Advising Health and Legal Professions Students

by Christine Richmond

The “Advising Health and Legal Professions Students” column examines common misperceptions about pre-health and pre-med students.

Christine Richmond

Pre-Health Myth #2:  All that students need to get into medical school (or dental, veterinary, etc.) is a good GPA and a high test score.

Professional schools look for a lot more than just a good test score and GPA.  Most schools use a holistic review of applicants that looks at everything from how they’ve demonstrated their motivation for the profession, to letters of recommendation, and personal characteristics.  Students often like to ask the question “What looks good?”  When they ask, we try to have them to take a different perspective.  Rather than ask what looks good, they should ask how they can prepare themselves as an undergraduate student to be a better health professional in the future.  Everything they think they “have” to do, has a purpose.  Shadowing exposes them to different settings and specialties within healthcare and can confirm that they’ve made the right choice of profession.  Volunteering exposes them to the patient and caretaker’s perspectives, allows them to work with different kinds of people, develops their cultural competency, and helps them discover what their own strengths and weaknesses may be.  Research can help them develop valuable critical thinking skills and an awareness of research methodologies they may use to evaluate medical literature.  

These activities are valued by professional schools for a reason.  It’s the student’s job to demonstrate their passions, interests, and dedication to their future career through the activities they choose to participate in.  It’s often easy to spot the application of a student who is simply checking off boxes as they go through their undergraduate experience as opposed to one who is truly invested in what they’re doing.  Many of you work with pre-health students, especially incoming students who are eager to do whatever they think they should do to be a competitive applicant. The next time one of them asks “What looks good?” encourage them to think about how they can demonstrate their interests, strengths, and preparation for the profession through their activities rather than just check off boxes.  Academic preparation is important, but that alone is not enough. Remind them that admission to a professional school is a short term goal, while practicing as an excellent professional is the long term, lifelong goal.

Did you know?

The UF College of Medicine offers a new early admission program for students interested in Rural and Urban Medicine (RUUM).  The goal of the program is to recruit and enroll undergraduate juniors who are academically excellent and who can demonstrate a sincere interest in rural or urban medicine and in practicing medicine to underserved populations.  RUUM is a 4/4 (eight year) BS or BA/MD degree program that will enroll up to six new students per year. If accepted, a student secures a place in medical school as long as program requirements are completed and academic standards and Honor Code policies are maintained.  Those accepted do not have to take the MCAT.  See the UF College of Medicine's website for further information.