Pre-Health Handbook

Handbook, Preface and Section 2

Preface

This guide is intended to provide you with information about preparing for the following post-baccalaureate health professions: Allopathic Medicine, Chiropractic, Dentistry, Optometry, Osteopathic Medicine, Podiatry and Veterinary Medicine. Brief information is also provided for those interested in pharmacy, physical  therapy, occupational therapy and the physician assistant program.  Included is information regarding required courses, standardized tests, and application procedures. It is recommended that all pre-health professions students read this guide, especially Sections I and II, early in their program.  As you enter your junior year (the year students typically begin planning for application to professional school) it is suggested that you review Sections III, IV and V. If you still have questions unanswered after reading this guide, please feel free to meet with a pre-health professions advisor in the Academic Advising Center at the University of Florida. You may make an appointment with a pre-health professions advisor, after reading the Pre-Health Handbook, by calling (352) 392-1521 and pressing 204.

Services for Pre-Health Professions Students

The Office of Health and Legal Professions Advising (OHLPA), located on the second floor of the Academic Advising Center, provides several services to preprofessional students which can greatly assist in preparing for, and applying to, professional school. The OfficeÕs services include preparation of the Health Professions Handbook, an extensive library of chiropractic, dental, medical, optometric, osteopathic, podiatric, veterinary, pharmacy and other health profession programs.  The library also consists of periodicals and program listings for summer research and volunteer opportunities.  OHLPA also provides  first year and transfer student orientation sessions, central collection and transmission of your letters of recommendation, and workshops about such topics as application procedures and interviewing.

It is your responsibility to acquaint yourself with the requirements for professional school. In addition to this handbook, the OHLPA offers a number of information sessions to keep preprofessional students informed.  All preprofessional students, particularly those in the first or second year, should attend one of the general Health Professions Information workshops . Sophomores should meet with an advisor to discuss major plans and to determine whether they are on track with the professional school requirements. Juniors, or other students in the process of applying to professional school, should attend the workshops on the application process which are offered each spring. Students uncertain about their situation, or having individual questions regarding preparation for professional school may make appointments to meet with the health professions advisor.

All students are expected to check the OHLPA bulletin board at least once a month in the preprofessional library, on the second floor of the AAC, since new information is posted as soon as it arrives.

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Is a Career in Health Professions for You?

Admission into a health professions program is quite competitive. Only those students who are capable of and truly committed to becoming a health professional should pursue this goal.

The Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions

As someone considering a career in the health professions, it is important that you explore all the career alternatives available to you.  Below is a short description of the health professions students typically pursue after completing a baccalaureate degree.  In addition to these, there are a number of health professions offered at the baccalaureate level. The baccalaureate level health professions offer career satisfactions similar to the post-baccalaureate professions, such as helping people and job security.  There are also several health professions, such as occupational therapy and physician's assistant, that are offered at both undergraduate and professional levels.  If you are interested in a baccalaureate health profession, you should contact the schools that offer those programs.

