PreHealth Handbook
A Resou rce for Students
Interested in Health Professions
Seattle University
revised, April 2010
Margaret Hudson
Associate Professor, Biology
Chief Premedical/Predental Advisor
Contents
page
General Information ............................................................................................................. 1
Types of Careers in the Health Professions ...................................................................... 2
Commitments in Time and Money..................................................................................... 3 - 4
Resource Information on Careers ...................................................................................... 5 - 7
Resources for Disadvantaged/Underrepresented Students ................................................ 8
Outside Activities and Volunteer Opportunities ................................................................. 9 - 10
Preprofessional preparation at SU ..................................................................................... (11- 33)
SU Bulletin information ............................................................................................ 11
Different programs in the Health Professions (incl. residency issues) ................. 12
Major and Coursework ............................................................................................ 13 - 14
Timetable for Preprofessional Students ................................................................. 15 - 16
Self evaluation ....................................................................................... 17
Getting Ready to Apply to Professional SchooL.................................................... 18
Planning Form for Application to Professional SchooL .......................................... 19
Preparation for the MCAT/DAT Exams ................................................................... 20 - 23
Developing Your Personal Statement.. .................................................................. 24
The Seattle University PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee..................... ....
25
Preparation for Your Interview with the PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee..
26 - 27
The Professional School Interview ......................................................................... 28 - 31
Alternatives; or, What if I Don't Get In? ................................................................. 32 - 33
PreMedical Preparation at SU ........................................................................................... 34 - 35
PreDental Preparation at SU ............................................................................................. 36 - 37
PreOptometry Preparation at SU........................................................................ .......... ...
38
PreVeterinary Preparation at SU ...................................................................................... 39
PreP hysical Therapy Preparation at SU ............................................................................ 40
PrePhysician Assistant Studies at SU .................................................................... 41
PrePharmacy Preparation at SU ....................................................................................... 42
Pre-Major Preparation for Nursing ..................................................................................... 43
Diagnostic Ultrasound at SU .............................................................................................. 44 - 45
Preparation for Medical Technology and Cytotechnology .................................................. 46 - 47
Reading & Internet Resources for the Health Professions .......................................... 48 - 51
1
General Information
Different people will have different needs that we hope this handbook can help to address. Some
of you will need basic information about different careers in the health professions. Some will need
information about volunteer positions that will give them opportunities to test their forming decisions to
head for one career or another, and to be o"f help to others through a health career. Some will need to
think about alternative careers in case their first choice just doesn't work out. Some will want to know
what they need to do to get an application together for medical school. These questions may arise at any
time of the day or night, and at any stage in your career in college! We are trying to give each of you at
least a start in helping you to answer such questions by providing some information and suggestions in
this handbook. We welcome your ideas for things to include or exclude or revise!
- Dr. Margaret Hudson
Advisor, Pre Health Club 1990-94, 1998Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor 1994 -
2
Types of Careers in the Health Professions
The health professions are extremely diverse, with career opportunities for people of many
different interests and talents. Different training programs are needed for entry into the different
professions, and the professions involve and require continuous learning in order to provide excellent
health care. This handbook can't possibly discuss all the different career possibilities, but a list would
include areas such as:
cytotechnologist, diagnostic ultrasonographer, physician, physician's assistant, perfusionist,
medical technologist, nurse, nurse practitioner, occupational therapist, athletic trainer, physical therapist,
dentist, genetic counselor, medical illustrator, veterinarian, nutritionist and many others.
Many of these careers may be referred to as "allied health" careers, since much of their work is
done to complement and assist the work of physicians, veterinarians, dentists and nurses whose
professions have been in existence for a much longer time.
Some health careers involve a great deal of hands-on patient contact, others involve managerial
skills, or creativity in research design, or ability to work with a diverse group of people, or a mix of these
activities and skills. What suits you?
What do you find interesting and satisfying? What do you do well? What do you want to
accomplish in a career? What other goals are important to you, in looking forward to life after school?
Even if you think you are certain what career you want to enter, you should have one or more alternatives
in mind that would be equally attractive to you, in case things don't work out for your current "dream
career." Be sure to keep an open, enquiring mind so that you don't close yourself out of some great
possibilities!
3
Commitments in Time and Money
How long will the training take? How much will it cost?
If you wish to enter medicine (allopathic, osteopathic or podiatric), you will generally need to
complete a baccalaureate degree (usually four years), followed by four years in medical school, and then
one to eight more years of internship/residency, depending on what area of medicine you choose. You
are probably aware right now of the range of costs of undergraduate education, depending on whether
you attend a private or public college or university. Tuition at medical schools also varies: for the class
starting in fall 2007 at the University of Washington (a public school) it was $19,122 per year for state
residents, and for the class starting at the same time at Saint Louis University (a private school at about
the middle of the private cost range) it was $44,435 per year. There is very little scholarship money
available for medical school, so most people attending medical school take out loans. The average
medical school graduate now enters residency about $155,000 in debt from the four years of medical
school! Financial aid officers at the medical schools all encourage prospective medical students to keep
their debt loads down as much as they can before coming to medical school, and to restrain their use of
credit cards for optional spending, so that their credit record is good when it comes time to borrow money
for medical school. In addition, of course, the less you have to borrow, the less you have to worry about
paying back (with interest).
Training for dentistry, optometry and veterinary medicine also generally takes four years beyond
your baccalaureate degree, and some people take specialty training beyond professional school. Costs
and financing are similar to those for medical school: for example, tuition for Washington State residents
at University of Washington School of Dentistry for 2008-9 was $19,122 for first and second year
students and $24,890 for third and fourth years, while tuition at Creighton University School of Dentistry,
a private dental school, was $42,262 for each year.
Training for careers such as pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and nursing may be
offered at a variety of levels: for example, you might earn an associate's degree in nursing in a
community college program in 2 years, or earn a Bachelor's Degree in four years and then a Master's in
another two or three years, in order to become a nurse practitioner. Physician assistant programs
generally have prerequisite college courses for entry, and take about 1-1/2 to 2 years to complete for a
certificate or a bachelor's degree. Programs vary from school to school in physical therapy and in
pharmacy. In both areas, programs have been changing away from Bachelor's or Master's to Ph.D. or
Pharm.D. levels, which is essential for licensing of people entering the profession. Costs for these
programs vary depending on whether the schools offering them are public or private, but since a shorter
amount of time is commonly spent in these training programs than for medicine, dentistry, veterinary
medicine or optometry, the total costs are likely to be lower.
If you have concerns about the cost of education for the career of your choice, you may want to
check into military health professional scholarship programs, and loan payback programs. The military
scholarships involve the U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force paying directly for your training, after which you
owe them at least equal time in military service in your new profession. The National Health Service
Corps provides some scholarships, for those who agree to provide health care for an underserved
community identified by the NHSC. Alternatively, a branch of the military or the Public Health Service
may agree to payoff your loans in exchange for your service with them, following your training. All of
these services have health professions recruiters in the Seattle area who can talk with you about such
programs. l\Jot all of these agencies need all types of health professionals. A few schools do have
scholarship programs, which pay for part of your tuition costs.
4
If you are a resident of a western state, the WICHE program (Western Interstate Commission for
Higher Education) may be helpful. In this program, residents of thirteen western states (including Alaska
and Hawaii) can obtain professional training which is not available to them in their home states, usually
paying reduced or resident tuition, with their home states paying a support fee to the admitting schools.
For example, there are no schools of optometry in the state of Washington, and Washington state
residents may qualify for reduced tuition to attend optometry schools in Oregon and California. Each
state determines the fields and number of students they will support. You need to consult with your
state's certifying officer to find out what your opportunities may be. Since there are limits on the number
of students each state will support, it is to your advantage to consult EARLY! Plan to talk with the
certifying officer no later than early summer of the year preceding the one you want to be enrolled in
professional school. There is information about the WICHE program in brochures in tile Biology Seminar
Room (Bannan 166), the Biology office, and Dr. Hudson's' office (Bannan 155). There is also a web site
for WICHE at http://www.wiche.edu
5
Resource Information on Careers
The Seattle University Career Development Center, located in the Student Center Pavilion, (206)
296-6080, can provide information about a variety of careers and about part-time employment for
students. Some employers also get in touch with science departments (such as the Biology and
Chemistry Departments) to let them know about job openings in areas related to health care.
You may also find it useful to talk with someone who is actually working in the career you want to
explore. You may want to talk with someone who is a health care provider for you and your family, or you
may want to ask someone at the place where you are volunteering whether he or she would be willing to
talk with you about his/her career. If you volunteer, you may have opportunities to observe people in
different careers interacting in health care work, so that you get a better first-hand knowledge of how they
may each contribute and cooperate to provide good health care. The PreHealth Club often asks people
to come talk with students about health care professions, so watch for club meeting notices. Your
academic advisor, or Dr. Hudson (the Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor and PreHealth Club Advisor) may
also be able to suggest someone for you to talk with.
The following books, pamphlets, websites and videos may also be helpful:
1. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Latest edition
information about professional careers is available via the web at http://www.bls.gov/oco/oc01002.htm
This resource provides information about a wide variety of occupations including those in life sCiences,
physical sciences, community and social services, health diagnosing and treating, and health technology. For each
occupation, there is discussion of the nature of the work, employment, training, job outlook, earnings, and sources
of additional information.
2. Explore Health Careers, at http://www.explorehealthcareers.org/en/index.aspx is full of information about
different health careers, occupational outlook, enrichment programs, and funding for education.
3. Birchenall, Joan M. and Mary Eileen Streight. 1989. Health occupations: exploration and career
planning. Mosby.
This small book briefly describes a variety of health careers with respect to responsibilities, training, and
interrelationships with other health care occupations. Addresses to write for further information are given. SU library
call number R690 B56 1989.
4. National Health Council. 2002. 300 Ways to Put Your Talent to Work in the Health Field.
This booklet contains brief descriptive information about the many employment opportunities available in
health fields, with addresses to write for more detailed information. Our library doesn't have a copy but you can
request it through Summit. You can also order a copy from the National Health Council, 1730 M Street, I\JW, Suite
500, Washington, D.C. 20036-4505, enclosing payment of $6.00.
5. Phifer, Paul. 1997. College majors and Careers: a Resource Guide for Effective Life Planning. Rev.
Third Ed. Garrett Park Press.
This small book briefly describes different college majors and the careers for which different majors are
good preparation. SU library reference section; call number Ref HF5382.5 .U5 P445 1997.
6. Healthcare Pathways. http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/HWDD/HWDD_Healthcare_Pathways.html
This is a series of electronically available newsletters serving as a resource to share information
with students interested in becoming health professionals serving underserved communities and
6
underrepresented individuals. This was developed for the State of California, but it would be useful so
many other places, too.
7. American Medical Association. 2009-10. Health Care Careers Directory.
This book includes descriptions of different kinds of health careers, complete listings of schools which
provide training for each type of career, enrollments in the training programs, and addresses of national
organizations which can provide more information. Not currently in the SU library, but can be borrowed through
Summit.
8. Baffi-Dugan, Carol. Ed. 2009. Health Professions Admissions Guide: Strategy for Success. 8 th edition.
National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions. http://www.naahp.org/publications.htm
This reference provides sections briefly describing different health careers and the preparation required in
order to enter each profession. There are good lists of references useful to prehealth students, and addresses for
the professional organizations. You can buy this directly from NAAHP, inc. via the web site noted above.
9. Family Practice ... A Specialty for Our Time. 1997. American Academy of Family Physicians.
This video gives a 15-minute overview of family medicine. You may borrow it from the BiologySeminar
Room, Bannan 166.
10. NOVA Doctors' Lives Videos http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/lives.html
Some of these physicians have been tracked by NOVA's team since the filming of NOVA's documentary "So You
Want to Be a Doctor?" which was aired in fall, 1991. You can watch Doctors' Lives Videos on the internet. Dr.
Hudson has a copy of "So You Want to Be a Doctor?" if you would like to borrow it.
11. Science and Art in the Name of Healing. Association of American Medical Colleges and the
American iviedical Association.
This 12-minute video gives an overview of medicine as a career: why people choose the specialties they
do, what they like about tr~leir careers, and the path to becoming a physician. Borrow the video from the Biology
Seminar Room, Bannan 166.
12. Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. 1994. Optometry: A Career with Vision
This short videotape presents information about training programs, the range of career opportunities, and
the personal rewards of working in the field of optometry. You may borrow the videotape from the Biology Seminar
Room, Bannan 166.
13. Gevitz, Norman. 2004. The D.O.'s: Osteopathic Medicine in America. 2 nd edition. Johns Hopkins
Univ. Press.
This book presents the history and philosophy of osteopathic medicine. You may borrow it from
Dr. Hudson in Bannan 155.
14. DuBuono, Barbara and Hugh Tilson, eds. 2002. Advancing Healthy Populations: The Pfizer Guide to
Careers in Public Health.
Profiles the life and work of professionals in public health. Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Group, Pfizer, Inc.
Available to borrow from Dr. Hudson, Bannan 155.
15. Giorgianni, Salvatore, ed. 2002. Full preparation: The Prizer Guide to Careers in Pharmacy.
Profiles the life and work of professionals in pharmacy. Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Group, Pfizer, Inc.
Available to borrow from Dr. Hudson, Bannan 155.
16. Giorgianni, Salvatore, ed. 2002. Embracing Your Practice: The Prizer Guide to Careers for
Physicians.
7
Profiles the life and work of physicians in the field, with tips about getting ready for a career in medicine.
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Group, Pfizer, Inc. Available to borrow from Dr. Hudson, Bannan 155.
17. American Occupational Therapy Association. Careers in Occupational Therapy.
This pamphlet describes training, employment outlook, work sites, types of patients, and salary
expectations. You may borrow this pamphlet from the file cabinet in Bannan166.
Additional files of information from medical, dental, osteopathic, podiatric, veterinary and graduate
schools, as well as from training programs for medical technology, physical therapy, occupational
therapy, physician assistants, and other health and science careers are kept in the Biology seminar
room, Bannan 166. This literature often provides additional information about careers and requirements
to enter them. Please be sure to return the material you borrow so that others can use them, too.
There are lots of good resources maintained by professional schools and professional organizations on
the Internet. Check the SU Preprofessional programs home page, which is set up with links to lots of
good sites. The web site may be found in the Biology Department web site at
http://www.seattleu.edu/scieng/biology/
See also: Reading Resources for the Health Professions: A growing list on pp. 48 - 51 of this handbook
8
Resources for members of underrepresented groups
1. Summer enrichment programs
There are many summer programs that aim to improve the opportunities for under-represented
and disadvantaged students to enter and do well in the health professions. We receive fliers from many
of them, and post them in the Biology Seminar Room (BA 166) or in Dr. Hudson's office window at BANN
155. Dr. Hudson receives application forms for some of them, as well.
- Locally, the University of Washington has run a program called the SMDEP (Summer Medical & Dental
Enrichment Program) for several years, and many SU students have attended and found it useful,
enlightening and encouraging. There are eleven additional SMDEP sites around the country, each with
somewhat different programs, that you can also consider. Students interested in medicine or dentistry
are encouraged to attend. Students have a structured experience with clinical and research components.
