There are many aspects an undergraduate needs to take into consideration before securing a position in Health Related Schools! From academic pre-requisites to volunteering, committee letters to the all important personal statement, there are other experiences and certifications that can build a successful medical school application that you might not think about before applying. OWU encourages all students wishing to pursue a career as a medical doctor consult with our Pre-Health Advisor, Dr. David Marwardt during their path through OWU.

Volunteering is rewarding! Most of us try to contribute our time and effort to causes that align with our own experiences, things we care about and in communities where we believe we can make a positive impact. When you think about how busy college life can be, it can be hard to determine where to spend precious time and resources – if your goal is to become involved in the healthcare of humans, there are a couple of places that can make more of an positive impact on your healthcare journey!

For Medical School Applicants, volunteer service is a great way to demonstrate your eagerness and commitment to medicine. Participating in volunteer activities shows admissions officers that prospective students are devoted to the greater good of their communities, and depending on how these volunteering experiences are presented, they can also provide insight into a candidate’s professional capabilities. Some medical schools may even require applicants to have volunteer hours recorded, with a minimum number set for consideration. Whether volunteer hours are a requirement or just a nice supplement to their other qualifications, volunteering provides both personal fulfillment and educational benefit that all prospective medical students should strongly consider.

Undergraduate Research can be a great addition to your resume/CV – it not only allows for the opportunity to explore things students learn about during coursework in more depth and allow them to contribute to large, on-going research projects that make an impact! Research is critically important to all aspects of healthcare – gaining experience in formal research exposes students to understanding how research is performed, what implications it can have, how industry professionals utilize it and familiarizes students with commonly used metrics (how we measure physical things to draw connections (cause and effect)) and examine how to improve the understanding of certain diseases, treatment plans, procedures and much, much more!

There are Summer Programs devoted to preparing students for entry into healthcare fields, you can find a short list of them on the Associated of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website – this is by no means a comprehensive list and we encourage you to explore! If you have any questions about where else to look, the application requirements, process or need help with any of the components, book an appointment with the STEM & Pre-Health Career Catalyst today!

You can learn more about Undergraduate Research on our STEM Community Page.

Shadowing is a valuable opportunity for pre-med students to gain firsthand exposure to the daily work of a medical professional. During a shadowing experience, students have the chance to observe and assist with patient care, as well as interact with healthcare professionals and learn about different medical specialties. Shadowing can provide valuable insight into the demands and rewards of a career in medicine, as well as help students build their knowledge and skills in the field. It can also be a great way for students to make connections and gain recommendations from physicians, which can be helpful in the medical school application process. Physician shadowing can be a crucial step in the journey towards becoming a physician, helping students to confirm their interest in the field and gain the experience and knowledge they need to succeed in medical school and beyond.

OWU has an array of Healthcare Professional Alumni Partners that are happy to help guide students along their career journey! We also host a Pre-Health Shadowing/Career Conversations Initiative each year to connect students with some of our talented alumni to gain shadowing hours during their undergraduate experience and have practical conversations about medical school, the application process, specialties, career path options and much, much more with someone who has been in their shoes.

Don’t see an alumni with the exact specialty you’d like to shadow? The STEM & Pre-Health Career Catalyst is happy to find and connect with a medical professional close to campus or in your own home town to gain that important experience unique to your path.

A Post Bacc (Baccalaureate) Programs are designed for students who have already completed their undergraduate degree and want to enhance their academic records before applying to graduate programs and are also referred to as special master’s programs, or career changer programs. There are lots of benefits!

• Improving GPA – because these programs are designed to be completed after an undergraduate degree, the coursework can be tailored to exactly what a student needs to improve and can result in a more competitive application.
• Condensed coursework – these programs offer streamlined coursework and offers an opportunity to retake classes in which a student didn’t do as well as they would have liked or to catch up on missed pre-requisites.
• Flexible Scheduling – these programs often are designed with part-time work in mind and can offer the chance to be able to gain some clinical experience while completing additional coursework.
• MCAT Preparation Opportunities – many post bacc programs include MCAT preparation courses in their curriculum.
• Networking Opportunities – most post bacc programs have good relationships with medical schools and often bring in lecturers and health professionals a student wouldn’t usually get the opportunity to meet! This offers exposure to career paths an applicant hadn’t considered before or even potential mentors for later on.
• Medical School Linkage – many of these programs are affiliated with specific medical schools! Attending that program can help an applicant become familiar with an institution and offers an edge when applying to the affiliated medical school.

It is not uncommon after graduating from an undergraduate university with a Pre-Health related degree to take a year (or more) before applying to a graduate program – applicants are committing to many more years of intensive schooling and might not be academically prepared, need a chance to study for and take the MCAT or need clinical experience before making that commitment. You can explore some of OWU’s partnerships and recommendations for Gap Year Programs on that page.

If nothing on OWU Career Connection’s page seems to resonate with a student, here are some of the opportunities that past students have taken advantage of to prepare them for healthcare related graduate programs! (These are not affiliated or partnered with OWU).

• International Medical Aid
• Global Vision International (GVI)