So You Want to be a So You Want to be a Doctor, Dentist, Vet, Doctor, Dentist, Vet,

Chiropractor…, Essential Chiropractor…, Essential Knowledge for Prehealth Knowledge for Prehealth

Students Students

Dalene M. Aylward, Prehealth Dalene M. Aylward, Prehealth Advisor Advisor

Libby Morsheimer, Coordinator of Libby Morsheimer, Coordinator of Preprofessional AdvisingPreprofessional Advising

Nicole Schwab, Prehealth AdvisorNicole Schwab, Prehealth AdvisorUniversity at BuffaloUniversity at Buffalo

Prehealth AdvisingPrehealth Advising

Basic Facts for Competitive Basic Facts for Competitive ApplicantsApplicants

Getting Started!Getting Started!

““Prehealth” Refers To:Prehealth” Refers To: Allopathic Medicine (MD)Allopathic Medicine (MD) Osteopathic Medicine (DO)Osteopathic Medicine (DO) Veterinary Medicine (DVM)Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Chiropractic Medicine (DC)Chiropractic Medicine (DC) Dental Medicine (DDS/DMD)Dental Medicine (DDS/DMD) Podiatric Medicine (DPM)Podiatric Medicine (DPM) Optometry (OD)Optometry (OD) Physician Assistant (PA)Physician Assistant (PA)

Why?Why?

How Do You Know?How Do You Know?

Ask Yourself The Following Ask Yourself The Following Important QuestionsImportant Questions

Do I care deeply about other people, their problems, Do I care deeply about other people, their problems, and their pain? Do I enjoy using my skills and and their pain? Do I enjoy using my skills and knowledge to help people?knowledge to help people?

Do I enjoy learning and gaining new understanding?Do I enjoy learning and gaining new understanding?

Do I enjoy and value learning in the sciences and Do I enjoy and value learning in the sciences and overall not just earning good grades? overall not just earning good grades?

Am I intrigued by the way medicine can be used to Am I intrigued by the way medicine can be used to improve life? improve life?

Reframe Your ThinkingReframe Your Thinking

” ”What is everything I need to do to get What is everything I need to do to get into medical school or dental school or into medical school or dental school or vet school, etc?” vet school, etc?” ASK INSTEAD:ASK INSTEAD:

““What do I need to do to become What do I need to do to become the best possible doctor or dentist the best possible doctor or dentist or vet I can?”or vet I can?”

Choosing a MajorChoosing a Major Students from ALL academic majors Students from ALL academic majors

are admitted to US professional are admitted to US professional health schools. Admissions’ health schools. Admissions’ Committees value applicants who Committees value applicants who have a broad based, varied have a broad based, varied educational experience.educational experience.

GRADES MATTER. GRADES MATTER. ALL grades count; though, the ALL grades count; though, the

professional health schools will look professional health schools will look at the overall at the overall trendtrend of grades. of grades.

Basic Facts:Basic Facts:Recent Average GPAsRecent Average GPAs

Allopathic Medicine 3.6/3.7+ Allopathic Medicine 3.6/3.7+ Osteopathic Medicine Osteopathic Medicine 3.3/3.4+3.3/3.4+

Dentistry 3.4+Dentistry 3.4+Veterinary Medicine 3.5+Veterinary Medicine 3.5+Optometry 3.4+Optometry 3.4+Podiatry 3.1+Podiatry 3.1+Chiropractic Medicine 3.0+Chiropractic Medicine 3.0+

GPAsGPAs

Excellent academic credentials is a Excellent academic credentials is a critical piece of the application, but critical piece of the application, but alone it is not enough. Admissions’ alone it is not enough. Admissions’ committees will review the ENTIRE committees will review the ENTIRE application. Applicants need to strive application. Applicants need to strive for for overalloverall excellence. excellence.

Minimize repeated courses Minimize repeated courses as ALL as ALL courses are viewed and considered.courses are viewed and considered.

Basic Facts:Basic Facts:Prerequisite CoursesPrerequisite Courses

One Year with Two Semesters of Lab for One Year with Two Semesters of Lab for Each of the FollowingEach of the Following General ChemistryGeneral Chemistry Organic ChemistryOrganic Chemistry BiologyBiology PhysicsPhysics

One Year of EnglishOne Year of English RecommendedRecommended

- One Year of Calculus- One Year of Calculus Recommended for Non-Bio Majors - Recommended for Non-Bio Majors -

Additional Science (Biochemistry, Additional Science (Biochemistry, Physiology, etc.)Physiology, etc.)

