Academic Advising Center



	Student Information Admissions Health and Legal Professions • Pre-Health • Pre-Law Links Forms Academic Advising Center PO Box 112015 Gainesville, FL 32611-2015 (P) 352-392-1521 (F) 352-392-2905 Email: advisor@advising.ufl.edu	Pre-Health Handbook Section 2: Preparing For a Professional Career Preprofessional Course Requirements and Recommendations Timing of Pre-Requisite Courses Taking Required Courses at Other Institutions Elective Courses Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit Selecting a Major Course Loads Academic Performance Colleges and Degrees Personal Experiences and Extracurricular Activities Preprofessional Student Organizations Outside Employment Timeline for Pre-Health Professional Students Early Admission to Professional Schools Preprofessional Course Requirements and Recommendations Students planning on entering a post-baccalaureate health profession, such as allopathic or osteopathic medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic or pharmacy should plan to complete the following courses by one year before graduating. Some health professions do not require all of the courses, and some require more. Also, requirements vary from school to school, so students should carefully investigate the requirements of the schools to which they plan to apply. Mathematics At least 2 semesters of college-level mathematics; one semester of calculus (MAC 2311 or 3472) and one semester of statistics (STA 2023) is recommended. Some medical schools stipulate additional calculus courses. General Chemistry CHM 2045-2046 and 2045L-2046L, or CHM 2047 and 2047L. Organic Chemistry CHM 2210-2211 and 2211L or CHM 3217-CHM 3218 and CHM 2211L . Some professional schools may not accept the CHM 3217-CHM 3218 (Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry I and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry II). You should check with the schools you are interested in to see if such a sequence will be acceptable. University of Florida's College of Dentistry generally does not accept the two semester combined organic chemistry and biochemistry sequence. Biochemistry 1 semester is recommended by most professional schools and required by many medical schools. BCH 4024 or CHM 3218. (CHM 4207 is no longer offered as of Fall 2006). Physics PHY 2053-2054 and PHY 2053L-2054L or PHY 2048-2049 and PHY 2048L-2049L, or PHY 2060-PHY2061 and PHY 2048L-PHY2049L. Professional schools do not stipulate a preference between Calculus based physics and non-Calculus based physics. Biology BSC 2010-2011 and BSC 2010L-2011L. English At least 2 semesters at the college level. Some medical schools require 3 courses in English with emphasis on composition. Many medical schools do not stipulate whether their English requirements are for composition or literature courses, but composition courses are recommended to strengthen communication skills and help prepare for admission tests. The above courses will meet the basic requirements for most schools of allopathic, chiropractic, optometric, osteopathic, podiatric, veterinary medicine and pharmacy. The prescribed course requirements for admission to dental, medical, and optometric schools in the United States are very similar. However, requirements can vary slightly and should be carefully investigated. The detailed requirements for any school can be found in several sources both in print and online resources. Allopathic Medicine: Medical School Admission Requirements Dentistry: American Dental Education Association Official Guide to Dental Schools Veterinary Medicine: Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements Podiatric Medicine: http://www.aacpm.org Optometry: http://www.opted.org Pharmacy: http://www.aacp.org You can usually find these books at the Office of Health and Legal Professions Advising at the 2nd floor of the Academic Advising Center, located in Farrior Hall. You can also purchase them directly from the their respective websites. Additional Course Recommendations Premedical students are encouraged to take the following courses in order to meet the recommendations for some medical schools. Statistics: STA 2023 General Psychology: PSY 2012 Public Speaking or other Communications Type course-Choose from any of the following: SPC 2600: Public Speaking COM 1000: Introduction to Communication Studies SDS 4410: Interpersonal Communications Skills Immunology: PCB 5235 (prerequisite, MCB 3020-3020L) Microbiology: MCB 3020-3020L (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L & CHM 2010 or CHM 3217) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete MCB 3023-3023L. Genetics: PCB 3063 (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L, General Chemistry) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete PCB 4522 (Molecular Genetics) or MCB 4304 (Genetics of Microorganisms). Functional Vertebrate Anatomy: ZOO 3713C (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L) Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals: PCB 4723C (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L, CHM 2046-2046L, PHY 2054-2054L or PHY 2049-2049L) Predental students are encouraged to take additional courses in the following (courses in italics are required for the University of Florida School of Dentistry). In addition, the University of Florida College of Dentistry requires BCH 4024 or CHM 3218. CHM 4207 is no longer offered as of Fall 2006. Public Speaking or other Communications Type course-Choose from any of the following: SPC 2600: Public Speaking COM 1000: Introduction to Communication Studies SDS 4410: Interpersonal Communications Skills Microbiology: MCB 3020-3020L (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L & CHM 2010 or CHM 3217) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete MCB 3023-3023L. Psychology: PSY 2012 Other Social and Behavioral Sciences are recommended. Genetics: PCB 3063 (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L, General Chemistry) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete PCB 4522 (Molecular Genetics) or MCB 4304 (Genetics of Microorganisms). Immunology: PCB 5235 (prerequisite, MCB 3020-3020L) Preoptometry students should take the following courses: Psychology: