Interested in pursuing a medical career? Contact us at premed@montclair.edu!
About the Program
At Montclair, you’ll receive focused preparation and advising, ensuring you take the most advantageous courses to prepare for the MCAT exam. Paired with advice and coaching to help you be competitive in the medical school application process, we will ensure you have the best opportunity to be successful following your time here at Montclair State University. As a Pre-Medical student, you will attend exciting and valuable activities each semester that include discussions with medical professionals, field trips to medical facilities, biomedical and scientific research seminars, career and internship workshops, and specialized training to hone professional skills.
You can be part of the Pre-Med Program while fulfilling any major degree program, but students interested in medical careers must take coursework aligned with natural and behavioral sciences. These courses will successfully position you for the MCAT, and are required by many medical schools. Students from financially and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds can also look into the Health Careers Program that provides added support and resources.
Contact
What’s a piece of advice you’d like to give to aspiring doctors and medical professionals at Montclair?
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I use the word tenacity a lot. If a career as a medical professional is something you truly want, you have to be tenacious. There will be times where you’ll be tired and ready to give up. If this is truly your passion, tenacity will be the thing that keeps you on track.”
Dr. Tamara Beckford ’01/03 BS/MS Biology, Health Careers Program
Graduate Assistant and Graduate Student Commencement Speaker in 2003
Currently: Board Certified Emergency Physician in Texas and CEO of URCaringDocs.com
Major Programs at Montclair that emphasize the natural and behavioral sciences include:
By participating in specialized courses and activities focused on your personal goals, you will be part of a thriving student community with common interests. Montclair alumni who are currently working in medical careers are also a valuable resources for information about what’s ahead.
What does the future of medicine look like to you, and why should up and coming students pursue that?
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If you really want to make a difference in terms of peoples’ health and well-being, there’s never been a better time to do that. You can pursue that on multiple levels. A surgeon, for example, that’s great. What’s exciting now is that if you want to have a physician’s insight and also combine that with policy-making to improve public health and societal well-being, you can do that.”
Dr. Yuri Jadotte ’06 BS Molecular Biology, Health Careers Program
Currently: Preventative medicine physician and Assistant Professor of Family Population and Preventive Medicine at the Stony Brook School of Medicine
There are many clubs and organizations throughout campus that encompass various facets of interest for those interested in medical fields including:
What were your own influences for considering medical school and your career path?
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I was born in Peru and immigrated when I was 13 – I truly represent the American dream. I’m 100 percent grateful for the opportunities that Montclair State has provided for me. The major decisions in my educational journey to become a doctor came from my Montclair experience. I’m truly blessed.”
Dr. Claudio Fernandez DO, FACOI, MS, BS ’04 MS ’06 Biology from Montclair
Currently: Emergency Medical Physician in Ft. Lauderdale at West Side Regional Center
