Pre-Health Handbook

Section 4: The Selection Process

Each professional school has an admissions committee appointed by the chief administrator. Committee procedures vary from school to school. Generally speaking, an initial screening of applications usually removes those obviously unqualified or not competitive for admission. A discussion based on academic record, GPA, admission test scores, extracurricular activities, personal statements, and letters of recommendation of each applicant dictates who will get invitations to be interviewed. After the interview an applicant's file is reviewed in depth by the committee with each case being presented by the interviewers. Applicants with the strongest credentials and interviews are accepted.

Selection Criteria

Admission committees look for evidence that the applicant can benefit from the professional education, can survive the rigorous schedule and study demands, and understands the demands placed upon members of the health professions. This means that they examine the academic record achieved in college, the kinds of courses taken, academic honors, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation from faculty and others who have known the applicant well, and all information that may give some indication of the person's maturity, motivation, integrity, social awareness, and adaptability to professional practice.

Commitment

Consistency and duration of motivation toward a professional career is an important factor. Shifting career goals may indicate to the admission committees a lack of commitment. However, someone who carefully assesses his/her interests and abilities can be competitive. Professional programs will see your participation in related activities as a sign of your commitment to the profession.

Beginning a graduate program may not be a good idea because professional schools are reluctant to interrupt graduate degree programs. A graduate student should plan on receiving the advanced degree before entering professional school. If you are considering entering a graduate program before applying to a health profession program, you should meet with the a pre-health professions advisor.

Residency

Your place of birth (city or state) and state of residency does influence the admission decision. State-supported schools generally give preference to, or only accept, legal residents of that state. Private schools select primarily on the basis of qualifications of applicants, though some private schools do prefer state residents. Because each school has its own admission criteria, it is possible that an applicant might be more acceptable to one school than another. Selection is competitive in all schools, but some receive larger numbers of applications, and some have a higher percentage of extremely well-qualified applicants from which to draw. Moreover, competition for admission to any particular school may vary from year to year.

Foreign students with permanent resident status are generally given similar treatment when applying to medical school as any resident (provided that they have applied for and received resident status in this state). Many schools do not accept foreign students who are not permanent resident aliens. Check directly with the schools to which you intend to apply.  International students may need to verify that they can pay for the entire medical education before being accepted.

Research

Research cannot hurt your chances of admission to professional schools if it is meaningful research and you understand what you are doing. Research is useful for applicants if it is performed during the junior year because it allows your faculty supervisor to get a good idea of your overall knowledge, resourcefulness, reliability, motivation, etc., and thus write an effective letter of recommendation for you. However, most students will find it difficult to set aside the time or acquire sufficient background for research before their senior year. If you find you are not interested in research, do not do it just to enhance your application. Focus your time and effort on other activities which interest you.  Having research experience certainly does not outweigh the need for demonstrated dental, veterinary, or medical experience, and cannot compensate for low test scores or a mediocre GPA. If you participate in research, you should still maintatin good academic performance and continue to gain health care experience.

Age

Mature, stable, well-rounded applicants have the best chance of admission, and there are no stated age limits. Some schools, however, are going to be more likely to accept non-traditional students than others. It should be noted that the numbers of applicants under 19 years of age or older than 28 are quite small compared to the total number, so the statistics for these groups are not very helpful. Older applicants usually have a broader range of experiences from which to draw, making them appealing to admissions committees. However, applicants who have had another career and are now switching will need to show even more commitment to the new career chosen.

Marital Status

Marital status does not seem to be a significant factor, although applicants are usually asked to explain any marital problems which are obvious from their application. Some schools interview both partners to see if they have given thought to marital and financial problems which can arise during professional training.

Preference for Specialty or Place of Practice

In genereal, the applicant's preference for a specialty or place of practice does not influence the admission decision. In most cases it is the applicant's current credentials, not statements about future plans, that are of primary importance in admission decisions. Many students find that their experience in professional school greatly affects their specialty decision. However, the place of birth, and residence during childhood and adolescence, may be considered by some admission committees which are seeking to admit more candidates with rural or inner city backgrounds since such people are more likely to return to similar underserved areas to practice. It is not true that medical schools in general are only looking for students interested in primary care, though some schools may have more of a focus on it than others. Some schools may have special programs which focus on students who will practice in certain areas. You should check with each school about such programs.

Who You Know

The fact that a parent or close relative is a dentist or physician does not influence admission beyond indicating that the applicant may have a more realistic idea of what is involved in the practice of the profession. However, being the son or daughter of a health-care professional does not constitute health care experience! Applicants who are offspring of alumni of out-of-state schools are sometimes allowed a closer examination of their credentials to those schools. Such applicants must still present competitive records to have any chance of admission.

Applicants Applying for a Second Time

If you are placed on the alternate list one year, you are not necessarily given any special consideration the next time you apply. Some schools may have policies to interview applicants who were on the alternate list the previous year. However, at most schools, you will be placed in the applicant pool again, competing with all the rest.