PSY 2012, plus an additional psychology course Public Speaking : SPC 2600 Microbiology: MCB 3020-3020L (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L & CHM 2010 or CHM 3217) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete MCB 3023-3023L. Statistics: STA 2023 Also recommended are: Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals: PCB 4723C (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L, general physics, or instructor's permission) Functional Vertebrate Anatomy: ZOO 3713C (prerequsite, BSC 2011-2011L) or Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory: APK 2100C Applied Human Physiology: APK 2105C Preveterinary students should take the following: Public Speaking: SPC 2600 Introduction to Animal Science: ANS 3006C (prerequisite, APB 2150 or higher biological science) Principles of Animal Nutrition: ANS 3440 (prerequisite, CHM 2045-2045L) Genetics: PCB 3063 (prerequsite, BSC 2011-2011L, general chemistry) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete PCB 4522 (Molecular Genetics) or MCB 4304 (Genetics of Microorganisms) Microbiology: MCB 3020-3020L (prerequisite, BSC 2011 -2011L & CHM 2210 or CHM 3217) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete MCB 3023-3023L. Statistics: STA 2023 Also recommended are: Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals: PCB 4723C (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L, general physics, or instructor's permission) Functional Vertebrate Anatomy: ZOO 3713C (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L) Prepharmacy students should take the following: Introduction to Public Speaking: SPC 2600 or Effective Oral Communication: AEE 3030C Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals: PCB 4723C (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L, general physics, or instructor's permission) Functional Vertebrate Anatomy: ZOO 3713C (prerequsite, BSC 2011-2011L) or Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory: APK 2100C Applied Human Physiology: APK 2105C Microbiology: MCB 3020 - 3020L (prerequisite, BSC 2011 -2011L & CHM 2210 or CHM 3217) Microbiology and Cell Science majors will complete MCB 3023-3023L. This course is listed as a requirement for at least 59 pharmacy schools. Microeconomics: ECO 2023 Course Recommendations for Other Health Related Health Professions Pre-physician assistant students are encouraged to take the following courses in order to meet the recommendations for most physician assistant programs. Statistics: STA 2023 General Biology: BSC 2010-2011 & BSC 2010L-2011L Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory: APK 2100C Applied Human Physiology: APK 2105C Microbiology: MCB 3020-3020L (prerequisite, BSC 2011-2011L & CHM 2210 or CHM 3217) MCB 2000-2000L is no longer accepted at University of Florida's Physician Assistant program beginning with the Summer 2009 entering year. General Chemistry: CHM 2045-2046 & CHM 2045L-2046L Organic Chemistry: CHM 2210 or CHM 3217 (not required by most programs, but a good class to take). General Psychology: PSY 2012 and at least one additional social and behavioral science course is recommended. Pre-physical therapy students are encouraged to take the following courses in order to meet the recommendations for most physical therapy programs. Statistics: STA 2023 General Biology: BSC 2010-2011 & BSC 2010L-2011L Physics: PHY 2053-2054 & PHY 2053L-2054L or PHY 2004-2005 & PHY 2004L-2005L General Chemistry: CHM 2045-2046 & CHM 2045L-2046L Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory: APK 2100C Applied Human Physiology: APK 2105C General Psychology: PSY 2012 and at least one additional social and behavioral science course is recommended. Pre-occupational therapy students are encouraged to take the following courses in order to meet the recommendations for most occupational therapy programs. Statistics: STA 2023 General Biology: BSC 2010-2011 & BSC 2010L-2011L or BSC 2007-2008 & BSC 2009L Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory: APK 2100C (not required by most occupational therapy programs, but a good class to take). Applied Human Physiology: APK 2105C (recommended by some occupational therapy programs). General Psychology: PSY 2012 Abnormal Psychology: CLP 3144 (prerequisite PSY 2012 and is required by many occupational therapy programs). Developmental Psychology: DEP 3053 (prerequisite PSY 2012 and is recommended by many occupational therapy programs). Sociology: SYG 2000 or SYG 2010 General Chemistry: CHM 2045-2046 & CHM 2045L-2046L Timing of Pre-Requisite Courses (back to top) Chemistry is the longest sequence of the preprofessional courses, and should be started as soon as possible since it is also a prerequisite for the required organic chemistry courses. Therefore, most students take chemistry and math in their first year. In the second year, most students take biology and either organic chemistry or physics. Transfer students who do not complete the entire general chemistry sequence before transferring to UF will need to consult with a Chemistry advisor at UF before attempting to register for a general chemistry course. It is STRONGLY recommended that students who plan on entering UF as a Transfer student to complete the General Chemistry and General Biology sequence before matriculating to UF. Students transferring with an AA degree interested in pursuing prehealth need to review the AA transfer Pre-Health FAQ. Students who have not taken any chemistry will have to take the Chemistry Readiness Assessment Test on Integrated Student Information System (ISIS) website at http://www.isis.ufl.edu. Taking Required Courses at Other Institutions (back to top) It is normally recommended that a student complete all of his/her science courses at UF. In particular, students should not split a sequence of courses (such as general chemistry) between two institutions. Because professors use different textbooks, teaching styles and speeds, splitting a sequence between institutions can make the transition very difficult. In addition, a few professional schools will not accept community college credit for required courses. Taking many prerequisites at another school might appear to admissions committees that you are avoiding taking