Applying to Health Professional Programs

Course Description

This asynchronous content is designed for UW students and alumni who are planning to apply to graduate health professional programs. By going through each module, you will...

• Gain an understanding of the application components

• Reflect on your experiences and skills through your writing

• Learn how to navigate the logistics of applying - from asking for letters of recommendation to acing your interviews!

Course participants will be able to work towards...

• Identifying salient criteria for choosing target schools

• Articulating personal fit with their health profession of interest

• Preparing a compelling application to a health professional program

How to Navigate the Course

In the navigation menu you will find 11 numbered modules to move through.

1. Application Overview

2. Writing about your Experiences: Getting Started

3. Writing about your Clinical Experiences

4. Writing about your Research Experiences

5. Writing about your Leadership Experiences

6. Writing the Personal Statement

7. Getting Great Letters of Recommendation

8. Identifying Target Schools & Demonstrating Good Fit

9. Acing the Interview

10. Financing your Education

11. Identifying Next Steps

Feel free to move around the pages in any order you choose, but we recommend navigating them in the order they appear.

There are three main types of content you will find on each page: slides, videos, and worksheets.

• Slides, which include voiceovers, are a good way to get basic starting information.

• Videos are pre-recorded from when this course was taught via Zoom, so you will get to hear from guest speakers on a variety of topics.

• Worksheets are meant to help you with the reflection process when thinking about what to include in your application as well as for tracking more basic info to help you stay organized during the process.

Expectations

Please note that the University of Washington does not have a pre-health department, office, or advisors. Because of this, we recommend using this course as a starting point, which should be combined with...

• Career coaching appointments, through our Applying to Grad/Professional School appointment type. While we won't have any deep or special insight into what health schools are looking for, we can help review application timelines and documents.

• Academic advising appointments, where advisors can help you plan out your coursework. Keep in mind that, similar to career coaches, academic advisors won't have special insight into which prerequisites certain schools are looking for, but they will likely have a basic understanding of which classes may be required. Keep in mind that each school and profession will have its own requirements, and it will be your responsibility to do some of that research yourself, too. The Pre-Health Planning Guides are a good place to start, which can also be found on the Pre-Health @ UW website.

• Writing Centers, where you can gain feedback on a number of different written portions of your application. The UW has many writing centers on campus, and more information can be found on the Write UW website. UW Libraries also has some great writing resources and reminders. The Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships, & Awards also offers application reviews.

• Personal research. While the above resources can help with a lot of the process, there will still be a lot of work and research on your part to build a strong application. Each profession and school will have their own preferences and requirements for timelines, exams, prerequisites, experiences, letters of recommendation, and more. This is simply a reminder that the course and above resources are, again, just a starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions