As with any career or professional interest, you should research and consider all of your options, get experience, and spend some time reflecting on your strengths, weaknesses and motivations.
Below are some of the primary questions to consider as you are evaluating your options as a future health care professional. Although some of the information is more specifically targeted towards pre-med students, these areas should be evaluated for anyone considering a professional or graduate program.
We also provided a number of resources to help you succeed as a student and advance to your desired professional program. This information is not all-inclusive. We can discuss these further in an advising session.
Although this may seem like a very basic question, it is one that you will come back to repeatedly. Through application materials, admissions interviews, informal discussions, and personal reflections you will ask yourself this question. Put some thought into your response and try to go beyond "I want to help people." Helping people is an excellent reason but may not provide you with sustained focus and motivation to reach your ultimate goal.
Whether you are deciding on a major or career, self-reflection and self-assessment are big parts of the discernment process. You are highly encouraged to keep a journal to document these reflections. Over time you may see trends in your strengths, weaknesses, motivations and challenges. Start journaling early! Freshman year is not too early to start.
Most health professions require training and certification beyond a baccalaureate (undergraduate) degree. For example, beyond a baccalaureate degree, medicine (allopathic, osteopathic, or podiatric) generally requires four years in medical school plus one to eight more years of internship/residency depending on what area of medicine you choose. Likewise, training for dentistry, optometry, and veterinary medicine generally takes four years beyond your baccalaureate degree. Some people choose to take specialty training beyond professional school.
Training for careers such as pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and nursing varies significantly. For example, you might earn an associate's degree in nursing in a community college program in 2 years, or earn a Bachelor's Degree in four years, and then a Master's in another two or three years in order to become a nurse practitioner. Physician assistant programs generally have prerequisite college courses for entry and take about 1-1/2 to 2 years to complete for a certificate or a bachelor's degree. Programs vary from school to school in physical therapy and in pharmacy. In both areas, programs have been changing away from Bachelor's or Master's to Ph.D. or Pharm.D. levels which is essential for licensing of people entering the profession.
You are encouraged to utilize the resources and links provided for additional information on expected timelines related to professional programs, trainings, and education.
Like undergraduate tuition at public and private schools, professional and graduate school tuition varies significantly. The Association of American Medical Colleges maintains information on the average cost and debt load for both public and private medical school education (Association of American Medical Colleges).
Very little scholarship money is available for medical school, so most people attending medical school take out loans. Financial aid officers at the medical schools encourage prospective students to keep their debt loads down as much as they can before coming to medical school and to restrain their use of credit cards for optional spending so that their credit record is good when it comes time to borrow money for medical schools. Students will need a good credit score to secure private loans.
If you are a resident of a western state, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, or WICHE, may be helpful. In this program, residents of thirteen western states, including Alaska and Hawaii, can obtain professional training which is not available to them in their home states, usually paying reduced or resident tuition with their home states paying a support fee to the admitting schools. For example, there are no schools of optometry in the state of Washington and Washington state residents may qualify for reduced tuition to attend optometry schools in Oregon and California.
Each state determines the fields and number of students they will support. You need to consult with your state's certifying officer to find out what your opportunities may be. Since there are limits on the number of students each state will support, it is to your advantage to consult EARLY! Plan to talk with the certifying officer no later than early summer of the year preceding the one you want to be enrolled in professional school.
A few other scholarship and loan payback options are available for consideration:
All of these services have health professions recruiters in the Seattle area who can talk with you about such programs.
Certainly, being strong in the area of math and science are critical to being successful as a pre-health student. Having a strong GPA and solid test scores are important as well. However, academic achievements alone will not lead you to your desired health profession. Admissions officers and employers are looking for a well-rounded applicant. Some areas to consider:
Look at each of these areas and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. Continue to build on your stronger areas and create a plan to address deficiencies. Don't forget to use your journal!
General Health Professions Resources
Resources for Other Health Professions
Resources for Pre-Med Students
Resources for Pre-Dental Students
If you are interested in volunteering at a local hospital or clinic, the best way to get involved is to contact the agency directly for instructions on how to get started. Most hospitals have a step-by-step process on how to get involved.
The Bailey-Boushay House is a skilled nursing facility for AIDS patients in the Madison Valley area which is an affiliated with Virginia Mason and takes volunteers.
Several of our graduates have served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps for one or two years before going on to medical school, and have felt it was a great opportunity to learn more about health care needs in the community as well as to express their desire to be of help to others.