Pre-Health Timeline

A competitive applicant to the health professions should demonstrate strong academic performance, engagement with extracurriculars and student leadership opportunities, commitment to community/public service, and exposure to medical and research experience. Learn more below about how to maximize your undergraduate experience with the timeline below.

Pre-Health Timeline

 
  • Meet with a pre-health advisor to discuss your interests and gain familiarity with the coursework required for your healthcare profession. Gather information about yourself, about careers in medicine and other health careers, and about the years of education and training required for each career so you can make an informed decision about your future.
  • Start building an excellent undergraduate record. Review your performance early in the fall and spring semesters and take corrective steps to improve any deficiencies.
  • Try to develop a personal relationship with at least one faculty member whose interests are similar to yours and who stimulates you intellectually.
  • Participate in extracurricular activities to complement your program and provide some enjoyable diversion.
  • If possible, try to involve yourself with some volunteer work in a medically-related area.
  • Stop and take inventory of your abilities and interests and continue seriously to evaluate your healthcare career trajectory.
  • Continue to do well in your courses or improve your record.
  • Pursue a field of study that you find intellectually engaging and do well in, regardless of the discipline. Declare your major by the end of this year.
  • Make an effort to get to know at least one more faculty member out of the classroom.
  • If you have not already done so, involve yourself with some volunteer work, medical and non-medical.
  • The sophomore year is a good time to get involved in research: scientific, medical, or other.
  • For students planning to submit a Direct-Entry Application and start their health professions school immediately after Senior year:
    • Start thinking seriously about the application process and obtain information about medical schools.
    • Complete your premedical science courses. Make this your strongest academic year yet. Remember that this is potentially the last year for which grades are regularly included for medical school application.
    • Prepare for your health profession entrance examination (i.e. MCAT, DAT, GRE, OAT, etc.)
    • Meet with a Pre-Health Advisor to discuss application procedures and timetable; attend the Application Kick-Off Meeting in November.
    • In the spring, request letters of recommendation from faculty who know you and your qualifications.
    • Begin working on your personal statement for the primary application.
    • Review the application process.
  • For students planning to submit a Direct-Entry Application and start their health professions school immediately after Senior year:
    • Complete any remaining secondary applications as you receive them.
    • Check with professional schools to establish whether or not your file there is complete.
    • Interview with the schools to which you have applied, if offered. The schools will initiate interviews with the applicants they are seriously considering for admission.
    • Try to relax and enjoy your final undergraduate year of college!
    • Continue to do well in all your courses. Remember that a transcript of your final grades must be sent to the school at which you plan to enroll.
    • Notify the Health Professions Advisor of the results of your application.
  • For students and alumni planning to take one or more gap years before starting their health professions school:
    • The application process for alumni is largely the same as it is for direct-entry applicants applying at the end of their junior year. Applications to health professions schools typically take place in the summer (June/July) approximately one year before you plan to begin medical school. Students who wish to take one gap year will apply the summer immediately after graduation; students taking two gap years will apply one year after graduation, and so on. Alumni and gap year students should meet with a Pre-Health Advisor to discuss application steps and support offered for alumni.