Information for health professional school applicants October 1, 2014

1. Information for health professional school applicantsOctober 1, 2014 Holy Cross Health Professions Advising Prof. Andrew Futterman, Advisor Prof. Miles Cahill, Associate Advisor

2. What we will do today Talk about committee review process Talk about credentials Talk about graduate school application process Talk about new MCAT and review class Talk about changes to post-bacc and allied health review process

3. Nervous? Relax! We’re here to help

4. Application timeline

5. Steps to take in fall • Open a file with a waiver form • Request committee advisor • Meet your advisor • Attend autobiography workshop • Start autobiography • Start researching school requirements (MSAR) • Start asking for reference letters before winter break • 3 to review file, 5+ to write a good letter • Major professor, a non-major science professor, a third professor/supervisor • Talk to your advisor before winter break • Get complete draft of auto done before you return • Due date: February 12

6. Working with your advisor Close relationship will Help you craft your autobiography Help choose recommendation letters Help choose courses Give you feedback on your credentials Help you decide if you are ready Allow advisor to write a personal letter

7. Committee process: MD/DO, DMD, VMD • Materials due Feb. 12 • Follow instructions carefully • Committee meets to discuss files and rate applicants on rolling basis • You will get a letter with a preliminary rating shortly after • Meet with your advisor to get more detailed feedback • Committee reviews all files again after spring grades • Study for and take the MCAT/DAT/ GRE • Goal: have application complete as close to June 1 as possible • Ideally apply June 1 with exam scores in hand

8. Credentials • GPA: overall and in science courses • We look at trajectory, individual course grades, additional courses, etc. • Autobiography • Approx. 7 page reflective essay • Introduce yourself to the committee: who are you? How did you get here? • Reflect on experience that lead you to pursue a career of caring for others • Reference letters • Academic ability and work ethic, engagement • Character, working with others, compassion, maturity • Volunteer experience • Longer/deeper engagement valued • Show compassion for others • May substitute for (some) clinical experience

9. Credentials • Clinical experience • Work in hospital/nursing home/office/etc. setting • Research experience • Not essential, but helpful • Professional experience • Not essential, but helpful • Other experiences • Athletics, etc. • We don’t use MCAT/DAT/GRE for rating, but will for advisory purposes • Test scores very important for graduate schools

10. What are we (and medical/other health professional schools) looking for? Can the applicant handle the rigorous academics of medical school and medical license exams? Has the applicant demonstrated maturity? Working well with others? Leadership? Engagement? Has the applicant demonstrated a commitment to helping others in need? Does the applicant have experience working with people from different socio/economic backgrounds, in stressful situations? Is the applicant familiar with the job health care providers do? The training involved?

11. Committee ratings • Very highly recommend • Outstanding in every category. No flaws. • Highly recommend • Strong in every category, but not top in all categories • May have a flaw that is offset by other excellent credentials • Recommend • We think you are capable of medical/dental/etc. school, but it reality it will be difficult to gain entry • Wait to apply • You are not yet a competitive applicant

12. Should you apply now or wait? • Older applicants have an advantage • More experience, courses, etc. • Time off is valuable • More likely to get in with lower scores • The decision to apply is significant – in cost and life choice

13. Cost of medical school • Cost of applying to medical school: $3,000-4,000 • Application fees, exams, travel to interviews, etc. • Typical private medical school • Tufts: $89,000/year (tuition, feels, living, etc.) • Avg. med school student graduates with $195,290 in debt • Typical public medical school • UMass: $55,000/year (tuition, feels, living, etc.) • Avg. student graduates with $108,811 in debt

14. How competitive is medical school? • Medical school is becoming more highly competitive • 48,000 applications to MD for fall 2013 start • 20,000 started medical school in fall 2013 • Typical MD medical school • Tufts: 10,240 applicants, 931 interviews for class of 204 (2014) • UMass: 1,102 in-state, 165 out, 596 interviews for class of 125 (all but 3 MD/PhD in-state) • Nationally, students apply to 18-22 schools, 43% get in • Holy Cross: approx double, after advising • 14,000 applications to DO (2011) • 5,800 first year students • 50% increase in 5 years, doubled in 10 years • Typical DO school • CCOM-MWU: 5,712 applications for a class of 208 • UNE-COM: 3,635 applications for a class of 127

15. Consider DO • 90+% of training the same • Pass equivalent license exam • Train in same residencies • A little easier to get into quantitatively • Less concerned with quantitative scores • Need a letter from a DO • Resources • See www.AACOM.org • The DOs by Norman Gervitz • June 2009 issue of Academic Medicine

16. Other professional programs • Dental school • Same committee process, timeline as MD • GPA a little lower than MD • DAT important: want > 17 on each section • DVM school • Same committee process • Deadline Oct. 2. • Usually take GRE • Experience with large and small animals essential

17. Consider other health professions • Many other health professions offer the chance to: • Work closely with patients • Diagnose & treat patients • Prescribe medicine • With fewer years of training, fewer expenses, etc.

18. Consider other health professions Physician Assistant (PA) Nurse practitioner (NP) Physical therapy (PT) Optometry (OD) Podiatry (DPD) And many more!

19. Allied health professions • Important issues • Requirements vary for allied health professions • Between fields and between schools in each field • Do not line up with medical school • Requirements for application, letters, statements, etc. vary • See HC HP web page for details

20. Changes to PA, NP, PT, OD, etc. and post-baccs Important differences with MD, DMD, DVM… Have June., Aug., and Jan. start dates Deadlines vary – year round, including in spring when committee meets! Requirements vary widely between schools Schools do not accept committee letters, committee ratings

21. Changes to PA, NP, PT, OD, etc. and post-baccs New process • Submit similar materials to office with same deadline • Follow instructions carefully • No formal committee review/rating • Programs don’t seek or accept our ratings • Work with advisor on materials, who will provide advice in consultation with Prof. Cahill & Prof. Futterman & clinical advisors • Help determining if you are ready • Help selecting letters to solicit • Autobiography: approx. 4 pages • Prepare for personal statement • Submit list of requirements for your schools if applicable If you are also considering medical school application follow MD/etc. committee review process

22. Common questions • Should I request an advisor and a review if you won’t apply this year? • This depends. If you will complete your courses in the spring, or if you are a junior you may want to. You can open a file and start collecting letters now and talk to your advisor about whether you should seek a review. • If I am not reviewed by the committee this year can I be reviewed after I graduate? • Absolutely. You have a life-long link to the committee and your advisor. If you are a senior, seriously consider requesting an advisor to start a relationship. • Can I be reviewed multiple times? • Absolutely. Many applicants have been reviewed two or three or more times • Do I need to have all new materials if I am seeking a second review? • No – you just need to provide updates. Follow the instructions on the sheet. • When should I take the MCAT/DAT? • Ideally you should know your MCAT/DAT score when you submit your application, and you should submit your application close to June 1. Take into account reporting times, the strength of your application, etc.

23. General advice • Be professional • Be formal in all correspondence – e-mails, phone calls, etc. • Use correct grammar, spelling in all communication • Always use titles, never first names • Be polite and friendly to everyone • Use a professional-sounding e-mail address • Be engaged in what you do • Classes, activities, etc. • Watch your public profile and behave well • Med schools may Google you, look at your Facebook page, etc. • Don’t let a foolish mistake jeopardize your chances