Let’s be honest!! Health professions schools are not only costly but are highly competitive as well. Whether a student is a first-time applicant or a re-applicant, it is crucial that each student ensures that their application stands out among thousands of applications received by their institution of choice. One important fact for students to keep in mind when completing their application is that no two applications are the same, which is why the best way to stand out is not to compare yourself to other applicants but to focus more on presenting a holistic picture and the journey that led you to applying to health professional school. The HCOP team launched a new academic/professional workshop titled: Building a Stand-Out Application for Health Professional School. On Saturday, April 2, 2022, thirty-five (35) undergraduate and health professions students in the 2021 – 2022 Health Careers Ambassador Program gathered in the HCOP virtual classroom to attend the workshop facilitated by Mervin Vasser, Assistant Director and Recruitment/Retention Manager for the Health Sciences – Multicultural and Community Affairs (HS-MACA) department at Creighton University.
Students had the opportunity to discuss the following topics in depth with Mr. Vasser and gain insight from the current HCOP health professional students as to the application process:
What is included in an application for health professional school?
• Standardized Admissions Exam Scores – MCAT, DAT, PCAT, GRE
• Primary Application
• Background Information
• Coursework & Official Transcript(s)
• Work and Activities
• Letters of Evaluation
• Personal Statement and Essays
• Secondary Application
• Interview
• Social Media/Internet Search
• Financial Information
• Criminal History Search
Top factors which are considered by health professions school admissions.
• Academic Coursework and Performance
• Standardized Admissions Test Scores – MCAT, DAT, PCAT, GRE
• Extracurricular Activities/Volunteer Experience
• Letters of Recommendation
• Interview Skills
• Demographic and Biographic/Background Characteristics
Tips which make students more competitive applicants for health professions schools.
• Clinical Experience on Your Résumé (job shadowing)
• Research Projects (hands-on knowledge)
• Volunteerism
• Choose an Undergraduate Major You Will Excel In
• Apply to Multiple Schools
• Study Early and Often for the MCAT, DAT, PCAT, or GRE
• Learn Another Language (if possible)
• Extracurricular Activities
• Be Yourself at Interviews (Respectful and Kind)
• Be Ready to Explain Why You Want to be a Health Professional (physician, dentist, pharmacist, OT/PT, etc.)
Preparation is key and good luck on those health professions school applications!!!