difficult classes at UF. Lastly, while grades earned at other institutions will not be factored into your UF GPA, medical schools will compute your GPA based on work from ALL institutions. Elective Courses (back to top) Most professional schools prefer candidates with broad educational backgrounds. In addition to a strong science background, professional schools require a solid foundation in basic verbal and quantitative skills. Nearly one-half of the MCAT focuses on writing skills and reading comprehension of non-scientific material. It is advisable for preprofessional students to have more than the minimum number of science courses required for admission as well as several courses in the humanities and social sciences. Science majors will complete more than the required science courses and should focus on non-science courses while non-science majors should select from zoology, microbiology, biochemistry, or immunology and other upper level science courses (see recommended courses above). Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit (back to top) To maintain your knowledge and demonstrate your academic ability to professional schools, you should plan on taking courses in areas in which you have been granted AP or IB credit, especially in English and the sciences. It is recommended that you follow your IB or AP credit with higher level courses, although in some circumstances a student may choose to take a course for which he/she has earned AP or IB credit over again. There are many professional schools who will not accept AP or IB credit as the SOLE fulfillment of a requirement. If you have earned AP or IB credit for part of the pre-requisite requirement, taking the other half at UF will be sufficient if you follow up with taking more advanced courses in the related area. If you earned credit for one term of General Physics or for the entrire year of General Physics, it is recommended that you still take the one year sequence. However, if you should earn credit for all of the Biology or English you will need to take additional courses in Biology and English during your four years at UF. Selecting a Major (back to top) There are no majors such as "premed", "prevet", or "predent" at the University of Florida. Professional schools define their requirements as a group of courses rather than a major. All majors in the liberal arts and sciences areas are acceptable to professional schools, and admission rates do not differ significantly by major. For all health professions, students majoring in professional programs such as business, engineering, health science, architecture or education may have less of an opportunity to gain a well-rounded education and may have difficulty in fulfilling preprofessional requirements while taking required courses for their majors. If you are interested in such a major, you should discuss your schedule with an academic advisor in the major department. Majors in baccalaureate health professions such as nursing or pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy or pre-pharmacy is not recommended for students who intend to apply to different post-baccalaureate health profession programs such as medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, chiropractic or veterinary medicine. Many preprofessional students major in biology, chemistry, microbiology, or zoology as a matter of convenience because those departments' major requirements often coincide with much of the preprofessional course requirements. However, for most health professions there is no specific need to major in a science. It is important to realize that most students will do best in a major that they enjoy. Also, your major should be something that prepares you for an alternative career in case you change your mind or are not accepted to a health profession program. In addition, professional schools will often discuss choice of major in an interview as one way of learning more about the applicant. Students capable of superior work both in the sciences and the non-sciences will have the best chance at admission to all professional schools, regardless of major. Your choice of major should be decided by: your abilities your interests the career alternatives available to you with the educational background provided by the major. The Counseling Center in 301 Peabody Hall or the Career Resource Center in the Reitz Union can provide assistance with career testing or major counseling. --back to table of contents-- Course Loads (back to top) Whether you are a first year or transfer student, in your first term you should allow time for adjustment to University life and course demands. First year students will find that the expectations placed on them in their college work is usually much higher than in high school. Successful preprofessional students usually have good study habits that include: reading assignments before going to lecture, reviewing and/or recopying or summarizing notes immediately after class, doing all problems before discussion class, and asking questions of instructors in-class as well as in their office hours. You should plan to spend 2-3 hours on homework and study each week for every hour spent in class. A first-term student (first year or transfer) normally takes 12 to 14 hours of academic credit including one or two science or mathematics courses A typical program for a first year student in the first semester might be a chemistry course, a math course, and two general education courses.First year students with very strong academic backgrounds might consider taking up to 15 hours the first term by including an additional elective. Transfer students should consult an advisor in their major and then meet with the health professions advisor to plan a program. After you have adjusted to university life, you should take 15-17 hours of academic courses most semesters. The 15-17 hours should include at least two science or math courses (biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics/statistics), but no more than three science courses, if possible, and no more than two laboratory courses in any one term. Science courses in general require more time than non-science courses, and laboratory courses require even