Health Professions Advising Program

GUIDE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS

First Year

Make sure you're on the Health Professions advising list and e-mail list:

If not, contact Dr. Amy Reese (ajreese@cedarcrest.edu, x3517, Science Center 110).

Attend the initial orientation meeting with the Health Professions Advisor:

Learn about the educational process for different health careers.
Learn about admissions requirements and criteria.
Create a plan for building competitive admissions credentials.

Get a pre-professional guidebook and start reading it:

One suggested title is: Iserson, Kenneth (2004) Get Into Medical School! A Guide for the Perplexed, Second Edition. Tucson: Galen Press. ISBN 1-883620-31-7

Begin development of credentials and maintenance of your portfolio.

Discover your academic strengths, weaknesses, and success strategies:

Start thinking about a major in which you will thrive!
Use study skills, academic resources to address your weaker areas.

Visit the Health Professions bulletin board and bookshelf located next to Science Center 108.

Start an ongoing commitment to volunteer service or employment:

Seek out an area of volunteer service or meaningful employment to which you can make a long-term commitment.
Possibilities include hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, tutoring, and animal / wildlife shelters.

Become involved in the Premed Society:

Attend meetings.
Participate in activities.

Eat right, exercise, and stay healthy.

Sophomore Year

Continue development of credentials and maintenance of your portfolio.

Focus on academic achievement.

Conduct a self-assessment:

Assess competitiveness of your credentials
Identify areas for improvement.

Gain exposure and experience in your field of interest:

Take the Introduction to the Practice of Medicine course.
Participate in shadowing or volunteer experiences.
Learn about summer programs in your area of interest.

Investigate schools in your field of interest:

For physician programs:

Learn about the difference between allopathic and osteopathic medicine.
Learn about the significance of state residency for admission to state-supported schools.

For veterinary programs:

Determine which standardized tests are required for the schools that interest you.

Review the guidelines for letters of evaluation.

Prepare and submit a draft application essay to the Health Professions Advisor (January).

Meet with Health Professions Advisor (Spring Semester):

Review application essay
Assess competitiveness of your credentials
Examine options and alternatives if your credentials are not competitive.

Continue your commitment to volunteer service.

Stay involved in the Premed Society - take on an organizational or leadership role.

Junior Year

ENTIRE YEAR:

Continue development of credentials and maintenance of the portfolio.

Keep up the academic good work.

Continue your commitment to volunteer service.

Stay involved in the Premed Society.

Remain calm, maintain perspective, and keep your sense of humor.

FALL SEMESTER:

Apply for the college-sponsored prep course for the appropriate admissions exam.

Take the Introduction to the Practice of Medicine course if you didn't last year.

Select schools to which you will apply.

SPRING SEMESTER:

(Optional) attend prep course for the appropriate admissions exam.

Take the appropriate admissions exam (MCAT in April).

Meet with the Health Professions Advisor:

Review your portfolio
Discuss the list of schools to which you are applying.
Assess competitiveness of your credentials
Examine options and alternatives if credentials are not competitive

Determine the procedures for obtaining a Health Professions Committee letter of evaluation:

Identify individuals who can contribute input to the committee letter.
Prepare the information packet.

Write a second draft of the application essay and submit to the Health Professions Advisor (April).

Meet with Health Professions Advisor (May):

Review application essay
Final check of application materials

SUMMER:

Submit applications early!! (It will take longer than you think!)

Discuss your admissions test results with the Health Professions Advisor:

Consider adjusting your list of schools or re-taking tests if results are not what you expected.

Senior Year

Be sure schools have received all your application materials.

Begin planning for graduate school finances: http://www.aamc.org/md2

Prepare and practice for interviews.

Mentor underclass Health Professions students.

Prepare to celebrate a favorable outcome responsibly.

Examine options and alternatives if your original plan does not seem realistic.