They take some short courses (no credit), have a one-to-one mentored relationship, attend workshops on
the medical or dental school application process and financial aid, and participate in excursions and
camaraderie. The program lasts for 6 weeks and includes housing and travel money for out of town
students, plus a stipend. Students need to have completed at least one year of college and current focus
is on those who are early in their college career. Deadline for applications is between mid-February and
March 1 of each year but you are encouraged to apply earlier. If you are interested, you may call David
Acosta, M.D., Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at the UW Medical school, at (206) 685-2489.
You can reach the UW SMDEP via the Internet at: http://depts.washington.edu/omca/SMDEP. For the
national SMDEP program, which tells about the program at other sites: www.smdep.orgl
- In addition, the U of W offers the STAR (Stipends for Training Aspiring Researchers) program,
providing opportunities for minority students to gain experience in a ten-week program in biomedical
research with a UW faculty mentor. Many of our students have participated in this program, and highly
recommend it! If you are interested, call (206) 543-7822 or e-mail to Janet Hoffman at
jhofmann@u.washington.edu. You could instead write to the STAR Program; T341 Health Sciences
Center; Box 356355; University of Washington; Seattle, WA 98195 or visit their web site at
http://depts.washington.edu/bridges4/HSMSP/star.html. Deadline for applications is about Feb. 18.
2. AspiringDocs.org is a website developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to
with a goal of increasing diversity in medicine. It has a wealth of great information, including podcasts,
places to ask questions, information about applying to and financing medical school, and helpful
timetables.
3. Spectrum Unlimited at http://www.spectrumunlimited.com/maintains a website with lots of helpful
information about careers and education for health professions. In the "Publications" section of their site,
"The Keepsake" includes information about financing, applying to medical school, careers in different
health professions, and essay tips.
4. Healthcare Pathways at http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/HWDD/HWDDHealthcarePathways.htmlis a
great website maintained by the State of California to provide information for those interested in entering
health professions with a goal of improving health care for the currently underserved.
9
Outside Activities and Volunteer opportunities
Those interested in the health professions usually are at least somewhat "people-oriented;" they
like to be with others and to maintain good relationships with others in a variety of ways. Outside-of-class
activities involving student clubs, sports, neighborhood and other group activities are enjoyable and help
develop and maintain social and collaborative skills that will be useful in working with patients and on a
health care team.
Other activities that don't necessarily involve other people directly, such as painting, playing a
musical instrument, reading about current events, or a variety of other pursuits help to develop each of us
as a whole and unique person. These activities are therefore valuable to us as individuals and can also
make us more interesting, well-informed and well-rounded members of the society in which we live.
Many students also participate in a variety of volunteer activities. You may already have lots of
good ideas for volunteer activities. These may include working in the SU Children's Literacy Project,
where students tutor elementary-school children in the Seattle area, helping with projects with groups
such as Habitat for Humanity, and a wide spectrum of other activities.
If you want to be involved in a health care volunteer activity, the area around Seattle University
provides lOTS of opportunities! You may want to volunteer in hospital-based health care. Just a few
blocks from us are Swedish Medical Center/Cherry Hill (206-320-2611), Harborview Medical Center (206744-3547), Swedish Medical Center/First Hill (206-386-2090), and Virginia Mason Medical Center (206583-6507). At a little greater distance, University Medical Center (206-598-4218) and Children's Hospital
(206-987-2155), are also pleased to have students volunteer. If you want to get involved with more
home-based health care, there are lots of opportunities! Examples include working with Lifelong AIDS
Alliance (206-957-1776), which provides community education and many services to people with or at
risk of HIV/AIDS; or with home health care agencies such as Catholic Community Services volunteer
chore service (206-328-5787), which provide assistance to people with any of a number of different
medical problems who are able to live at home because of the help they get from the agency.
The University of Washington mini-medical school meets one evening a week in winter quarter.
The program is open to the public and very interesting. You may get to visit the anatomy lab!
Registration opens in January. http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Global/News/Events/Mini-MedicalSchool/Pages/default.aspx
The Washington Academy of Family Physicians offers Premed students opportunities for
mentorship with family physicians near the student's home town or campus. Call 1-800-621-8424
(Washington only). Predental students may get in touch with the volunteer office at Harborview Medical
Center (206) 744-3547, to look into volunteering at the dental clinic there. Many of our students have
also volunteered and learned a great deal at the Union Gospel Mission dental clinic in the Pioneer
Square area (206) 621-7695. To volunteer at the UW School of Dentistry, pick up a volunteer packet at
the Dean's Office in the UW Health Sciences Building (1959 NE Pacific Street) Room D322, contact the
dental departments (listed in the packet) where you are interested in volunteering to see if they are
accepting volunteers now, and check with Hall Health on UW campus to make sure you have the
required immunizations. Turn in the completed packet at the dental school Dean's office. Volunteers at
the School of Dentistry do not provide patient care/have contact with patients for liability reasons.
Volunteers may help out in the clinics by greeting and seating patients, preparing dental operatories for
patients, delivering and picking up charts, calling patients, ordering supplies and cutting and taping bags
for clinic use. Also: check out http://uclasod.dent.ucla.edu/ContinuingEducation/ for predental short
10
courses at UCLA dental school. Both University of Washington School of Dentistry and University of the
Pacific School of Dentistry offer great workshops for predental students. Check with them or with Dr.
Hudson about future possibilities. Pre-vet students will want experience in veterinary practice; this could
range from learning about small-pet specialties with a private practice vet, to observing care of exotic
animals at the Woodland Park Zoo (http://www.zoo.org/volunteering), to volunteering with rehabilitation of
injured wild animals. Or attend a WSU Vet School Open House (usually in April)!
You may have other great ideas! For ideas that will fit you, you may want to talk with other
students about what they are doing, or with your academic advisor, with Dr. Hudson (Chief
PreMed/PreDent Advisor and Advisor to the PreHealth Club), or with the staff at the Seattle University
Center for Service and Community Engagement in the Student Center Pavilion Rm. 124. The Pre Health
Club usually devotes one or two meetings per year to discussions about volunteer experiences.
11
Preprofessional preparation at Seattle University
From the Seattle University 2009-2010 Undergraduate Bulletin of Information
(p. 454), with small amendments
If you are interested in careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, physical
therapy, pharmacy, or biomedical research, please meet with Dr. Hudson early during your first year at
Seattle University, and after that on a regular basis, so that we can work together toward your
professional goals. It is important to meet regularly with your academic advisor in your major department.
You will probably want to get involved in the PreHealth Club, which sponsors speakers, outings, and
projects of interest to students preparing for careers in the health professions.
Most of Seattle University's premedical, predental, preveterinary preoptometry, and other prehealth professions students major in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, general science, or
psychology, but you may choose any academic major at Seattle University as long as you complete at
least the minimum science course work listed below. Within the framework of anyone of these
undergraduate degree programs, students obtain strong backgrounds in the liberal arts through the core
curriculum.
Most medical, dental and veterinary schools require the following undergraduate science
sequences: CHEM 121, 122, 123, 131, 132, 133,335,336,337,345,346,347; BIOl 161/171,162/172,
163/173; and PHYS 105, 106, 107 or PHYS 121, 122, 123. Schools of optometry generally require less
organic chemistry. Professional schools also recommend or require calculus, cell physiology and
biochemistry. Check the bulletins of the professional schools of interest to you to learn about specific
requirements. Most professional schools require, as a part of the application process, nationally
standardized exams that draw on your college science background and analytical skills. These exams
are taken a year to a year and a half in advance of the time you expect to enroll in the professional
school, so planning the timing of required science courses is important.
Competition for entrance into medical, dental, veterinary, optometry, and other health professions
schools is strong. The schools look for evidence of intellectual ability, understanding of the profession
based on your direct experience, a sense of service, and personal qualities appropriate to the profession.
Since required academic coursework is challenging and professional demands are high, it is important
that you regularly assess whether your original goal is still right for you.
The application process for entering graduate programs or professional school should start at
least a year in advance of the time you hope to enroll. Dr. Hudson and your academic advisor will be
happy to assist you. The required standardized tests such as the Medical College Admission Test
(MCAT), Optometry Admission Test (OAT), Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and Dental Admission Test
(OAT) are administered individually on computer by arrangement with a testing service. The health
professions schools to which you are applying will ask you to provide to them transcripts and individual
letters of recommendation from people who are able to speak directly about your strengths.
The PreMedical/PreDental Advisory Committee is available to conduct an interview with each
applicant and subsequently will write a supportive letter for each qualified applicant. Interviews with the
Committee are scheduled with Dr. Hudson and are held in May.
The following sections expand on this information from the bulletin. The section from p. 12 - 33 includes
information of general interest for students preparing for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and optometry, and there are separate pages for each of these areas plus physical therapy, PA,
nursing, diagnostic ultrasound, and medical technology (clinical laboratory science) on pages 34 - 47.
12
Different Programs in the Health Professions
Each school of medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy or veterinary medicine considers that it
has its own special direction. For example, some specialize in training people for research, and some
specialize in training people for clinical practice careers. Some do both! Different schools organize their
curricula differently, too. To find out what the specialties and differences are, you may find it useful to talk
with recent graduates of schools you are interested in, to read the schools' brochures and bulletins, to
write or call different professional schools with this question in mind, or, for medical school, consult the
Curriculum Directory published yearly by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). You
can find the AAMC Curriculum Directory at http://services.aamc.org/currdir/.
If you are particularly interested in combining a degree in medicine, dentistry or veterinary
medicine with research, public health, business or law, you may want to check with some of the schools
that offer combined programs. These generally take two or three years longer to complete than either
program separately, and many of the graduates have gone on to very interesting careers. For example,
many of the M.D.lPh.D. graduates, who are well trained in research as well as in clinical work, go on to
join the faculties of medical schools. The National Institutes of Health funds many of the M.D.lPh.D.
programs, including one at the University of Washington. In addition, we have had a representative from
Baylor College of Medicine and from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
come to talk with us in recent years about their M.D.lPh.D. programs. Combined degree programs are
listed in the AAMC Curriculum Directory, in the AAMC's Medical School Admission Requirements, and in
the Admission Requirements of United States and Canadian Dental Schools. The AAMC list is on the
web at http://www.aamc.org/students/considering/research/mdphd I.
Residency Issues: If you are interested in a professional school in a state where you are not a
resident, you should check admissions criteria carefully. Many state medical schools, for example, which
receive much of their funding from taxes collected from state residents, admit few to zero out of state
students, and if they do admit nonresidents, fees are generally much greater than for state residents.
(Some states allow students to establish residency while in school, which can lower the fees after the first
year, so it's good to check.) However, western states which do not have a particular type of professional
school do contract with other states to educate their residents: for example, the states of Alaska,
Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho contract with the University of Washington School of Medicine to educate
residents of those four states, in the "WWAMI program." The WICHE (Western Interstate Commission
for Higher Education) Professional Student Exchange program applies to residents of western states
(including Hawaii) that do not have within the state a training program for the profession the student
wishes to enter. The WICHE program may be of interest to prospective students of dentistry, medicine,
nursing (Master's degree), occupational therapy, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical
therapy, physician assistant, podiatry, public health and veterinary medicine. Not all western states
support their students equally thoroughly through WICHE, but it's definitely worth checking into!
Brochures with information on the WICHE program are available from Dr. Hudson (BA 155), or go to
http://www.wiche.edu/psep or download a brochure at http://www.wiche.edu/pub/11538. As compared to
taxpayer-supported schools, private schools generally try to include people from a variety of geographical
backgrounds within the United States. If you are not a United States citizen and do not have a green
card, it may be very difficult to gain entrance into most U.S. professional schools, since so much of the
financial aid is funded by the U.S. government and would not be available to you. Some private schools
may consider you if you can demonstrate your ability to pay, for example by putting funds equal to your
full tuition (for one to four years, depending on the school) into escrow.
13
Major and Coursework
Students who plan to enter careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy,
optometry, and physical therapy are able to choose among the whole range of academic majors, so they
can be Psychology majors or History majors or Biology majors or Medical Technology majors or any
other major. Whatever your major, you need to be aware that the professional schools have particular
expectations for the preparation you undertake in your undergraduate (pre-or post-baccalaureate) work.
It is certainly true that your grade-point average will be extremely important for admission to
professional school. However, don't pass up challenging courses because you are concerned about the
potential effect on your GPA. You can view challenging courses as opportunities for you to assess the
compatibility of your intellectual talents with the sorts of demanding coursework expected of you in
professional school. Ask yourself: do I like this? Am I good at it? Courses that require you to apply and
hone your problem-solving skills will also give you good exercise for the MCAT, DAT, OAT, PCAT, or
GRE exams.
There are many expectations for coursework preparation that are held in common among
professional schools of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry and pharmacy. In general,
they expect that applicants will have completed at least 1 year of college-level coursework in biology, 1
year in physics and 2 years in chemistry, along with writing and humanities courses. Math requirements
vary from school to school. Specifics for areas like chemistry (e.g., whether or not they want you to have
taken some biochemistry, or the level of organic chemistry required) may vary somewhat from school to
school. Schools of pharmacy may not require you to take a whole year of physics, and some schools of
optometry may not require a full year of organic chemistry. Some schools may expect some calculus or
statistics (the amount varying from school to school) and some want you to take coursework in
psychology. If you are interested in particular professional schools, you need to check their individual
requirements.
You can find entrance requirements listed for medical, dental and veterinary schools in:
Medical School Admissions Requirements (US and Canada), published yearly by the
American Association of Medical Colleges. There is a copy in the Seattle U library in the reference
section. The call number is Ref/R1745/M4. Dr. Hudson also has a copy in Bannan 155.
ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools, published yearly by the American Association of
Dental Schools. You can buy a copy at http://www.adea.org/publications/Pages/OfficiaIGuide.aspx or Dr.
Hudson has a copy in Bannan 155 that could be lent for short periods.
Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements, published yearly by Purdue University
Press, West Lafayette, Indiana. Order through www.thepress.purdue.edu/
Admissions requirements for schools of optometry, physical therapy, physician assisting and
pharmacy may be obtained by checking links from the Internet sites for their professional associations
(e.g., for optometry, www.opted.org for physical therapy www.apta.org for physician assisting
www.aapa.org and for pharmacy www.aacp.org)
A good general guide for courses to take at Seattle U for admission to medical and dental schools
has been compiled by the PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee. This guide is on the following page. It
is also generally applicable for preveterinary students. Please see the PreOptometry, Pre Pharmacy,
Pre-Physical Therapy and Pre-PA pages for recommendations for students with those interests.
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PREMED/PREDENT PROGRAMS- revised fall, 2006
In developing this list of required and recommended courses for preparation to apply for admission to
medical or dental school, the PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee (PPAC) addressed the following
concerns:
1. Identifying the general undergraduate science requirements published as admissions policies of
professional schools.
2. Identifying the content needed for the MCAT or DAT. It is strongly recommended that the course work
be completed by the end of the junior year as preparation for these tests.
