pre-health professions at penn state behrend admissions open house – april 18 th, 2015

Pre-Health Professions at Penn State Behrend Admissions Open House – April 18th, 2015

What Are Health Professions Schools Looking For?

Ultimately, admissions committees want to know 3 things:

1. Can the student handle the academic rigors of medical school?

2. Why does the student want to be a doctor or health practitioner… …do they want to be in the profession for the “right” reasons?

3. Do they have a diverse set of skills necessary to be a good doctor or health practitioner?

How can Penn State Behrend help the student succeed?

Preparing the Student Academically

Although each health professions program is slightly different, in general they require:

• Biology: a general biology core along with upper level courses in anatomy, genetics, cell biology, physiology and associated laboratories

• Chemistry: 4 semesters including general and organic chemistry and the laboratories

• Physics: 2 semesters of physics

• Biochemistry: 1-2 semesters

• Psychology/sociology: 1-2 semesters

• Math: 2 semesters, usually calculus and statistics


At Penn State Behrend we offer rigorous degrees in biology and the sciences that fulfill these requirements

The Pre-Health Professions Option in Biology is the most specialized towards these goals.

Students interested in majoring in chemistry, physics or engineering work closely with their health professions advisor to add the necessary biology courses to their degree requirements


…but other colleges/universities offer a specific “Pre-Med Degree”.

Why not Penn State Behrend?

• No health professions school requires or favors this ‘degree’

• ‘Pre-medical’ degrees are a marketing tool and are a repackaged biology degree in most cases

• We urge you to compare the course lists between these pre-medical degrees and our biology degree versus the requirements of any health professions program!


Most importantly: We advise all of our pre-health students, whether they have a 2.8 or 4.0 GPA to have a “Plan B” in case they change their minds about a career in the health professions or they do not make it into their program.

A rigorous Penn State degree in biology or chemistry leads to many highly engaging, intellectual careers related to the health sciences:

Synthetic chemist, molecular biologist, virologist, biochemist, geneticist, genetic engineer, microbiologist, health physicist, environmental chemist, epidemiologist….to name just a few!

Students entering these careers may not make as much as a physician, but have accrued >$250k less debt!


Penn State Behrend is one of the few schools that combines the best qualities of a large research university and a small liberal arts college:

• Our professors are active researchers in their respective fields who publish cutting edge research in the current scientific literature

• Our students receive hands-on training to cutting edge research equipment not found at smaller schools.

• Many of our students become involved in undergraduate research projects and present their work to the scientific community both through presentation and publication.


However, unlike a larger research school our professors spend considerable time in the classroom including laboratories.

Small class sizes result in us getting to know our students and to provide quick and early intervention if we feel they are not learning the material.

Many of our instructors are dedicated lecturers whose ‘research’ is actually in developing new teaching methods.

These individuals commit time and effort in engaging students in the study of the sciences both on campus and in outreach activities.

AveragesBehrend students who were accepted to medical school in the last seven years:

• 3.63 science & math GPA

• 3.64 overall GPA• 30 MCAT

Students to Pre-Health Professions

5.7% Pharmacy

4.3% Veterinary

3.8% Physician Assistant

4.3% Medical, D.O.

2.4% Medical M.D.

2.9% Chiropractic

2.9% Physical Therapy

1.4% Occupational Therapy

1% Optometry

1% Podiatry

0.5% Dental

~30% Biology Graduates


Advising the Pre-Health Professions Student

Pre-Health Professions CommitteeCoordinator

Dr. Michael W. Justik – Associate Professor of ChemistryMember of the National Association of Advisors for the Health

Professions (NAAHP)

Dr. Beth Potter – Assistant Professor of BiologyDr. Matthew Gruwell – Assistant Professor of BiologyDr. Tia (Deas) Young – Lecturer of BiologyDr. Victoria A. Kazmerski - Associate Professor of Psychology,

Physiological Psychology

Our advisers teach and mentor our pre-health students—

— not just advise!


The Pre-Health Professions Committee: • Works with the student on an individual basis and tailors

their advising to the students career goals

• Can provide early intervention in case of academic or other difficulty

• Suggests health professions schools that ‘match’ the student

• Assists the student with the application process• Provides assistance with the writing of the personal

statement • Collecting letters of recommendation• Writing of a summary letter• Scheduling of courses to be prepared for standardized

tests

• For all students a “Plan B” is prepared just in case plans change!

