The world is flat, and it is becoming increasingly clear that science and engineering majors (including chemistry concentrators and pre-medical students) should, like all others, acquire global perspectives as part of their undergraduate education.  A study abroad experience is an attractive option, but there is a persistent myth that science and pre-med students cannot do this because of curricular inflexibility.  Even worse, pre-med students are often told they should not contemplate study abroad because it may be detrimental to their professional goals; they are often advised that medical schools will not accept science courses taken at foreign institutions, and their applications will not be favorably reviewed.  However, the initiative that a student displays in undertaking study abroad, and the maturity, confidence, and worldview that are gained by that experience are likely to be highly regarded.  The Boston University Fall Semester programs in Dresden (Germany), Grenoble (France), and Madrid (Spain) enable science students (e.g., chemistry, biochemistry, biology, pre-health professions, etc.) to choose among B.U. courses in Organic Chemistry, Cell Biology, Statistics/Probability, and Sociology/Culture (all taught in English); they are also required to take a course in the local language at an appropriate level.  Students also have the opportunity to enroll in an optional, elective course that gives them the chance to work in a research laboratory.  This approach provides pre-med students with the opportunity to study abroad for a full semester while avoiding the real and perceived obstacles.

Pre-medical students and the study abroad experience

246th National Meeting (2013)

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