Biology courses
A. Required Courses*:
General Biology I, II, III (BIOl 161/171,162/172,163/173)
B. Strongly Recommended Courses (preprofessional students need not consider taking
all of these recommended courses; rather, additional biology courses should be
selected with the help of an academic advisor):
Microbiology (BIOl 300), Comparative Vertebrate Embryology (BIOl 310),
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (BIOl 325), Animal Physiology (BIOl 388),
Cell Physiology (BIOl 485) and Genetics (BIOl 240)
Chemistry Courses
A. Required Courses:*
General Chemistry (CHEM 121, 131, 122, 132, 123, 133)
Organic Chemistry (CHEM 335, 345, 336, 346, 337, 347)**
B. Strongly recommended courses: Biochemistry (CHEM 454, 455, 456)
Physics Courses
PHYS 105, 106, 107 (requires MATH 120 & 121) or
PHYS 121, 122, 123 (which requires MT 134, 135, 136 respectively)
Mathematics Courses
Some calculus is strongly recommended (at least Calculus for Life Sciences [MATH131)] or
Calculus and Analytic Geometry [MATH 134, 135])
It should be noted that the courses listed above as "required" constitute a preparation which satisfies
minimum requirements for admission to most professional schools. Students should work closely with an
academic advisor in their major department in fulfilling degree requirements along with preparation for
professional schools. Additional science courses may better equip a student for advanced study in a
professional school and may be required for admission to specific schools.
* l\Jote re: required courses in biology and chemistry: UW School of Medicine expects coursework in
biochemistry, genetics, cell biology and/or molecular biology. UW School of Dentistry requires 2 quarters
of biochemistry (lab not required) and 2 quarters of microbiology.
** Note re: organic chemistry: CHEM 231,232,233,234 may be sufficient for some professional schools.
Please see Dr. Hudson or check directly with the school of interest to you.
15
Timetable for Preprofessional Students
Students working on their first baccalaureate degree*
1st year:
Discuss interests and possible plans with academic advisor
Meet at least once with Dr. Hudson (Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor, office in BANN
155) to talk about your goals and plans
Start with appropriate math and science coursework; exact sequence depends
on your major and interests (example on next page)**
Investigate shadow, volunteer or work opportunities and participate as possible
Investigate summer experience opportunities and participate as possible
Reflect and journal about your experiences
2nd year:
Discuss progress with academic advisor; continue to plan and evaluate progress
Update Dr. Hudson on what you are doing and planning
Continue science coursework; exact sequence depends on major and interests
Explore the field through shadow, volunteer or work experience, being sure to keep a
balance with coursework. Reflect and journal about your experiences!
Read articles and books about health care; discuss the future of health care
Investigate summer experience opportunities and participate as possible
3rd year:
Discuss progress with academic advisor; continue to plan and evaluate progress
Meet with Dr. Hudson to:
1) discuss your goals and plans,
2) learn how to register to take nationally standardized exams (MCAT, OAT, PCAT,
OAT, AHPAT, GRE) and plan date of exam
3) learn how to access applications for professional schools
4) start giving her materials for your file and arrange for PreMed/PreDent Advisory
Committee (PPAC) interview (details on preparation for interview on p. 26-31)
Interview with Premed/Predent Advisory Committee in late May/early June
Complete science coursework needed in order to take the MCAT, OAT, PCAT, AHPAT,
OAT or GRE exam; study for exam and take exam either in spring of junior year, summer
or fall of senior year, depending on the exam and the preferences of the schools to which
you are applying (tips on getting ready for these exams follow in this handbook)
Read about, ask about, search Internet about, go to visit professional schools so you can
decide where to apply
4th year:
Complete degree work
Summer before/fall of year: Complete applications for admission to professional schools;
deadlines vary. Most schools recommend "as soon as possible after June 1" (as long as
the application is a good one!). The U of W med school starts admitting people for the
next year's class on October 15 and the centralized admissions service for US medical
schools (AM CAS) reports that 90% of applications for 2010 were received by October 23,
2009.
Practice for professional school interviews
If invited, go for professional school interviews!
* Important note: This listing assumes you want to be in professional school the fall after graduation
from SUo A number of SU students take a year between college and professional school, volunteering
16
locally or in AmeriCorps, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps or Peace Corps or ... ?, working in a research lab, or
other exploration. If you learn from what you do and it contributes to your personal growth, it's fine with
the professional schools and it can enhance your application.
** A sequence that works for Biology majors, for example, to be ready to take the MCAT or DAT by spring
of the junior year (or early summer following the junior year) includes:
Year 1: General Biology 1, 2, 3; General Chemistry 1,2,3 with lab; appropriate math
through MATH 131 or MATH 135; core courses
Year 2: Biology required/elective courses; Organic Chemistry 335/345 tllroUgh
337/347; core courses
Year 3: Biology required/elective courses; Physics 105, 106, 107; core courses
Review; Take MCAT or DAT; interview with PPAC
Year 4: complete degree requirements
Postbaccalaureate Students
If you have already completed a baccalaureate degree and are now planning to prepare to apply to
professional school, you should meet with the Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor to plan a course of study
and to plan when and where to apply to professional school. Everyone of our postbaccalaureate
students has a different and interesting background, and so your preparation for applying to enter
professional school will need to be suited to your experience and plans. Because postbaccalaureate
students take a shorter time to complete their courses than students who enter as freshmen at Seattle U,
it's very important to plan with your academic advisor (if you are getting a second baccalaureate degree
in a department other than Biology) and with Dr. Hudson, Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor (BA 155), and
to check in regularly with him/her about how you are doing and what you are planning to do next. In
general, postbaccalaureate students who need to complete all the science coursework take about two
years to do it, since it includes two years' worth of chemistry at a minimum (and some schools are now
asking students to complete some biochemistry before matriculating). Application to enter professional
school generally is made in the summer or early fall of the year when the coursework is completed for the
MCAT or DAT and that test is taken. Please refer to the information on the previous page for the 3rd and
4th year activities for students taking their first baccalaureate degree, for things you should be working on
in addition to classes. In general, in recent years, medical schools and dental schools are increasingly
willing to consider older nontraditional students.
17
Self evaluation
It can be useful to think about the progress you are making toward the health professions career you
seek by considering how you an admissions officer at one of the programs where you might go for
training might view you as a potential candidate. These are the same questions you will be asking
yourself in choosing and testing your choice of career. What evidence will you be able to show yourself
and the admissions officers, that helps to answer these questions about you as a candidate for a career
in the health professions? You can evaluate yourself and your progress at any point and use the results
to plan your work toward the goal of applying for admission successfully!
Important questions the admissions officers are likely to be asking themselves about you as they
consider your application for admission:
1. Will this candidate be able to complete our classes successfully?
2. Why does this person want to be a doctor (or dentist, veterinarian, physical therapist,
pharmacist, etc)? Is his/her motivation strong enough to support him/her when the work gets hard or
things don't go as well as (s)he hoped?
3. Does this candidate understand (as best one can without being in the profession already) what
(s)he is getting into with this profession? What has (s)he learned about him/herself, about patients, and
about the health care team, through explorations of the health care field?
4. What experience has this candidate had in making and carrying out a really in-depth
commitment to something? What has (s)he learned from that? (They will consider that a career in health
care is an in-depth commitment so they want to know if you know what it really means to make an indepth commitment!)
5. Our students (and the health professionals they will become) will need good learning skills,
good interpersonal skills, good communication skills, good stress management skills, good leadership
ability and team skills, and good organizational and time management skills. What evidence do we have
for those skills, and the strength of those skills, in this candidate?
6. Is this candidate able to work with and try to understand a variety of people from different
cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds? How about understanding the situation and needs of people
with very different health problems and experiences, from those the candidate has had personally? What
evidence do we see for this?
7. Does this candidate understand what some of the big challenges are in our US health care
system, and is (s)he aware of what's in the news about health care?
I suggest you keep a notebook in which you record your progress and your experiences. First quarter of
your freshman year is not too early to start!
The evidence you present in your application to health professions schools may be in the form of
transcripts, your descriptions of volunteer and work experiences, letters of recommendation from people
who can describe you and how you have done what you have done ... what else?
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Getting Ready to Apply to Professional School
Wily is this career choice the right one for you? You are challenged to put together the best
application you can, to convince the admissions committees at professional schools that you will be an
asset to their schools and to their professions. If you can convince yourself, you'll have a better chance
at convincing them!
This means taking all parts of your preparation seriously enough to give yourself a good opportunity to show your abilities and potential. If you really want this career, you must put out serious and
sustained effort to show yourself and others that you are dedicated, determined, and capable. Of course
you can do this with a sense of humor! Just don't be halfhearted. This venture is risky, because with as
many applicants as there are right now, even some who make an all-out effort may not be admitted. But
if you really want this, give yourself the best chance by doing your best work.
This applies to taking courses, investigating various health careers, preparing for exams like the
OAT and MCAT, volunteering or working in a health care field, evaluating yourself and your progress,
putting together applications to professional schools, and preparing for interviews. We hope that by
doing all this work to the best of your ability, you will earn a well-deserved sense of accomplishment and
will find that you enjoy learning, helping, and cooperating with others in the process.
Most professional schools participate in centralized admissions programs. You may initiate your
application process to several schools at once by filling out an application through AIVICAS (allopathic
medicine ), AACOMAS (osteopathic medicine), AADSAS (dental), AACPIVIAS (podiatric medicine),
VIVICAS (some veterinary schools), PHARMCAS (pharmacy) PTCAS (physical therapy) or CASPA
(physician assistant). Forms are available via the internet: for allopathic medicine, http://www.aamc.org;
for osteopathic medicine, http://www.aacom.org; for dentistry, http://www.adea.org; for podiatric medicine,
http://www.aacpm.org; for some vet schools, http://www.aavmc.org; for pharmacy at
http://www.pharmcas.org,; for physical therapy at www.ptcas.org ; for some physiCian assistant
programs, http://www.apap.org. If schools of interest to you do not participate in a centralized
admissions program, you will need to request application materials from them individually. Filling out
these forms takes time and care. In particular, be sure to make your personal statement informative and
inviting. You want the admissions committee to say "I want to talk to that applicant!"
You may find the planning form on p. 19 helpful. As you near the time to apply for admission to
professional school, you will probably want to schedule an interview with the PreMed/PreDent Advisory
Committee (see p. 25 et seq.), or at least talk with Dr. Hudson and your academic advisor about your
plans, so that we can be helpful to you. You will need to arrange to have instructors, job supervisors,
volunteer supervisors and others who know your work and character well write letters of recommendation
as part of your application. See Dr. Hudson (BA 155) for a form for potential recommenders. TIMING is
important: there are more spaces available (for you!) early in the application process than later on.
After your application has been received at a professional school, you may receive a "secondary
application" form that requests more information. Some schools send secondaries to all applicants, and
some send them to a selected group, so it's hard to know how elated to be when you receive a secondary
to fill out. However, be prompt and thorough in your response. During the time the schools are
considering your application, you will probably be nervous and anxious. If you are worried about whether
your file at a school is complete, or if you are trying to schedule travel for several interviews on one trip,
please call or email to the professional schools to inquire. However, if a school is considering several
thousand applicants for an entering class of a hundred, it may take them a while to get to the time when
they consider your application. Make sure it's in good shape, and try to be patient!
19
Application plans for (name) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ phone # _ _ _ _ __
Please be sure to update this form with Dr. Hudson as your plans develop; we can be more
helpful if we know what your plans are.
1. Letters of recommendation
I am planning to have letters of recommendation sent from the following people (usually people have 3 to
5 letters of support) (request forms for recommendations are available from Dr. Hudson if you are using
the PPAC):
2. Application forms:
I am filling out the following form(s) (most are available online and open mid-April to early June)
_ _ AMCAS (allopathic medicine)
_ _ AACOMAS (osteopathic medicine)
_ _ AACPMAS (podiatric medicine)
_ _ AADSAS (dentistry)
_ _other (please note) _____________
3. Exams
I am taking the following exam(s) on the date(s) indicated:
_ _ MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) date:_ _ _ _ _ __
_ _ DAT (Dental Admission Test) date: _ _ _ _ _ _ __
_ _ OAT (Optometry Admission Test) date: _ _ _ _ _ _ __
_ _ GRE (Graduate Record Exam) date: _ _ _ _ _ _ __
_ _ PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) date: _ _ _ _ _ __
4. Seattle U interview
I am planning to have an interview with the Seattle U PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee in
(recommended; needs to be at least a year prior to the fall you plan to enter professional school):
_ _ May 20_
NOTE: Plan to sign up with Dr. Hudson for the interview, at the end of April! beginning of May.
The interview is optional but can be very helpful. For the interview, plan to have at least some letters
of reference, your one-page personal statement (e.g., in development for the AMCAS application), and
transcripts available to Dr. Hudson about a week before the scheduled interview, so that the interviewers
can examine these prior to the interview. Information about the interview is in the PreHealth Handbook.
5. Schools where I plan to apply and to which I wish letters of reference sent: please list these
below or give Dr. Hudson your list from the AMCAS/other application.
20
Preparation for the MeAT or OAT
Most medical and dental schools require that applicants take the Medical College Admissions
Test (MCAT) or Dental Aptitude Test (OAT) so that the schools may use the scores as part of the
admissions process. The advantage to the medical and dental schools is that these exams are nationally
standardized tests, and so they provide a way for the admissions officers to directly compare the work of
students from many different educational backgrounds. In particular, since in recent years the number of
students applying for admission to medical and dental schools has increased while the number of
positions for students in these schools has stayed about the same, you need to pay careful attention to
anything that can strengthen your application. The weight carried by the MCAT or OAT in the admissions
process varies from one school to another, but in general performance on these exams is important in
determining whether the applicant will be considered seriously for admission.
The MCAT exam is now administered in computerized format on multiple dates each year at
Thomson ProMetric Testing Centers. Deadlines for registration are approximately five weeks in advance
of the test date but registering at least 60 days ahead is recommended if you want a particular site.
Check information about the MCAT at www,aamc.org/students/mcatl The OAT also is given in
computerized form at Prometric Testing Centers. You arrange the date and time of your test with the
Pro metric Center, which has a limited number of seats available on each date. Register for the MCAT at
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/registration.htm or register for the OAT at
http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/datl .
These exams are several hours long. Most of the work involves answering factual or,
increasingly, problem-solving questions in a multiple-choice format. You will be examined in verbal
reasoning, in general problem-solving, and on knowledge and ability to solve problems in specific science
areas. These areas include biology, chemistry and physics for the MCAT. For the DA T, biology and
chemistry are the science areas tested and instead of a section on physics, there is a perceptual ability
test, in which your ability to think in three dimensions is tested. Wilen you register to take these exams,
you will be provided with materials that give sample questions and state specifically areas to be covered
in the exams. The MCAT also includes an essay section where you are expected to respond to particular
questions. Since these are timed exams, your knowledge, your reasoning ability, your speed and
accuracy are all important in shaping the outcome. You will definitely want to prepare thoughtfully for
either of these exams, including review and work with practice tests.
Each year since 1992, the AAMC has published aggregate information about the MCAT scores
for US medical school applicants and matriculants. (Matriculants are the ones who were admitted and are
now attending medical school, so this is the group you are aiming to join!) Mean scores nationwide have
gradually risen but very slightly: the rise (0.3 - 0.6 of a section score) is much less than the standard
deviation of that mean score. Some students who take the MCAT do not do well enough to be
competitive for admissions, and so they don't apply that year. Therefore, the average MCAT scores for
applicants given here are hig her than the average MCAT scores for all students who took the test. The
general trend shows that the scores for matriculants are higher than the scores for the entire pool of
applicants, indicating that in general, doing well on the MCAT will improve your chances of admission.
