Ashli Elrod earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from IUPUI, but eventually she would like to practice emergency medicine. Ashli took the prerequisite courses for medical school, in addition to the requirements for her computer science degree, but she felt like she needed to prepare a little more before applying to medical school.
“I felt I didn't have a strong enough grasp on basic biological science concepts to succeed in medical school and on the MCAT,” said Elrod.
In the fall 2016 semester, she enrolled in the IUPUI Pre-Professional Non-Thesis MS degree program to provide a deeper understanding of biology and prepare her for entrance into medical school. She believes the program gave her a strong foundation.
“My favorite class is probably a toss-up between physiology and immunology. I really enjoyed my time with Dr. Blazer-Yost. Her classes were challenging but overall made me very strong in physiology concepts for medical school,” explained Elrod.
She feels the IUPUI Pre-Professional Non-Thesis program is a great stepping-stone between undergraduate studies and professional school, and Elrod credits the program for helping her get into the IU School of Medicine.
The PPNT program is a small program, and we all became really close,” said Elrod. “Be prepared to have a great time, but also be challenged constantly. It's rigorous, but it's worth it.”
Elrod will graduate from the IU School of Medicine in 2022. After graduation, she hopes to go into emergency medicine, but she’s keeping an open mind and exploring other fields.