Welcome to the Prehealth Application Year Meeting Part 2

1. Welcome to the Prehealth Application Year Meeting Part 2

2. Application Year Part II • If you’re here, then you are considering application to medical, dental, veterinary, pharmacy, optometry school for entrance in 2011 • Timeline applies specifically to 2010-11 (there are slight variations per discipline) • Application process = 15-18 months! • Apply Summer 2010 for matriculation in July/Aug 2011

3. KEEPING UP with TIMELY UPDATES • Subscribe—and read—the weekly Prehealth listserv (link to subscribe at the bottom of the first prehealth webpage) • (http:/list.mail.virginia.edu/mailman/listinfo/prehealth) • Review our website for answers to your questions, information on the process, and upcoming events • Schedule appointments as needed 924-8900

4. FOCUS of PART II MEETING • In the Fall - Part I we covered Key Components • Timeline • Interfolio • Researching Schools • Personal Statement • LOR’s

5. Goals for This Meeting • Procedures & Timelines for central application process • Prehealth Formal interview to generate ONE of your letters of rec/eval/assessment is the PH Advising Letter • Our big, hairy form!  • Other Letters of recommendation • Elements of an EFFECTIVE application • Action steps to take now

6. And a Few Statistics… • Acceptance rate UVa applicants to medical school 2008 approximately 60% (current, alum, MD/DO) • MD applicants had an average GPA of 3.53 and MCAT of 11-V; 10PS, 11BS; O-Writing • National acceptance rate is about 45% and those applicants had an average GPA of 3.59 and MCAT of 10-V; 10PS, 10BS; 0-Writing • Acceptance rate for UVa students to dental school 50% (74% alumni)

7. The Timeline: It may look a little scary…

8. Health-Professions School Application Calendar ***Dates vary per type of professional school (i.e. med vs. dental, veterinary, optometry, pharmacy) SEPTEMBER 2009 OCTOBER 2009 NOVEMBER 2009 DECEMBER 2009 Begin researching schools UVA PreProf Procedures on the Web Begin considering letters of recommendations Application Year Meeting JANUARY 2010 FEBRUARY 2010 MARCH 2010 APRIL 2010 1. Set up Interfolio Account 2. 1st Formal Interview application deadline 1. Request recommendation letters 2. 2nd Formal Interview application deadline Application-Yr Meeting Part II – CRITICAL MCAT – 1st option 1. MCAT (DAT, OAT, GRE) more often 2. Centralized Applications Online MAY 2010 JUNE 2010 JULY 2010 AUGUST 2010 1. Prepare central application 2. MCAT 2. Formal Interview app. FINAL DEADLINE 1. Submit Online Application 2. PCAT (also Oct & Jan) /MCAT 1. Last good option for MCAT (others vary) 2. Complete Secondaries and Order Letters Sent Advisor Interviews ONLY run through July!!!! SEPTEMBER 2010 OCTOBER 2010 MAY 2011 1. Make final choice by 15th. JUNE – Deal with waitlist situations 1. Interview Prep Mtg 2. Admissions Interviews Start (some Aug) 1. Interviews continue through March 2. Offers CAN be made as of October 15

9. Advisor Interview and Letters

10. The Prehealth Formal-Interview Process • Conducted in the spring and summer of the year when the application will be submitted. This timeline allows time for a letter writer to meet with you and then write a personalized, detailed letter of recommendation. • Serves two functions: • A basis for U.Va. Prehealth Committee Member to write the advisor reference letter • 2. Preparation for your actual admission interviews

11. How to Request Formal Interview Go to Prehealth website Download and complete our form –SAVE FREQUENTLY!! Include Interfolio Request Form & Transcript (or AADSAS matching form) Submit ONE document to prehealth@virginia.edu using ONLY YOUR OFFICIAL UVa EMAIL!! (or free alumni.virginia.edu email) Watch prehealth listserv for exact schedule of prehealthadvising’s response email to schedule your formal interview—this will occur approximately 5-8 days after the rolling deadline by which you submitted your form. Since this is a new process we will keep you apprised of any revisions to these procedures.

12. WHY THE BIG FORM?! • This form mirrors the official/central application you will complete for whichever type of health professional school to which you are applying. That means when you begin completing your official/central online application you will already have done the bulk of the work!! • Your completion of this form enables us to provide you with feedback about how you can enhance the information you will include on your official application. • The information you provide in this form will help us advise you about any additional experiences you still need to gain in terms of academic or clinical preparation. • This form will provide our staff with more background about you so that we can best focus our time in the formal interview and generate a personalized letter of recommendation. Further, we can refer back to the written application for details of your experiences as we prepare your personalized letter for your official application.

