Health Professions Advising Curriculum
All of the health professions listed to the left require further education after you graduate from college. At UM-Dearborn, you will obtain a strong liberal arts and science education to prepare you for the competitive health professions (HP) graduate programs.
Select from the navigation menu to learn more about each one and how to prepare for them and read all the FAQs below. We look forward to helping you!
HPA Hours and Appointments: Winter 2024
The HPA Team is conducting HPA appointments in-person and virtually this semester. However you need to request what type of appointment in your HPA Appointment request.
Email:
Before e-mailing and requesting a meeting, please read both sets of FAQs below carefully and your respective HP track on the left. If you still have a simple and quick question, e-mail it to the HPA Office E-mail. If it seems that your question(s) are better addressed in a meeting, we will ask you to schedule an appointment using the HPA Appointment Instructions. You can find these in the HP General Information Google Classroom, Topic 1, item 1. You must use the HPA Appointment Instructions to request a HPA Appointment with a member of the HPA Team.
HPA Winter 2024 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, in the past, in general, medical schools and HP Graduate schools, may have seen online courses as an indicator that a student was trying to take an "easy way out."
*Today,* we're in an unprecedented and historic time where colleges and universities across the country moved their courses and instruction on-line, including labs, for spring, summer and fall semesters in 2020 - 2023. It is my understanding that everyone is trying to be flexible right now, medical school and HP Graduate School admissions included. For now, please proceed with your winter 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020, winter 2021, summer 2021 courses as they are planned. For Winter 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023 & Fall 2023, not all classes are in-person, the HP graduate schools will take this into account. As we move beyond 2023, lab courses are now offered in-person and it is expected labs be taken in-person.
(section updated 05/04/2021 & 08/24/21 & 01/10/22 & 09/12/2022 & 11/14/2022 & 05/03/2023 & 08/16/2023 final edit)
Historically, medical schools and HP Graduate Schools have not been inclined to accept online prerequisites for reason stated above in Q1; and they were more likely to question the rigor of these courses.
As campuses across the country moved their classes online for the summer and fall 2020 plus winter and summer 2021, it is my understanding everyone is trying to be flexible, medical school and HP Graduate School admissions included. For now, please proceed with summer and fall courses 2020 plus winter, summer, and fall 2021, 2022, and 2023 and into the future as they are planned. If you want or need to take a course online, including a pre-requisite or science course, then do so. Just do academically very well in the course.
(section updated 05/04/2021 & 08/24/2021 & 01/10/22 & 09/12/2022 & 11/14/2022 & 05/03/2023 & 08/16/2023 final edit)
General Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are FAQs common among UM-Dearborn pre-HP track students. Please read these!
We hope you find these questions and answers helpful to you before you meet with a member of the HPA team.
While many health professions track students are interested in the natural sciences as a major, others may be interested in the social sciences, humanities, or the arts. Health professions (HP) graduate schools seek applicants with diverse and broad and strong academic backgrounds, not that you were a natural science major or a double major.
While many students major in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Behavior and Biological Sciences, Psychology, and Health and Human Services, HP graduate schools are more concerned with a student's overall academic quality and scope of college work and not necessarily with the academic major. Given this, you may select a major that is of interest to you, one you will do well in, and one that will provide a foundation of knowledge necessary for career alternatives.
Health professions graduate schools are more concerned with a student's overall academic quality and scope of college work, not with the type of degree earned. In other words, you do not have to have a bachelor of science (BS) to go on to health professions graduate school. Given this, you may decide to earn a degree that is of interest to you, and one that will provide a foundation of knowledge necessary for career alternatives.
Like most universities our pre-med or pre-health professions track is not your academic major. It is advising and support designed to help prepare you to gain admission to a medical school or health professions graduate school. You cannot receive a degree in pre-med or any pre-health professions track at UM-Dearborn.
Health professions graduate schools do not require or expect a student to earn a double major or a minor. It is completely up to the student to earn either or both. Health professions graduate schools expect that you will do well academically in your one major, your general education classes (DDC) and in the pre-health professions course requirements. If you add a second major or a minor or both, you will be expected to do well academically in each area you add.