Similarly, a previous rejection does not necessarily influence the consideration of a reapplication. More important is the reason for the original rejection. At some schools all material in the previous application is retained for the reapplication, which can be an advantage or a disadvantage. It is usually not a factor if there has been no interview. Clearly, it is pointless to reapply if the reasons for the original rejection still exist or a significant improvement in credentials has not occurred. This is particularly true if the rejection was due to non-academic reasons such as lack of motivation, poor ability to communicate. etc.

Interviews

The interview process is a very important part of the selection process. Generally, the interviewers study the applicant's file more closely than any other members of the committee and present their impressions of the applicant's case to the entire committee. The interviewer's assessment of the applicant can greatly influence the final ranking of the applicant by the admissions committee. Interviews usually take place in the Fall and Spring. Students currently applying are strongly encouraged to attend the Interview Workshop , offered early in the Fall semester. Also, you might want to schedule a mock interview at the Career Resource Center, or with a pre-health professions advisor.  Pre-Med AMSA usually provides mock interviews during each fall semester.  The Pre-Veterinary Medicine organization also provides mock interviews for students, in addition to mock interviews provided by OHLPA.

Visiting a school can be helpful to the applicant as well as to the admissions committee. You can learn a great deal about a school by visiting it, meeting some of its students and faculty, and having the opportunity to talk with the persons involved in reviewing your application. You can demonstrate your initiative and interest in the school by such a visit, as well as learn information which will be valuable to you during the interview if you obtain one. Most schools extend invitations for interviews to those applicants they feel have the best chances of admission. In most cases, acceptances will be offered only after the interview.

Interview Format

The interview format may vary from school to school, but it generally consists of one to three interviews, conducted on a one-on-one basis or by a committee, which last from thirty minutes to an hour. The discussions are normally friendly and open, revolving around general questions concerning your academic career, your motive for choosing a career in the health profession, and the basis for that decision. There is no formal list of questions, but some topics commonly discussed will probe your knowledge of social, ethical, and political issues affecting the current and future practice of the profession. If there is any particular weakness in your application, you can expect to be asked about it. Near the end of the interview, you will have an opportunity to ask questions about the program, so be prepared with at least a couple of questions.  For more information about particular schools' interview processes, please visit www.studentdoctor.net

Preparing for the Interview

Please download and print our Application Procedures & Suggestions

Alternatives for the Unsuccessful Applicant

The alternatives open to the student who is denied admission to professional school depend upon the reasons for denial. Unsuccessful applicants can often get input on improving subsequent applications by speaking to representatives of the schools applied to. All students who are denied admission to professional school should carefully reconsider their decision to pursue the profession and develop several acceptable career alternatives. Evaluating other health professions should be part of this process, as there may be other professions that would be equally satisfying to you for which you may have a better chance of admission. Information on many health professions can be found in the OHLPA Library and in the Career Resource Center .

If the feedback you receive indicates that the reasons for denial may be remedied, consider redressing any deficiencies while preparing for an alternate career. Even if the feedback you receive is encouraging, be realistic and consider that you may never be admitted to that profession. If the feedback you receive is not encouraging, it is probably time to pursue one of the other career alternatives.

Some remediable reasons for denial of admission include:

1. some combination of slight deficiencies in quality and quantity of academic work done in the required preprofessional courses, and
2. questions of motivation and a realistic understanding of a career in the health profession.

Reason (a) may be redressed, if the deficiencies are not too great, by continuing in school, delaying graduation or by participating in a post-baccalaureate program and taking additional courses in biological and physical sciences, as well as courses in behavioral sciences, social sciences, and communications. This additional schooling is generally used to improve your GPA and the test scores, as well as demonstrate motivation and ability. Some students use traditional graduate school as a route to professional school, although this takes longer and is generally less recommended. There are many one-year graduate level programs that are specifically designed to enhance one's academic credentials. These programs usually do not entail research or a thesis defense compared to the traditional graduate programs. Remember, you should also use this opportunity to prepare yourself for a second career choice. Postbaccalaureate admission at the University of Florida is not available nor is a second bachelor's degree an option at the University of Florida. Students who have not completed all pre-health required courses should seek out other institutions. Please visit http://services.aamc.org/postbac/index.cfm to locate schools that offer postbaccalaureate programs. 

Reason (b) can sometimes be overcome by securing a patient-oriented job or volunteer opportunity within the health profession.  Obtaining an excellent letter from recent healthcare employment or volunteer experiences will help increase the chances of acceptance when reapplying if the letter expresses the following: your committment to serving others, capacity to have empathy, strong committment to the profession, and good interpersonal skills.

Other alternatives which are sometimes considered are: getting a job in the area of your major, getting a high-paying job in a non-health-related field to help defray the cost of a professional education, and occupying the time before reapplying with other interesting endeavors (such as travel). Whatever you do, you should continue getting experiencee in your chosen health profession to demonstrate continued commitment . You should also strongly consider and plan for alternative careers.

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