Timetable

To prepare oneself for admission into a health professional program, a "timetable" might include the following activities:

Freshman Year

  • Enroll in and attend pre-professional Survey course
  • Gather information on all health-care professions
  • Select major program
  • Begin pre-professional core science courses
  • Begin professional observations and job-shadowing experiences
  • Consider health-related volunteer opportunities.
  • Establish good study skills. Academics come first!
  • Become familiar with the university and all of the resources available to you.
  • Read extensively in science and non-science areas.
  • Get to know faculty - they are a great resource for major/career information and for future references and letters of recommendation.

Sophomore Year

  • Open letters-of-reference file through Interfolio (stop by Career Services for information) and begin acquiring letters from faculty members.
  • Take the time to develop relationships with faculty members – they are a great resource for major/career information and for future references and letters of recommendation.
  • Research health professional schools you want to apply to and learn about specific requirements.
  • Work on study habits and time-management skills that will allow you to improve your grades, or keep your grades at a high level in increasingly rigorous courses.
  • Start preparing for standardized exams by reviewing material covered in your introductory science courses.
  • Continue co- and extra-curricular activities that develop desirable personality traits and provide relevant experience.
  • Begin to explore research opportunities.
  • Continue to read extensively.

Junior Year

  • Request application materials from the health professional schools to which you plan to apply. Visit or talk with admissions representatives at these schools.
  • Register for pre-professional exams (i.e. MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, PCAT, etc.)
  • Complete pre-professional exam.
  • Early summer: Complete primary application (provided through standardized service where application information is dispersed to schools of choice.
  • Late summer: Complete “secondary” applications, send letters of reference.
  • Continue and/or expand your involvement with student clubs/organizations and community activities/volunteer programs.
  • Begin to write your personal statement and refine interviewing skills.

Senior Year

  • Refine your interviewing skills and set up a mock interview(s).
  • Early fall term/winter term: Go to interviews.
  • Graduate!