Basic Facts:Basic Facts:Additional PrerequisitesAdditional Prerequisites

CHIROPRACTIC: Psychology, Social CHIROPRACTIC: Psychology, Social Sciences, HumanitiesSciences, Humanities

OPTOMETRY: Statistics,OPTOMETRY: Statistics,

Microbiology, Psychology,Microbiology, Psychology,

BiochemistryBiochemistry

VETERINARY MEDICINE: Biochemistry, VETERINARY MEDICINE: Biochemistry, Genetics, Animal Nutrition, MicrobiologyGenetics, Animal Nutrition, Microbiology

Basic Facts:Basic Facts:Admissions’ ExamsAdmissions’ Exams

Medicine - MCATMedicine - MCAT Dentistry - DATDentistry - DAT Optometry - OATOptometry - OAT Podiatry – MCAT Podiatry – MCAT Veterinary - GRE or MCATVeterinary - GRE or MCAT ChiropracticChiropractic - NO admissions test - NO admissions test

is requiredis required

Basic Facts:Basic Facts:Beyond AcademicsBeyond Academics

Volunteering/ShadowingVolunteering/Shadowing Institutions (Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Institutions (Hospitals, Nursing Homes,

etc.)etc.) Private/Group PracticesPrivate/Group Practices

Community ServiceCommunity Service Extracurricular ActivitiesExtracurricular Activities ResearchResearch EmploymentEmployment Honors/AwardsHonors/Awards

Basic Facts:Basic Facts:What Else are They Looking forWhat Else are They Looking for

in Candidates?in Candidates? Integrity/ValuesIntegrity/Values ProfessionalismProfessionalism

InsideInside & & outsideoutside of of professional settingsprofessional settings

Maturity/CharacterMaturity/Character Motivation/DedicationMotivation/Dedication Overall preparedness to be Overall preparedness to be

a health care providera health care provider

Letters of RecommendationLetters of Recommendation

Highly sought by ALL the professional Highly sought by ALL the professional health schools.health schools.

Provides insight and detail regarding Provides insight and detail regarding individual applicant (e.g., explains individual applicant (e.g., explains context of academic record)context of academic record)

Advice? Get to know your faculty, Advice? Get to know your faculty, clinical staff, researchers, etc. clinical staff, researchers, etc.

Being a Prehealth Student at Being a Prehealth Student at UBUB

Specialized AdvisingSpecialized Advising Individual Appts/12 MonthsIndividual Appts/12 Months Numerous Info Sessions (e.g., summer Numerous Info Sessions (e.g., summer

orientation, fall/spring semesters) orientation, fall/spring semesters) Connections to local healthcare communityConnections to local healthcare community Guest SpeakersGuest Speakers Student Clubs (e.g., shadowing, service, Student Clubs (e.g., shadowing, service,

social events, support, info)social events, support, info) Website/Listserv/BlogWebsite/Listserv/Blog

How Do I Get Started?How Do I Get Started? VISIT THE PREHEALTH WEBSITEVISIT THE PREHEALTH WEBSITE

http://prehealth.buffalo.eduhttp://prehealth.buffalo.edu

VOLUNTEERVOLUNTEER TAKE A SCIENCE COURSETAKE A SCIENCE COURSE ATTEND A WORKSHOP(S)ATTEND A WORKSHOP(S) JOIN A UB PREHEALTH CLUBJOIN A UB PREHEALTH CLUB REGULARLY READ “PREHEALTH REGULARLY READ “PREHEALTH

BULLETIN”BULLETIN”

ALTERNATIVES TO DOCTORAL LEVEL HEALTH CAREERS

Nurse Practitioner Nurse Practitioner Respiratory Therapist Respiratory Therapist

Occupational TherapistOccupational Therapist Physician’s Assistant Physician’s Assistant

Speech therapistSpeech therapist Physical Therapist Physical Therapist

CounselorCounselor Pharmaceutics Pharmaceutics

Perfusionist Perfusionist Drug Information Drug Information SpecialistsSpecialists

PsychologistPsychologist Cardiovascular Cardiovascular technologisttechnologist

Medical TechnicianMedical Technician Biomedical Biomedical Programmer Programmer

Nuclear Medical Technician Biomedical EngineerNuclear Medical Technician Biomedical Engineer

This list is not exhaustive.This list is not exhaustive...

Good Luck! Good Luck!