Lafayette College Health Professions Advising Program Professor Nancy Waters Faculty Health Professions Advisor Dr. Julia Goldberg Associate Dean Health Professions Ms Simona Glaus HP Administrative Assistant October 30, 2014 Medical, Dental, Podiatry, Optometry and Veterinary Aspirants Application Meeting

HPAC and our goal today: Remind you of the timetable ahead and elements needed Flag changes and updates in application processes Review your portfolio to give guidance and feedback Provide tools to self-assess your decisions going forward

…coming attractions: CS January Externships Deadline: TODAY!! ACS talk by Berstler, Identifying CVS receptor agonists, November 3 rd Noon, Hugel 205 AFHP/MAPS session: USF/ LVH Select Program Interns, November 4 th 8pm, location TBD How to Select a School? November 20 th Noon CWP/HP on Personal Essays, January 28 th 2015 MAPS “Day in the life…” sessions, Spring 2015 Practice Interviewing:

Are you a physician of the future? Who best fulfills the mission of the school? Who best serves our healthcare needs? Qualifications are: scholarship accomplishments intellectual curiosity emotional maturity character interest in medicine sensitivity to others communication skills selflessness of care commitment to service critical thinking skills problem-solving skills

AMCAS: In August 2013: -48,014 applicants (up from 32,650) for 20,055 seats -typically ~14 school applications -mean age=24 -GPA=3.54/3.69; MCAT=28/31 -Major LS=54.3/53.5% SS=11/11% Hum=4.2/4.8% PhS=10.3/11.5% The landscape now?

AACOMAS: In August 2014: -17,944 applicants (up from 9900) for 6192 seats -typically ~9 school applications -mean age=24 -GPA=3.43/3.5, MCAT=26/27 -Major LS=68/69% SS=11/9% Hum=7/7% PhS=7/7% The landscape now?

GPA Decoded ! A: You are doing great so keep it up A- You are doing well, but work harder B+ You can do better B Your performance is average, and health professions schools have high standards B- This is for honey… …know what schools require… …know what Lafayette requires… …know what YOU require of YOURSELF

MCAT2015 Changes (for good or ill): Required for 2018 application cycle Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior Info at: mcat/mcat2015 Official sample test at:

…Other Admissions Tests? MCAT (old): 32 with GPA 3.6+ DAT: with 3.6 GPA OAT: with 3.5 GPA GRE for vet schools: ~160 each for verbal and quantitative; GPA GRE for PA schools: ~ each for V & Q; GPA ….but quality & consistency matter too!

Preparation – Your Academic Coursework  Graduate with a major/minor that suits you. Perform well in foundational science courses.  By now you should have completed: 2 Introductory Biology with laboratory 2 General Chemistry with laboratory 2 Organic Chemistry with laboratory 2 Physics with laboratory 2+ Mathematics: calculus & statistics plus…? 3+ Writing-Intensive Courses Biochemistry Competency in Psychology and Sociology  More specific requirements? (e.g. nutrition or microbiology or immunology). Check out YOUR preferred schools! Plan ahead!!

 Other relevant courses include: A&S 222 Medical Anthropology Biol 213 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Biol 251 Human Physiology Biol 274 Bioinformatics** (also modeling etc) Biol 340 Molecular Medicine CM 151 Introduction to Computational Science NSc 201 Introduction to Neuroscience Phys 220 Medical and Biological Physics Psych 240 Health Psychology Rel 223 Religion and Medicine Plan early meet prerequisites, check MSAR, ADEA for guidance,  Choose wisely! Degrees of Freedom are declining!

