Health-Related ProfessionsFAQ

November 9, 2010 Dr. Bruce Hathaway and Dr. Andreé Elliott Health Professions Advisors

Topics

Personal and professional development guidanceUndergraduate Research on-campusGlobal Health Missions ConferenceLEGS/ACL/Dissection TeamsPT/OT and PAVeterinary SchoolPre-JAMP and JAMPOffshore Medical schoolsUpcoming practice testsGraduate School Seminar

Personality and Personal Development

Speaking is important as is listeningTake every opportunity to talk and listen with people that are strangersYou must be able listen and perceiveMake decisions rapidlyBe a team playerBe involved in leadership of an organization

Grades are important!

Aim for A’s in All AcademicsCum GPA of 3.6 or above preferably 3.8 or greaterA low GPA will keep you out of a professional school even with an above average standardized test scoreNo C’s; yet one is not the end of the world You will report every course and grade you have ever taken at every college. Course repeats show motivation but do not help eliminate C, D, or F gradesMultiple withdrawals are a red flag to evaluators.

Preparing for entrance Exams

To prepare it is best to keep and study your textbooks and notes from your key science courses Memorize the formulas in Physics and General ChemistryEnroll and complete a preparation course because these are targeted reviews and give you extensive simulated testing conditions including the length of testingTake the test when you are best prepared, preferably near the beginning of the application cycle

Application

Applications will want grades, contact information, email, picture, money, personal statement, names of referees/evaluatorsMedical School - May 1 after junior year for Texas and May 1st thereafterJune 1 using AAMCAS for schools in other states.Please consult your advisor about applying. You may or may not be ready to apply.Texas residency means one complete year working full time in the state while NOT a full time student. You cannot claim this until after it is fulfilled. The TMDSAS website has details.

Letters of Evaluation

These are requested from your faculty members and we then communicate about your cognitive abilities, character, motivation, and people skills. Work and volunteer experience, and special circumstances. This must include a signed release form allowing a confidential evaluation letter. You will not have access to this letter, ever. It is to your advantage to have a confidential letter.Provide a resume to the person writing each letter. Please include volunteer and work experiences, honors, awards, and copies transcripts for ALL of your college courses from all the institutions you have ever attended.

Clinical Issues/Observation

You should enroll in Issues in the spring semester and observation the following fall semester, then choose when you will complete the 2nd semester of observation. Observation is important because you need to make sure you know the profession before you commit such time and intensity to get into professional school.Some professions require more clinical experience/exposure; 100’s of hours.

Résumé/Portfolio

Keep a record of experience. (Dates, supervisor, responsibilities.)

work volunteer extracurricular academic/service

Awards, Honors.Examples of writing and other projects, such as research. Use your ePortfolioReferences – people who know you well enough to write professionally about your character, work experience, and/or academic performance and abilities.

Altruism

Defined: giving because you just want to help others for no compensation or reciprocation. This may be helping someone learn to read or tutoring without pay. Go on a mission trip that you pay for yourself.It should be a consistent pattern of behavior that truly indicates this is at the core of your personhood.

What should I do with my summers?

Clinical work experienceSemester abroad Biomedical ResearchMedical Mission tripTake some courses to relieve your course load

Foreign Language

Speaking the language of the patient often increases the ministry opportunities and the accuracy of treatment by the clinician.UT Southwestern Physician Assistant program requires clinical Spanish throughout the program.Mission trips or language immersion are very beneficial.

Nursing at LETU/UTTylerTwo degrees in 4 years plus 4 summers: Bachelor of Arts, Health Sciences major (LETU) and Bachelor of Science Nursing (UT Tyler)Guaranteed admission into the clinical nursing courses as long as prerequisites are met.Prerequisites include a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75, grades of “B” or higher in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Grades of “C” or higher in General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Lab I, and 72 percentile on the Test of Essential Academic Skills Traditional face-to-face courses plus online coursesClinical instruction provided by UT Tyler College of Nursing and Health SciencesOpportunity to gain clinical experience via international experiences along with the required typical clinical experiences via local clinics and hospitalsSpanish Language and Medical Terminology are part of the required curriculumStudent may remain residential on the LETU campus All courses will be taught in Longview (except international experiences)

Additional Items of Interest

Undergraduate Research on-campusGlobal Health Missions ConferenceLEGS/ACL/Dissection TeamsPhysical Therapy/Occupational TherapyPhysician AssistantVeterinary School

Pre-JAMP and JAMPMCAT,DAT, GRA Kaplan Practice Test – Saturday Nov 14, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Berry AuditoriumGraduate School Seminar Nov 19, 6 p.m. Berry Auditorium

Questions?