Pre-Health Timeline

Developing your presence at the Pre-Health Office:

• Meet with a Health Professions Advisor and develop your long-term plan
• Join the Pre-Health Listserv (click on the HUNTER icon on the left-hand side of the Pre-Health website homepage)
• Check your Hunter emails daily!!! All opportunities, events, and resources are posted on the Pre-Med Listserv.
• Get in the habit of using your Hunter email address for all college communications and to register for all Hunter Pre-Health events
• Complete the Pre-Health Professions Advising Pathways (PPAP) Program
• Enroll in PPAP 1000 - Building Your Pre-Health Credentials Portfolio
  • This seminar series, which meets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:20PM-3:50PM, teaches various skills to help you develop your Pre-Health Credentials Portfolio and the core competencies each pre-health student must demonstrate before entering graduate school.
• Enroll in PPAP 1002 - Health Careers Exploration
  • This seminar series, which meets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:20PM-3:50PM, explores a variety of health professions to educate students on the many paths that are available to them in the healthcare field
  • This seminar series is not required for Transfer Students to Hunter College
• If your class schedule permits, you should attend all sessions of the PPAP 1000 and PPAP 1002 seminar series during your first 2 semesters at Hunter College to (1) apply to the Pre-Health Program and (2) open your Pre-Health File —provided you meet the GPA and science credit requirements.
  • Keep a record of the seminars you attended and the dates of attendance!
• Submit your Pre-Health Program Application and Pre-Health Contract after attending the PPAP 1000: “Everything You Need to Know about Being a Pre-Health Student” seminar.
• Submission of the Application and Contract officially registers you in the Pre-Health Program
• After you submit the Pre-Health Program Application and Pre-Health Contract, you will be able to make appointments with a Health Professions Advisor through Navigate
• If you are a pre-medical, pre-dental, or pre-optometry student, you should begin requesting Instructor Evaluations from Hunter College faculty, teaching assistants, and lab instructors. Aim to submit 2 evaluations per semester.
• After you open your Pre-Health File, you can submit Letters of Recommendation from science professors, healthcare professionals, research supervisors, and service program directors.
• Use the Quick Links on the homepage of the Pre-Health website (under the photo of the Hunter Pre-Professional Suite) to request Instructor Evaluations and Letters of Recommendation.
• Attend the Pre-Health Freshman Class Meeting

 
Academics:

• Make your GPA a priority and learn how to excel in your science courses. Stay on top of your studies. Use all resources at Hunter College and online to your advantage. It is difficult to catch up if you fall behind.
• It is helpful to get a Pre-Health Mentor. Submit a PHMI Mentee Application in order to be paired with an upperclass Pre-Health student who can advise and guide you. Apply through the link on the Pre-Health website under the PRE-HEALTH MENTORING INITIATIVE tab.
• Become familiar with the courses and admissions exams that are required for the health profession you are considering.
• Speak to a Health Professions Advisor at Hunter to create a 4-year plan for your required science and math courses.
• Educate yourself on how to become a well-rounded / competitive applicant
• Attend faculty office hours and develop meaningful academic relationships with your instructors.
  • Your professors are important to your success as a Pre-Health student and these individuals will also later write recommendations on your behalf. Cultivate strong relationships with faculty, advisors, and healthcare professionals to gain from their mentorship.

Extracurricular Activities:

• Join a Pre-Health club or organization
• Volunteer in a healthcare setting
• Shadow healthcare practitioners
• Learn about a variety of healthcare fields

Developing your presence at the Pre-Health Office:

• Meet with a Health Professions Advisor once per semester to review your plan and assess the progress of your Pre-Health portfolio.
• Open your Pre-Health File by submitting the Pre-Health Application Checklist and make an appointment with Jean Suh by submitting a Pre-Health File Review Meeting Request through the link on the website.
• Attend the Pre-Health Sophomore Class meeting.
• Continue to submit instructor evaluations and letters of recommendation.

