Health Advising

Four-Year Timeline

Freshman Year

Visit and register with the Director of Pre-Professional Health Advising.
Begin investigating potential health careers.
Develop strong study skills (for tutoring and help in developing better study techniques visit the Learning Assistance Center!)
Maintain an excellent GPA.
Participate in volunteer work, internships or employment in the health field. A listing of various health and human service volunteer opportunities in the Greater-Cincinnati area.
Begin participation in extracurricular activitieswhich interest you.
Participate in Xavier University's Pre-Med Society.
Read interesting books and articles about healthprofessions.
Review medical (or other professional health schools)admission requirements.
Use your summer in a constructive way.
Talk to premed upperclassmen to get a reality check.

Research admission requirements for health professionsschools.
Participate in volunteer work, internships or employment in health field/medical area. Interested in an international service volunteer opportunity?
Participate in extracurricular activities that developand demonstrate your maturity, compassion and workethic.
Devise plan for intensive MCAT (or other admissionstest) preparation.
Continue reading interestingbooks and articles about health professions.
Meet with the Coordinator to discuss your program,questions, and plans.
Maintain an excellent and competitive GPA.
Check medical schools (or other health professionschools) entry requirements.
Consider participating in research.

Continue admissions test preparation.
Maintain the best GPA you can.
January - Turn in your autobiography and signed Buckley Amendment Waiver to the Coordinator of Pre-ProfessionalHealth Advising.
February - Pick up admission test registration packets or register online at the test's web site. The deadline to register is usually mid-March and the testing services encourage you to register early to ensure that you get the testing site that you request.
March - Sign up for a mock interview with the Health Sciences Committee. Remember - the mock interview is required if you are using the Committee for a letter of recommendation!
April - Take the MCAT (or another admission test).The 2004 MCAT dates are April 17 and August 14.
May - Online application services (such as AMCAS, AADSAS etc.) are usually available at this time.
June - Complete your application and once it's perfect,submit it as soon as you can. Submitting your applicationearly is good, but submitting it ERROR FREE is evenbetter! Remember that many schools use a rolling admissionprocess, so it's to your advantage to apply as earlyas possible.

Begin receiving secondary applications. Completeand return them PROMPTLY! Follow all directions!
RequestHealth Sciences Committee letters of recommendationfrom the Coordinator of Pre-Professional Health Advisingas schools ask for them. For the first request, makesure you give the Coordinator your summer update andto fill out completely the letter request form!
Go on interviews.Do your homework on each school! Be prepared for theinterviews.
Make your decision about which of your acceptances you plan to attend or regroup and plan for next year's application process. Either way, keep the Coordinator of Pre-Professional Health Advising informed about your decisions.