General Information

The Health Professions Advisory Office (HPAO) is here to assist Vanderbilt undergraduate students (and others with a Vanderbilt affiliation) interested in attending health professions graduate schools. We meet with students interested in medicine (both allopathic and osteopathic), dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, podiatric, etc. Students interested in an advanced career in nursing are encouraged to contact the School of Nursing for advice and counseling (Pre-Nursing Handbook). Please call the HPAO office and we will be happy to schedule a meeting to discuss your questions.

If you are currently not on our ListServ email distribution list, please request to be added so you may receive valuable information.

Click here to view the 2012 HPAO Annual Report with ACCEPTANCE STATISTICS

HPAO Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Upcoming events

Aug 28, 2013 - 6:00 pm - AED Pre-health Society General Body Meeting. (The first meeting of the year - ALL pre-health students welcome)

Sept 4-5, 2013 - Tentative dates for fall Shadowing Registration

Vanderbilt Pre-health organizaitons

Vanderbilt Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Society (AED)

Vanderbilt Pre-Dental Society

Vanderbilt Pre-Nursing Society

Vanderbilt Pre-Pharmacy Society (VPPS)

Vanderbilt Pre-Veterinary Medicine Society (VVMS)

MCAT (medical college admissions test) Information

Register to take the MCAT - In order to help ensure that you get your desired site and date, please sign up as soon as registration opens.

AAMC link to Preparing for the MCAT Exam

In 2015, a NEW MCAT will be introduced to reflect the changing nature of medical education. Please click on the links below for more information.

Please note the IMPORTANCE OF ADVISING. The information provided in the links below is NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR ADVISOR! Consult both your school-based advisor and the Health Professions Advisory Office to develop a plan that suits your own strengths, interests, and background.

Pre-Medical Preparation

Threading a path through pre-medical expectations

View the AAMC Preview Guide for MCAT 2015

New England Journal of Medicine - Perspective on MCAT 2015 Changes

Click here to view the AMCAS Application Verification Timeline.

dAT Information

Proposed Future Changes in DAT

LGBTQI Information

Resources

To All Students Applying to Medical, DENTAL, PHARMACY, VET, AND ETC. AL, SchoolS in 2013 for 2014 admission:

An Advisor's Student Applicant Portfolio (ASAP) meeting/interview is required in order for the HPAO to prepare a committee letter to the health professions schools. This meeting is strongly recommended since most health professions schools require and/or expect to receive a letter from the school's health professions advisor if the student is still enrolled or has just graduated. These meetings can be scheduled to take place as early as February of the application year. The HPAO should be contacted well in advance of the preferred meeting date since the calendar fills up quickly. The completed ASAP document must be brought to the meeting. Students are also advised to start thinking about which faculty members to approach for letters of recommendation.

Click here for ASAP Document

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HELPFUL AID FOR YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW PROCESS

Ever wonder how you come across during an interview? Are you afraid to schedule that medical school application interview for fear of saying the wrong thing? Below you will find a web address for a new system you can use. Just log onto the system, create your own password, listen to the demo and you're on your way. There is one piece of important equipment that you will need in addition to your computer. You must have a camera of some sort hooked up to your computer. The system will allow you to customize our interview questions. An interactive interviewer will ask you the question and you will be be given enough time to answer the question. You will be filmed during your response. You will then be given an opportunity to watch your portion of the interview...owww...don't be scared. It will be a great learning tool to guide you to be a great interviewee. If you do not have a camera for you to use, don't worry. Just down the hall from our office is the Vanderbilt Career Center. They have an office with a computer and camera dedicated for students to use. You just need to contact them at least a day in advance to schedule time for "your interview." You can contact Joy Nobles at 322-2750 at the Career Center.

To access this information, please go to the below listed web address:

https://vanderbilt.optimalresume.com/

early acceptance programs

The Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (VUSM) no longer offers an Early Acceptance Program (EAP)

Mount Sinai Humanities and Medicine Early Acceptance Program

University of Cincinati ROSE Program (Sophomore Ohio residents)

University of Florida College of Medicine Juniors Honors Medical Program (UFCOM) (7 year BS/MD porgram - does not accept high school students)

US Medical school Contact Points

Caribbean Medical School Contact Points

HPAO Documents

The Decision to Pursue a Career in Medicine
You and Your Health Professions Advisor: An Important Partnership
The Premedical Advising Program at Vanderbilt
The Premedical Program of Study at Vanderbilt
The AMCAS Personal Statement

A Good AMCAS Essay, by Dr. Agnes Fogo, VUSM Admissions Committee Member
Writing the AMCAS Esssay, by Dr. Tom Oeltmann, former Pre-health Professions Advisor
The Application Process , by Dr. David Charles, M.D., Associate Professor & Vice-Chairman of Neurology for Education & Development
Critical Elements of an AMCAS Personal Statement - by Dr. Jayant Shenai, VUSM Admissions Committee Member
Essay Examples 1-5 Writing a better application essay.doc - by Laurence Solberg, MD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Tips for Writing a Successful AMCAS Essay.ppt - by Laurence Solberg, MD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Writers Workshop materials
How to have a good interview - by Dr. Zic, Associate Dean of Admissions for Vanderbilt Medical School, PowerPoint from AED meeting 9/18/2007
Medical School Interview: Interviewer's Perspective - by Dr. Jayant Shenai, VUSM Admissions Committee Member
VUSM Financial Aid Presentation
Senior Medical School Interview Survey
Students interviewing for medical school may be asked questions about medical ethics. Here is a link from the AMA website which has a large database of clinical situations which highlight the of medical ethics in the context of actual patient care. After each situation is outlined, there are commentaries written by physicians from a variety of specialities. We think this will be useful for students as they prepare for their interviews, especially those students who have not taken a medical ethics course..Here is the link:. http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/site/cases.html