Information for Prospective Students
If you are interested in learning more about pre-health advising through the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Health Professions Program, please download this informational powerpoint presentation. It will provide details about the HPP while offering insight into the advising resources available to Â鶹¹ÙÍø students and alumni.
To schedule a campus visit, please visit our Admissions page.
On your pre-college journey, here are a few key questions to ask admissions and the pre-health advisor at each school you consider:
- What is the pre-health culture like?
- What majors are represented in the pre-health community?
- What is the advising experience like for students?
- How many pre-health advisors are there?
- When and how often can students meet with the pre-health advisor(s)?
- What is the pre-health advisor's background?
- Approximately how many applicants to medical school, dental school, etc. are there each cycle?
- Can I complete the pre-req courses for my intended pre-professional program?
- How does the pre-health office support students in the application process?
- Does the pre-health office support alumni?
What is the HPP?
OVERVIEW OF THE HPP
The HPP (Health Professions Program) at Â鶹¹ÙÍø is an advising resource that provides information and assistance to students (and alumni) interested in pursuing a career in a health profession. We support students who are pre-med, pre-dental, pre-vet, pre-PA, and more. We are here to help advise you on recommended coursework, extracurricular opportunities, shadowing and clinical experiences, and the overall long-term development of your growth as a future healthcare professional.
At Â鶹¹ÙÍø, pre-med is not a major! Students are encouraged to study in the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, engineering, computer science, and the arts. Our pre-health curriculum is flexible and can work with any major. The HPP advisor will work with each student individually on developing a customized plan for incorporating courses required for admission to desired health professions graduate programs.
HOW THE HPP HELPS STUDENTS & ALUMNI
For both current students and Â鶹¹ÙÍø alumni, our office provides:
- Supplemental academic advising
- Exploration of career options in the health professions
- Exposure to volunteer, research, and clinical opportunities
- Info seminars and application workshops
- Practice interview and committee letter writing
- Personalized advising to explore interests
- Networking!
Health Professions Careers
Some of the pre-health preparations we support are:
- Allopathic Medicine (MD)
- Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
- Physician Assistant (PA-C)
- Dentistry (DDS, DMD)
- Veterinary Medicine (DVM, VMD)
- Clinician/Scientist (MD/PhD, DO/PhD, DVM/PhD)
- Pharmacy (PharmD)
- Optometry (OD)
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Mental and Social Health (PhD, MS, MSW)
- Other affiliated careers: biomedical engineering, public health, genetic counseling, chiropractic medicine, nursing, sports medicine, podiatry...
Pre-health development around Â鶹¹ÙÍø
There are countless opportunities on- and off-campus for students and alumni to gain clinical and research experiences. While studying, our students have shadowed, volunteered, worked, and completed research, and clinical experience at locations such as:
- UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
- UPMC Magee Women's Hospital
- UPMC Mercy Hospital and Eye Institute
- UPMC Shadyside Hospital
- UPMC Shadyside & West Penn HELP Programs
- UPMC Presbyterian & Montefiore Hospitals
- UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
- Â鶹¹ÙÍø EMS (on campus medical emergency services)
- Â鶹¹ÙÍø & University of Pittsburgh (various research labs)
...and many more.
Students can also get involved with organizations on campus, such as:
- DOCS (Doctors of Carnegie Society)
- Global Medical Brigades
- Global Public Health Brigades
- Alpha Epsilon Delta
- Peer Health Advocates
- & the HPP's MSAMP (Medical School Alumni Mentor Program)
Applicant Profiles
Each year, the Â鶹¹ÙÍø HPP supports around 35-40 students and alumni who are actively applying to a health program:
| Medical (MD, DO) | 30-35 applicants |
| MD/PhD | 2-6 applicants |
| Dental | 2-6 applicants |
| Physician assistant | 1-5 applicants |
| Veterinary medicine, optometry, OT, PT | ~1 applicant |
Most commonly, our applicants major in:
- Biology, neuroscience, bio-psych / psych-bio, psychology, engineering, chemistry, physics, math, global studies, decision science, info systems, computational biology, BXA (science & art).
- Most of our applicants have only a single major (though engineers usually double major in Biomedical Engineering), but minors in chemistry, creative writing, neuroscience, psychology, and computer science can be common.
Nearly 100% of applicants participate in student organizations and other on-campus leadership opportunities.
Nearly 100% of applicants participate in research for at least 1 semester or summer, and many conduct 3-6 semesters of research.
Most applicants take 1-2 gap years before applying (to continue building clinical experiences, to travel, or to work).
Yearly, our acceptance rates for pre-med (MD/DO) applicants range from 61-85%.
This number includes all students who have applied to a medical school during the application year. Our advising, committee interviews, committee letters, and application-prep resources are available to all Â鶹¹ÙÍø students and alumni without prejudice or minimum GPA requirement.
See what schools our applicants go to