• “Checking in e-mails” are sent from committee by discipline

• Instructions as to scheduling

of SC 201

Student TimelineFreshmen• A census of Pre-Health

students is made

• “Planning Guides” are distributed to all pre-health students with contact information for a specific pre-health advisor

Sophomore • SC201 – Fall• Health career opportunities and admissions committee

expectations are discussed

• Personal statements, interviews and standardized tests

• Seminars from local health care practioners and health professions recruiters

• Back-up plan – what if you don’t get in?

Student Timeline

Sophomore • Spring—Apply for pre-health advisor (with declaring

major)• GPA requirement

• Personal statement draft

• Evidence of shadowing and volunteer experiences

• Written statement of back-up plan

Student Timeline

Junior/Senior • Scheduled meetings with advisees• Plan for application process• Plan for standardized tests discussed• Back-up plan discussed

Advisor constructs committee letter from LORs and reviews student’s Personal Statement

Post-Baccalaureate • Continued assistance for 2nd and 3rd round applications

• Census of matriculated students to gauge success of our programs!

Student Timeline


We recommend: • Get to know faculty by active participation in lab and

lecture, lab assisting, doing research, some sort of thesis, etc.

• Clinical experience • Become a fan of your health profession! Show your

dedication! Shadow, shadow, shadow, volunteer, volunteer and volunteer!!!

• “Set yourself apart”:• Specialty area of study: computational science,

medical humanities, neuroscience program• Study abroad • Fluency in a language like Spanish or Mandarin• Research experience

• “Leadership” and service to the community

Depth of experience is better than creating a long laundry list!!!

Student Organizations – Get Involved!

The Behrend Scrubs’ Club • Open to all students• Volunteer work through Habitat for Humanity and

TOPSoccer • Speaker series

The American Medical Students Association• Chapter started in 2012• Tour of Hershey Medical School• Same organization as students in medical school

Accelerated Programs

Penn State Behrend has agreements with several health professions schools to provide accelerated programs for gifted students

Three years undergradua

te study

1st year of health professions school counts as credit to finish BS degree

Four years of health

professions training


LECOM – D.O. Temple D.D.S.

U. Buffalo, Pharm.D.

OSU, O.D.

HS GPA >3.5 >3.5 >3.5 >3.5

SAT 1200 1200 1200 1200

Behrend GPA 3.3 3.3 3.5 3.5

Standardized test score

MCAT >24 DAT >18 PCAT >400 OAT >320

LECOM admits all students into Behrend phase and monitors progress.

Applies through AADAS in 3rd year; priority application, guaranteed interview

Guaranteed formal interview with positive letter from health professions advisor

Guaranteed formal interview with positive letter from health professions advisor + observed two optometry practices


• While not an accelerated program, Our Early Assurance Program with the Penn State College of Medicine gives outstanding 2nd year Behrend students the opportunity to apply for provisional early acceptance to Penn State's College of Medicine in Hershey.

Program Requirements• SAT > 1300, GPA > 3.6 at the end of the sophomore year, and

completion of required courses.• Must demonstrate high academic achievement and Extra-

curricular activities and student involvement in human service experiences

• A typed statement of 300 to 500 words describing significant past experiences, personal interests, motivation for pursuing a career in medicine, and plans for the future followed by review of Penn State Hershey Medical School

CONSIDER AN ALTERNATIVE TIMELINE

AN ALTERNATIVE TIMELINE is now encouraged by many health professions programs• A year off between undergraduate and medical school

• Post- baccalaureate programs – increase the breadth and depth of admissions requirements

• Strengthen the application through:• Working in a medical field, Teach For America, MPH,

Research, Volunteer work, and travel abroad

• Have a full undergraduate degree in preparation for MCAT, DAT, PCAT, VCAT, etc.

Thanks for Listening!

Questions?

Feel free to contact us at any time if you have questions later!

[email protected]@psu.edu

pre-health professions at penn state behrend admissions open house – april 18 th, 2015

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