This semester 25 talented seniors will graduate and continue their education at medical schools across the state.
The time at ACU has been busy and challenging for these future physicians — years full of job shadowing, rigorous class work, community involvement, passing the Medical College Admissions Test, medical school applications and interviewing at multiple institutions.
For these students, their hard work has finally paid off.
“The program at ACU pushed me to achieve things I didn’t know that I was capable of and made myself and my peers competitive medical school applicants,” said Blaine Smith, senior biology major from Keller.
Smith will attend either the University of Texas Medical School at Houston or the Texas Tech School of Medicine. He will decide on his specialty once in medical school, but he is currently interested in being an orthopedic or opthalmic surgeon.
Luke Sorrell, senior biochemistry major from Coppell, and Heather Kregel, senior English major from Tyler, will attend UT at Houston as well. Both are interested in pediatrics.
“I cannot imagine having a better experience anywhere else,” Sorrell said. “We are genuinely a family. Because the program is small and close-knit, we get opportunities for job shadowing and medical mission trips that you would not get at other schools.”
Chloe French, senior biochemistry major from Palestine, will attend the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Medicine in San Antonio. She is interested in dermatology and emergency medicine.
“I don’t think I would have gotten such a well-rounded education at any other institution,” French said. “I feel very prepared mentally, academically and spiritually to enter medical school.”
Invitations to interview and acceptance letters came as a relief after a long application process. Applications began at the end of the students’ junior years after passing the MCAT. The applicants were asked to interview at the schools during their senior year and informed of their acceptance soon thereafter.
“The application process was rather extensive,” Smith said. “I think my completed application was 30 pages in length because they ask you to describe the last four years of your life in excruciating detail.”
Kregel recalled the essays being the most time intensive aspect to the applications.
“I believe I wrote 16 different essays total for my applications,” Kregel said. “Some schools require four or more essays per application.”
Currently 21 of the 25 seniors who have applied for medical school have been accepted. The remaining four hope to hear back soon. Additionally, four students will begin dental school in the fall, three are going to school to become physician assistants and one has been accepted into a Nurse Practitioner program.
Each of these gifted students will use their education along with their hearts for service to impact the world.
“Medicine is an avenue that allows me to serve others,” Smith said. “I may not have the right skills to evangelize from a pulpit. I do, however, think that I can use my skills as a physician to alleviate physical suffering in Jesus’ name.”