more time for preparation, performance and writing of reports. Although you can have a few semesters of less than 15 hours, it is best to have at least three terms of 15-17 hours with two or three sciences - in which you attain good grades - to demonstrate your ability to handle the rigorous demands of the curriculum in a professional school. Course loads are considered significantly by the admission committees during the selection process. Additionally, a 14-hour load or higher is required in order to be eligible for placement on the Dean's List. Avoid padding your program with lighter courses just to increase your course load and raise your grade point average. Do not take MCB 2000 or CHM 2200 which are intended only for students not going on to health profession programs. Do not take non-science filler classes. Never use these courses to fill out your course load to 15 hours since that will diminish the impact of your academic performance. Admission committees can easily spot such practices. Use your elective credits to enlarge your intellectual horizons and sharpen your mind. Courses which improve your communication skills or reading proficiency skills are especially desirable. You should BE CAUTIONED: carrying an excessively heavy course load or taking more difficult courses than other students does not necessarily give you an advantage if your grades or extracurricular activities are reduced significantly. Professional schools are looking for candidates who can consistently perform well pursuing a depth of experiences and a breadth of education. --back to table of contents-- Academic Performance (back to top) College grades are probably the most important single predictor of performance in professional school! Therefore professional schools consider academic performance as one of the most important factors in making admissions decisions. Most professional programs have many more qualified applicants than they have space for. Calculating GPA For courses taken at UF, an A is 4 points, B is 3 points, C is 2 points, D is 1 point, E is zero points, and plus grades are an additional 0.5 point. Each grade is multiplied by the number of semester hours credited for that course. All courses taken at any accredited college or university, including repeated courses (even those repeated under a school's forgiveness policy), are included in the computation of the GPA for most professional programs. The products of grade points times credit hours for each course are added together, and then divided by the total number of credit hours to arrive at the overall GPA. Professional schools will calculate a total GPA as well as a GPA for related science courses (for allopathic medical programs: BCPM, which combines grades in biology, chemistry, physics, and math/stats courses). Generally, admissions committees consider academic performance in related science courses to be very important in an applicant's overall record. Minimum GPA There is no predetermined minimum GPA for applicants to have a realistic chance of admission to professional schools. Naturally, applicants with the highest GPA and admission test scores, and strongest overall record will be given primary consideration. You may use average GPA's of accepted applicants as a guide, but having that GPA or higher in no way guarantees that you will be accepted. It is important to be strong in all areas. Course Difficulty and Grading Policies The types of courses and the college in which they were taken is considered when a student's GPA is evaluated. The admissions committees' evaluation will depend on the reputation of the school as well as their previous experience with students from that school. Consideration may be given to the level of difficulty of a course. The grading policies of professors may be given consideration only if such courses and grading policies are brought to the attention of the admissions committee. Honors Courses Smaller enrollment in honors courses enables faculty to get to know you better and therefore write more knowledgeable letters of evaluation. Honors courses should only be taken by qualified students desiring a more challenging and in-depth education in the subject area. S/U Option It is not advisable to take any courses required by professional schools on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. Professional schools are interested in an evaluation of competence, and S/U grading does not allow a clear interpretation of competence in a course. Use of S/U grades in subjects outside of the preprofessional requirements should likewise be avoided, although a number of students do use the option for foreign language courses, and many research and individual work courses are only taught S/U. W's and Withdrawals It is not uncommon for students to have one or two drops in his/her academic record, especially during one's freshman year. However, three or more indicate a pattern of not being able to making good choices about one's courses and also give the appearance of not being academically successful in the courses. It also gives the appearance that you were failing the course but managed not to allow the course to adversely affect your overall GPA. Full term withdrawals are not uncommon if it is a one time occurance. Many things can happen that you will not have control over, such as a serious illness that you or a close family member may have or a death in the family. Several full term withdrawals will be detrimental to your academic record. It would appear that you may not be up to the academic rigor and the challenges required in the health professional programs. Poor Grades and Repeating Classes The manner in which a weakness in a particular required subject is viewed is dependent on the extent of the weakness. A grade of D in a required course is serious and may only be partially compensated for by achieving an A or B in a retake of the course. Additionally, you might want to take an advanced course in the same subject. A grade of C is not so serious, provided it is an isolated occurrence. Consecutive C's or worse in any preprofessional courses should be considered as strong indicators of trouble with a student's motivation, ability, interests, or career