2017 Applicants- Welcome to the application process!
I know this will be a busy year for you as you enter the final stages of preparation for Medical,
Dental, or Optometry School. I look forward to getting to know each of you and helping you put
together a competitive application. Please read through the following information. Contact me
should you have any questions. Save a copy to your hard drive. Print a copy for your files.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow instructions.
Application for Pre-Health Services
1. Pre-Health Professions Application – Download the application from the Pre-Health
web page as a read-only document. Complete the application, print, and sign.
2. It is best to waive your right of access to the evaluations. If you have any
questions concerning this, please see me.
3. Your composite letter of evaluation includes GPA calculations and admissions test
scores. You must sign an additional release to have these scores sent to the
professional schools.
4. Print a copy for your files.
5. ATTACH A RECENT PHOTOGRAPH OF YOURSELF-Applications will not be received
without a photo.
6. Make an appointment to return it to my office PREFERABLY IN JANUARY- In
order for the Pre-Health Advising Office to open an official application file for you, you
must complete this form, print a hard copy, and make an appointment to submit your
application prior to February 26, 2016. (Re-applicants should submit pre-health
applications prior to June 30, 2016.) DO NOT “DROP OFF” YOUR APPLICATION
7. You must submit a draft copy of your personal statement with your Pre-Health
Application
Evaluation Forms –You will receive three (3) evaluation forms with cover letters attached,
when you return the Pre-Health Professions Application, during your appointment.
1. ALL OF YOUR LETTERS MUST BE FROM PROFESSORS WHO HAVE TAUGHT YOU IN
CLASS AND ASSIGNED YOUR GRADE. (DO NOT INCLUDE LABS)
2. Two of your three evaluations MUST be from courses in the prerequisite science
departments. (biology, chemistry, physics, math).
3. Two of the three must be from UAB faculty, one may be from a previous institution.
4. Do not ask instructors who are not faculty members to write your letters. It is the
responsibility of the student to choose appropriate evaluators.
5. Do not ask laboratory instructors or coordinators.
6. It is recommended that you choose evaluators from more than one department.
Guidelines:
1. Ask the three (3) faculty members whom you know best to fill these out.
2. Make an appointment to discuss your application with your faculty evaluator.
3. Give the blank forms to your evaluators as soon as you can.
4. Submit your personal statement with the evaluation form. This will help the
evaluator write a more meaningful recommendation (some professors will also want
a copy of your resume or transcript – ask them what they would like to see).
5. Ask your faculty evaluator to estimate the date they will be able to complete your
evaluation. Add one week for campus mail.
6. The deadline for evaluation letters to be received in my office is: May 31, 2016.
7. If you are applying to the Rural Medical Programs your letters must be
received by March 1, 2016.
8. You will receive an email from the pre-health assistant confirming the receipt of your
letters.
9. When all of your evaluation forms have been returned, my office will call you to
schedule a composite interview. Composite interviews will not be scheduled until all
three of your letters have been received.
10. If you have not received a request to schedule an appointment, you may email
prehealthadvise@uab.edu, and leave a message for my assistant to check on
the status of your letters. Please be patient – my assistant works part-time.
11. *It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow up with evaluators. *
12. Composite interviews should be scheduled before June 30th.
13. If you will be away for the summer, your interview must be scheduled before the end
of the Spring Term. Please meet with your evaluators early in the term and ask them
to return your evaluations early. Interviews must be conducted in person. (Reapplicants should schedule interviews prior to July 31.)
14. Students who do not meet the program deadlines cannot expect their
evaluation letters to be prepared in time to meet professional school
deadlines.
Application- It is the responsibility of the applicant to complete the application to medical,
dental, or optometry school and submit applications prior to deadlines. You must release your
information to this office. Please be aware it is in the best interest of the applicant to apply at
the earliest date that applications are accepted. Late applications can negatively impact
admissions decisions. Centralized application services do not accept applications after
deadlines have passed.
1. Medical
a. Allopathic- www.aamc.org
b. Osteopathic- www.aacom.org
2. Dental- www.adea.org
3. Optometry- www.opted.org (student and advisor information)
4. Print a copy of your completed application for your files.
5. You must provide a final copy of your submitted AMCAS, AADSAS, or
Optometry School application, with a submission date, to this office before
your letter will be written.
Admissions Testing- It is the responsibility of the applicant to register online in a timely
fashion for the necessary admissions test. It is in your best interest to take your admissions
test before August.
1. MCAT- www.aamc.org
2. DAT- www.ada.org
3. OAT- www.opted.org
4. You must provide a printed copy of your scores to this office.
Pre-Health Advisory Committee Packet: At the time your file is complete you must notify the
Pre-Health Advising Office in writing that you wish for your composite letter of evaluation to be
sent to the central application service. Letters are sent electronically to AMCAS, AADSAS,
OPTOMCAS and AACOMAS. Letters can be mailed to individual schools that do not participate
in these organizations, but you must notify us in writing if and where you want your letter
mailed. In the event that a school does not use one of these upload services or will not accept a
hard copy mailed via post, we will be glad to submit your letter via Interfolio – though it is your
responsibility to establish an account with that service. We do not use VirtualEval, and we
cannot email nor fax a student’s letter.
If you are requested to complete supplemental or secondary application materials to other
individual schools which require a committee packet to be individually mailed, you must also
request in writing for those packets to be mailed.
1. You may submit your request in email form or leave a written request at the
reception desk.
2. Your file must be complete in this office before letters will be prepared
a. Complete Pre-Health Application
b. Three faculty evaluations
c. Composite interview
d. Final submitted copy of your AMCAS, AACOMAS, AADSAS, or Optometry School
application, with submission date, to this office
e. Admissions test scores
3. Once your file is complete your composite will be prepared and scheduled for faculty
review. Letters will not be released prior to review.
4. Composite letters will be written in the order in which student files are completed. It
is in your best interest to complete your file well in advance of any deadlines. Allow
4-6 weeks for your composite to be prepared and reviewed.
5. Your faculty evaluation letters are included in the composite letter of evaluation and
will not be released separately.
6. Composite letters will not be forwarded to programs other than the original program
for which the letter was created.
Delia Lewis │ Pre-Health Program Manager
Chair, Pre-Health Advisory Committee
UAB │The University of Alabama at Birmingham
CAS Advising │Office for Pre-Health Advising
Heritage Hall 402│1401 University Boulevard │Birmingham, AL 35294-1152
(205) 934-6135 │fax: (205) 975-6667
email: dlewis1@uab.edu
www.uab.edu/prehealth