Academic Advising Center

Professional schools determine their own admission criteria. This varies school by school. Because of this, there is no universal consensus regarding whether S/U grades will be accepted in place of letter grades and policies vary from school to school.

In order to leave open as many options as possible, and because you have the option of taking the courses for grades, we encourage maintaining the grade option for your sciences, especially prerequisite courses.

Please research schools you are interested in applying to for their admission criteria before making a final decision.

If you are in the current application cycle and received an offer of admission or are on a wait list, please contact the Admission offices of those schools for their input before taking the S/U option.

Professional schools look for academic patterns. Future applications will be reviewed by each school within context of COVID impacts and based on the schools’ admission criteria.

Please use the resource links below to get updates from your respective profession.

Keep in mind this is a national issue. Healthcare professionals have the frontline on this. Many healthcare professional schools are also using online learning within their curricula.

Professionals schools have better comprehension and understanding of the impact of C-19 is having on all. They will consider this impact with great understanding when reviewing applicants for admission in future cycles. Taking online courses during this time will not negatively impact admission.

When courses resume to an class format, please take your pre-requisite courses in class.

We continue to recommend that you demonstrate rigorous academic course loads of 2 sciences and 15-18 credits per semester. Prepare to serve the widely diverse populations you will serve as a professional by balancing science courses with social sciences, humanities and other non-science courses.

First and foremost, stay safe, be well and keep your distance. Be very considerate of the welfare of others. Keep your distance. Be the one to stop the spread of C-19; don’t contribute to it.

Again, professional schools have the greatest understanding of the impacts of the Coronavirus and support impeding its spread. Demonstrate your compassion and understanding by socially distancing yourself.

Having a gap in doing service during this time will not be held against applicants.

However, if you can find ways to serve others, which supports social distancing, keep on going. Be really creative but keep your distance. Did I say, “Keep your distance?”

• Are you musical? Do you dance? Talented in other forms of entertainment – record a performance and see if an extended care facility would stream it to residents or allow you to sing/dance to them outside through the windows.
• Get in touch with an office for the aging, your church or other community agencies that serve community members and see if you can organize and/or help to do ‘care calling.’
• Work with food banks to organize a canned food drop box for donations.
• Make cards for those who are homebound, in the hospital or extended care facility.
• See a need, create a solution, but keep your distance.
• See if the local K-12 schools needs online reading and math tutors.
• Check out the virtual volunteering info at https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/9-places-to-volunteer-online-and-make-a-real-impact.

Others:

• Digital Smithsonian Museum Volunteers
• Online Tutoring with disadvantaged students
• Human rights volunteers
• People powered research program
• Crisis Text Line: (requires 30 hours of training)

With the pandemic, exam testing dates will be cancelled. Not to panic. The option is being given to test for a future date. Please refer to the specific exam websites, listed under ‘Resources’ for updates.

Keep in mind

• In medicine, you will be required to perform under stress and in unexpected circumstances, just as you are now.
• Your performance this semester will demonstrate resiliency and adaptability, which are part of the core competencies that professional schools look for in future professionals. https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/core-competencies/.
• We know you’ve got this. We are here to support you. If you are home and feeling stressed, contact your physician and mental health resources. If you are in Gainesville, reach out to the Student Health Center and the Counseling and Wellness Center.

Several professions are holding virtual webinars, consider registering for these. Refer to your professional websites (ADEA, AACOM, AMCAS, AAVMC, etc.) for further information.

Help make masks for medical professionals and the community
Medical professionals and hospital are running of N95 Respirators and surgical masks. The general public, patients, and medical professionals can benefit from homemade cloth masks. The CDC has approved of cloth facial masks for public uses and hospitals/medical centers are accepting donated cloth masks.

For students at home, this an excellent way to help the community. Below are some links to get started on sewing simple cloth masks:

• CDC
• Joann Fabrics (they have also been offering free kits)
• The Turban Project

My family and I have already made and donated over 150 masks to local medical centers, nursing homes, and neighbors. We have a goal to reach a 1000 masks. You can check out our Instagram to see some examples.

You’re free to contact me at alisha.patel@ufl.edu if you need any help with starting, finding materials, or donating.

Involvement and Making an Impact during COVID-19 (DOCX, 25KB)