Professional Health Sciences

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Professional Health Sciences

• Preparing for admission to professional schools
  and programs
• presented by
• TRIO, MCS BCC Science Division

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US Population 2000 Census
3
A Few Statistics

• 95 of veterinarians in practice in the US are
  white and fewer than 10 of current veterinary
  medicine students are URM.
• Only 14 of practicing dentists are URM and only
  11 entering dental schools are URM.
• Practicing URM physicians and surgeons make up
  only 10 of all doctors in the US.
• Minorities make up approximately 30 of the US
  population and that is expected to be 50 by
  2050.

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2003 Pharmacy Students

• 58.4 White
• 9.7 Black/African American
• 3.7 Latino
• 20.9 Asian
• 0.4 Native American or Alaska Native
• 4.7 Other or unknown
• 2.2 Foreign

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Professional Degree Programs

• Allopathic Medicine (UW)
• Naturopathic Medicine (Bastyr U)
• Dentistry (UW)
• Pharmacy (UW and WSU)
• Veterinary Medicine (WSU)
• Physical Therapy (UW, EWU and UPS)
• Optometry (Pacific U, Forest Grove, OR)
• Chiropractic (Western States, Portland, OR)

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Masters Degree Programs

• Occupational Therapy (UW, EWU, UPS)
• Speech and Hearing Science (UW, WSU, WWU, EWU)
• Nutrition (Bastyr U, UW, WSU, CWU)
• Nursing (UW, UWB, SPU, SU, WSU)
• Public Health (UW)
• Engineering ( UW, WSU,SU)

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Bachelor Degree Programs

• Nursing (UW,SPU,SU,WSU,NWU,PLU)
• Medical Technology (UW,SU,CWU,WSU)
• Prosthetics Orthotics (UW)
• Environmental Health (UW)
• Speech and Hearing Science (UW, WSU, WWU, EWU)
• Nutrition (Bastyr, SPU, CWU, WSU)
• Engineering (UW, SU, SPU, WSU)

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Specialized Programs

• Physicians Assistant (UW MEDEX NW)
• This is a certificate program that can be
  completed concurrently with a Bachelor of
  Clinical Health Sciences or a PharmD or a
  Extended Masters of Public Health
• It requires significant paid experience in a
  health care field as a prerequisite in addition
  to specific course prerequisites
• Many accepted students already have a bachelors

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The Reality of Competition

• Most of the health science programs have a
  competitive admission process.
• Many more people apply than can ever be
  accommodated.
• You cannot rely on one factor alone to make you a
  desirable candidate.
• You must assemble a package for application.
• You MUST believe in yourself!

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Academic Preparation

• A strong science background is essential
• Introductory courses are not a waste of time
• Regardless of the BCC policy on replaced grades,
  the professional schools will average ALL grades
• English composition, humanities and social
  sciences are extremely important to success in
  professional schools and to the admissions
  process including tests, applications and
  interviews.
• Admissions committees are looking for balance.

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Cultural Awareness

• Diversity is a fact of life in all areas of
  professional health care, use it to your best
  advantage.
• You will be working with people of different
  backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, cultures,
  religions, sexual orientation and political
  beliefs.
• Your own background of experience should reflect
  your willingness to do so.
• Take the time to learn another language or two.

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Diversity/Cultural Competency
Sexual Orientation
Race
Ethnicity
Marital Status
Faith
Socioeconomic Status
Gender
Culture
Age
Ability
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Cultivate Your Recommenders!

• Letters of recommendation are crucial to
  professional school admissions.
• Letter writers need to take the time and care to
  write a letter that reflects you.
• You need to make sure that you give the writer
  something to write about.
• Develop relationships with the people who will be
  instrumental in your application process.

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Do Your Research!

• Know about your field of interest.
• Read as much as you can about it.
• Talk to people who are in the field now.
• What excites you about this area?
• What challenges are facing the practitioners?
• What are some of the ethical issues?
• Is there anything about it that bothers you?

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Consider Time and

• Most professional schools and masters programs
  require an earned bachelors degree.
• The professional school phase can last up to 4
  years, specialty training adds several more
  years.
• Professional school cannot be done on a part time
  basis and it is too intense to do with work.
• Most medical school students graduate with an
  average debt of 90,000 to 100,000.
• Apply for all financial aid and scholarships!

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Admissions Factors

• Experience/exposure to the field is required.
• Grades and test scores are important.
• You do not have to be a 4.0 student, but you have
  to demonstrate that you are serious about school.
• Avoid a messy transcript.
• Dont take admissions tests until you are ready.
• Motivation is a key factor.
• Why do you want to become a _____________?
• Why do you think you would be a good one?
• What have you done to prove it?

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Application Elements to Consider

• Academic Coursework
• Undergraduate Major
• GPA - overall AND in the sciences
• Applications Recommendations
• Personal Statement
• Interviews
• Test scores
• Research

• Personal Characteristics
• Diversity/Cross-Cultural Competency
• Finances
• Student organizations
• Leadership positions
• Health Care Experience
• Community Service
• Motivation
• Knowledge of the field

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Other Bits of Wisdom

• Quit worrying about looking better, start
  worrying about BEING BETTER.
• Do not undertake endeavors because you think
  they will like it or it will look good on the
  application.
• Compete with yourself, not everyone else and
  believe in yourself and your goals.
• IGNORE RUMORS!!!