choice. A course should not be repeated unless a higher grade is required to progress to the next course in the sequence, is required to receive credit for the course for graduation, or the amount of information acquired in the first attempt was insufficient to permit satisfactory progress in advanced courses or on standardized tests. Naturally, continuous top performance is preferred and will give a student the most realistic chance of admission. The next best grade trend is an upward progression without sacrificing course loads (two hard science or math courses and at least 15-17 hours) or difficulty of the courses taken. An erratic record of sharp peaks and valleys is to be avoided. A continuously decreasing performance record is, of course, a serious deterrent to admission. One bad term will not completely destroy your chances for admission, provided that you bounce back and consistently excel in successive terms. If you did poorly as a first year student but improved greatly in the following years, this improvement will help your chances of admission. But even a fine later record of performance cannot completely erase previous records of low grades, failures, and withdrawals. Your overall GPA must be competitive. Few students are accepted each year to allopathic medical schools with relatively low GPA's. The records of those that are accepted usually show a pronounced upward trend in grades while an average or high number of credits in reasonably demanding courses is maintained. Even if you feel that your grades do not accurately reflect your true abilities, a poor academic record will definitely reduce your chances of getting into professional school. Grades in college are a very significant factor in admission decisions, and cannot be entirely offset by test scores or extracurricular activities. Finally, you should keep in mind that for most health profession programs, you will be applying after your junior year, so the GPA calculated at the time of application will not include your senior year. While the grades you receive your senior year are important, do not rely on your senior year to raise your GPA! --back to table of contents-- Colleges and Degrees (back to top) Bachelor's Degree Most of the spaces available in entering professional classes seem to be reserved for qualified candidates who will have their baccalaureate degree. Professional schools are looking for mature, well-rounded, and liberally-educated applicants. Some professional schools are slightly more willing to accept applicants earlier than medical schools. Typically, only students with exceptional credentials and backgrounds are accepted earlier than their senior year. If you are planning to apply to a professional school, you should plan on working toward a baccalaureate degree. Graduate School Applicants having a master's or doctoral degree should realize that all of an applicant's credentials are considered. If the advanced degree is in an area related to the profession and is recent, it would be interpreted as an asset. However, the mere acquisition of hours or degrees does not automatically assure special consideration. While doing well in a graduate program can help offset relatively low undergraduate performance, past performance will still be considered. You should not pursue a graduate degree in a field you are not interested in studying. Graduate school should be used not only as proof of academic ability for health profession programs, but as preparation for an alternative career. --back to table of contents-- Personal Experiences and Extracurricular Activities (back to top) Health Related Experience Professional schools are looking for highly-motivated, committed, enthusiastic, thorough and well informed applicants. They strongly prefer people who have looked into the details of the profession and know the shortcomings, demands, and rewards of the profession through direct experience. Such people will be more realistically motivated to go through the preprofessional program, and are more likely to be accepted, all other things being equal. Find out for yourself what the doctor-patient relationship, working conditions, life-style, and nitty gritty of health care is like. In other words, get some hands-on experience. There are several student organizations that can assist you in obtaining this kind of experience. Membership in these organizations can assist in developing a thorough understanding of the health-care professions. However, membership is not required . Pre-health students are also encouraged to seek experience on their own. Ask yourself who you would want for your personal physician. Most likely the answer is: a thorough and thoughtful person who carefully looked into every aspect of the profession before applying. Involvement in any activity which develops and demonstrates your interest, motivation, and experience in your chosen professional field will generally be helpful. Health-related jobs or volunteer experiences may be found in hospitals, clinics, dentist's or physician's offices, nursing homes, hospices, day care centers, Alachua County Crisis Center, the SPARC shelter, or the Arts in Medicine program at Shands Teaching Hospital. They provide experience beyond the superficial aspects of the profession. Pre-vet students should gain experience working with both large and small animals. Pre-physician assistant students should look into working in a healthcare facility in an official capacity (certified nursing assistant, emergency medical technician, etc). These experiences, however, will not compensate for a weak GPA or poor admission test scores. We do not recommend these activities just to fill up your application form. It is important that you participate in these activities because you are interested in them. If you find you do not enjoy this type of work, you should take this as a serious indication that this may not be the right career for you. Research Experience Professional schools are looking for intellectually enlightened individuals who value learning and are willing to apply what they have learned in the classroom to "real world" applications. Many of the new medications and treatment plans developed were the result of