Preparing For Health Professional Schools
Certain fields that have a bachelor’s degree as the entry-level degree (e.g., nursing, dental hygiene, medical technology, etc.) usually require students to complete a specific undergraduate major before becoming a licensed professional.
Most graduate-level health professions (medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, etc.) do not recommend or require that students have a specific undergraduate degree. Students interested in these programs have the liberty to complete any major they choose, so long as they complete certain prerequisite courses prior to admission. Please click here for more information.
Health Professional fields require different prerequisite courses. Prerequisites can also be found by searching through national or individual schools’ online websites, but that is much more time-consuming. To get you started, PAC offers compiled lists of prerequisites for a variety of health professions.
It is in your best interest to gain experience in your desired health profession. Please note that professional schools require certain activities such as shadowing, hands-on, or patient interaction. Health-related opportunities can be found here.
While some professionals schools set minimum GPA requirements, these are generally well below what a competitive applicant would have. There is no GPA that will guarantee you admission to a specific professional program, and what is considered a “competitive” GPA varies by the health field you are interested in pursuing. For example, having a 3.5 science and cumulative GPA does not necessarily make you a competitive applicant for all health fields. GPA is not everything, however, as schools also look at other factors like extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation and volunteer work when considering your application.
Although it depends on when you plan on applying to medical school, plan to take the MCAT a semester or two before you plan on applying to medical school.
- Here is a sample 4-year timeline for a visual.
You may also want some time to receive your score and consider retaking the exam. Scores are released 30-35 days after taking the exam. Your MCAT score expires within two or three years after taking it so it's important to keep that in mind.
- Here is a list of how medical schools schools consider MCAT expiration dates.
- For a more detailed overview of the MCAT, please see our MCAT Overview webpage.
Health Professional School Applications
There are national websites:
Specific school websites:
Centralized application service websites:
Standardized exam websites:
- (i.e. www.gre.org , www.pcatweb.info , etc.)
Career/job websites:
- (www.doleta.gov, www.ama-assn.org, etc.).
To find out which resources you should use, visit PAC: PAC not only includes a list of each field’s main informational websites in its handouts, downloadable brochures, and website, but also has a reference library, a lending library, computers with the relevant sites bookmarked, and, best of all, peer advisors to help you find what you need.
Many fields have a centralized application service (i.e. AMCAS, AADSAS, PharmCAS, etc.); others require students to apply directly to individual schools. In addition to general biographical information and transcripts, applications usually require:
- Resume, personal statement, letters of recommendations, and essays.
- Our Director is available to offer feedback on personal statements and essays via appointment.
- Professional School Application Timelines
There are two types of application processes: direct applications and centralized application services (CAS). A direct application is one that you obtain directly from a specific professional school and that you submit directly back to that school. Application services serve as a hub: they gather application materials (such as the personal statement, transcripts, and descriptions of activities and awards) and distribute them to the schools that you designate. With application services, the typical process includes a primary application to the application service, a secondary application sent directly to individual schools, and an interview. Only qualified applicants will be invited to submit a secondary application and to come for an interview.
Please click here for information on interview preparation.
While the application process differs from field to field, admissions committees will often look at applicants’ undergraduate GPAs, entrance exam scores, letters of recommendation, essays, extracurricular activities (including community service and health-related experiences), and interview results.