• Allopathic Medicine
  A physician trained in allopathic medicine is what most people think of when they imagine a 'doctor'. Generally, an allopathic physician's responsibilities include diagnosing disease, supervising the care of patients, and prescribing treatment. Students completing a four-year allopathic medical program earn the degree of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) . M.D.'s pursue graduate medical education (internship and residency) after completing the M.D..  This residency time may take from three to nine additional years.
• Osteopathic Medicine
  A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) diagnoses disease, supervises the care of patients, and prescribes treatment. Osteopathic medicine has much in common with allopathic medicine; however, osteopathic physicians have a somewhat different philosophy, sometimes described as total body medicine, and the use of an additional treatment - manipulative therapy - in conjunction with traditional allopathic therapies, such as medication. The D.O. degree involves four years of study, followed by a one-year internship. The internship is followed by two to six years of residency training if a specialty is desired. The majority of D.O.s practice in a primary-care setting, particularly general family practice.
• Chiropractic Medicine
  A Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) is a primary health care provider who gives particular attention to the relationship of the structural and neurological aspects of the body in health and disease.  Chiropractic treatment includes spinal adjusting, manipulation, physical modalities, and rehabilitation.  It is not unusual for students to enter a chiropractic program after 60 credit hours of preprofessional education, though schools of chiropractic have been increasingly accepting more applicants with bachelor's degrees.
• Dentistry
  Dentistry is devoted to maintaining the health of the teeth, gums, and other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity.  Most dentists engage in general practice, bringing skills in oral diagnosis, prevention, and rehabilitation directly to the patient.  Students completing a dental program earn one of two equivalent degrees: Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) . The majority of dentists begin practice immediately after the four-year dental program, although many pursue one year or more of post-graduate study.
• Occupational Therapy
  Occupational therapists enable patients to regain or maximize the ability to perform daily life tasks after recovering from a traumatic injury.  Occupational therapists usually have a strong educational background in the social and behavioral sciences.  This provides the skills and knowledge for them to help patients physically, emotionally and psychologically deal with injury and recovery.  An Occupational Therapist (O.T.) usually completes a two-year program to earn either a M.O.T. or other health science masters degree.  Some schools offer the occupational therapy program as a bachelor's degree.  There are many areas of specialization for occupational therapists to choose from and a wide variety of clinical settings to practice.
• Optometry
  Optometrists are primary healthcare providers who diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system. A Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) completes a four-year program, and the majority enter general practice upon earning the O.D.
• Pharmacy
  Pharmacists are an integral part of the primary healthcare system. They educate patients about different medications and serve to ensure safe adminstration of drugs.  Pharmacists also serve to advise other healthcare providers about drug treatment plans.  A Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) completes a four-year program.  A majority of graduates work in community pharmacy or in large retail pharmacy.  However, there are many specialized fields for which pharmacists may choose as well as clinical research.
• Physical Therapy
  Physical therapists work with patients to regain or maximize movement in major extremities or regions of the body relating to the major extremities.  They are an integral part of the healthcare system and many physical therapists work alongside hospitals and in independent physical rehabilitation centers.  There are two degrees offered for those interested in physical therapy.  A Master of Physical Therapy (M.P.T.) usually completes a two year program, whereas a   Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) usually completes a three year program.  There are many areas of specilization for physcial therapists to choose from and a wide variety of clinical settings to practice.
• Physician Assistant
  Physician assistants are part of the healthcare team that provides basic medical care under the supervision of a physician.  They take medical histories, perform examinations, treat patients, see to minor injuries, prescribe medication, order lab work ups and interpret results.  Physician assistants provide diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative health services.  A Physician Assistant (P.A.) usually completes a 18-month to 24-month program.  Graduates usually earn a master's degree in a medical related or biomedical related science.  Some schools offer the physician program as a bachelor's degree.  Some physician assistants work in hospitals or a group practice with physicians.  In some rural or medically underserved areas, physician assistants serve as the primary healthcare provider in the community.
• Podiatry
  Podiatrists are concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and disorders affecting the human foot and other parts of the lower extremeity below the knee. Podiatrists use a variety of medical, surgical, and manipulative techniques to treat the foot. A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M) completes a four-year medical education, and in most states a two-year or three-year surgical residency. Podiatrists may subsequently specialize in podiatric surgery, orthopedics, podiatric sports medicine or other areas.
• Veterinary Medicine
  Veterinarians are trained to diagnose, treat and help prevent disease and disabilities in animals. Veterinarians serve the needs of the public by practicing preventive medicine in relation to both human and animal health, the solution of agricultural and wildlife problems, and humane care of companion animals. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M) completes a four-year medical education. Most veterinarians enter practice upon completion of the D.V.M., although many pursue post-graduate training or specialization.

Deciding Which Career Is Best For You

Ask yourself why you want to pursue the health profession you are considering. Try to answer this question with a number of concrete reasons. Remember: this is a question you will be asked by admissions committees of the health profession programs to which you apply. So, give it some thought. If you have trouble coming up with concrete reasons why this health profession will suit you, try to complete this sentence: "I want to be an optometrist (doctor, veterinarian, etc.) because..." The answer"...because I've always wanted to" does NOT answer why you have wanted to. The answer "...because I want to help people" DOES answer why, but only in a very general way. If you want to help people, why the specific health profession you have chosen? You can help people by being a fireman, a teacher, or a paramedic. Why not pursue a career in one of those areas? Why not another post-baccalaureate health profession (dentistry or podiatry or chiropractic)?