Academics:

• Continue to focus on your GPA and follow the course sequence to complete the required courses for your chosen health professions graduate program.
  • Focus on academic recovery if you did not perform well during your first year at Hunter College.
• Investigate admissions exams.
  • Most exams are taken during junior or senior year provided that you have completed the coursework covered on the exam. Consult with a Health Professions Advisor for information regarding preparing for and scheduling when to take the exam.
• Review what you learned last year. Tutoring is a great way to keep the information from first-year classes fresh in your mind.
  Continue to build strong relationships with faculty, advisors, and volunteer supervisors. Many of these individuals will write letters of recommendation on your behalf.
• Strong students who are certain of their commitment to medicine should apply to early assurance programs to medical school during their second year at Hunter. Speak to a Health Professions Advisor if you are interested in being considered for early assurance programs and attend the information sessions offered by the Pre-Health Professions Advising Office to learn if you are a strong candidate.
• If you intend to apply for a Committee Letter during your junior year, attend a Committee Letter Planning Meeting event, and review all of the Committee Letter requirements to ensure that you are eligible.
• If you intend to apply to medical, dental, or optometry school with a Committee Letter at the end of your junior year, plan your study for the MCAT, DAT or OAT so that you have your exam score by October 30th of your Junior year.
• Please consider taking one or two gap years if you are still completing the coursework that is covered by the MCAT, DAT, or OAT or have not yet undertaken clinical or research experience. Each student has their own journey in applying to medical, dental, or optometry school and there is no one correct timeline to follow.
• For students interested in healthcare professions for which no Committee Letter is provided (PA, PT, OT, Podiatry), take steps to gain sufficient clinical experience in your chosen area and research the programs that you are interested in applying to.

Extracurriculars:

• Explore summer research and clinical opportunities during the fall semester.
  • Many of these programs require applications to be submitted 6 months before the program begins.
  • Check the Pre-Med Listserv often for these opportunities.
• Seek out leadership roles in organizations that are meaningful to you.
• Assess yourself.
  • Are you an excellent student? Do you thrive on patient contact? Do you love learning about science and health? Do you like a challenging lifestyle? If not, perhaps you should reassess your goals now. Your Health Professions Advisor is there to listen and show you alternative ways to help people and make an important contribution to society. If you answered "yes," keep reading!

Developing your presence at the Pre-Health Office:

• Meet with your Health Professions Advisor and make sure you are on track.
• Start attending PPAP 1003: Application Planning seminars.
  • A list of these seminars is contained under the COMMITTEE LETTERS tab on the Pre-Health website
  • Keep a record of the names of the PPAP 1003: Application Planning seminars that you attended and the dates of attendance
• Start drafting your personal statement.
  • You should meet with a Health Professions Advisor to discuss your ideas for what to include.
  • Attend the PPAP 1003: Application Planning seminar on how to write the personal statement and review sample personal statements for your chosen healthcare field.
• Follow up with professors, advisors, employers, or volunteer supervisors who have agreed to write a letter of recommendation or complete an evaluation on your behalf.
  • Send instructor evaluation and letter of recommendation requests via the Pre-Health website. This should be a continuous process beginning in your first year so that you are getting letters and evaluations when the experience/course ends so that your pre-health file is building throughout your undergraduate years.
  • If you are applying at the end of your fourth year, continue to build your Pre-Health file with instructor evaluations and letters of recommendation.
• Attend the Pre-Health Junior Class Meeting

If you intend to apply at the end of your third year with a Committee Letter:

• You must have studied for and taken the MCAT, DAT, or OAT and have a qualifying score by October 30th of your junior year.
• You must meet the requirements for the Committee Letter as stated on the Pre-Health website under the COMMITTEE LETTERS tab.
• Attend a Committee Letter Application Seminar in the fall semester of your junior year.
• Schedule an appointment to meet with a Health Professions Advisor for a CLAAP meeting (Committee Letter Application and Assessment Preparation) to review your draft personal statement, work and experiences descriptions, letters of recommendation, and instructor evaluations, and your overall readiness to apply.
• Submit all letters of recommendation, instructor evaluations, and letters of good standing to the Pre-Health Office by January 15th.
• Submit your Committee Letter Application and Committee Letter Student Contract by January 15th.
• If you are eligible to receive a Committee Letter, you must work closely with the Pre-Health Office on your personal statement and applications.
• If you are not eligible for a Committee Letter, you can apply for a Letter Packet by attending a Letter Packet Workshop during your application year.