And you already know about…… Advanced Placement. Summer School Pass/Fail Study Abroad Research Electives Be true to who you are to be broadly well-educated

What strengthens your portfolio? Internships/Externships ACTIVE! Clinical! Demonstrably devoted! Clubs, Sports, Activities ENHANCE, not impede! Evidence of time management, collaboration, hierarchical work, communication, some leadership Read healthcare, health news, the ACA, health challenges beyond televised/internet media Take yourself OUT of your comfort zone! INTEGRITY! Cultivate honest intellectual principles

To Apply in This Round Submitting in Spring of your JUNIOR year only completed experiences can be included in primaries level of experiences may limit your competitiveness concurrent testing preparation and immersion in coursework …you will matriculate in the fall following baccalaureate graduation Submitting in SPRING of your SENIOR year optimizes range of experiences deepens evidence of maturity and insight enhances technical proficiency expands dossier of research and clinical experiences …delays matriculating so more time before you practice medicine How to choose the timeline that works for YOU?? >REALISTIC self- and external assessment! >small group curricular advising NOW >Greensheet solo advising January/February …and you can re-activate if you decide to defer! Check out the website!

Application Timeline for: -core coursework completed successfully -multiple competitive experiences in HP settings -recruit 3-5 recommenders in November 2014 to write for you -sit for solo “greensheet” advising January/February submit completed Dean’s Clearance Form 1 February submit completed Personal Information Form 1 March submit completed Curriculum Vitae 1 March arrange for all waivers/letters/disclosures by 1 March interview on-campus with HPAC in April/May submit List of HP Schools and waivers by 1 May sit for MCAT by 1 May 2014 to have scores by 1 June open application services begin ~4 June ndary requests extended starting July 2015 (2-7 day return) -interview invitations August 2015 continuing to April if successful attend school beginning August 2016 …and if NOT?!?!?!!?

M ULTIPLE SPECIFIC BACKUP PLANS ! Assess your portfolio REALISTICALLY Enhance targeted clinical activities Find innovative and compelling ways to broaden your experiences… …raise your competitiveness among ever-escalating pool of applicants! …STAY CONNECTED with deadlines and information so HPAC can work with you!

Components of a Successful Application Strong Admissions Test Score (MCAT, DAT, OAT, or VCAT/GRE), taken as early as possible when you are ready! Plan on 500 hours! Limited test dates and locations. Early registration reduces costs. TESTING FEES (scores reported 1-4 weeks): MCAT$300 DAT $385 OAT $270 GRE general$185 GRE subject test fees $150 APPLICATION FEES (verification 4-6 weeks): AMCAS$160+ $34 AACOMAS$195 + $35-50 ADEA AADSAS$244 + $90 OptomCAS $ VMCAS$190 + $95

Not too soon to consider financing… Median cost for 4 years of HP school: $278,455 (private) or $207,868 (public) Median debt for 4 years of HP school: $174,000 Federal loans: % Undergraduate indebtedness: $29,400 Residency training salaries average $55,300 annually for 3+ years, so an added debt load of ~$30,000 yearly first-advisors/

You Know Your Ongoing Obligations 1) Study – Maintain your grades! 2) Be strategic (May & June) and prepared for your application test! 3) APPLY EARLY! APPLICATION PORTALS OPEN ~ 1 June 2015! 4) Get additional PRACTICAL experience over Interim ; Summer 2015 ONLY counts on 2 o applications! 5) Complete your undergraduate RESEARCH experience, with resultant product (poster, paper, etc.) by 1 June ) Provide evidence of commitment through COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CO-CURRICULAR EXPERIENCES. Hone your people and social skills, leadership, teamwork, work ethic. 7) Be able to articulate SPECIFIC back up plans and meet reapplication deadlines!

All of us at Lafayette look forward to your success! We want to help further your career plans! Stay abreast of what is happening by visiting our web site: Register for and Attend HPAC events; BE PROACTIVE & TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR CAREER!!!

Insightful Personal Essay (see space limitations at each Admissions Service) Use resources of the WA Program to your benefit! Make it perfectly error-free. Well-Honed Interview Skills Be articulate, maintain good eye contact and confident body posture! Practice! A lot! Read! Prepare! Some obvious topics? healthcare reform, euthanasia, HIV, Ebola, resistance to vaccination, emerging infectious diseases, obesity, cancer, aging, end of life issues. Others? Your favorite course, book, leisure activity. Be able to answer: “How has SOMETHING IN YOUR RECORD prepared you for a medical career?” Timely Application Submission/Turnaround With rolling admissions the later you apply, the more intense is competition for fewer available slots. Plan time to complete requests for secondary applications quickly!