Getting Started: An Introduction to Pre-Professional Health Programs Advising

1. Getting Started: An Introduction to Pre-Professional Health Programs Advising Katie Whittemore Pre-Professional Health Programs Advising University Advising and Career Center Hood House 102

2. We Advise: • Students interested in pursuing: • Medicine • Dentistry • Optometry • Podiatry • Chiropractic medicine • Physician Assistant • Physical Therapy • Pharmacy • Naturopathic medicine

3. Health Professions Advising @ UNH: An Overview • Pre-med, pre-dent, etc. are not UNH majors • The Pre-Professional Health Program is an intention and a commitment • Students of any major may be “pre-health” by • A) Completing the pre-requisite coursework • B) Registering with our office by signing up for our email list • C) Gaining the volunteer and healthcare experience necessary for admission • D) Preparing to take the required entrance exam (MCAT, DAT, PCAT, OAT, etc.)

4. Does my major matter? Professional schools do not evaluate applicants based on major. Evaluation for admission is based on: Grades: Prerequisites, major courses, & all other classes, for all four years Experiences & Personal Attributes: Demonstrate sustained interest/knowledge in healthcare Letters of Evaluation: Faculty and Committee Entrance Exams: Taken only after pre-reqs are complete Interviews: Committee and Medical Schools

5. Working with Your Advisors • Your major advisor – your first stop: • Meet at least once each semester to review academic progress and approve course selection for the upcoming semester • Discuss fitting pre-req courses around major curriculum • Get advice on program planning, preregistration, understanding and meeting major and University requirements, and general academic and career decision-making

6. Working with Your Advisors • The Health Professions (HP) Advisor: • Assists inidentifying professional school prerequisites and choosing appropriate UNH courses • Provides information about volunteer and community service opportunities and national health profession organizations • Refers to campus support resources • Guides through theapplication process of specific professional programsin which the applicant is interested

7. What to Do Now • Register with our office and email list • Start informing yourself – use the www.unh.edu/premed-advising website to start your research • Learn more about health professions options using the Health Professions Fact Sheets and www.explorehealthcareers.org

8. What to Do Now, cont. • Meet with your major advisor to discuss your academic plan and your intention to pursue your pre-professional health track of choice • Take action toward obtaining healthcare experience • Volunteer – winter and summer breaks; academic year • Job shadow professionals in your field of interest • EMT, CNA, LNA certification

9. What Else to Do Now • Focus on Academics – get excellent grades, seek help when you need it, get to know your professors (even in large lectures), and work with your advisor • Get Engaged– take advantage of opportunities to learn new things, attend events, join clubs, and be passionate about your learning; college is no place for passivity • Stay Out of Trouble – a judicial or academic conduct issue (or a criminal record) can seriously hamper your future possibilities; make good choices starting now • Practice Professionalism – emails, phone calls, appointments and chance meetings are all moments for you to make a good impression

10. What Else to Do Now, cont. • Monitor Your Social Media Presence – who are you on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.? Others will see, and they will judge • Be of Service – demonstrate compassion, caring for others, and commitment (crucial characteristics for healthcare providers) • Healthcare in Context – consider, learn, and think about the social, economic, and cultural implication of health and healthcare access • Get Out of Your Comfort Zone – learn about others who are different than you; learn about cultures, races, religions, sexual orientations, ethnicities

11. The Big Question(s): • Why have you chosen to prepare for a career in health? • How familiar are you with health care environments? • Have you volunteered or worked in a medical or health related environment? • What do you know about what it’s like to be a patient? • What do you know about what it’s like to be a physician/dentist/other? • If you have worked in a health related environment, what did you find most enjoyable and most challenging about this work?

12. Resources: The Professions, Requirements, and Advising • Pre-Professional Health Advising website @ www.unh.edu/premed-advising • Check out the links for: • Advising • Exploring the Health Professions • Resources • FAQS • Exploring the Health Professions link: overview of the professions and the prerequisite courses, which vary by profession

13. Resources: Getting Involved • Check out the resources on the HP web page: SeeExperiential Opportunities under Resources • Student Orgs and Leadership Opportunities: Office of Student Involvement and Leadership • Community Service and Volunteering: http://www.unh.edu/serve/

14. Location and Contact Info • The Health Professions (HP) Office is located in Hood House • For general inquires, email premed.advising@unh.edu • Schedule an appointment at 603-862-7740