You must also be able to answer, "How do I know I am making the right choice?" and "What is motivates me toward my choice in healthcare profession?"

Answering these questions thoroughly will probably take some time. Take the time to reflect on how you explored the career and on your experiences you have had that lead you to making your choice.  As you prepare for the health profession, you should be evaluating these questions. Ideally, your choice of a health profession should be the result thoughtful and thorough career decision-making. Such career decision-making includes:

• Self-Assessment
  Understanding what you like, what you are good at, and what you want from your career. You need to answer questions such as: "How many hours a week do I want to work?" and "How much pressure do I want in my career?"  Take the time to keep a journal and writing down your thoughts in this area.  Examine and evaluate your talents, skills, personal strengths and weaknesses as well as your academic strengths and weaknesses.
• Exploring Alternatives
  Looking at all the careers that match your career goals as determined by your self-assessment. You will probably come up with careers that you have never thought about. Research and consider them all. Don't assume you know about a specific career. Unless you have actually worked in that career, you probably have assumptions about it that may or may not be true. Find out the REALITY of each career. You can do so by reading about it, talking to people who do it, and by observing people doing it.  However the BEST way to learn about any career is to shadow someone already in that field or to volunteer at a healthcare facility related to the field of your interest.  It is highly recommended that you keep a journal to help you keep track of your thoughts and experiences as you are exploring.
• Deciding and Developing a Plan
  After you have researched career alternatives, rank the three which seem to come closest to fulfilling your needs. Develop Plan A, a plan for preparing for your best career match. Also develop Plan B, a plan for attaining a satisfactory alternative. Plan B is important because you may find that you change your mind about pursuing Plan A, or that you are unsuccessful in pursuing it.

This may sound like a long process requiring effort on your part. Remember: this is your life and happiness that you are making decisions about. In the long run you will probably be glad you made the effort. In addition, if you end up pursuing a health profession as a result of thorough decision-making, your commitment and motivation will likely be much stronger. You will find that you are more effective in writing statements for your professional school applications and answering questions about your dedication to the profession in interviews.

If you are unsure how to approach career decision-making, there is assistance available. The Career Resource Center (Reitz Union, 392-1601) offers workshops on career decision-making that can help get you started. In addition, the CRC offers individual career counseling and a career library. All students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this resource!

What Professional Schools are Looking For

The health professions are looking for students who have the academic potential to succeed in a rigorous, science-based professional program, AND the personal potential to be a competent and compassionate health professional (exhibiting qualities such as trustworthiness, altruism, and dedication).

Many of these qualities are intangible and difficult to measure objectively. Therefore, professional schools look at a number of facets of each applicant that may approximate that applicant's potential. Below are listed the characteristics most professional schools look at when attempting to evaluate an applicant's potential. Much of the rest of this handbook discusses how YOU can demonstrate that you possess these characteristics. To best demonstrate to professional schools that you have the academic and personal potential to be a health professional, you need to actively pursue this goal throughout your college career. Section II discusses those factors considered by admissions committees that you need to work on from the beginning of your college career. Sections III and IV cover information that students intending to apply within the next year should review. After each admission factor described below, the portion of this handbook that addresses it is noted (for example, Section II.b.).

For academic potential , professional schools attempt to determine:

• Has the applicant completed the necessary prerequisite courses?(II.a.)
• Has the applicant demonstrated that he/she can handle a heavy science course load? (II.b.)
• What grades has the applicant earned in his/her courses? (II.c.)
• Has the applicant completed an undergraduate degree? (II.d.)
• What scores has the applicant attained on the admission test? (III.a.)
• Has the applicant pursued a challenging overall post-secondary curriculum? (II.b.)

 In attempting to evaluate personal potential, professional schools look at:

• Does the student have a broad academic background? (II.a.)
• Has the student attempted research? (II.e.)
• What experience does the applicant have in health care? (II.e.)
• What interests outside of academics does the applicant pursue?(II.e.)
• How does the applicant present him/herself in writing (in thePersonal Statement)?
• How does the applicant present him/herself in person (in the interview)?(IV.b.)
• How do others view the applicant (demonstrated in letters of reference), particularly compared to other preprofessional students? (III.b.)