Academics:

• Continue to focus on your science and cumulative GPA.
• Review the centralized application through which you will apply (eg. AMCAS, AACOMAS, AADSAS, PTCAS, AACPMCAS, VMCAS, OptomCAS, PharmCAS, CASPA, OTCAS).
• Review when to apply for fee assistance or fee waiver programs through the application websites. You will need to apply before registering for your exam, as the assistance is not retroactive.
• Prepare for the admissions exam. Study efficiently and steadily. Plan for 3 to 6 months of study before sitting for the exam. Use study guides available online. If you need a tutor to be productive or to stay motivated, consider enrolling in a preparation course. If you plan to apply for a Committee Letter, take the admission exams (MCAT, OAT or DAT) and have your score by October 30th of the year you are planning to submit the Committee Letter Application.
• Remember to authorize the release of your exam score to the Hunter College Pre-Health Office at premed@hunter.cuny.edu.
• Select the schools to which you plan to apply. Review their websites.
  • Admissions requirements vary, so you must check the pre-requisite courses on their websites and ensure that you complete all course requirements.

Extracurriculars:

• Continue to gain valuable clinical, research, and community service experiences.
• Be optimistic, but also realistic. Remember, everyone needs alternate plans. Research special masters, post-bacc, and record-enhancing programs.

Seek Advising from the Pre-Health Office:

• Review any questions you have with your Health Professions Advisor.
• If you applied to your health professions graduate programs at the end of your third year, continue to stay on top of your application and interview requirements.
• If you are applying at the end of your fourth year, then take your admissions exam (MCAT, DAT, of OAT) so that you have your score by October 30th of your senior year and begin the Committee Letter and CLAAP process as stated above.
• Check the requirements for fee assistance or fee waiver programs prior to registering for your exam date, as stated above.
• Remember to release your exam score to the Hunter College Pre-Health Office at premed@hunter.cuny.edu.
• Attend all PPAP 1003: Application Planning seminars
• Start writing your secondary essays in advance.
• Review your final experiences and personal statement with a Health Professions Advisor.
• Review your school list with Kemile Jackson if you are receiving a Committee Letter
• Submit applications early.
  • Most graduate and professional programs have rolling admissions. It is in your best interest to apply early.
• Prepare for and take the CASPer exam and the AAMC PREview exam if you are applying to medical school.
• Prepare for the Kira Talent Assessment if you are applying to dental/medical schools that use this applicant assessment tool.
• Promptly return any secondary or supplemental materials (within two weeks) of receiving them.
• Practice for your interviews, including the Multiple Mini Interview. Be able to speak about who you are.
  • Know how to describe your clinical and community service experiences, mentors and goals in meaningful detail. Read your application and look for information you want to highlight. Make sure you can tell anyone who asks exactly why you want to be a clinician in your chosen field.
• Attend the Pre-Health Senior Class Meeting

Continue working with the Pre-Health Professions Advising Office:

• If you are receiving a Committee Letter, you should set up a mock interview with a Health Professions Advisor well in advance of your actual interviews.
• Complete forms for financial aid.
• Speak to a Health Professions Advisor about sending update letters and letters of continued interest to the schools you have applied to.
• Speak to a Health Professions Advisor about sending a letter of intent to a medical school at which you have been waitlisted.
• Be patient. Letters of acceptance or rejection will be sent out between December and April.
  • If you do not receive any acceptances, talk with your Health Professions Advisor about whether to reapply or to pursue alternative options.
  • If accepted, celebrate! The Pre-Health Professions Office will rejoice with you!
• Send thank-you notes to letter writers, mentors, and advisors who supported your application.
• PLEASE REMEMBER that this is a marathon and not a sprint.
  • Most students take a year or two following graduation to become stronger applicants to their chosen healthcare field.
  • You can do this by engaging in additional clinical and research experiences, taking additional courses to raise your GPA, or retaking your entrance exam.
  • The Pre-Health Professions Advising Office will continue to advise and support your applications to your chosen healthcare profession after you graduate from Hunter College as long as you were an active Pre-Health Student during your undergraduate years.