – and it works. Our graduates have a 96% medical school acceptance rate.
From the first day in our program to the last, LCM faculty advisors work closely with you to plan a course of study and find hands-on learning opportunities to help you stand out as a med school applicant.
You’ll be in class with two dozen students at most. That means your professors will know you much better than if you were in survey courses with hundreds of students at a larger school. It’s a critical advantage when it comes time for them to put together letters in support of your med school application.
“Our courses are not only comprehensive, but also focused on developing the creativity to deal with challenging questions, both scientifically and clinically. Wherever possible we integrate not only science, but also ethics and Jewish law to give them a really multidisciplinary approach to science and medicine.”
Expert Guidance Every Step of the Way
You’ll start with an orientation to the courses and requirements for the pre-med track, so you gain the base of knowledge needed to perform well on the MCAT. You’ll also meet with your advisor at least once a semester to track your progress and steer you toward opportunities to deepen your studies.
When you’re ready to apply to med school, they’ll help you prepare with mock interviews that encourage you to showcase the leadership and creative thinking skills you’ve developed.
Med School Students in Their Own Words
“I chose LCM for the reputation of its pre-med track, in addition to the Jewish environment. It did not disappoint. Alongside the push for academic greatness is the time here that provides a Yeshiva and Jewish atmosphere for all kinds of Jewish observance. What’s unique to LCM is the intimacy in size and connection between the student body with one another and the staff behind the school.”
“The small classroom size allows for an open dialogue between the faculty and their students, and the pre-med faculty offer lots of workshops to help their students boost their resume, improve study techniques, enroll in internships, find research opportunities, and prepare for interviews. They really want to see their students thrive and invest lots of their own time to ensure that happens.”
“Starting at the undergraduate level, Touro has provided me with the foundation necessary to guide me towards a promising and successful career in the medical field. The school enabled me to have peace of mind during my undergraduate and medical school training, knowing that I wouldn’t have to compromise on my Jewish values and principles in the pursuit of becoming a physician.”
Clubs, Physician Shadowing, and Advanced Research
In the classroom, with the guys in your classes, and on your own, you’ll find many opportunities to prepare for med school and beyond.
Chaburah
Lander’s biology club gives pre-med students an inside look at healthcare careers and helps prepare students to become medical professionals. Speakers invited to campus share useful tips and ideas for your future success.
Research
Students on the pre-med track must do at least one summer of biomedical research. This gives you the chance to work side-by-side with faculty on health-related projects with clear real-world impact. You might aim to improve lung cancer prevention by identifying an early stem cell, or examine how antibiotic resistance leads to foot infections in diabetes patients. You might be invited to present your findings in poster sessions, symposia and professional conferences, too.
Job shadowing
Being a compassionate person is essential to the practice of medicine. To understand how your values will influence your life as a doctor, pre-med students are required to shadow a physician in their clinical practice and to do volunteer fieldwork in an emergency room or hospital.
Career services and pre-health advisors
Career Center staff and your professors can help you find the shadowing and internship opportunities that will help you see if being a doctor is right for you. It’s never too soon to start the conversation and begin building your network.
“A health professional holds people's lives in their hands. Our training is intense and rigorous because the Lander students that are going on to medical school are literally going to be responsible for life and death.”
Pathways at Touro
If you choose to stay within the Touro University system for your medical studies, LCM students have the advantage of priority admission to two of our programs:
- The intensive Medical Honors Pathway grants a bachelor's degree from Lander and a medical degree from New York Medical College. You apply for this program at the same time as LCM.
- The integrated honors track in Osteopathic Medicine is a pathway into the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, a more holistic approach to medicine.
What You Can Expect from Lander
Aside from small class sizes, experienced faculty, individualized attention, and demanding academics, you can expect alumni connections, support to enter the professional world, and an understanding of what you might be looking for as a Torah Jew raising a family and earning a living.
- As with all Touro majors, we have a strong alumni network you can rely on, and a powerhouse Career Services department that will prepare you for the workplace and help you start your career.
- No disconnect between your morning in the Beis Medrash and your afternoon in a college classroom. Torah infuses everything we do. The shiur course you’ll take on Jewish Medical Ethics is one example of the balance and coordination you’ll find here.
- As part of our mentoring program, we can match you with alumni currently in the field to guide you and answer any questions on your career.
- We host career night dinners each year. Alumni come back to campus and gather around the dinner table with you, offering their insights to help you get an inside view of their career with real talk about the profession.