Because admission to professional school is generally very competitive, you want to demonstrate excellence in every area that professional schools will consider.  In the early 1990's health profession programs saw an increase in applicants; however, for the past five years the number of applicants has decreased (approximately 12%) although there was a slight increase in the number of applications for the first time last year (approximately 0.4%).  It is important to note that while the applications to these professional schools has fallen slightly, the quality of the applicants has risen significantly.  To give you some idea of the competitiveness of professional schools, recent statistics are cited below. These statistics are averages, and although they give you an approximation of the type of students who were admitted, GPA's and test scores vary significantly from school to school. In addition,these statistics are past history and do not necessarily predict how competitive admission will be in the future. It is important to note that achieving an above-average GPA and test score in no way guarantees acceptance!

• Allopathic Medicine:
  • Average Statistics for Entering Class 2003:
    Total Applicants UF/National: 475/33,789
    Total Matriculants UF/National: 217/16,001
  • Mean Undergraduate Science GPA UF/National: 3.61/3.55
    Mean Undergraduate GPA UF/National: 3.68/3.62
  • Mean MCAT UF/National
    Verbal Reasoning: 9.24/9.37
    Physical Sciences: 9.95/9.81
    Writing Sample: O/O
    Biological Sciences: 9.96/10.07
    Total: 29.15/29.25
  • Source: AAMC Advisor Information Statistical Report and AAMC Medical School Admissions Requirements 54th edition
• Osteopathic Medicine:
  • Average Statistics for Entering Class 2001:
    6898 applicants
    3043 acceptances
  • Enrollment increased 4% from 2000
  • Source: Annual Report on Osteopathic Medical Education
  • Mean Overall GPA: 3.43
    Mean Science GPA: 3.36
  • Mean MCAT: 24.7
    VR 8.10
    PS 8.08
    BS 8.54
    WS O
  • Source: AACOM
• Dentistry:
  • Applicant Statistics for Entering Class 2001
    Total Applicants UF/National: 598/7412
    Total Acceptances UF/National: 80/4,267 (58% of all applicants were accepted)
  • Applicant Statistics for Entering Class 2002
    Total Applicants UF: 632
    Total Acceptances UF: 80
  • Mean Overall GPA: 3.5/Enrollees
    Mean Science GPA: 3.4/Enrollees
  • DAT:
    Mean Academic Average: 20/Enrollees
    Mean Perceptual Ability: 19/Enrollees
  • Source: American Dental Education Association
• Optometry:
  • Applicant Statistics for Entering Class 2002
    2,037 applicants
    1,355 acceptances 
    *1,493 were accepted for Fall 2003
  • Average Statistics for Entering Class 2003
    Mean GPA: 3.35
    Highest GPA: 4.0
    Lowest GPA: 2.35
    OAT: 322
  • For a complete set of statistics for optometry, click here
  • Source: ASCO Frequently Asked Question & Association of Schools & Colleges of Optometry
• Podiatry:
  • Average Statistics for Entering Class 2002
    430 applicants
    Approximately 97% of applicants were accepted.
  • Mean Overall GPA: 3.1
    Mean Science GPA: 3.0
  • Mean MCAT:
    Verbal Reasoning: 6.9
    Physical Sciences: 6.7
    Biological Sciences: 7.1
    Total: 20.7
  • Source: American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
• Veterinary Medicine:
  • Average Statistics for Entering Class 2003 (nationally, based on VMCAS statistics)
    4,449 applicants/2,571 matriculants
    Overall GPA 3.53
  • Average Statistics of 2003 Entering Class UF College of Veterinary Medicine
    695 UF applicants/86 matriculants
    Overall GPA 3.54
    GRE Total 1190
  • Because the standardized test required varies among schools (GRE, MCAT) please check with individual schools for averages.  The VCAT is no longer available.  Most schools will require the GRE.  Please go to http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/vmtest2.htm to learn which schools will require what exam.
  • Source: Veterinary Medical Schools Admission Requirements
• Pharmacy:
• Average Statistics for Entering Class 2001
  8,922 matriculants/133 UF matriculants
  3.34 mean GPA/3.45 mean UF GPA
• For a complete set of statistics for pharmacy, click here
• Source: American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

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