Over the period 1992-2009, the standard deviation for MCAT areas for applicants was 2.1 to 2.3 and for
matriculants the standard deviations for MCA T areas ranged from 1.7 to 2.1. A table showing the mean
MCAT scores for applicants and matriculants for the 2009 entering class follows.
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For 2009
All applicants
(42,269 people)
Verbal Reasoning
9.0
Physical Sciences
9.2
Writing Sample
P
Biological Sciences
9.8
Source: AAMC: OW: Applicant Matriculant File as of 10/14/09
Matricu lants
(18,390 people)
9.8
10.3
P
10.8
Grade point averages for the entering classes differ for different medical schools, but for 2008 (as
stated in the AAMC's Medical School Admissions Requirements) typical averages reported by the
medical schools ranged from around 3.4 to 3.9. It is important to note that no undergraduate GPA
guarantees admission: charts from the AAMC show that about a quarter of the students who applied to
medical school with a 4.0 GPA were not admitted.
Agreement between the GPA and the MCAT score seems to be particularly pleasing to the
medical schools, as long as they are both at the high end: during the period 2005-2007, 89% of the
applicants who had a GPA between 3.90 and 4.0 and numeric MCAT scores of 33 - 35 were accepted
to MD-granting US medical schools. If the GPA is lower but the MCAT score is high, the result tends not
to be so good: 27% of those with the same MCAT scores but a GPA of 2.8 - 3.0 were accepted. And the
high GPA doesn't completely make up for a less strong MCAT showing, in general: 28% of those with
MCAT scores of 21-23 and a GPA of 3.8 - 4.0 were accepted. (Data from AAMC Data Warehouse:
Applicant Matriculant File, as published on p. 29 of Medical School Admission Requirements 2010-2011).
We shall all just do our best in courses and on the MCAT!
Many students plan a course of review for themselves for the MCAT or OAT. Some students also
have found that getting together with other serious students to review and test each other can be very
effective. However you decide to review, be sure to allow yourself plenty of time, and make a serious
effort! There is a lot to be done, and this is an exam where you want to do as well as you can. Doing
practice tests can be very helpful in getting used to the particular test format, and figuring out how to use
your energy best through the entire day of testing. All this works toward building confidence and
removing unfamiliarity associated with a "one-shot" test.
MCAT preparation materials can be ordered from the AAMC. The Official Guide to the MeAT is
especially useful. Dr. Hudson has put copies in the library so you can check one out and see if you want
to buy one. One free downloadable MCAT practice test is available from the AAMC at their web site
http://www.aamc.org. You can also purchase practice tests from the AAMC. Dr. Hudson has some
MCAT materials in her office also (BA 155). In Seattle, the Stanley H. Kaplan Educational Center, Ltd.,
Princeton Review, and Sandweiss Test Prep offer review courses and printed materials that have been
helpful to some students who in particular have difficulty getting organized to have everything reviewed
thoroughly in time for the test. Newton Street Study Group in Pioneer Square offers one-on-one tutoring
in problem-solving approaches, very good for the MCAT in particular. For the OAT, you may check with
Kaplan and Princeton Review, or check the practice test disc for $44.95 + shipping from Scholarware at
http://www.scholarware.com
If you take the GRE or the OAT, your scores will be available before you leave the testing center.
MCAT scores are available about 30 days after you take the test.
If your scores don't look competitive (at the moment, 9's on the MCAT are considered minimum
for serious consideration at most allopathic medical schools, with somewhat lower scores acceptable to
22
osteopathic and podiatric schools), the PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee suggests that you consider
carefully what it was that prevented you from doing as well as you had expected. If you didn't 'finish the
test in the time allowed, you may need to work more on timing yourself. "Slow readers" have benefited
from taking speed reading courses for this exam. If you finished the exam but you didn't earn a very
good score, then you may need to review some more and/or practice problem-solving types of questions
some more. If you figure out what went wrong the first time, you can prepare more effectively for taking
the exam a second time. Some schools apparently also put more weight on the MCAT and DAT than do
others, and you may need to reconsider which schools are your best possibilities. If your scores are very
low, especially on a repeat exam, it may also be practical to consider at this time (if you haven't already
done so) whether an alternative choice of a health profession might be better for you. Please consult
with your academic advisor and with Dr. Hudson. We are here to help you make the best plans for
yourself.
Comments about the MCA T
from Brian Watkins, SU alumnus:
(Brian's comments have been edited a little to avoid repeating too much of what has been said before,
while giving you a real "veteran's view" of the MCAT experience.)
I have been asked to give you some advice regarding how to study for the MCAT and to inform all of you
just how important the MCAT really is .... I graduated summa cum laude from the School of Science and
Engineering with a BS in 1993. I have taken the MCAT, and did quite well; however, there are no
guarantees.... Medical schools use several criteria for deciding which applicants to accept: MCAT
scores, examples of service, grades, and your personal statement. The MCAT scores are really the only
standardized item of those four, and so exam results may be used by some schools as early selection
criteria. This year (1993) over 62,000 people took the MCAT, most of whom applied to more than one
school. They are competing for less than 17,000 positions in med school ....
I say the following from experience: study for the MCAT well in advance and continue to do so up until
the time of the test itself. I studied for only one month and did quite well, but could have done much
better with more time to prepare. Suggestion: rather than spending a great deal of money on a
preparatory class, study on your own or in groups. Take some time off from school and use the money
you were going to spend on a commercial preparatory class, to pay rent, buy food, etc. Those courses
only help you in that someone is telling you what to study, but you are only going to get out of it what you
put into it, and if you are motivated these courses are really unnecessary. There are study guides that
are just as helpful and much less expensive. Success in med school is going to require motivation, and
future med students should be motivated enough to take initiative and be able to study without someone
telling them exactly what to study....
The MCAT is an analytical test, not a test of rote memorization. Memorizing facts will help; however,
learn to apply your knowledge. Be able to read about a subject and incorporate what you already know
about the subject for better understanding. The test is not difficult, but the time constraints are. Work for
speed and accuracy. You are not penalized for wrong answers. It is to your benefit to finish each section
of the test. The material that will be covered will be familiar, but don't assume that somet~ling will not be
on the test that was not covered thoroughly in class!!
STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!!!!
I hope that these comments don't discourage anyone. I just want to stress the extreme importance of
doing well on the MCAT! You are going up against other bright students, some of whom have already
23
taken the test at least once. It is best to do well the first time; don't take it unprepared just because you
may take it again -- most schools frown on that. Good luck!
From Dr. John Meany, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at SU:
The importance of the MeAT cannot be overemphasized. Grades in college courses are also important
but because of various degrees of grade inflation at the various universities, the quantitative use of letter
grades has become less certain. Again, because of the nationally standardized nature of the MeAT, this
exam is weighted very heavily as a determining factor for the success of your application.
Because of the importance of this exam, I strongly recommend that:
1. You do not take it prior to the completion of your preparatory courses in biology, chemistry,
physics and mathematics.
2. You set aside at least one quarter strictly to prepare for the MeAT. Your preparation should
include not only comprehensive reviews of the above areas of course work but also taking practice
MeATs.
The latest format for the MeAT has decreased emphasis on questions testing you on "quick recall" and
now emphasizes questions which test you more on your cognitive abilities. Our students also report that
upper division biology courses and biochemistry should improve MeAT scores. The knowledge gained
from such challenging courses far outweighs the "risk" of earning somewhat lower grades. Not only will
these courses enhance your performance on the MeAT, but they will also provide a more impressive
record of achievement to be included along with your other medical school application materials. More
importantly, these upper division courses will provide you with the necessary background needed for
success in the heavy and challenging academic loads you will face in medical school.
There is no "magic" review course or "short cut" method you can use to prepare for the MeAT. If you
elect to take an MeAT preparatory course, you must realize that it will only be as successful as the time
and effort you put into it - regardless how expensive it is! Many students have found other materials
helpful for "home review." Whatever method you choose, you must gain experience in taking timed
MeAT-like exams to increase your testmanship ability for this exam.
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Developing Your Personal Statement
On most applications for admission to professional schools, you will be asked to provide a
"personal statement." It is generally about one page in length (single spaced) with a typical limit of 45005400 characters. The personal statement gives you a terrific opportunity to convince the professional
school admissions committees that they want to talk with you further (ask you for an interview)! You
might consider your personal statement as the start of an interesting conversation between you and the
admissions committee. Although it is likely to be entirely up to you to decide what you will include in your
personal statement, you will want to consider including information such as:
a. When you decided to prepare for entry into the profession you have chosen.
b. What inspired your decision to enter a health profession.
c. How you have tested your decision, i.e., what experiences can you describe which have made you
more certain that you are on the right track? The most persuasive evidence for most people is direct
experience in a health care setting that is used as the basis for self-reflection. However, any situations
where you have worked with people who are "not at their best" or where you have learned about your
personal strengths and how you deal with challenges may be quite appropriate here. There are other
places on the application where you simply list jobs or volunteer activities and dates and may say a little
about them; the personal statement is where you can say sometrling more extensive about what you
learned from some of these experiences. What did they mean to you?
d. Your personal qualities appropriate to the profession.
e. What you understand about the challenges and practice of the profession of your choice today,
how that attracts you, and what you think you may be able to contribute.
TAKE YOUR TIME TO DO A FINE JOB ON YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT!
You may want to try several different drafts. It's probably a good idea to set a draft aside for a few
days and then come back to it, to see whether the ideas on the paper still seem to connect well with each
other.
It is extremely important that you take the writing of the personal statement seriously and do your
best writing on it. Dr. Mark Colombo, a graduate of SU who became chief resident in Family Medicine at
Swedish Medical Center, has been involved in helping to select candidates for residencies. When he
visited SU to talk to the PreHealth Club, he told us that the personal statement is pivotal in the selection
process. He recommended that you write and rewrite, have your friends and your advisor review what
you have written, check spelling and grammar carefully, and in general regard this personal statement as
your opportunity to state just what and who you are as a unique person. I have heard the same advice
repeatedly from deans of admissions at medical and dental schools. The Writing Center here on campus
can help you in organizing and polishing your personal statement, and often friends can read it over and
tell you whether both your personality and your good ideas are coming through clearly. You could think
of your personal statement as your entry into the conversation at your interview. The personal statement
is commonly a focus of the interview, so if you have said something in the statement, it is likely to be
explored further with you in the interview. Write about things that you would like to talk about, and that
show your ability and motivation! Recently, the PreMedical/PreDental Advisory Committee (PPAC) has
been very concerned that many students either don't seem to take the personal statement seriously, or
don't realize that members of the PPAC and the Writing Center staff would be happy to help in reviewing
the drafts of the personal statement as it is developed.
- Dr. Hudson
25
The Seattle University PreMedlPreDent Advisory Committee
The PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee (PPAC) was organized primarily in response to
requests from medical and dental schools to which students from Seattle University applied. These
schools indicated a preference for a single letter of reference from a committee rather than a number of
unrelated letters of reference from a variety of different individuals. As a result, the PPAC was formed. If
you are planning to apply to medical or dental schools, or to any professional schools that indicate a
preference for a committee letter, you are invited to use the PPAC in the process of application. Since
most schools do not absolutely require a committee letter, you are not obliged to use the PPAC, but we
hope that you will look upon the PPAC interview, feedback, and letter as a service designed to assist you
in the process of application.
Generally, the PPAC invites students to interview with a panel made up of three or four members
of the PPAC, as part of the professional school application process. Notices are posted and
announcements are made in classes about when the signups for interviews in spring are available, but
generally you should check with the Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor, Dr. Hudson, in the fall or winter of
your junior year (or of the year preceding the one when you expect to apply to medical or dental school)
about when you should set up an interview. Interviews are scheduled in May. The PPAC includes
faculty members from several different areas of the university, the Chief PreMed/PreDent AdVisor, and
sometimes a practicing physician (when available). Each interview generally takes about forty minutes,
and is similar to an interview at a medical or dental school, in that you will be asked to persuade the
committee that you have made a good career choice, that you will be able to handle the academic rigor of
medical school, and that you are likely to contribute something special to the profession because of the
unique individual you are. At the end of the interview, you will be asked to set up an appointment to get
feedback on the interview from the Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor. The committee intends to help you to
reflect on your goals and preparations, and to make the most convincing case for admission, so even
though the prospect of an interview may make you nervous, we hope that you will look on the committee
as an ally in your application process. That's our intention! See pp. 25 - 30 for ideas for preparation for
the interview.
The PPAC will advise you with the intention of giving you the best chance of achieving your
professional goals. However, professional schools expect that a letter of recommendation from the
Seattle University PPAC means that the committee believes that the student being recommended has a
good chance of success in professional school. Therefore, if it becomes clear to the PPAC that you have
little chance of success in gaining admission to a professional school, the PPAC will tell you so, and
instead of writing a committee letter to the professional school at that time, will explore realistic
alternatives with you.
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Preparation for Your Interview with the PreMed/PreDent Advisory Committee
In late spring of each year, the PPAC interviews students applying for professional schools. The
interview is one of the ways we can help you in the application process for entry into professional
schools. There are two general goals for the interview. One of the goals of the interview is to help the
committee to understand the strengths that you are bringing to your chosen profession, and to help us to
develop ideas for writing a committee letter of recommendation on your behalf. We would like to be able
to explore with you issues that will be important to you as the professional schools consider your
application. Another important goal is to give you practice in an interview format, before you go to the
professional schools for interviews.
Our interview generally takes 35 to 40 minutes. During the interview, we can generally be
expected to 1) discuss your academic record with you, 2) explore with you your motivation for entry into
a career in the health professions, and 3) talk with you about how you have explored and tested your
resolve for entry into professional life through direct contact with health care providers and patients in
settings where health care is provided. We may also talk with you about what you have been learning
about your chosen profession through the media, through public discussions and debates, and through
professional journals, and about ethical challenges you may expect to face in your chosen profession.
For preparation for any interview, see also: Reading Resources for the Health Professions, pp. 48-51 of
this handbook.
In order for the committee to conduct the interview, we will need to have the following from you at
least three days prior to the date of your interview. These items should come to Dr. Hudson the
Chief PreMed/PreDent Advisor, whose office is Bannan 155.
1. A personal statement addressing your interest and motivation for entering the health profession you
have chosen. This is normally a draft of the personal statement you are developing for your application
to professional school. Please see p. 24 for ideas about developing your personal statement.
2. A copy of a recent grade transcript for courses taken at Seattle University and transcripts of any
transfer credits. If the registrar's office has all of your college transcripts, we can get them from the
registrar. (However, when you are applying to professional schools, you will need to request that official
transcripts be sent from each college or university you have attended to the professional schools and/or
to the application services.)
3. The results of the Medical College Aptitude Test (MCAT) or Dental Admission Test (OAT). If these
scores are not available at the time of the interview, the PPAC may decide to defer its recommendation.
The committee letter will then be made final after acceptable test scores have been received by the
PPAC.
