Monday, April 30, 2012

New Alumni Bridge Year Essay

We just received another wonderful Bridge Year essay from a U.Va alum. Read their story, and if you missed our original post about Bridge Years, check it out here .

University of Delaware (UD) Department of Physical Therapy


University of Delaware (UD) Department of Physical Therapy is holding its annual Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program Information Session this Saturday, May 5th, from Noon-3 p.m. on UD's campus in 333 McKinly Lab (at 63 E. Delaware Avenue, Newark, DE  19716).

If you know of any students who might be interested in a career in physical therapy, please point them to this web address: http://www.udel.edu/PT/2012%20Info%20Day%20Flyer.pdf.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Sample Interviewee to Interviewer Questions

Attached is a list of sample questions that you may ask at an interview. Keep in mind that there are many other appropriate questions you may ask.  Develop your questions based on your research of a particular school (MSAR, ADEA Guide VMSAR et al), the school’s website, and talking with other people about a particular school.  Also, your conversations with your interviewers may generate other questions.

Monday, April 23, 2012

20th Annual Last Lecture Series

The Resident Staff Program at the University of Virginia cordially invites you to attend the 20th Annual Last Lecture Series on Wednesday, April 25 from 7:00-8:30 PM.  For the past twenty years, the Last Lecture Series has given distinguished professors at the University a chance to present a lecture as if it were their last chance to pass on knowledge and wisdom to students.  Presenting this year will be Dr. Sharon Hostler (Senior Associate Dean of the School of Medicine, McLemore Birdsong Professor of Pediatrics, and Vice Provost for Faculty Development) and Mr. Michael Suarez (Director of the Rare Book School and Professor of English).  The Last Lecture Series will be followed immediately by a reception where audience members will have an opportunity meet the lecturers and discuss their talks.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Wellness Coordinator Description, AmeriCorps VISTA



      The project will engage VISTA members in developing a youth advocacy program that serves the students and families at IDEA Public Schools (IDEA) in the Rio Grande Valley. VISTAs will enhance the current outreach of the IDEA's Child Nutrition Program (CNP) to students and families by creating opportunities for them to identify their communities' health education needs, gather key health indicators, plan health-promoting strategies, mobilize teams of advocates, and create lasting systems for CNP/community partnerships. 

      The project goals are to 1) identify effective avenues for health promotion in Rio Grande Valley communities, 2) increase student wellness and thereby decrease the long-term health risks associated with obesity, 3) engage students in promoting healthy behaviors in their schools and local communities, 4) involve parents and families in both teaching and learning about healthy living, 5) establish campus-based Wellness Committees consisting of students, family members, faculty, and Child Nutrition staff. 

      VISTAs will work on project elements that may include recruiting and mobilizing parent volunteers on behalf of student wellness, organizing focus groups to solicit student and family input on existing and proposed health initiatives, and empowering students to research about and advocate for better health. VISTAs may also do work developing community volunteer programs for campus gardens, recruiting community members to lead adult education opportunities about affordable healthy-living ideas, developing health fairs that include community organizations, and facilitating the creation of sustainable Wellness Committees that will eventually take over the project management on each campus. VISTAs will learn about many aspects of public health advocacy including improving access to and acceptance of fresh foods for low-income families, developing networks for peer education, marketing positive behaviors, and identifying barriers to healthy living.

Please direct any questions to Steven Nguyen at svnguyen3@gmail.com. He would be more than happy to talk about the position.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Looking to Get into Research?


Get advice, ideas, professors' names at Research Office Hours
Hosted by the Undergraduate Research Network 
 Clemons 200F 
Come anytime to the following advisers' Office Hours

 Wed April 18th 2-3p Sarah Smith 
Friday April 20th 2-3p David Wu
 Monday April 23 1-2p Keanan McGonigle 
Wed April 25 2-3p Sarah Smith

Munching for Memory

 Join Hoos for Memory this Friday for a hot dog eating contest! All proceeds will go to Alzheimer's research. They also need a few more participants so you can still sign up! 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Interested in Taking a Bridge Year (or two) and Need Help Talking to Others About It?


Sometimes it can be difficult to talk to family and friends about a potential change in your professional plans (especially if it involves changing your application timeline).  We’ve included some information that can help you start the conversation, and address common concerns that others may have.

Does taking time between graduating and applying to health professions school hurt my chances of being accepted?

No. In fact, if you look at the average age of applicants and matriculates to the most popular health professions, you’ll see that they are higher than a traditionally aged graduate. This means that a majority of people are taking time off before going to professional school. 

What do health professions schools expect me to do during that time off?

It depends. A good bridge year choice for one person, may not be a good choice for someone else. In general, professional schools will expect that if there is a weakness in your application that you’re using that time to improve.  For example a student who needs to work on increasing their Science GPA would be best served by taking additional science coursework, not by focusing on increasing their clinical exposure (to learn more about post baccalaureate options click here).  On the other hand, an applicant with little clinical exposure would not likely want to pursue a master’s degree during their bridge year, but instead would be expected to be devoting more time to clinical experiences.  

Are the only applicants that take bridge years, people who have weaknesses in their candidacy?
No. Every year we have strong applicants who choose to take a bridge year or years for a variety of reasons.  The five most popular reasons include:
  •  More time to prepare for entrance exams. 
  •  More time to complete pre-requisite coursework.
  • More time to gain clinical exposure.
  • More time to prepare their application materials in order to submit their application early.
  • More time to explore additional opportunities such as full time employment, study and travel abroad, or hobbies and other student organizations and interests outside of pursuing the health professions. 