research. Students should gain an appreciation for its value and learn what is involved: from developing the hypothesis, experimental design, data analysis to clinical trials. Although professional schools do not require you to perform research, they do expect you to have at least attempted research before deciding it is not for you. Research is an excellent way for you to know faculty members and is the only way to learn first hand how labor-intensive it is. Participating in research sharpens one's critical thinking and problem solving skills and promote innovative and creative thinkng as well. Research can also teach students how to be focused, detail oriented and work as a member of a team. Keep in mind, that research experiences, however, will not compensate for a weak GPA or poor admission test scores. We do not recommend that you participate in research to impress the admissions committee. Rather it is important that you actively pursue research if you truly enjoy it. Admissions committees will not be impressed with mere research activities. However they will be impressed by how you share what you learn from your experiences. Community Service / Volunteer Work All health professions are service professions. Thus, it should not be surprising that professional schools expect applicants to have found ways to be of service to others. There are many opportunities available on campus, in Gainesville and in your hometown to put yourself in the role of a helper. This may include tutoring disadvantaged youth, volunteering at nursing homes, day care centers, camps for the physically challenged, or in programs for the homeless or hungry. You should be genuinely motivated to be involved in a service effort and you should be able to articulate what the opportunity meant to you. However, keep in mind that any extracurricular activities in which you engage must be balanced with your academic demands. Do not overextend yourself, particularly in your freshman year. Give yourself time to adjust to the demands of college. Preprofessional Student Organizations (back to top) We are fortunate to have active preprofessional student organizations on campus that can assist you in gaining considerable insight into the health professions: P.S.O . -- Preprofessional Service Organization Pre-Dental ASDA . -- Pre-Dental American Student Dental Association M.A.P.S -- Minority Association for Prehealth Students A.E.D .ÑAlpha Epsilon Delta Pre-med AMSA -- American Medical Student Association Pre-Veterinary Medicine Club H.E.A.L -- Health Educated Asian Leaders P.O.P.S. -- Pre-Optometry Pupils Academy of Student Pharmacists Many others Applications to A.E.D., P.S.O., Premed A.M.S.A., M.A.P.S. and other student organizations are available in Room 327 of the Reitz Union. These organizations' activities complement one another: P.S.O. -- provides practical health-care experience in a clinical setting. A.E.D. -- provides academic orientation, research, forums, workshops, etc. about the present concerns and future trends in health care. M.A.P.S -- provides for special activities, support, and orientation for minority pre-professional students to help them adjust to the University and succeed in the preprofessional program. Predental A.S.D.A. -- provides practical health-care experience in a variety of dental practice settings and a mentor-mentee program to inspire pre-dental students. Premed A.M.S.A. -- provides practical health-care experience and a variety of other special activities, i.e. the Health Careers Convention for high school students Outside Employment (back to top) Many times students cannot avoid having to work while attending college. You should know, however, that you need to demonstrate that you can do well in at least two semesters of solid 15 to 17 hours of credit, including 2 or 3 hard sciences. Otherwise the admission committees will not be sure that you can handle the 23 to 36 hours of science courses in the first year of professional school. If you must work to support your college education, it might be better to work full-time for a term or two, save some money, and then go to school full-time on your savings or loans. Naturally, you should point out your self-supporting activities on your application. If an applicant is working part/full time while attending college, this may be taken into account by admission committees when it is brought to their attention. The amount of employment could account for a slightly lower GPA and/or lack of extracurricular activities; however it is unlikely to compensate for a weak GPA. In addition, work experience can offer evidence of your personal qualities - your ability to work cooperatively with others, handle responsibility, etc. It is important that you exercise good judgement if you decide to work and go to school. For example, if you must work between 25-30 hours a week to pay rent, tuition, food, etc., then it may not be a good idea to to carry 15-17 hours that term. Rather, a better decision would be to still carry 12 hours and maintaining a schedule of two sciences each term. Remember that you should not include in your schedule "lighter" courses that have a reputation to be GPA inflators. You want to take this opportunity to demonstrate your resourceness, ability to prioritize and your intellectual ability. --back to table of contents-- Timeline for Pre-Health Professional Students (back to top) The following program of courses and recommended activities is one typically followed by pre-health professions students. You should plan a program that meets your individual needs and goals. The pre-health professions advisor is available to meet with students to review tentative plans. The timeline below is designed to give you an idea of how preprofessional and degree requirements may be met. You should discuss your schedule with an advisor from your major department to ensure progression toward graduation. Many students reach a decision to prepare for a career in the post-baccalaureate health professions after attending one or more years of college. Such students will usually have to complete requirements at a more accelerated rate if they wish to graduate on schedule. It is usually not advisable to accelerate through