4. Individual letters of recommendation sent to the PPAC. We recommend that you request letters from
faculty members (both science and non-science), letters from supervisors in work settings, particularly
health care settings, and letters from anyone else who can contribute interesting or different information
about your abilities and qualifications. Forms are available in Dr. Hudson's office (BA 155) for requesting
letters of recommendation. We can do an interview without having these letters, but it helps to have at
least some of them in your file, and for sure they will need to be there when it's time for Dr. Hudson to
send copies of them to the professional schools to which you have applied.
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The following section on "The Professional School Interview" should give you further ideas about
how to prepare for the interview.
When the interview is over, the members of the PPAC will confer and reach a decision about how
best to assist you. The committee members will reach a decision with respect to a recommendation and
if this seems appropriate, will prepare a narrative for a committee letter. In addition, the PPAC will
consider whether your overall application can be strengthened and will make suggestions we think will be
useful to you. You will be given committee feedback by the Chief PreMedical/PreDental Advisor, at a
mutually agreeable time within a few days after the interview. If the committee feels unable to
recommend you at this time, you will be told what the difficulties appear to us to be, and the Chief Advisor
will work with you to develop a plan that can help you to become better prepared for the application
process, or to explore alternative career paths if that is what you choose to do.
The committee letter will be sent to all the schools to which you have applied. In addition, the
individual letters of reference will be copied and accompany the committee letter. Please tell Dr. Hudson
the names of the schools to which you are applying, so we can double check and make sure we send the
recommendations to all the schools that may want them. The recommendations may go to a centralized
application service, which then distributes them to the schools to which the student has applied, or they
may be sent separately to schools. lVIake sure you and Dr. Hudson have this figured out together in your
case, so everything gets to the right place at the right time.
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The Professional School Interview
Purpose of the Interview
The interview serves two major purposes: 1) it gives the interviewer an opportunity to gather information
about an applicant which will be useful in the decision making process; and 2) it allows the applicant to
get to know more about the professional school, its students, educational programs, philosophy and
opportunities. Usually the interviewer makes every effort to lower the tension. Although this is naturally a
stressful time, the interviewer wants to encourage a free flowing conversation in which the student is able
to do his/her best.
Preparing for your professional school interview
1. There are many useful things you can do ahead of time. Make sure you know where you are supposed
to be, and when you need to be there. Plan to dress so that you look nice but are as comfortable as
possible. Check with other students who have experienced the interview process and also check
http://www.studentdoctor.net to see what other applicants have posted about how the interview is run and
their experiences with interviewing at the school. Practice interviewing, using questions that follow this
section.
2. Remember, these people are interested in you. They have looked at your application and they
wouldn't have asked you to come talk with them if you hadn't already made a good impression.
3. One advisor suggests that you consider the interview to be like a first date. You expect to like each
other, and have some interests in common, or you wouldn't be here together now. On the first date, you
also tend to be extra considerate of each other because you are still getting acquainted and would like a
positive relationship to develop.
4. This is especially important for a professional school interview, and we shouldn't have to say it, except
that people sometimes get nervous and then don't act like themselves. Assume the interview begins with
the first phone contact you make and continues as soon as you arrive in town. Be your normal courteous
self in dealing with secretaries, students and deans. You may be staying with medical students
overnight. One dean told of a time when two students being interviewed got drunk and broke up the
furniture in the apartment of the students they were staying with. The admissions committee will hear of
such things and will not be inclined to invite you to join the school. Be courteous and patient and look for
opportunities to learn more.
5. All this said, try to relax and be yourself! Confidence, poise, thoughtfulness and thoroughness are all
key ingredients.
6. Know something about the school where you are being interviewed. You should have some idea of
what you are getting into, and they will send you literature in addition to what you used in order to decide
where to apply. Typically there is good information at schools' websites.
7. Take a self-inventory and make use of the self evaluation on p. 17 to observe your strengths and your
progress. Important areas relate to leadership, levels of responsibility in various activities, resolution of
difficult or stressful problems, resourcefulness, tolerance, and your perception of quality and richness of
experiences. You may want to reflect on these things beforehand with people who know you well, since
it is a challenge to "know yourself."
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8. Assess the kinds of things that you have done which allow you to know what it means to make a
commitment. A career in the health professions requires both life long learning and dedication to the
goal. Think about what you have done already that best indicates that you are the kind of person who
has what it takes to focus, work effectively, and succeed.
9. Consider your ability to relate well to others. The interviewer will be looking for evidence of how well
you know yourself and how well you get along with others. Health care is more and more a team effort.
10. What about your creativity? This might involve independent projects, including research or studies
that you have generated out of your own curiosity. If you discuss your research work, be prepared to
assess with the interviewer the source of the ideas and/or your contribution to the work. By the way don't try to "snow" someone with wild claims about your research. The interviewer may already know
something about it, or at least think he/she does.
11. Career and motivational aspects will certainly be covered. It is important not to come up with a
canned statement on "why I want to be a doctor/dentist, etc." Rehearsed answers are often given to
please the interviewer and minimally represent the years that often go into making this decision. If you
are asked this question, be prepared to talk about your definition of success, your values, your
experiences and inSights into these, the influence of family and your understanding of society's values
and definition of success as it may affect you.
12. Most interviewers will expect you to have questions of your own. Try to avoid asking questions you
should be able to answer for yourself (e.g., available from the literature the school already sent to you),
and ones that sound anxious ("How soon will I hear from you?"). Be careful about ones that could sound
critical (e.g., "Where have your students done residencies?" is better than "Do your students place in
prestigious residencies?"). You may want to ask about opportunities for community service, or where
clinical rotations occur, if these are important to you.
13. If questions arise about your academic record, take responsibility for your work and make matter-offact, straightforward responses. Blaming everyone but yourself suggests that you see yourself as
helpless. Briefly explain any personal or extenuating circumstances that arose. Don't disparage yourself.
There's nothing wrong with doing the best you can under difficult circumstances.
14. Try to convey some of your own uniqueness as a person. Most applicants will be asked about things
that are important to them, and this is an opportunity to discuss values, beliefs and accomplishments in
the context of these.
15. Maintain good eye contact. There is no need to treat your interviewer with a constant stare, but
when responding to questions, it is important to converse directly with the person. This gives you
feedback about how what you are saying is being received, too. Although there are cultural differences
in comfort or implied respect when considering looking at the person you are conversing with, it is usually
expected in the US that you will look at your interviewer both to convey respect and to indicate
engagement in the conversation.
16. Be aware of your body language. Sitting on the edge of the chair while maintaining a white-knuckle
grip on the upholstery will make an interviewer wonder if you can cope. Remember that much of
communication comes in the way of non-verbal clues.
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17. Don't have canned statements that you feel you must present. It is important to think about issues,
to have read in areas which you feel might be addressed, and to be prepared to give your own ideas to
enrich your responses, but try not to turn this into a rapid recital. However, you may want to consider
what main points you would want to include in your answer if you were given 2 or 3 minutes to answer
likely questions such as "Why do you want to be a dentist?" or "What's working well and what's not
working well in the US health care system today?" That kind of preparation gives you a good start into a
good answer.
18. If inappropriate questions are asked, usually it's because the interviewer is inexperienced, not
necessarily malicious. Be as gracious as you can, and feel free to say that you are not comfortable
discussing the issue. Inappropriate questions include ones about ethnicity, marital plans, sexual
preferences, religious preferences, and asking for responses to quotations from confidential letters to
which the student has waived right of access. At some professional schools, there is a post-interview
questionnaire on which you are asked to indicate if inappropriate questions were asked. After your
interview, Dr. Hudson at SU would like to hear how it went, and as you report that, please tell her about
any inappropriate questions. The professional schools want to know if such infractions are occurring so
they can stop them, and Dr. Hudson will let them know in a diplomatic way.
19. By all means, be yourself, be open and as honest as possible about what you think and
believe. Again, these people are predisposed in your favor. Help them to form an even better
impression of you!
Practice Interview Questions
1. What specific factors are leading you to pursue a career in medicine/dentistry/whatever?
2. Have you considered a career in another field? If so, what field, and why?
3. Briefly describe your contacts with the health field. What did you learn about yourself, about health
care, about patients, and about the profession you wish to enter?
4. What assets do you have that you feel will make you a good physician/health professional?
5. If you had to choose a specialty now, what would it be, and why?
6. Are you interested in research? If so, in what area? Have you had experience in a research setting?
What were your responsibilities? What did you learn?
7. How have you served your community?
8. Describe your most significant volunteer experience and how it affected you.
9. If not accepted to professional school, what other career would you pursue and why?
10. What made you apply to our school? What were your other choices and how did you choose them?
11. Medicine is a very demanding career. How do you plan to manage stress and avoid burnout?
12. How do you choose your friends? How would your friends describe you?
13. What do you do to relax? What leisure time activity pleases you the most?
14. How do you handle pressure? What has been your most stressful experience?
15. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Why?
16. If you could change one thing in history, what would it be, and why?
17. Are you registered to vote? Who is the US Surgeon General, and what health care issues is he/she
most interested in? What are the major health care issues currently before the voters, the state
legislature, and the US Congress?
18. What do you feel are the greatest problems facing today's physician/other health care provider?
19. How do you think health care will change over the course of the next decade?
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20. What ethical issues do you feel are most challenging for health care now? What is your opinion on:
medically-assisted suicide? euthanasia? abortion? fetal research? legalization of drugs? Do you have
any strong convictions (e.g., religious ones) that may be challenged by modern medicine?
21. What is an HMO? Are HMOs good for medical practice? Why or why not?
22. What is a living will?
23. What is Naturopathic Medicine? Osteopathic Medicine? What other health care professionals do you
expect will be on the health care team, and what do you expect they will uniquely contribute to the team?
24. How do you define "adequate health care?" Do you feel everyone should have access to expensive
procedures? If so, who should pay? If not, how should people be selected to receive costly treatments,
or denied access to them?
25. How would you tell a person he/she had a terminal illness and a poor prognosis?
26. How do you feel about using animals for medical research? What alternatives are there?
27. What are your thoughts on mandatory AIDS testing? How do you feel about treating an AIDS
patient?
28. What is Medicare? Medicaid? Do you feel these programs are adequately meeting the needs of
those who require the service?
29. Do you feel that our society as a whole neglects its elderly? If so, how would you suggest we change
the attitude toward our aging population? Are there other groups in our society that you feel are
neglected? What is your evidence for this?
30. What do you feel is the most important component in a doctor-patient (or other health providerpatient) relationship? Why do you feel that this component is most important?
31. Who has had the greatest influence on your development and why? Who would be your role model,
in health care, and why?
32. What do you think you will like the most about being a physician (or whatever health professional you
aspire to become)? What will you like least? What do you think will be the greatest challenge?
33. Are you concerned about malpractice suits? How do you feel the problem might be avoided?
34. How do you define dedication? What in your opinion is a successful career?
35. In a sea of qualified applicants, what makes YillLstand out?
36. How do you envision your future in health care? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
37. If you could have dinner with a historical person you very much look up to, who would that be, and
why? What if the person you choose cannot be a relative or a religious figure - does that change your
choice?
38. What part of the US Gross National Product is represented by health care? Is that percentage
appropriate? Why or why not? Since that percentage is going up, many people feel it needs to be reined
in. What do you think are the best ways to do that?
39. Is there anything else you would like to add? Something we did not ask?
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Alternatives; or. what if I don't get in?
Because the number of people interested in entering the health professions is high, it is important
for everyone preparing for a career in the health professions to realize that not everyone will be able to
enter the field of his/her first choice. There are nearly three applicants for each slot in medical school
nationwide. Even if you are an excellent student, an active volunteer, knowledgeable about health care
issues, and dedicated to the provision of excellent health care, there is a certain element of chance that
you will not be among those admitted. It is appropriate then that everybody consider alternatives.
Reapplying: A number of S.U. students have been admitted on the second or third try, so you
need not give up after the first time around. However, if you decide to reapply, you should try to figure
out what would strengthen your application. If you ask, some admissions officers will tell you where they
perceived weakness. Please plan to talk with Dr. Hudson about your concerns and developing plans so
we can work together on a realistic approach to reapplying.
If the problem appears to be your GPA, you may be able to make the case that you are improving
if you take challenging, advanced courses and earn better than your average grades in them. Some
schools admit disadvantaged students to a program where they take such courses at that school for a
year, retake the MCAT, and are then considered for admission into the medical school. An example is
the Irni Ho'ola Program associated with University of Hawaii John Burns Medical School. Working to
improve your GPA usually takes more than one or two courses, and you should consider the added cost
in money and energy it will represent. Some schools have lower emphasis on GPA than others, and if
the programs at such schools suit you well in other respects you should then consider applying to them in
this round.
If the problem is low MCAT, DAT, AHPAT, PCAT or OAT scores, why do you think they were low?
Did you really study thoroughly? In your preparation, did you take practice tests to get accustomed to the
style and pace of the exam? Have you had other courses since you took the exam that would make a
difference? Did you work too fast or too slowly? Did you run out of energy? Did you make easy
questions hard for yourself? You may want to use your answers to such questions to help plan to
prepare more effectively to retake the exam and improve your scores.
If you had a professional school interview, do you think it helped your chances? Would it help to
practice interviewing? Often if you interviewed at a school but were not accepted, you can get some
helpful feedback from them about what they identify as areas you would need to work on in order to have
a better chance at admission on re-application.
You may also want to re-evaluate your choices of schools. Information about admissions
requirements and characteristics of the entering classes are available in the book Medical School
Admissions Requirements (US and Canada) in the Seattle U library in the reference section (call
number Ref R 745 M4) and in Admission Requirements of U. S. and Canadian Dental Schools (call
number Ref RK 91 A582a). For veterinary schools, the appropriate reference is Veterinary Medical
School Admission Requirements published by Purdue University Press, 1207 South Campus Courts,
Bldg. E, West Lafayette, II'J 47907-1207 (phone 1-800-933-9637). Your academic advisor, or Dr.
Hudson, the Chief Pre-Med/PreDent advisor, may be able to help you to sort this out, or you may want to
take a look at the excellent discussion in The Medical Professions Admissions Guide from the
National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (listed as #8 on p. 6 of this handbook).
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Reconsidering your choice: Perhaps your application was just not convincing to the
professional schools. Can you make the case that you really know what you are trying to get into? Are
you convinced that medicine/dentistry/optometry/veterinary medicine is the place for you? Is this a
career goal that you need to re-think because it is something that your family, significant others, and I or
friends really want more than you do, or because you have been discovering other things you'd like to
explore? If you are convinced that this is the best career for you, do you need to rewrite your personal
statement to reflect that better? If you are unsure, it may help you to talk with your advisor, with Dr.
Hudson, or with the PreMedl PreDent Advisory Committee again, and to look at some of the reference
books on careers listed near the front of this handbook, to reflect on your career choices as things stand
for you now.
What do you do when you have done your very best and can't seem to reach your goal? You
may feel depressed, disappointed, or angry. Well, why not? You've put a lot into this! First, remember
that you are not alone. Your academic advisor, Dr. Hudson, the members of the PreMed/PreDent
Advisory Committee, the members of the PreHealth Club, the staff at the Counseling Center, and the
staff at the Career Development Center are all here to help you. It's easier if you have already thought
about "What if I don't get in?" but nobody is going to slam the door on you if you have just now realized it.