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Professional Health Sciences

• Study Skills Best Practices

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Student One

• I spend too much time studying for what I am
  learning, spend hours cramming the night before
  an exam, and I have a demanding social life.
• What kind of problem does this student have?
• (Time Management, Concentration, Listening note
  taking, Text Book Reading, Comprehension,
  Writing, or Exam Taking)
• What suggestions would you have for this student?

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How I Spend My TimeSuggestions

• This student may have time management issues.
• Create a study schedule.
• Divide study sessions into manageable blocks of
  time.
• Set goals for each study session.
• Create or find a study space with little to no
  distractions.

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Student Two

• I usually study with the radio or TV turned on
  and cant sit and study for long periods of time
  without becoming tired or distracted. I go to
  class, but I usually doodle, daydream, or fall
  asleep.
• What kind of problem does this student have?
• (Time Management, Concentration, Listening note
  taking, Text Book Reading, Comprehension,
  Writing, or Exam Taking)
• What suggestions would you have for this student?

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How I Concentrate Suggestions

• This student may have issues related to
  concentrating.
• Create a study routine and stick to it!
• Prioritize your study tasks
• Work through each step on your to do list
• It a task is too long, break it up into smaller
  tasks
• Take a short productive break (exercising, etc).
• Routine Maintenance
• Review notes and exercises from class and write
  down questions you may have.
• Properly organize materials by date and put them
  in a binder.

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Student Three

• My class notes are sometimes difficult to
  understand later and I usually seem to get the
  wrong material into them. I dont look at my
  classroom notes after Ive taken them.
• What kind of problem does this student have?
• (Time Management, Concentration, Listening note
  taking, Text Book Reading, Comprehension,
  Writing, or Exam Taking)
• What suggestions would you have for this student?

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How I Listen and Take Notes

• This student may have issues related to listening
  in class and taking notes.
• Organize your note taking materials (in a
  binder).
• Write your notes in point (or outline) form.
• Skip lines to indicate a main point.
• Use abbreviations.
• Write clearly.
• Review your notes as soon as you can (after
  class).
• Summarize the material you just learned.
• Cover the notes and try to recite the main points.

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Student Four

• When I get to the end of the chapter, I cant
  remember what I have read and I dont know how to
  pick out what is important in the text. I cant
  keep up with my reading assignments I try to
  scan them before a test.
• What kind of problem does this student have?
• (Time Management, Concentration, Listening note
  taking, Text Book Reading, Comprehension,
  Writing, or Exam Taking)
• What suggestions would you have for this student?

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How I Read my Textbook

• This student may have issues related to how they
  engage their textbook.
• Read actively (make questions, turn formulas into
  verbal explanations).
• Analyze example problems by asking yourself
• What concepts or rules were applied.
• What methods were used to solve the problem and
  why.
• What was the first step and have any been
  combined.
• What are the differences and similarities between
  the examples and homework problems.
• Practice each step.
• Check to see how the material relates to previous
  material.

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Student Five

• I often get lost in the details of reading and
  have trouble identifying the main idea. Also, I
  dont usually change my reading speed when the
  text is difficult or unfamiliar. I often wish I
  could read faster.
• What kind of problem does this student have?
• (Time Management, Concentration, Listening note
  taking, Text Book Reading, Comprehension,
  Writing, or Exam Taking)
• What suggestions would you have for this student?

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How I Understand What I Read

• This student may have issues pertaining to
  reading comprehension.
• Choose a reading location with no distractions.
• If your reading assignment is too long, break it
  down.
• Before you read, survey the material.
• Scan for main points.
• Underline or highlight main points.
• Skip unnecessary material.
• Read the material rapidly and more than once.

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Student Six

• When teachers assign essays and papers, I cant
  seem to get started. Also, I usually write my
  essays and papers the day before they are due. I
  cant seem to organize my thoughts into an essay
  or report that makes sense.
• What kind of problem does this student have?
• (Time Management, Concentration, Listening note
  taking, Text Book Reading, Comprehension,
  Writing, or Exam Taking)
• What suggestions would you have for this student?

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How I Write Essays and Reports

• As you guessed, this student may have issues
  related to report writing.
• Begin your paper well in advance of any
  deadlines.
• Brainstorm the topic and refer to topics in your
  book.
• Get clarification from your instructor about what
  her expectations are well before the paper is
  due.
• Use outlines to organize your thoughts.
• Write multiple drafts.
• Always have friend read each draft and make
  suggestions!

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Student Seven

• I often lose points on essay exams even when I
  know the material well. I feel that I study
  enough for my exam, but when I get to class my
  mind goes blank. I dont usually study in an
  organized way and I often worry about the next
  exam.
• What kind of problem does this student have?
• (Time Management, Concentration, Listening note
  taking, Text Book Reading, Comprehension,
  Writing, or Exam Taking)
• What suggestions would you have for this student?

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How I Do Exams

• As you once again guessed, this student has
  issues surrounding exam taking.
• Use study groups often and come prepared with
  questions you have about the material.
• Review your homework, notes, and prior tests well
  in advance of the test date.
• During the exam, glance over it quickly to assess
  it for question difficulty and points assigned.
• Start with the easiest questions.
• Always show your work.
• After the exam is return, analyze it! Did most
  of the questions come from lectures, the
  textbook, or homework? Were the problems
  different than those in lectures, the textbook,
  or homework? What was my greatest source of
  errors?