Call Number:

RG6.I002.B

Repository:

Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

Extent:

1.75 linear ft.

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item or series here], Swarthmore College Archives, Swarthmore College Faculty Committee on the Pre-Med Program records, 1945-1967 (bulk 1945-1959), RG 6/I002B, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

Date:

1945-1967 (inclusive)

Creator:

Swarthmore College. Faculty Committee on the Pre-Medical Program

Abstract:

Swarthmore College has never offered a formal "premed" major for students planning to pursue graduate degrees in medicine, but the college does provide other forms of guidance and support. A Pre-medical Advisory Committee was formed in 1945, replaced in the 1949/1950 school year by the Faculty Committee on the Pre-Medical Program. As of 2015, the Health Sciences Advisory Committee is composed of faculty members, deans, and the Health Sciences Advisor (a staff position in the Health Sciences Office). The Faculty Committee on the Pre-Medical Program records, 1945-1967, includes annual reports and correspondence of the committee, information about medical schools, aggregate data about Swarthmore students pursuing medical careers, and more. Some materials are from the predecessor Pre-medical Advisory Committee (1945-1950). Note that this collection includes some files of individual students' application materials, but access to these files is restricted.

Swarthmore College has never offered a formal "premed" major for students planning to pursue graduate degrees in medicine, but in the past, faculty members offered advice and guidance on an informal basis. In 1945, upon the retirement of Professor of Zoology Frank Kille, who used to serve as the de facto pre-medical advisor, a Pre-medical Advisory Committee was formed. The committee offered curriculum planning guidance and advice to students.

In the 1949/1950 school year, this assistance expanded with the formation of a Faculty Committee on the Pre-Medical Program. The committee coordinated student applications and prepared comprehensive letters of recommendation to medical schools, based on faculty evaluations, test scores, and grade transcripts. The committee also provided guidance to pre-medical students, particularly in planning their Swarthmore curriculum and in identifying medical schools to which to apply.

Later, Swarthmore formed a Health Sciences Office, with a staff advisor to offer information and advising to students and alums interested in careers in the health sciences. There is also a Health Sciences Advisory Committee, composed of faculty members, deans and the Health Sciences Advisor. The primary responsibility of this group is to prepare a committee letter of recommendation for students applying to medical school, which is an important part of their application.

This collection consists of records of the Faculty Committee on the Pre-Medical Program, 1951-1959, and a small amount of material from its predecessor, the Pre-medical Advisory Committee, 1945-1950. The records from the Faculty Committee on the Pre-Medical Program include: annual reports of the committee, 1951-1958 and 1967; correspondence, 1951-1957; data on medical schools and their application requirements; medical professional alumni surveys; and aggregate data on Swarthmore student performance, applications, and acceptance rates. Of special interest is a 1959 Guide for Pre-Med Students, available in both student and faculty advisor versions.

Note: This collection includes files of individual students' application materials. Access to these files is restricted; contact the Curator for more information.