Major programs at Seattle University are designed to prepare students to enter a variety of careers.
Some of our students go into laboratory jobs assisting in research of different types, others are working in
public health, and a range of other interesting and satisfying occupations. Have you considered
medicinal chemistry, or pharmacology, or nutritional biochemistry, or genetic counseling? There are so
many good and useful things that each person can do - it's important for you now to look positively at
your many other opportunities.
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PreMedical Preparation at Seattle University
Medicine in the U.S. is certainly in a state of transition! To learn more about medicine, you may
want to check out the videos "Science and Art in the Name of Healing" produced by the Association of
American Medical Schools, or "This Tuesday: the diversity of involvement and flexibility of a career in
family practice" produced by the American Association of Family Practitioners, from the Biology seminar
room (Bannan 166). In addition, the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions'
handbook called Health Professions Admissions Guide: Strategy for Success (ref. #8 on p.6 of this
handbook), has a special section on medicine. You may also want to arrange to visit with a practicing
physician to learn more about the field. Locally, the Washington Association of Family Physicians (1800-621-8424) can connect you with an rvlD who can talk with you about the career. In the U.S.,
physicians may be trained rather similarly as allopathic physicians (M.D.'s), as osteopathic physicians
(D.O.'s), or podiatric physicians (D.P.M.'s). A rather different and interesting training and orientation
characterizes naturopathic physicians (N.D.'s). You will probably want to find out about each of these
routes that one may take to become a physician, so that you can make a thoughtful choice for yourself.
PreMedicine is not a major at Seattle University, but students in many different majors can fulfill
the course requirements needed to be eligible to apply for admission to a school of medicine. It is quite
rare for a student to enter medical school without having completed a bachelor's degree. Not all schools
of medicine have the same admissions requirements, but you can generally expect them to require: 1
year general chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry, 1 year biology, 1 year general physics, 1 year English
(our core English usually seems to fulfill this), and mathematics sufficient to complete the science
courses. If you have received AP credit for science courses, many (not all) medical schools accept this
but require that you take further college work in the science area where you received AP credit. Some
medical schools do specifically require calculus: Duke and Harvard (both 1 year calculus), the Uniformed
Services University of the Health Sciences (3 semester hours) and Washington University (1 year college
mathematics through differential and integral calculus; statistics may be substituted for one semester of
the calculus). Other schools require a year of college mathematics, which at some schools may be
broadly defined to include computer science and statistics. All medical schools would like to see how
well you do on challenging courses, because they are planning to give you some of those themselves!
Look at pages 10-32 in this handbook for ideas about courses, the PreMedicallPreDental Advisory
Committee, letters of recommendation, and other items of interest to you. An excellent resource for
allopathic medical schools is the Medical School Admission Requirements published annually by the
AAMC, 2450 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 or http://www.aamc.org. There is a copy in the
reference area at the Sli library, and Dr. Hudson has a copy in her office (BA 155) that you can look at.
All schools of medicine in the United States require that applicants complete the Medical College
Admission Test (MCAT). You could take the exam on any of twenty-six different days a year, with
registration deadlines approximately 5 weeks before the exam. To register, go to the AAMC web site
http://www.aamc.org.This exam is quite a challenge; see pp. 20-23 for tips on preparation.
Most allopathic, osteopathic and podiatric medical schools are members of national associations
with centralized application services for schools of the same type. If you wish to apply to two kinds of
medical schools, for example to both allopathic and osteopathic schools, however, you will need to fill out
both an AMCAS (allopathic schools) and an AACOMAS (osteopathic schools) application. You will need
to request individual application forms directly from medical schools that do not participate in a
centralized application service. Allopathic medical schools in the U. S. that do not participate in AMCAS
include University of Missouri - Kansas City, University of North Dakota, and most schools in Texas.
(There is a separate Texas Medical, Dental and Veterinary School application service called TMDSAS.)
35
There are 129 accredited allopathic medical schools in the United States and a new one
(Commonwealth) in Pennsylvania. They belong to the Association of American Medical Colleges
(AAMC), which has a very informative Internet web site at: http://www.aamc.org .Other allopathic medical
schools are under development now.
There is one school of allopathic medicine in Washington. Publicly funded, it accepts residents of
the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Wyoming. (Students in the federally funded
M.D'/Ph.D. program can be residents of any state.) The address is: School of Medicine, Health Sciences
Center A-300 Box 356340, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-6340 (206) 543-7212 or
http://www.washington.edu/medical/som
26 osteopathic medical schools (some with a couple of different locations) are members of the
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), in the United States. The very
useful Internet web site for AACOM is reached via: http://www.aacom.org
There are six schools of osteopathic medicine west of the Rockies. They are all privately operated
and accept students from any state. Some are fairly new and thus provisionally accredited.
The Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th
Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308 (888)247-9277 or http://www.midwestern.edu/azcom.
A.T. Still University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Mesa Information is available through
A.T. Still University Office of Admissions, 800 West Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO 63501. (866) 626-2878
ext. 2237 or admissions@atsu.edu Campus address is 58540 East Still Circle, Mesa, AZ 85206.
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, 111 University
Parkway, Suite 202, Yakima, WA 98901. (509) 452-5100 or http://www.pnwu.org.
Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine - California, 1310 Johnson Lane, Vallejo, CA
95492 (888) 652-7580 http://www.tu.edu OR TUCOM-Nevada, 874 American Pacific Drive, Henderson,
NV 89104 (702) 777-8687 http://tun.touro.edu/programs/programs-com.php
Western University of the Health SCiences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, 309 E.
Second St., College Plaza, Pomona, California 91766-1854 (909) 623-6116 or
http://www.westernu.edu/comp.html
8 podiatric medical schools are accredited members of the American Association of Colleges of
Podiatric Medicine, in the United States. A national web site for the colleges is at http://www.aacpm.org
There are two schools of podiatric medicine in the west. They are privately operated and accept
qualified students from any state.
California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt College, 370 Hawthorne Ave., Oakland,
CA 94609 (800) 607-6377 or http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/podiatric_medicine/
Arizona Podiatric Medicine Program at Midwestern University, 19555 North 59 th Ave, Glendale,
AZ 85308 (623) 572-3275 or
http://www.midwestern.edu/Programs_and_Admission/AZ_Podiatric_Medicine.html
There are 5 accredited naturopathic medical schools in the United States, 3 in the west (listed
below). They are all privately operated. The Association of Accredited I\laturopathic Medical Colleges
has a web site at http://www.aanmc.org
Bastyr University of the Health Sciences, 14500 Juanita Drive, Kenmore, WA 98028 (425) 6023330 http://www.bastyr.edu
National College of Natural lViedicine, 049 SW Porter Street, Portland, OR 97201 (503) 552-1660
http://www .ncn m. ed u
Southwestern College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, 2140 E Broadway Road,
Tempe, AZ 85282 (480) 858-9100 http://www.scnm.edu
36
PreDental Preparation at Seattle University
Like other health careers, dentistry is changing! To learn more about careers in dentistry, you
may want to check out the videotape, "Careers in Dentistry" available in the Biology office, or check out
the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Internet site at http://www.adea.org. In addition, the
National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions handbook called Health Professions
Admissions Guide: Strategy for Success, has a special section on dentistry. It is listed as reference
#9 on p. 6 of this handbook. You may also want to arrange to visit with a practicing dentist to learn more
about the field. Kathy Craig, Assistant to Admissions at the UW Dental School, is a very helpful resource
to our predental students. UCLA Dental School offers some short courses for predental students, too:
check their web site at www.dent.ucla.edu.
PreDentistry is not a major at Seattle University, but students in many different majors can fulfill
the course requirements needed to be eligible to apply for admission to a school of dentistry. It is rare for
a student to enter dental school without having completed a baccalaureate degree. Generally you can
expect dental schools to require: 1 year general chemistry, 1 year biology, and 1 year general physics.
The amount of English, social science, math and organic chemistry required varies. The University of
Washington also requires that you complete 2 quarters of biochemistry and 2 of microbiology before you
matriculate. A great resource for students interested in dentistry is the AADS Admission Requirements
of US and Canadian Dental Schools. It has useful information provided by each school, and beautifully
organized tables which enable you to compare clinical fields of practice, admissions requirements for the
different schools, and characteristics of students (such as GPA, ethnicity, age and DAT scores) admitted
to the different dental schools. You can send for a copy ($35 includes shipping) to: Publications
Department, AADS, 1625 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036-2212. You may also look at
Dr. Hudson's copy in her office (BA 155). You may wish to write to the individual schools for further
information about their requirements and their mission. Be sure to review pp. 8-32 of this handbook, too!
All schools of dentistry in the United States require that applicants complete the Dental Admission
Test (DAT). To find out how to register, you may write to the Dental Admission Testing Program, 211
East Chicago Ave., Suite 1840, Chicago, IL 60611 or go to http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/index.asp, or
check with the Biology Office, BA 150 to pick up a registration booklet or a brochure to order a
registration form. This exam is given at Prometric Testing Centers in a computerized format. You are
encouraged to start the registration process at least six weeks before the time you want to take the exam,
since lots of other people need to take tests through Prometric, too. Although deadline cutoffs for
applications may look late, you will give yourself the best chance of success if you review thoroughly and
take the DAT exam (and do well on it!) in spring or early summer of the year preceding the one you want
to start dental school. If your other application materials are in at the schools by the time the DA T results
arrive, that gives the admissions committees maximum opportunity to appreciate your credentials at a
time when they have maximum space available in the entering class. The DAT includes sections on
verbal reasoning, chemistry and biology, but instead of physics it includes a section on three-dimensional
ability called the perceptual ability test. Kaplan and Princeton Review also run DAT review courses
locally. Scholarware has put out a CD-ROM for DAT preparation, called TopScore Pro, which includes
software and sample tests, for $44.95. Their Internet address is: http://www.scholarware.com.
There is an active national organization called the American Dental Student Association, which
maintains an interesting web site at www.ASDAnet.org. You can also reach them at 1-800-621-8099.
They have produced a helpful handbook called A Resource Guide for Predental Students. Dr.
Hudson (Bannan 155) has a copy.
37
Schools of dentistry in the United States participate in a centralized application service called
AADSAS. You can apply via the web site at http://aadsas.adea.org
There are 56 schools of dentistry in the United States.
There is one dental school in the state of Washington. Write or call:
Office of Student Services, D323 Health Sciences Building, University of Washington School of
Dentistry Box 356365, Seattle, WA 98195-6365 (206) 543-5840 or via the Internet at
http://www.dental.washington.edu
38
PreOptometry Preparation at Seattle University
Optometrists provide much of the primary vision care in the United States, and the job outlook is
very good. To learn more about optometry, you may want to borrow the videotape, "Optometry - A
Career with Vision" from the Biology Seminar Room (BA 166), examine the brochure "Is Your Future in
Sight?" in the file cabinet in BA 166), or check the American Optometric Association web site at
http://www.aoa.org. The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions has published a
handbook, Health Professions Admissions Guide: Strategy for Success, which has a special section
on optometry. It is listed as reference # 8 on p. 6 of this handbook. Dr. Hudson has a copy you can look
at. You will also want to arrange to visit with a practicing optometrist to learn more about the 'field.
PreOptometry is not a major at Seattle University, but students in many different majors can fulfill
the course requirements needed to be eligible to apply for admission to a school of optometry. Some, but
not all, schools of optometry prefer that students major in psychology, biology or physical sciences. The
minimum requirement for entry to most optometry schools is completion of three years of college to
include the courses listed below. However, most students entering optometry schools have completed a
baccalaureate degree. Admissions requirements vary, but every school requires: 1 year general
chemistry, 1 year biology, a course in microbiology,1 year general physics, 1 year English, and the
equivalent of one semester to one year of college mathematics. The exact number of credits expected
varies from school to school. Most schools state that they would like at least one term of calculus and
one term of statistics. Most also expect a course in psychology and recommend or require courses in
anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. The amount of organic chemistry required varies among schools.
Since organic chemistry is useful for any health professional, and since the Optometry Admission Test
contains sections based on knowledge in organic chemistry, it would be appropriate to take at least two
quarters of organic chemistry. Check web sites or look at catalogs of optometry schools you are
interested in, to see what other courses they wish you to take as an undergraduate, and whether
particular schools prefer for you to major in any particular discipline. Average GPA of entrants is 3.2 3.6. The excellent web site for the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO)
http://www.opted.org has links to the schools.
All schools of optometry in the United States require that applicants complete the Optometry
Admission Test (OAT). The half-day text includes sections on biology, chemistry, physics, reading
comprehension, and quantitative reasoning. This computer-based exam is available on a variety of dates
at Thomson Prometric Testing Centers, with registration deadlines approximately 6 weeks before the
exam. You may register for the OAT online at http://www.opted.org/ or you could write to the Optometry
Admission Testing Program, 211 East Chicago Ave., Suite 1840, Chicago, IL 60611, or call them at (312)
440-2693. Since this exam is much like the MCAT and DAT, you may wish to review the section of this
handbook on preparation for those exams.
There are 20 schools and colleges of optometry in the United States. Schools of optometry on
the west coast are located in Arizona, California and Oregon. Addresses:
Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry, 19555 N. 59 th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308.
Phone (623) 572-3215 or toll free (888) 247-9277, or http://www.midwestern.edu
University of California, Berkeley; School of Optometry, Admissions Office; 397 Minor Hall;
Berkeley, CA 94720-2020. Phone (510) 642-9537 or http://optometry.berkeley.edu
Southern California College of Optometry; 2575 Yorba Linda Boulevard; Fullerton, CA 92831.
Phone (714) 449-7446 or toll-free (800) 829-9949 or http://www.scco.edu
Pacific University College of Optometry; 2043 College Way; Forest Grove, OR 97116 Phone
(503) 352-2900 or toll-free (800) 933-9308 or http://www.opt.pacificu.edu
39
PreVeterinary Preparation at Seattle University
Like other health professions, veterinary medicine is changing! As you consider this career
choice, be sure to talk with several veterinarians currently in practice to get a good idea of the future of
the field. Students typically earn a baccalaureate degree before entering veterinary school, and include
coursework like that for medical and dental school: communications skills, social science, humanities,
mathematics (level and type varies from school to school, but often calculus is expected), two years of
chemistry, a year of physics and at least a year of biology. Beyond general biology, most schools (22 of
27) also require biochemistry (2 quarters of biochem for WSU) and many schools require courses in
genetics and microbiology. In addition to coursework, veterinary schools generally require that a student
put significant effort into volunteering or working in veterinary practice and have a letter of recommendation from a practicing veterinarian. Many veterinary schools also expect the student to take the
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and have the results sent to the school as a part of the admissions
process. The GRE general test is given in a computer-based format which can be administered at a time
arranged by the test-taker, at Prometric Testing Centers. GRE information booklets are available in the
University Services Building, beside the Office of Admissions. Each veterinary school specifies its own
entrance requirements. Specific expectations for all these schools may be found in Veterinary Medical
School Admission Requirements (VMSAR) published by Purdue University Press, 1207 South
Campus Courts, Bldg. E, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1207 (phone 1-800-933-9637), or you may want to
look at the information from some of them which is kept in the file cabinet in the Biology Seminar Room
(BA 166). A complete list of the US Colleges of Veterinary Medicine is found in the brochure "Today's
Veterinarian," published by the American Veterinary Medicine Association. There is a copy in the file
cabinet in the Biology Seminar Room or you may write for a copy: American Veterinary Medical
Association, 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-4360. There's lots of
information at the Internet web site for the Association for American Veterinary Medical Colleges at:
http://www.aavmc.org. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has a great newsletter! Go to
http://www.vet.comell.edu/admissions/newsletters.htm. Most of the veterinary schools in the U.S. are now
participating in a centralized application service called VMCAS, available from the AAVMC web site.
