About this Handbook

This handbook is designed to assist R-MC students in their undergraduate preparation for careers in the medical sciences and their application to health-related professional school (HPS) programs. A pre-health student is one who plans to attend a school offering such programs as osteopathic and veterinary medicine, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, or allied health (occupational or physical therapy). An R-MC student does not major in pre-health, pre-med., etc. Rather, the student majors in an area listed in the College Catalogue.

The Pre-Medical Advisory Committee's role is to assist students in applying to health-related professional schools, to offer information regarding health professions and admission standards, and to provide a letter of recommendation to HPS programs as requested by the student. The letter of recommendation is based upon faculty recommendations and an interview with the student. This handbook outlines the procedures by which a student prepares for and obtains an interview with the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee. The names of the current Pre-Medical Advisory Committee members are listed on the Pre-Med faculty page.

Many pre-health students have a faculty advisor who is not a member of the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee. A portion of this handbook is dedicated to helping the pre-heath student and his/her advisor in planning an academic schedule that will prepare the student for admission to an HPS program.

Ultimately, preparation for entrance to an HPS program is the student's responsibility. This handbook contains a year-by-year outline of the tasks each student should perform as he/she prepares for application to an HPS program.

In addition to the "hard facts", this handbook is designed to answer many questions commonly asked by pre-health students, as well as to offer suggestions that you may or may not choose to follow. As you read through this booklet, please write down questions that may be added to future editions to make the handbook more complete.