this pre-health curriculum in attempts to enter early. Rather, having extra time to increase your GPA, obtain health care experience and develop maturity and leadership is the preferred route. If you choose to accelerate through your pre-health studies, you shoud discuss this plan with the pre-health professions advisor and with the major advisor. YEAR 1 ACADEMIC RECOMMENDATIONS: In the first year, general chemistry and mathematics should be taken. At UF, you must take a placement exam to determine which chemistry and math courses in which you may enroll. Taking the courses you place into is important because it prevents you from getting in over your head and helps you complete the preprofessional requirements at a pace that will allow you to do your best. General chemistry (CHM2045 & CHM2045L) or Introduction to Chemistry (CHM1025) is acceptable. Precalculus (MAC1147) and/or Calculus (MAC 2311) should be completed this year. Students with weak backgrounds in mathematics should consider taking Precalculus Algebra (MAC 1140) and Trigonometry (MAC 1114) before attempting chemistry or calculus. General Education requirements should be started, but do not need to be completed until graduation (depending upon your intended major). In general, most students will take chemistry, mathematics, a writing course, and a Gen Ed course during each term of their first year. You should aim for strong academic performance: B, B + and A grades. If you do not achieve this, consult with an advisor about ways you can improve your performance. First year students should begin considering and exploring possible majors. Use your general education courses to experiment with different subjects. In addition, you should begin developing relationships with faculty who you may later be asking for letters of recommendation. The easiest way to do so is to participate in class and visit the instructor's office hours to ask questions about the course material. **Introduction to Chemistry (CHM1025) is not apart of and does not fulfill the General Chemistry (CHM2045/L & CHM2046/L) requirement. This course is meant for those with weaker but satisfactory backgrounds in high school chemistry and algebra. First Semester (usually Fall) Chemistry (CHM 1025 or CHM 2045/L) Math (MAC 1147 or MAC 2311 or MAC 3512) Gordon Rule writing course General Education/Major Courses Second Semester (usually Spring) Chemistry (CHM 2045/2045L or CHM 2046/L) Math (MAC 2311 or MAC 2312) Gordon Rule writing course General Education/Major Courses OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Attend a Introduction to Pre-Health Workshop given by the pre-health professions advisor during the Fall semester. In order to have the ability to see a pre-health advisor by appointment, you must attend this workshop. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS: If you achieve good grades in your first semester and feel you can handle activities on top of your course work and maintain strong academic performance, consider participating in some sort of health experience, joining pre-health organizations, or getting involved in other organizations during your second semester. Don't overload yourself, but gradually take on additional activities that you can handle. YEAR 2 ACADEMIC RECOMMENDATIONS - If you have not finished general chemistry, it should be completed in this year and the Organic Chemistry sequence begun. Organic Chemistry CHM 2200 is not** acceptable. Qualified students are advised to consider taking the honors organic chemistry sequence, CHM 3217 and CHM 3218. You should take another science sequence along with Chemistry. Either Biology or Physics may be selected, depending on your intended major. Additionally, calculus may be taken if not yet completed. Second-year students should continue to develop relationships with faculty. Sophomores should finalize major selection and take required universal tracking courses. Second year preprofessional students who have a 3.5 grade point average or higher and who have completed the core requirements (completion of Physics is optional at this point), may want to apply for admission to the Junior Honors Medical Program. Interested students should consult the section in this handbook called " Early Admission to Professional Schools ". Third Semester Chemistry or Organic Chemistry (CHM 2210 or CHM 3217) Biology or Physics General Education/Major Courses Fourth Semester Chemistry or Organic Chemistry (CHM 2211 & CHM 2211L or CHM 3218 & CHM 2211L) Biology or Physics General Education/Major Courses OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS: By your sophomore year you should definitely be participating in some sort of health experience, as well as in other service activities of interest to you. You should meet with the health professions advisor to review your progress, discuss plans, and, when appropriate, consider alternative careers. Attend a Pre-Health Workshop for Second Year Students. This workshop is designed for those students who have already attended an Introduction to Pre-Health Workshop as a freshman. Second year students who did not attend that Introductory workshop will be required to do so in order to schedule appointments with a pre-health advisor. THIRD & FOURTH YEARS ACADEMIC RECOMMENDATIONS: During your third year you should complete the preprofessional core requirements (General and Organic Chemistry, Biology, English and Physics) in order to take admission tests in the spring . Years three and four are also devoted to completion of a departmental major, elective courses, and other degree requirements. In fall of your third year, you should review your degree audit with an advisor in your major department to plan the completion of your degree requirements. Choice of Electives: Professional schools do not appear to have any significant bias towards elective courses chosen by students as long as they are solid, academic courses. These schools, in fact, look with favor upon students who have shown broad interests and educational development during their college career. For the student with a science major, electives should be chosen from a variety of subjects, including English, speech and communications, philosophy, psychology, religion, history, etc. