1. Health Professions Office
Elizabeth Vogel, Ph.D. Administrative Director
Gregory Sobol, Ed.M
A-207 Nelson Biological Laboratories
(848)
Visit us at: hpo.rutgers.edu

2. What is the Health Professions Office and why is it important to you
What is the Health Professions Office and why is it important to you? The HPO provides services to students interested in applying to:
Allopathic Medical School (MD)
Osteopathic Medical School (DO)
Dental School (DDS/DMD)
Optometry School (OD)
Podiatry School (DPM)
Chiropractic School (DC)
Physician Assistant Programs (PA)
We also provide information and advising for students interested in other health professions

3. What we provide for students:
Advising, appointments, walk-ins, presentations
Health professions file and electronic database for storing letters of recommendation and advising
Information via newsletter, Facebook page, website, presentations
Coordination with student groups, alumni, and local hospitals to create opportunities for undergraduates to gain clinical, research, and volunteer experiences
Assistance in the application process to professional schools
Committee interview and composite letter of recommendation
Assistance with digital submission of letters of recommendation for MD, DO, DMD/DDS programs

4. What courses do you need
What courses do you need? Pre-requisites for most MD, DO, DDS/DMD, PA programs
1 year of Biology with Lab (119: , 117) **
1 year of General Chemistry with Lab (160: , 171)
1 year of Organic Chemistry with Lab (160: , 311)
1 year of Physics with Lab (750: , 205, 206)
1 year of College level math (Calculus and Statistics)
1 year of English/Writing (355:101, plus 1 additional course)
1 semester of Psychology
1 semester of Sociology
1 semester of Biochemistry (694:301 or 694:407)
1 semester of Statistics (any Stats course will suffice)
**If you receive AP credit for the Biology sequence, you need to take at least two upper level Bio electives in college.

5. What major should you choose?
Composition of the MD Class (entering 2016)
National RU
Biological or Other Sciences 65% 71%
Social Sciences 10% 9%
Humanities % 2%
RU students with 27 different majors applied and were admitted to medical school in 2016
Most popular - Biological Sciences 143 applicants
Second most popular – Cell Biology and Neuroscience
For more information see hpo.rutgers.edu

6. Rutgers offers over 100 majors
Medical schools are not “looking” for certain majors. They expect you to perform well in the sciences and to have challenged yourself with demanding science course loads during your college career but, if you are interested in other subjects and choose to explore those other interests during college, that is wonderful. Don’t try to major in something to be “different” or “stand out.” Major in something you are passionate and excited about studying.
Rutgers offers over 100 majors
Many students complete minors or even double majors, depending on their interests.
Many majors offer options and concentrations within the larger subject areas
Rutgers offers over 120 minors and certificate programs

7. Common mistakes as an undergrad
Not taking the required courses
Being the subject of institutional action
Not enough clinical, volunteering, and shadowing experience
No leadership experience
Reading too much studentdoctor.net instead of coming to the HPO!
Average letters of recommendation
Lacking strength in the competency areas important to medical and health professions schools:
Thinking and reasoning: Science: -critical thinking living systems -quantitative reasoning human behavior -scientific inquiry -written communication
Competence in these areas is largely demonstrated by your coursework, grades, and test scores.

8. Competencies continued……………
Interpersonal: Intrapersonal:
-desire to help others ethical responsibility
-social skills reliability & dependability
-cultural competence resilience & adaptability
-teamwork capacity to improve
-oral communication
These two categories encompass your extracurriculars, life experiences, work, etc.
Caution:
Looking at these competencies as a list of items to be ticked off with no thought to how or why you are doing them is not a good idea. Instead, think of them as ways to make yourself a better person who could, potentially become a great health care provider.

9. Admission Statistics 2016 Medical School All applicants 2016-17
RU NB % accepted
National % accepted
Applicants 3.5+ BCPM and MCAT 86%
RU NB % accepted
Dental School
Applicants and DAT 20+
RU NB % accepted

10. Common mistakes as an applicant
Not taking the personal statement seriously
Not taking enough time to prepare for the MCAT
Lack of contact with the HPO
Not reading and following the instructions provided by the application service
Getting the primary application in late (August)
Taking longer than two weeks to submit secondary applications
Doing a sloppy/superficial job on the secondary apps (using the same essays for every school)
Thinking the application process ends after the secondary apps
Applying to the wrong schools
Lack of professionalism
Lack of preparation for interviews
For more information on how medical schools review applications see:

11. The Health Professions Office
For more information
us at
visit our website
visit us in A-207 Nelson Labs, Busch Campus
The Health Professions Office