About McMurry Sciences ---
    McMurry University is a small, liberal arts university with an exceptional reputation for science education. McMurry sciences are housed in the Finch-Gray Science Center and boast excellent facilities and equipment. Biology is the largest department in the sciences based on the number of majors. The labs are very well equipped for teaching and research.  In Biology, opportunities for student research have led to numerous student presentations and publications in research journals in recent years.  Biology is a part of ResearchLink 2000, an effort among top colleges and universities to bring research on "model organisms" into classes at all levels.  The Department of Chemistry is in a period of modernization and growth. Like Biology, Chemistry is well equipped with sophisticated instrumentation and a computer lab. A new program leading to a degree in Biochemistry has added to the growth and modernization of the department. Chemistry faculty and students are active in research each summer thanks to funding from a Welch Foundation grant.  Physics features strong programs in pre-engineering preparation, astronomy, and physics preparation for graduate programs.  McMurry's membership in the National Undergraduate Research Observatory allows students and faculty to use facilities at Lowell Observatory each year for astronomical research.  Past student trips have resulted in significant findings and research publications.  Supporting the sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science boast of strong programs and highly successful graduates.
    Undergraduate research is encouraged, and students can choose between special projects with individual faculty from the departments in such diverse areas as astrophysics, field biology, microbiology, environmental monitoring, and organic chemistry. There is no shortage of unique and challenging opportunities for the serious student.
    All faculty in the sciences are Ph.D.s, and no classes are taught by graduate students. Faculty come from such prestigious universities as Penn State, Texas, Colorado, Rutgers, Kentucky, and Minnesota.  All have come here because teaching and working with students is more important to them than high-pressure research. Professors have open doors and the time to help students when questions or problems arise. Students don't get in the way of the professors here because we all know our first commitment is to you, a person and not a social security number. You will leave here not just as an alumnus, but also as a valued friend. Your success is our greatest reward. This cannot always be said by faculty at bigger schools.

McMurry's Record ---
    Not all those who come to McMurry as pre-med and pre-dental students choose to go that route after finding out that the demands of medical and dental school acceptance do not match with their level of commitment. Many choose to instead enter graduate programs to pursue research-based degrees. McMurry students in recent years have entered such programs at Duke, Michigan, Mayo Clinic, Florida Atlantic University, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Texas Tech School of Medicine, UTHSC-San Antonio School of Medicine, UT-Pan American, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi majoring in areas as diverse as marine biology, conservation biology, medical immunology, cardiac physiology, and medical microbiology.
    Still, many of our declared pre-med and pre-dental students persist to graduation and make application to medical schools. Of McMurry's graduating seniors who have applied, 80% have been accepted to medical schools during the past fifteen years. For dental schools the acceptance rate is 100%. This compares with an acceptance rate of just over 50% for one of the state's largest universities and a state university average of twenty percent (1993 figures).
    In recent years, McMurry's students have gone on to become medical students at UTHSC-Southwestern Medical School (Dallas), UTHSC-San Antonio, UTHSC-Houston, UTMB-Galveston, UT Southwestern Medical School, Texas Tech School of Medicine, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (Ft. Worth), New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (Missouri). Dental students can be found at UTHSC-San Antonio, and optometry students who hail from McMurry can be found at University of Houston College of Optometry.
    Besides McMurry's high acceptance rate, we are also proud of the leadership positions in medicine our alumni have achieved. As an example, McMurry alumni are on the faculty at five of the eight Texas medical schools, as well as other prestigious medical schools such as Vanderbilt. Alumni have headed the American Medical Association and Texas Dental Association.  We help prepare the physicians of the future, and our graduates help to teach and lead them.

Professional School
Requirements ---
    The prerequisites for admission to medical, dental, and veterinary schools are all very similar. Most include a minimum of the following college work:  one year of English, two years of biology, two years of chemistry, and one year of physics. Most of the medical schools also require one semester of calculus. These prerequisite university courses make a strong high school background in science and math very important. Because of these prerequisites, most McMurry students major in biology or chemistry but this is not required. A major should correspond to the student's interest and vocational plans in the event of non-acceptance.
    The important factors for acceptance into a health profession school are grade point average, entrance test score (MCAT for medical school, DAT for dental school, GRE for veterinary school), and recommendation letters from university science faculty. Most admissions committees also prefer a student who has participated in some activities such as organizations. Any experience in leadership, working with people, and budgeting time is valuable. Working in a health profession environment is also viewed favorably, either through employment or volunteer work.

McMurry Contacts ---
    If you would like more information about the science programs at McMurry, please feel free to contact: