Pre-Health experiences

RECOMMENDED EXPERIENCES

Programs have adopted "holistic" admissions practices, which means it's extremely important to be a well-rounded applicant for professional school. How you demonstrate your motivation for your future profession, your personal characteristics, and the ways in which you give back to your community can help you stand out as an applicant. Experiences you are involved in as you pursue professional school should be meaningful, have an impact on your motivation for the career, and should contribute to your personal growth. It is your responsibility as a pre-professional student to understand the different types of experiences that will make you a competitive applicant to professional school. Below is a list of recommended experiences to have based on the professional track you are pursuing.

Medical/MD/DO

Healthcare Experience
Shadowing
Extracurricular Activities
Non-Healthcare Employment
Non-Healthcare Volunteer or Community Service
Leadership Experiences
Research

Dental

Review the definitions of these experiences on ADEA AADSAS Applicant Help Center.

Academic Enrichment
Dental Shadowing (Virtual or In-Person)
Employment
Extracurricular Activities
Research
Volunteer

occupational therapy

Review the definitions of these experiences on the OTCAS Applicant Help Center.

Employment
Extracurricular Activities
Healthcare Experience
Internships and Clinical Experience
Research
Teaching Experience
Volunteer
Leadership
*Observation hours also needed.

optometry

Review the definitions of these experiences on the OptomCAS Applicant Help Center.

Employment
Extracurricular Activities
Optometric Experience
Shadowing
Volunteer

Pharmacy

Review the definitions of these experiences on the PharmCAS Applicant Help Center.

Pharmacy Experience
Healthcare Experience
Employment
Extracurricular Activities

physical therapy

Review the definitions of these experiences on the PTCAS Applicant Help Center.

Employment
Extracurricular Activities
Volunteer
*Observation hours also needed.

Physician Assistant

Review the definitions of these experiences on the CASPA Applicant Help Center.

Extracurricular Activities
Healthcare Experience
Leadership Experience
Non-Healthcare Employment
Research
Shadowing
Teaching Experience
Volunteer
*Direct Patient Care hours often required*

veterinary

Review the definitions of these experiences on the VMCAS Applicant Help Center.

Animal Experience (no Veterinarian involved)
Employment (not animal-related)
Extracurricular Activities
Research
Veterinary Experience (with a Veterinarian)
Volunteer (not animal-related)

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