Are there any negative consequences to applying to just a couple schools to “see how it goes” and then applying as a re-applicant if I’m not successful?

Yes, there can be negative consequences for being a re-applicant to health professions school. First it’s important not to underestimate the financial, emotional, and psychological drain that being unsuccessful in the application process can create.  Most application processes from start to finish are 18 months long and consistent rejection during such a long period of time can have a major impact on you during that time.

Secondly, health professions schools do take into account good decision making and judgment skills of their applicants. The decision to put forward a candidacy with low academic or clinical qualifications can lead admissions committees to question whether you took the time to research the application process and make sound decisions. As good decision making skills are an incredibly important quality of a health professional, a decision to go forward previously could have an impact on your second application attempt. 

It is possible to be successful as a re-applicant to health professions schools but it is important to identify the weaknesses that lead to your previous unsuccessful application cycle.  Applicants that are able to identify these weaknesses, pro-actively improve them, and update other aspects of their application (including personal statements and letters of recommendation) have a good chance of having a successful application cycle. It is also important to remember that some weaknesses may take longer than others to improve upon therefore it is not always possible for a candidate to make the changes necessary in time to re-apply the very next cycle. 

To read essays from current U.Va students and alums who have taken a bridge year click on the following links:

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Attention Fourth-Year Arts & Sciences Majors

Considering your post-graduation options? Already solidified your post-graduation plans?

In conjunction with the Center for Survey Research, University Career Services, has created a brief 5-10 minute online survey to gather information about post-graduation plans of students from the College of Arts & Sciences. Whether you are still assessing your options, or your plans are solidified, we want to hear from you now! All fourth year students from the College are encouraged to participate.

We hope that you can devote a few minutes to filling out this important electronic survey (sent to your UVa e-mail on Wednesday, April 11th).  

Thank you in advance for your help with this project. We look forward to hearing from you!

Please feel free to contact Sarah Isham from University Career Services, sarahisham@virginia.edu with any questions.

AADSAS 2013 Dental School Application Resources

The 2013 ADEA AADSAS application will launch on June 4, 2012. Please do not submit any materials to ADEA AADSAS prior to June 4, 2012.

Application Dates and Fees for VMCAS and OPTOMCAS 2012-2013

VMCAS

The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) will go live for VMCAS 2013 on June 7th, 2012, and the deadline for application and evaluations is October 2nd, 2012 at 1:00pm Eastern Time. The fee structure for VMCAS 2013 is still pending.

OPTOMCAS

Fees will remain the same at $125 for the first school and $45 for each additional school.  The OPTOMCAS will go live for the 2012-2013 cycle on June 29th and deadlines will vary by school.

Interview Attire for Health Professions Schools: Bags and Portfolios

Having a professional looking bag and porfolio folder can make a big difference when going to a health professions school interview. Here are some examples of each for men and women. Remember, these can make wonderful birthday or holiday presents ( you can also borrow one)!

Portfolio Folders



Men's Bags

Women's Bags

Mizzou MedPrep Program

What is the MedPrep program?
The Mizzou MedPrep program is designed to assist individuals in exploring health-care careers and assist those interested in applying to medical school with the application process. The workshops are open to a wide range of participants. Minority students, socio-economically disadvantaged students, students from rural areas and non-traditional students are particularly encouraged to participate in the program which consists of a series of workshops. Please note the workshops do not have prerequisites and you can opt to participate in one or multiple workshops.

What is the focus of the MedPrep I workshop?
The focus of this workshop is for participants to gain insight into what makes a well-rounded applicant, explore careers in medicine, obtain a better understanding of the importance of research and community service, participate in various sessions such as financial aid, quality and safety, problem-based learning, simulation, rural track and individual advising. In addition, there is a panel sessions with current medical students.

When is the event held?
May 18, 2012; 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
May 19, 2012; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where is the event held? The University of Missouri campus

Who can apply? This workshop is designed for those who might be interested in applying to medical school. College juniors and above. Some exceptions may apply, please contact the coordinator with questions.

Who do I contact if I have questions?
Cathleen Mudd-Hutcheson
Coordinator - Mizzou MedPrep
University of Missouri - Columbia
School of Medicine
Office of Medical Education
573-884-6375

muddhutchesonc@health.missouri.edu

Where can I learn more and register for the workshop?
http://som.missouri.edu/MizzouMedPrep
Those interested can create an account by selecting “Create an account” on the MedPrep page (noted above). After completing the information requested a password will be generated and interested candidates can use this, along with the email address they provided, to access more information about the event and complete an application. 

University of Miami's Masters of Public Health

 University of Miami offers a 45 credit graduate degree can be completed in 1 year. It is the perfect match for the student who is interested in public health and medicine.For more information about the program, please visit the website at http://publichealth.med.miami.edu/

AspiringDocs.Org Website Reaches Out to Students

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) manages the AspiringDocs website, aimed at increasing diversity in medicine. On the site are a number of short, informational fact sheets  designed to give students the basic answers to their pre-med questions. For more information, or to suggest a topic, email AspiringDocs@aamc.org.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

DHW Hosting VT Carilion School of Medicine


Be sure to come out to today's (4/11) event, VT Carilion School of Medicine will be giving an information session to any interested.  Come out to Monroe 124 from 6-8pm.  There will be pizza and drinks!  
Invite your friends and anyone interested!