Final answer:
The olfactory system is the only sensory process that bypasses the thalamus and goes directly to the olfactory bulb before being further processed in the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sensory process that does not get processed in the brain first is the olfactory system. Unlike other sensory processing that starts in the primary sensory cortex of the brain, sensory input from the olfactory system is first sent to the olfactory bulb. From there, it then goes on to different parts of the olfactory system for further processing. This unique pathway means that the olfactory system bypasses the thalamus, which is where all other sensory signals are routed before being sent to the cerebral cortex.