13. Get Familiar with Interfolio • Online access 24/7 • Secure • Allows you to send letters as one complete packet • Who uses it? • Medical- Yes • Dental- Yes • Veterinary- No, eLor • Optometry- Yes and/or their system • Pharmacy- Yes

14. INTERFOLIO – ACCOUNT SET-UP • Create an account at www.interfolio.com • Choose a 1- or 3-year account • In account settings, add AAMC ID (or other AACOMAS, AADSAS, etc) • Value of Interfolio: available now to upload; available in future for reapplication OR other including scholarships, jobs, etc; securing the letters b/c life is unpredictable

15. INTERFOLIO – Request Letters • My Documents section, click the "Request Confidential Letter of Recommendation" link. Enter the name of the writer and give your letter a unique title; this title will be visible to the writer as well as to receiving institutions you include in deliveries. • Next, indicate whether you'd prefer to email the request to your writer, or to print out a request form and physically give it to your writer. 

16. SAMPLE INTERFOLIO LETTER REQUEST

17. INTERFOLIO – Track documents

18. More About Recommendation Letters • Who should you ask? HOW to ask!!!!! • Do you need to make more contacts? • MOST COMMON (but consult our “form”) • 2 science; 1 non-science (one from your major) & prehealth advisor & 1 from clinical practitioner or other (vary by discipline) • Optional: 1 research, if applicable; 1 strong professionally-relevant character reference (e.g., work supervisor, sponsor of a student organization in which you were active, summer camp director) • Max # 7-8 letters. Interfolio can store more than you actually use! You choose order in which they are “presented” in your packet when sent to schools! PH Advising Letter FIRST!

19. LETTERS SCHOOLS Use Interfolio Letter Requests Set Up Interfolio Deliveries Committee Letter Committee Letter Committee Letter Committee Letter Advisor Letter Medical School 1 INTERFOLIO Individual Writer A Medical School 2 AMCAS Letter Service Individual Writer B Individual Writer C Medical School 3 Designate letters in AMCAS app Medical School 4 Medical School 5 Medical School 6

20. Other Parts of the Application _________________________________________________________ **Schools** **Tests** **Personal Statement**

21. Researching Schools • Use official admissions requirements publication for your health profession. At UCS or online through portal of www.aamc.org or www.aadsas.org or www.vmcas.org or purchase • Guest speakers: UCS & student organizations (example DO panel on March 1st 5pm right here!) • U.Va. Alumni; clinicians from your experiences • School web sites: check out student testimonials, videos, etc • Online curriculum directories (e.g. through www.aamc.org)

22. Assessing Your Fit with Schools • Mission Statement • GPA & MCAT: Your Competitiveness • Geographic Preferences (State Residency & Other Factors) • Curriculum (i.e., Interdisciplinary) • Student Support Structure • Grading System • APRIL • MCAT (DAT, OAT, GRE) more often • Letters MAY 1. Setup Interfolio 2. Prepare central application JUNE 1. Submit Online Application 2. PCAT (also Oct & Jan)

23. Assessing Schools • Clinical & Research Orientations • Diversity of Students • Proximity & Availability of Joint Programs • Fit Affects Recommendations for Residency • Be Informed About Rankings (Affected by NIH $,Faculty & Class Size) APRIL 1. MCAT (DAT, OAT, GRE) more often 2. Centralized Applications Online MAY 1. Setup Interfolio 2. Prepare central application JUNE 1. Submit Online Application 2. PCAT (also Oct & Jan)

24. Register for the Appropriate Test • MCAT- medical school; Computerized Test 22 times from Jan – Sept; pre-register well in advance • Register now for dates through May • June-September registration will open later (date TBA - maybe mid-Feb?) • DAT- dental school; can schedule throughout year • GRE- veterinary school, physician assistant; throughout year; CBT • OAT- optometry; CBT • PCAT- pharmacy; 2x/yr (Oct/Jan)

25. Finalizing Your Personal Statement • Recognize it’s a work in progress—play with drafts • Use the short answer questions on the UCS Formal Interview Form to hone in on your message • What do you want them to know about you besides what they glean from your transcripts & experiences? • Might be detailed extension of an experience on application – but there are other options • Not a narrative repeat of application • Show, don’t tell (don’t tell them why you would be a great physician; tell them something about you) • If stuck, read some examples; books at UCS

26. One Last Piece of Advice • Apply wisely, apply early—show respect not just to admissions personnel, but to yourself and your work. Don’t risk diminishing your success by applying late or half-heartedly. • If you decide that you would be a more viable applicant in a future year, keep your eyes open for an upcoming panel of current med/dent/vet schools students who will talk about what they did in their interim year/s before medical school.

27. WHAT ELSE??? ?????????????????????????????????????????????? YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ??????????????????????????????????????????????