There are 27 accredited schools of veterinary medicine in the United States. As with medical and
dental schools, state-supported schools of veterinary medicine usually give preference to residents of
their own state, so you are likely to have the best chance of admission at the state-supported vet school
in (or serving) your home state and at private veterinary schools such as University of Pennsylvania,
Tufts and Cornell. In deciding where to apply, be sure to check the VMSAR for numbers of out-of-state
applicants admitted to state supported schools of veterinary medicine. As with preparation for medical
and dental schools, it is appropriate to apply to several programs which seem well suited to your
background and needs, and to have alternatives in mind in case your application is not successful. You
may also want to check about vet schools such as the Royal Veterinary College (London), University
College (Dublin), and University of Glasgow (Scotland) that are credentialed with the American Veterinary
Medical Association. (See http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/colleges_accreditedlallcolleges.asp)
There is one veterinary medical school in the State of Washington, located at Washington State
University in Pullman. Information on programs through this school may be obtained by writing to:
College of Veterinary Medicine, Office of Student Services, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
99164-7012 or checking their web site at http://www.vetmed.wsu. WSU holds an open house in April for
prospective veterinary students that you may want to attend in order to learn more about their programs.
In addition to Washington residents, this college serves students from several western states that lack
schools of veterinary medicine, and admission is very competitive.
40
PrePhysical Therapy at Seattle University
With information from Bernadette Gillick, MS, PT:
Physical therapists (PTs) are health care professionals who diagnose and treat people of all ages
who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform
functional activities in their daily lives. PTs also help prevent conditions associated with loss of mobility
through fitness and well ness programs that achieve healthy and active lifestyles. PTs examine individuals
and develop plans using treatment techniques that promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore
function, and prevent disability. They provide care in hospitals, clinics, schools, sports facilities, and
more.
Physical Therapy schools require that you complete an undergraduate education prior to
admission. Although the minimum educational requirement for eligibility for licensure to practice is a
master's degree, most Physical Therapy schools now offer programs leading to the doctor of physical
therapy (DPT) degree. These programs take two to three years to complete. PTs must have earned a
graduate degree from an accredited physical therapy program before taking the national licensure
examination required to practice physical therapy. These degree programs incorporate graduate
academic and clinical training prior to graduation and taking the boards.
Seattle University can thoroughly prepare a student for graduate PT school, as well as for the
profession itself! Physical Therapy programs don't all have the exact same prerequisites, but the
American Physical Therapy Association survey of schools found that more than 50% of PT programs
require courses such as anatomy and physiology, chemistry, physics, statistics, psychology, and general
biology. Other courses that may be required include English, social science, humanities, computers,
medical terminology, exercise physiology, human development, kinesiology, organic chemistry, research
methods, cell biology, and pathology. Check the specific requirements for schools that interest you.
Most schools will not consider applications from people with an overall GPA of < 3.0. GPA's of 3.5 and
greater are considered competitive for application. It is also important that candidates have thoughtfully
explored the profession through shadowing and talking with practicing PTs, and by volunteering and/or
working in health care situations with patient contact.
Currently, there are 197 colleges and universities in the United States that offer graduate degrees
in Physical Therapy. The Biology Seminar Room contains brochures in the file cabinet for your review.
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has a complete website for further information
including programs and frequently asked questions: http://www.apta.org/education, or write to:
American Physical Therapy Association
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-1488
1-800-999-APTA
Three schools in the state of Washington offer a DPT level graduate degree:
1) Department of Physical Therapy, Eastern Washington University, 310 N. Riverpoint Blvd, Box T;
Spokane, WA 99202-0002 (509)368-6601 http://www.ewu.edu/pt
2) School of Physical Therapy, University of Puget Sound, 1500 North Warner, CMB 1070, Tacoma,
WA 98416 (253) 879-3211 http://www.ups.edu/pt/
3) Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington
Medical Center, Suite BB-928, 1959 NE Pacific Street Suite CC-902, Seattle, WA 98195-6490.
(206)598-5333 http://rehab. washington.edu/education/degree/pt/ The Department of
Rehabilitation Medicine hold an open house in the fall each year where you can learn more.
41
Pre-Physician Assistant studies at Seattle University
Physician assisting is a growing and varied career option with great prospects. The profession
was developed originally to prepare Vietnam veterans who worked as medics to enter the civilian work
force after they had completed their term of military service. PAs work under the supervision of
physicians in many settings (community clinics, emergency medicine, orthopedics, hospital surgeries,
and many other sites). PAs are trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative health care
services, as the physicians they work with delegate these duties. PAs have some prescribing rights in
most states. In inner city and rural settings, PAs may be the main care providers and the physicians they
work with may be physically present one or two days a week, so that the PA may confer with the
physician by telephone or electronic means as needed. The duties of the PA are determined by the
supervising physician and by state law. The American Academy of Physician Assistants has a very
informative web site at www.aapa.org/ with information about the profession and a link to an online
directory of PA training programs maintained by the Physician Assistant Education Associations.
Training programs for Physician Assistants usually take about 2 to 3 years. Some programs grant
a certificate, some a bachelor's degree, and some a master's degree. Most of the applicants to PA
programs already have bachelor's degrees in some other area and are seeking further training to qualify
for the career. There are about 140 accredited programs in the United States. The requirements for
entrance vary from one program to another, so it is important to check programs of interest to you for
their specific requirements so that you can plan which courses to take at Seattle University in preparation
for applying for admission to PA programs. It is common for programs to require a full course in human
anatomy and physiology, additional courses in biology such as general biology (SIOl 161 series at
Seattle U), general chemistry (e.g., CHEM 121 series at Seattle U), statistics of the sort taught in
mathematics, science or psychology departments, and general psychology. Many require or highly
recommend organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and other upper division science courses.
Depending on the population served in the geographical area of the school, the ability to communicated
in Spanish may be recommended or required. Some programs require the GRE (Graduate Record
Exam). All of the programs have some expectation of direct experience with work in patient care, which
could include phlebotomy, dialysis work, medical assisting, working as a certified nursing assistant, and
other direct care work, but some programs expect more of this experience than others. The MEDEX
program at University of Washington was one of the earliest developed PA programs, and it has one of
the higher expectations for this direct patient care experience: 2 years' worth of paid, recent, full-time
equivalent, hands-on experience in direct delivery of medical care to patients (approx. 4000 hours). The
PA program at Oregon Health Sciences University expects 1 year's worth (approximately 2000 hours) of
experience "In a responsible health care position." At Samuel Merritt College in California, the guideline
is that "most competitive applicants will have a minimum of 1000 hours of related direct patient contact,"
and some volunteer experience may be considered within that contact.
There is one Physician Assistant training program in Washington State, the IVIEDEX program at
the University of Washington, with a web site at http://www.washington.edu/medicine/som/depts/medexl.
Phone number is 206 616-4001, or email to medex@u.washington.edu. The MEDEX program regularly
holds very helpful evening information sessions, and if you are interested to learn about their program
and about the PA profession in general, go to their web site and sign up for an information session.
Other PA programs in the west include a program at Idaho State University, one at Pacific University in
Oregon, and ten programs in California: at Keck Medical School, Samuel Merritt, Stanford University,
Touro University, UC Davis, USC Medical School, Western University of Health Sciences, and at some
community colleges.
42
Pre Pharmacy Preparation at Seattle University
The role of pharmacists in health care has been evolving especially quickly in the last few years.
Pharmacists are often able to be the most helpful source of information to a patient in understanding the
intended use of prescription drugs, and the potential for positive and negative effects of these drugs. The
Health Professions Admission Guide. Strategy for Success, listed as reference #9 on p.6 of this
handbook, has a brief section on pharmacy. A great resource is the American Association of Colleges of
Pharmacy web site at http://www.aacp.org.ltis full of information on the profession and about schools
and colleges of pharmacy in the U.S., and has links to the Pharmacy School Admissions Requirements
you will want to check for specific information about schools of interest to you.
Training programs in schools and colleges of pharmacy vary, but all currently culminate in a Ph.D.
or Pharm.D. degree, which is expected to take a minimum of 6 years total beyond high school. You will
likely want to check with schools of pharmacy of interest to you, to see whether it would be best for you to
plan to try to transfer in to them before you complete a baccalaureate degree at Seattle University, or to
enter pharmacy school after you complete a baccalaureate degree here. In general, the academic
requirements for entry to a pharmacy program include at minimum a year of general biology, a year of
general chemistry, 12 or more quarter credits in organiC chemistry, at least a quarter of mathematics such
as calculus or statistics, and humanities courses emphasizing communication and/or psychology.
Additional science courses such as microbiology, genetics, anatomy, physiology, physics and
biochemistry may be either required or recommended, depending on the school. Admission is more
competitive at some schools than at others, but in general you would need to have a GPA of at least 3.2
in order to be considered seriously for admission. Check requirements and curriculum at the different
pharmacy schools by writing to the schools directly, or via the AACP (American Association of Colleges
of Pharmacy) web site http:///aacp.org. WSU suggests that to get experience in pharmacy, you probably
will want to first apply for a Pharmacist Assistant License through the Washington State Board of
Pharmacy. Go to: http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Professions/Pharmacy/Documents/PharmAsstApp.pdf
There are 112 fully accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States. Many of
them are state-supported, but few absolutely require that you be a resident of the state in which the
school is located. You may find it useful to check on whether ones of interest to you admit many out-ofstate applicants, and how the fee structure differs between residents and nonresidents, before you apply.
About two-thirds of the schools require or recommend that applicants take the Pharmacy College
Admission Test (PCAT). This test is designed to measure verbal and quantitative ability, reading
comprehension, and knowledge of biology and chemistry. It is administered four times per year: in
October, January, June, and August, with registration deadlines 6-10 weeks in advance of the test. You
can get lots of information and download an application for the PCAT at hUp://www.pcatweb.info. A
centralized application service for pharmacy schools in the U.S., called PHARMCAS, is available at
www.pharmcas.org. At that site there is also a lot of information about admissions requirements
including which schools require the PCA T.
Of the 112 accredited schools of pharmacy in the United States, two schools of pharmacy are in
the State of Washington. For information:
Office of Academic and Student Programs, University of Washington School of Pharmacy, H-364
Health Sciences Center, Box 357631, Seattle, WA 98195-7631; (206) 543-2030 or via the Internet at
http://depts.washington.edu/pha
Washington State University, College of Pharmacy, PO Box 646510, Pullman, WA 99164-6510;
(509) 335-5901 or via the Internet at hUp://www.pharmacy.wsu.edu
43
Pre-Major Preparation for Nursing
Many thanks to Marilyn Price, Rita Tower, and Debra Stauffer of the College of Nursing for this
information.
Your Nursing Career: A Look at the Facts
Nursing is the nation's largest health care profession with more than 2.9 million registered nurses practicing
nationwide. Despite its large size, many more nurses are needed into the foreseeable future to meet the growing
demand for nursing care. As you plan or consider a career as a registered nurse, you should know these facts:
•
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for registered nurses will grow faster than
most other occupations through 2014.
•
Nursing students comprise more than half of all health professions students.
•
Nurses comprise the largest single component of hospital staff, are the primary providers of hospital
patient care, and deliver most of the nation's long-term care.
•
Most health care services involve some form of care by nurses. Although 56.2 percent of all employed
RNs work in hospitals, many are employed in a wide range of other settings, including private practices,
public health agencies, primary care clinics, home health care, outpatient surgical centers, insurance
and managed care companies, nursing homes, schools, mental health agencies, hospices, the military,
and industry. Other nurses work in careers as college and university educators preparing future nurses
or as scientists developing advances in many areas of health care and health promotion.
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/nurseed/career.htm
Pre-major students who have interest in l'Jursing are encouraged to follow the typical Bachelor of
Science in Nursing (BSN) program of study for Nursing Majors with special attention to the major science
prerequisites. Majors are required to satisfactorily complete the program prerequisites with a minimum
GPA of 3.0 prior to entry. In addition an overall GPA of 2.75 is required.
Inquiries are welcome. Information sessions for the BSN program are scheduled on the first
Wednesday of each month (5-7pm) throughout the calendar year. (See College of Nursing website at
www.seattleu.edu/nursing for location of info sessions). Phone 206-296-5660 for more information or
send email to nurse@seattleu.edu
Seattle University College of Nursing also offers an accelerated immersion program for the nonnursing BS or BA graduate which leads directly to the MSI'J, Master of Science in Nursing. The
Advanced Practice l'Jursing immersion (APN Immersion) program prepares graduates to be primary care
nurse practitioners or for leadership positions in health care organizations and communities. Detailed
information regarding this program, including a downloadable information session, is available on the
College of Nursing Website: http://www.seattleu.edu/nursing. MSN Information sessions are held on the
second Wednesday of each month, 5:30 - 7 PM. See the College of Nursing website for location.
Inquiries are welcome.
44
Diagnostic Ultrasound at Seattle University
from: Carolyn Coffin, Director
The Diagnostic Ultrasound program at Seattle University is one of twenty-five baccalaureate degree
programs in the United States and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Program (CAAHEP). Students acquire a broad base of knowledge in basic sciences and
humanities and participate in integrated didactic and lab courses designed to prepare them for clinical
education in a broad range of specialties. This curriculum provides entry-level competence in the
practice of sonography and develops future leaders in the field.
Diagnostic ultrasound is a medical imaging field that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce
images of soft tissue organs and structures in the human body and to evaluate blood flow in the heart
and blood vessels. It is safe and can be applied in a wide variety of cases to aid in the diagnosis of
disease. Specialty areas include abdomen & superficial structures, obstetrics & gynecology, cardiac,
and vascular imaging. The role of ultrasound in medicine is continually growing as better equipment and
new applications are developed. This continued growth requires highly educated and qualified medical
sonographers.
Diagnostic medical sonographers have many career choices.
• Clinical opportunities - staff sonographer at a variety of office & hospital settings;
research in an academic lab; clinical supervisor in an ultrasound department
• Commercial opportunities - clinical applications specialist; sales & marketing;
research & development of new products; education; quality assurance testing.
• Education opportunities - clinical education; didactic education at a college or
university
Some graduates have also continued their studies in a variety of graduate programs,
including medical & law school and business administration.
Program graduates are eligible to take the national registry examinations through the American Registry
of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) or Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI).
Candidates may apply to the Diagnostic Ultrasound major as freshmen or as transfer students from other
institutions. We recommend early submission of applications due to the limited space in our program.
