Pre-health advising and STEM Education

1. Pre-health advising and STEM Education Pre-Advising Workshop

2. Pre-Advising workshop • Workshop goals: • How to prepare for a productive advising session • Academic regulations • Where to get help • Advising appointments are mandatory before you register for Spring semester • Advising Holds are removed at appointment • Midterm week is September 30 – October 4 • Registration for Freshmen: NOVEMBER 14-15 • Make your appointment between OCT 10 and NOV 1

3. Who is my advisor? • Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental • Dr. Kay Brothers, Dr. Sutton Mooney, Karen Chase • Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Pre-Physician Assistant Marian McDonnell Horton • Pre-Veterinary • Brooke Wolf • Pre-Pharmacy • Marian McDonnell Horton • Pre-Nursing • April Seehafer, LeeAnnTibbals, Karen Chase • Nutrition and Exercise Physiology • Karen Chase • Speech and Hearing Science • April Seehafer

4. How to schedule your appointment • Call Barb: 509-335-4549 • Or come by the office to see Barb: CUE 502 • No appointments will be made via e-mail • Make your appointment 2-3 weeks in advance. • We will begin seeing freshmen as soon as mid-term grades are posted. • Be on time for your appointment • Notify the office if you must cancel or reschedule • Don’t wait until the last minute to call Barb! Advisor schedules will fill up fast. • We take walk-ins for quick questions every Thursday from 1 to 3 PM, but these aren’t meant for preregistration advising

5. Preparing for your advising appointment…..Do YouR Homework • Research required classes for your intended major • Research prerequisites for your professional program • What is a competitive GPA for your program? • Review your Academic Requirements / Advisement report • Select classes you need to take for the next semester – approximately 15 credits recommended • Check the course schedule and rough out your class times • Select some optional times or classes

6. Preparing for your advising appointment • Planning your classes • How are you doing? • mid-term grades • Professional school requirements • Possible major choices • What are your long-term goals? • Questions you may have • Don’t be afraid to change your mind about your major or your career goals – NOW is the time to discover the best fit for you!

7. Other things to Discuss • How are your current classes going? • How is your time management: do you have a plan and are you sticking to it? • Research and internship opportunities • Job shadowing • Recommend planning at least one professional activity per semester • Competitive GPA’s for professional programs • Are clinical hours recommended or required for your program?

8. Professional students • Get Experience • Job shadowing, long-term volunteering, or a paid position in the health field – and several different experiences • Attend PHASE workshops • Becoming a Competitive Applicant • Interview Basics and Small Group Interviews (for practice) • Letters of Recommendation • Get to know your instructors • Your instructor can’t write a letter of recommendation if they don’t know you! • Take advantage of their office hours • How do your instructors see you? Alert and eager to learn or slouching in the back row? Are you going to class in pajamas? • How do you come across on Facebook? Professionally? Silly?

9. What grades do I needto gain admission? A = 4.0 A- = 3.7 B+ = 3.3 B = 3.0 B- = 2.7 C+ = 2.3 C = 2.0 C- = 1.7 D+ = 1.3 D = 1.0 F = 0.0 • Expected GPA’s • Medical Schools: 3.5 to 3.6 minimum • Nursing: 3.3 to 3.6 minimum • Pharmacy: 3.0 min; average 3.4 – 3.5 • Vet Med: average 3.5 – 3.6 • Dental: around 3.6 minimum • Physicians Assistants: 3.3 minimum • Physical Therapist: 3.5 to 3.8 • Occupational Therapist: 3.2 to 3.8

10. Declaring a major / DUAL ADVISING • Certification of Major • After you have completed at least 24 semester hours • Go to the departmental office to complete the form • Some majors may require additional criteria such as higher GPA and completion of specific classes. Check the WSU catalog for requirements. • Dual Advising • Meet with both Departmental and PHASE advisor each semester. • Your departmental advisor will make sure you’re on track for your major requirements and your degree • Your PHASE advisor will work with you on your Pre-Professional goals: professional school pre-requisite classes, applications, interviews, essay writing, etc., etc.

11. JUNIOR WRITING Portfolio • Writingportfolio.wsu.edu/ or go to the A to Z index and enter “Writing Portfolio” • Keep original copies of papers and lab notes • 3 samples of course writing & signed cover sheets with WSU Junior Writing Portfolio Packet • Take the timed Writing Exam • How many papers and lab write-ups are you saving? • Instructor’s comments • Cover sheets • Electronically submitted papers: save all email comments

12. Academic regulations • Withdrawals • A student can drop a course without record up to the end of the 30th day of the semester – Sept. 17 • After the 30th day each student has a maximum of 4 withdrawals during their WSU academic career. • New! Last day to withdraw from any course is November 15. • Academic Deficiency • WSU expects students to maintain a 2.00 or above semester and cumulative GPA: • Students are academically deficient if they fall below a 2.00 for either a cumulative or semester GPA

13. Academic regulations • Repeating courses • Courses can be repeated if: • Student receives a C- or below • Student withdraws (W) • Courses can be repeated ONE time only • Some courses can be repeated for additional credit (check catalog)

14. If a health field isn’t for me • What is your “Plan B” or your “Parallel Plan”? • Is your Plan A something that you will enjoy? • Is there another pre-health profession or one outside of health that you would enjoy?

15. OTHER Resources • Tutoring & Career Assessment: cacd.wsu.edu • CACD schedule, Departments, PHASE Office: Thurs 9-11 am • Online Catalog: catalog.wsu.edu • Majors, class descriptions, regulations • Degree Audit or Advisement Reports • Academic Calendar • Transfer Equivalency Website • Pre-Health Clubs: PHASE website • Pre-PT / OT • Pre-Pharmacy • Pre-PA • Pre-Health • Pre-Dental • Rho Nu (Pre-Nursing) • Organization of Future Veterinarians (Pre-Vet)

16. QUESTIONS ??? • Your PHASE Advisors are here to help!!