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS: In addition to the activities you are already participating in, you should do the following to prepare for application to professional school: Fall of Third Year (2 years before beginning your professional program) Research the schools of your chosen profession so that you may begin to decide to which schools you wish to apply . Make sure you know each school's requirements. Begin preparation of personal statement for application Attend an personal statement workshop Decide how you intend to prepare for the admission test: studying on your own versus taking a test prep course Spring of Third Year: Research the schools of your intended profession and contact them to request information Open a file in OHLPA to compile letters of evaluation (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, podiatry, optometry, veterinary medicine) Request letters of evaluation from faculty and/or character references early enough to give professors time to write them before the end of the semester (many faculty leave for the summer). Request a copy of transcripts from all institutions you have attended and verify their accuracy by February Continue to work on the personal statement for application Obtain admission test registration packet or register to take the appropriate exams (DAT, OAT, PCAT, GRE) Obtain the preliminary application for the professional school through the WWW (see other links ) - AMCAS (allopathic medical school), AACOMAS (osteopathic medical school), AADSAS (dental school), VMCAS (veterinary medical school), AACPMAS (podiatry), PharmCAS (pharmacy), CASPA (physician assistant) (Note: If you are applying to a school that does not participate in a centralized application service, contact the school directly for an application.) Register for standardized test before deadline. Attend an application workshop . Make sure your letters of recommendation have ben received by OHLPA. Summer (the year before starting your professional program): Submit preliminary application Complete secondary applications and return to schools - as they come in Have recommendations sent - as they are requested with secondary applications If needed, register for fall standardized test Fall of Fourth year (1 year before beginning your professional program) Prepare for interviews . Sign up for the interview workshop (in September) at the Academic Advising Center. Have a mock interview at the Career Resource Center or with a pre-health professions advisor. Take fall admission test, if necessary Continue to maintain contact with each school to be sure that your application is complete Advise the OHLPA of acceptance into Professional school --back to table of contents-- Early Admission to Professional Schools (back to top) Less than 10% of the students entering medical school are admitted without a bachelor's or graduate degree. Dental, optometry, chiropractic, and podiatry schools are somewhat more inclined to accept candidates early (after only 2 or 3 years of college), though they are steadily accepting more and more students with more undergraduate education. If you plan to enter one of the post-baccalaureate health professions, you should plan on receiving your bachelor's degree. Many pharmacy colleges will accept students who have completed pre-pharamacy requirements within two to three years of undergraduate education. Though there is an increasing number of students who choose to have a bachelor's degree before entering pharmacy school. Some schools do have accelerated programs. The University of Florida Junior Honors Medical Program selects 12 highly qualified premedical students each year for a special program that integrates the last two years of undergraduate education with preclinical basic medical science education (first year of medical school). If you qualify, you should apply during the spring semester (February) of your second year. Selection takes place in the spring (after grades in May). During the third year, the selected students finish their prerequisites and undergraduate degree requirements and take three seminars with the College of Medicine faculty. In the fourth year, they enter their first year of medical school. At the end of this year, these students receive their bachelor's degrees from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Interdisciplinary Studies, and have three years of medical school left. Admission to the Junior Honors Medical Program is extremely competitive and requires early completion of most prerequisites. These are biology, general chemistry, calculus one and two, and organic two at application time. Physics can be completed during the second OR third year. For further information contact the College of Medicine at (352) 392-4569 or view the Junior Honors Medical Program website . The University of Florida also offers a an Early Admissions to Dentistry Program, Honor's Combined B.S.-D.M.D. program. This is a cooperative program between the University of Florida's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the College of Dentistry. Any student who is admitted to the University of Florida as a freshman is eligiible to apply. Interested students should choose from two majors within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Microbiology and Cell Science or Food Science and Human Nutrition. Interested students would submit his/her application after completing the first two semesters at UF. The program is somewhat similar to the the Junior Honos Medical Program. Students will complete the bachelor's degree within three years and begin their dental education in the fourth year. For further information contact the College of Dentistry at (352) 392-4866 or view the Honor's Combined B.S.-D.M.D. Program website . It is important that interested students keep in mind that they must apply to this program by June 1st after completing their freshman year. Information materials can be obtain by visiting the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences office in McCarty C or the OHLPA office. > --back to table of contents-- --on to Section 3-- --top--


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