We encourage applicants to participate in health-care related activities that promote development of
communication and interpersonal skills. This also provides applicants with the opportunity to evaluate
their ability to work with patients and in a hospital setting.
Program major requirements are taken the third and fourth year of the program. Students must have
completed the math and science pre-requisites and all but 15 credits of the core requirements prior to
starting the third year. For those students who started at Seattle University as freshmen, advancement
to the third- year courses requires review and approval by the department chair and advisers.
The fourth year is a 12-month clinical internship where students receive training in the major specialty
areas of abdominal, obstetrical/gynecological, cardiac or vascular ultrasound. Our many excellent clinical
affiliates, both locally and nationally, offer students the opportunity to work with national leaders in the
45
field. Student interns work on senior synthesis projects and many have won awards in professional
national competitions through the guidance of Seattle University and clinical faculty.
Applicants will be asked to choose one of two specialty tracks prior to acceptance into the program:
1) Cardiovascular track - students will take courses and have labs in the specialty areas of
cardiac sonography and vascular sonography.
2) General/vascular track - students will take courses and have labs in the specialty areas of
abdominal and OB-GYN sonography and vascular sonography.
Out of State Internships
Our program uses internship sites throughout the region and nation.
Applicants should understand that they may be required to intern at an out-of-state
site during their senior year.
The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) defines the following technical standards
required of sonographers:
• Lift more than 50 pounds routinely
• Push & pull, bend & stoop routinely
• Have full use of both hands, wrists, &shoulder
• Distinguish audible sounds
• Adequately view sonograms, including color distinctions
• Work standing on their fee 80% of the time
• Interact compassionately & effectively with the sick or injured
• Assist patients on & off examining tables
• Communicate effectively with patients & with other health care professionals
• Organize & accurately perform the individual steps in a sonographic procedure in the proper
sequence
Please view the society's website on the Diagnostic Ultrasound career at
http://www.sdms.org/career/career.asp
Other professional organizations for ultrasound are the American Institute of Ultrasound in lVIedicine
(www.aium.org), American Society of Echocardiography (www.asecho.org) and the Society for Vascular
Ultrasound (www.svunet.org).
46
Preparation for Medical Technology (Clinical Laboratory Science)
For a general description of this career and a list of programs in the United States, the Health
Professions Career and Education Directory, published by the American Medical Association, is
helpful. In the SU library reference area you can find it by call number Ref R847 A 1 0572003-2004.
The US government Bureau of Labor Statistics has helpful information about the career at
www.bls.gov/oc0/ocos096.htm. There is also good information about careers in laboratory medicine at
the web site for the American Society for Clinical Pathology:
http://www .ascp. org/mai nmen u/I aboratoryprofession als/careercenter. aspx
Information below about this career is provided by Dr. Vicky Minderhout and Dr. Kristen Skogerboe,
Chemistry Department, Seattle University. Please see Dr. Minderhout or Dr. Skogerboe for further
information about this field.
Medical Technology (Clinical Laboratory Science)
A student who is ultimately interested in becoming a Medical Technologist (now called Clinical Laboratory
Scientist) and working in a hospital clinical laboratory can follow several paths to prepare for this career.
However, in order to work in most hospital labs, you will need to become certified by passing a national
exam administered by the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. There are
several routes you can take to become eligible for this exam.
You should have a baccalaureate degree 'from a regionally accredited college or university, including at
least 24 quarter hours of biological science (including general biology, anatomy and physiology,
microbiology and immunology), 24 quarter hours of chemistry (with the equivalent of at least one
semester of organic chemistry or biochemistry), a course in statistics, and one quarter of math such as
precalculus algebra/trigonometry. (To be registered in California, you also need to have one year of
physics.) This program of courses and degree must be followed by the successful completion of a oneyear Medical Technology internship program, or five years of full time acceptable experience in all the
areas of a clinical lab at least two of which are under the supervision of a certified pathologist/medical
scientist or medical technologist.
The science course requirements listed above are the MINIMUM, and to be competitive for a position in
an internship program, additional challenging courses (such as genetics, cell biology, quantitative
analysis, and at least one or two quarters of calculus) should be added. Seattle University does not offer
a degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, but the required course work listed above is quite compatible
with majors such as General Science and Biology. Seattle University students who have completed not
only the minimum course work, but also the additional challenging courses noted above, have done well
in competing for internships. They generally complete their internships in Yakima through a professional
certificate program involving an alliance of hospitals with Heritage University, or in the School o'f Medical
Technology at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.
Currently there are three programs in the state of Washington that take you through the internship
required for certification as a Medical Technologist. A program involving two years of academic work
after acceptance, followed by two years of internship (a "2 + 2" program), is offered through the University
of Washington. You can find out about that program at
http://www.depts.washington.edu/labweb/Education/MedTech/index.htm
47
Alternatively, Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane and the Heritage University Yakima clinical sites
accept students with baccalaureate degrees from a variety of colleges for their one-year internships.
One would apply for a one year internship before December for a starting date in the summer (usually).
Students at SU generally make this application before December of the senior year.
To inquire about a one-year internship in Washington State, check:
Heritage University CLS Program, 3240 For Road, Toppenish, WA 98948. (509) 454-6100 or
email clinicallab@heritage.edu Web site:
http://www.heritage.edu/FutureStudents/UndergraduatePrograms/ClincalLaboratoryScienceProgram/tabi
d/264/Defauit The program director is Terese Abreu.
Sacred Heart Medical Center; School of I\/Iedical Technology; 101 W Eighth Avenue TAF-C9;
Spokane, WA 99220. (509) 474-3339. There is information at http://www.shmc.org/index.php/page/112
The program director is Cynthia Hamby, MEd MT. You can email to her at
cynthia. hamby@providence.org
To learn about how to be eligible for the national exam for certification, write to:
Board of Registry, PO Box 12270, Chicago, IL 60612-0270. or reach them via the Web at
www.ascp.org/FunctionaINavig ation/certification/G etCertified. aspx
As an alternative to leaving the Seattle area for your clinical laboratory training, you can consider
completing the Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) program at Shoreline Community College. You
would be eligible to take the MLT board of registry exam immediately upon program completion. After
two to three years of working in a laboratory, individuals with B.S. degrees are eligible for the Clinical
Laboratory Scientist (MT) exam. Contact Molly Morse, MLT program, Shoreline CC, 16101 Greenwood
Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98133. (206) 546-6947 or mmorse@shoreline.edu. Or
http://www.shoreline.edu/MedicaILab01.aspx The down side of this approach is that the pay scale for an
MLT is slightly lower than for an MT, so you would be making less money for a few years. (Question:
Should I put in information about the program at Clover Park Technical College in Tacoma as well (or at
least mention that it exists)? It looks like there used to be a program at Renton Technical College but I
can't find it now --)
You may want to explore the web site of the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
at http://www.naacls.org
This organization certifies people in laboratory specialties such as clinical
chemistry or microbiology. It is another route toward working in a clinical lab.
48
Reading Resources for the Health Professions
a growing and changing list!
From the SU Library: General reading
Aaron, Henry J. 2005. Can We Say No?: The challenge of rationing health care. Brookings Institution
Press. RA 410.5 .A23 2005 (an economist's review of our health care challenges in US and Britain)
Aday, Lu Ann. 2001. At Risk in America: The Health and Health Care Needs of Vulnerable Populations
in the U. S. 2nd ed. Jossey-Bass. RA 418.5 .P6 A3 2001 (very well-written from both the medical and
social services perspectives)
Avorn, Jerry. 2004. Powerful medicines: the benefits, risks, and costs of prescription drugs. Knopf.
(Includes interesting reflections on relationships between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry, as
well as information on how drugs are developed, tested, and brought to market in the U.S.)
Bodenheimer, Thomas S. and Kevin Grumbach. 4th ed. 2005. Understanding Health Policy. A Clinical
Approach. Appleton and Lange. (excellent review, with clear examples) RA395.A3 B63 2005 EBOOK
Califano, Joseph A. 1986. America's health care revolution: who lives? who dies? who pays?
Random House. RA 410.53 C35 1986. (interesting reading to see where the debate has moved since
the book was written)
Curtis, Sarah and Ann R. Taket. 1996. Health and Societies: Changing Perspectives. Edward Arnold.
RA 394.C88 1996 (discussions of health care systems world-wide, reforms in national health systems,
health service delivery organization and health policy)
Healthy People 2010. National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives. U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. Published by Jones and Bartlett. RA 407.3
U486 2000. (This is a goal-setting document which also evaluates what the status of health care in the
US is as of the publication date.) Healthy People 2020 is at http://www.healthypeople.gov/HP2020/
Henderson, George. 1989. A practitioner's guide to understanding indigenous and foreign cultures.
Charles Thomas Publishers. RA 394 H46 1989.
Kovner, Anthony, and James R. Kickman, eds. 2008. Health care delivery in the United States. 9th ed.
Springer Pub. Co. RA 395 A3 H395 2008
Patel, Kant, and Mark Rushefsky. 2006. Health care politics and policy in America. M. E. Sharpe.
RA395.A3 P285 2006
Roemer, Milton Irwin. 1991. National health systems of the world. Oxford University Press. RA 393
R593 1991. EBOOK (He was a proponent of the government regulation of health care delivery.)
Szumski, Bonnie, ed. 1989. The Health Crisis: opposing viewpoints. Greenhaven Press. RA 445
H3373 1989 (This one is good for looking at different sides of the same issue, since two people wrote
on each question, presenting opposing viewpoints for the book.
49
From the Library: Biographical/Autobiographical accounts
Abraham, Laurie Kaye. 1993. Mama might be better off dead. The failure of health care in urban
America. U. Chicago Press. RA 418.5 P6 A26 1993 (the story of three generations of a low-income
family in Chicago, telling about their interactions with the medical community, the Medicare and Medicaid
systems, in ways that help us to see how difficult our society makes it for the poor to receive decent
health care that respects their humanity)
Fadiman, Anne. 1998. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: a Hmong child, her American
doctors, and the collision of two cultures. NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. RA418.5 T73 F33 1977. (two
cultures and their views on medicine and epilepsy are contrasted: fascinating reading!)
Gawande, Atul. 2002. Complications. A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science. Metropolitan Books.
RD27.35 .G39 A3 2002
Groopman, Jerome. 2004. The anatomy of hope: how people prevail in the face of illness. Random
House. R726.5 .G76 2004
Groopman, Jerome. 2007. How Doctors Think. Houghton Mifflin. (Thinking about how doctors can be
trained to make the best interpretations and decisions, and the fewest mistakes Not at SU, but Seattle
Public Library has it at 610 G899H 2007.)
Kidder, Tracy. 2003. Mountains Beyond Mountains. Random House. R154.F36 K53 2003 (The story of
Dr. Paul Farmer and Partners in Health, in international medicine)
Klass, Perri. 1987, 1994. A Not Entirely Benign Procedure - four years as a medical student. Plume
Press. R154 K356 A3 1994. (a set of reflections on her experience, including having her first child
while in medical school and searching for flexibility in the training experience)
Klass, Perri 2007. Treatment Kind and Fair: Letters to a young doctor. Basic Books. R690 .K2 2007
(Interesting reflections take the form of letters to Dr. Klass's son, who is about to enter medical school.)
Laster, Leonard. 1996. Life After Medical School. Thirty-two doctors describe how they shaped their medical
careers. W. W. Norton. R729.5.S6 L53 1996 (Each doctor describes how he/she chose medicine and an area c
specialization, difficulties and challenges, and what if anything he/she would do differently.)
Transue, Emily 2004. On Call: A Doctor's Days and l\lights in Residency. New York: St. Martin's Press.
(Dr. Transue writes about her experience in residency in internal medicine at Harborview Medical Center
in Seattle, reflecting on the situations her patients face, when medicine can and can't help, and her own
progress.) Not at SU, but Seattle Public Library has it at 610.02 T69790 2004.
Verghese, Abraham. 1994. My own country: a doctor's story of a town and its people in the age of AIDS.
Simon and Schuster. RA644 A25 V47 1994. (A physician of East Indian heritage who grew up in
Ethiopia comes to the US with a specialty in infectious disease. He tells about his reception as "a foreign
doc" in a small town in Kentucky as AIDS arrives, his growing involvement in the welfare of his AIDS
patients, and the toll it all takes on his family life and his ability to continue in practice.)
Young, Audrey. 2009. The house of hope and fear: life in a big city hospital. Sasquatch Books. A young
doctor starts out at Harborview Hospital. We learn about her experiences, her patients, and Harborview.
Available through King County Library system at 610.92 YOU
50
The Seattle U library also has subscriptions to Journal of the American Medical Association and New
England Journal of Medicine, both of which often have articles on ethics, economics, patient-provider
relationships, and other topics of interest.
Web sites
Association of American Medical Colleges web site: http://aamc.org
Articles from Academic Medicine on topics of interest to premeds and medical students.
*The Next Generation* A Resource for Aspiring Physicians www.NextGenMD.org.published every two
months in collaboration between Harvard undergraduates and the New England Journal of Medicine
American Medical Association online interactive forum for analyzing and exploring ethical and
professional issues in medicine: http://www.virtualmentor.org
NOVA - PBS. Doctors' Diaries http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/03.htmlln this program, we
follow several different doctors (some of them since before 1991 when they were in medical school) in
their daily work.
UW School of Medicine Bioethics Topics: http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/index.html
http://www.explorehealthcareers.org/en/index.aspx is a great resource for career info.
http://www.studentdoctor.netlinterview-feedback Students write in about their interview experiences at
med & dent schools.
http:///www.healthypeople.gov gives progress reports & other info about Healthy People 2010 and 2020
(planning documents for improving the health of the people of this country)
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm gives yearly reports and updates on the state of health in the United
States. You can download charts, figures, and materials for presentations. There is also a paper copy of
the yearly report in the reference section of our library at Ref RA 407.3 U57a
http://www.bls.gov/oco/oc01002.htm This Bureau of Labor Statistics site gives descriptions of a wide
variety of health and science related professions, with job descriptions, job outlook, salary, training, and
web sites.
http://www.healthcommentary.org is managed by Dr. Mike Magee to consider a variety of topics of
interest to people in the health professions or seeking to enter them.
http://www.brookings.edu/experts/a/aaronh.aspx The web site for Henry Aaron, a health care expert who
focuses on reform of health care financing
http://www.thehastingscenter.org/ gets you to The Hastings Center website, which considers ethical and
social issues in medicine.
http://nytimes.com gives you the online version of the New York Times, which runs sections on health,
science and technology that you will want to read regularly.
51
American Chiropractic Association: http://www.acatoday.org
American Dental Education Association http://www.adea.org
American Dental Association: http://www.ada.org
American Association of Colleges of Nursing: http://www.aacn.nche.edu
American Occupational Therapy Association: http://www.aota.org/
Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry: http://www.opted.org
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine: http://www.aacom.org
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy: http://www.aacp.org
American Physical Therapy Association: http://www.apta.org
American Academy of Physician Assistants: http://www.aapa.org
Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine: http://www.aacpm.org
Association of Schools of Public Health: http://www.asph.org; http://www.whatispublichealth.org
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE):http://www.wiche.edu