Generally speaking, it is not recommended that pre-med and/or pre-health professions coursework be repeated. If you do not perform well in an early science course, you can take next level science course to improve your academic record. Again, if you run into academic trouble in a course, you should seek the help of the professor, an academic advisor, or the UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advisor early on. Please keep in mind that all course efforts, including repeats, and their grades are entered into the application.
A single low grade is not going to keep you out of medical school or health professions graduate school, but multiple low grades and thereby multiple potential repeats may as they show a negative trend. If you are in the latter situation, you will want to seek the help of your academic advisor and the UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advisor.
First, pay attention to your school deadlines for drop/add deadlines and W deadlines. You can withdraw from any course within the first 7-10 days of the semester without penalty academically or financially. Next, if you find you are having trouble with a course, seek the help of your academic advisor or the UM-Dearborn Health Profession Advisor early on. The sooner you get help the easier it will be for you in the long run.
Similar to advice on course repeats, a single withdrawal on your academic record is not going to keep you out of medical or other health professions graduate school. Sometimes, life happens and a student has one W on their transcript.
However, multiple ones (Ws) are may as that show a negative trend. If you are in the latter situation, you will want to seek the help of your academic advisor and the UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advisor.
The same qualities and skills that current health professionals are expected to possess. Health professionals are expected to be able to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. They should be committed to serving others, work well on teams and possess integrity and adaptability. They should be able to accept feedback, improve their practice and keep up with emerging science knowledge. You should demonstrate all of these abilities during your college years and on your health professions graduate school applications.
The Association of American Medical Colleagues (AAMC) has presented a list of core competencies (skills/attributes described above) that you will find useful to read and incorporate in your curricular and co-curricular experience. Work with the UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advisor (HPA) by attending a HPA New Student Session (NSS) to learn about and develop a plan for developing you core personal competencies.
Yes! Health professions graduate schools admissions officers want to see that students have learned about their intended careers and have first-hand experience. Some programs are looking for documented hours working with patients or observing a professional; some look for letters of evaluation from mentors in the profession; some look for volunteer work in a health care setting, such as a hospital, free health clinic, dental clinic, OT or PT clinic.
In general, any experience in a professional setting will be helpful to your application and your career. Please work with the UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advisor by attending a HPA New Student Session (NSS) to learn about and develop a plan for developing you core professional competencies.
We have many pre-med and pre-health professions student groups at UM-Dearborn. The UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advisor is faculty advisor to five student groups, including:
- Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS)
- Pre-Dental Association (PDA)
- Pre-Medical Honor Society Phi Delta Epsilon (PhiDE)
- Pre-Physician Assistant (PPA)
- Pre-Professional Health Society (PPHS) which includes sub groups for Medicine, Dentistry, PA/PT/OT, Vet Med
- Pre-Optometry Club (Pre-OPT)
Visit the Victors Link, the online hub for all student organization and campus resources at UM-Dearborn, to find and learn more.
We're glad you asked! A Health Professions Advising (HPA) New Student Sessions (NSS) are the best way for you to learn all about the amazing resources as well as your future HP journey and application process. The HPA NSS information is on this website. Go to HPA Programs, and find HPA NSS at the top of the page! You will see information about the next set of sessions either in Fall, Winter or Spring. No need to sign up, just attend!
We're glad you asked. You have to attend a HPA New Student Session (NSS). Please see the answer to Q12 above to learn what a HPA NSS is all about and how to attend. Once you attend, you get detailed instructions on how to join the HP Gen Info Google Classroom and HP DB and email list.
We're glad you asked. You have to attend a HPA New Student Session (NSS). Please see the answer to Q12 above to learn what a HPA NSS is all about and how to attend. Once you attend, you will get detailed instructions on how to set up an appointment with a member of the HPA Team.
Winter 2024
Currently enrolled UM-Dearborn students or alumni:
Email is best way to reach any member of the HPA Team.
- The HPA Team works in the HPA Office in START on M-F, 8 am - 5 pm with HPA appointments held 9 am - 4 pm, M-F.
- HPA Director conducts virtual and in-person appointments, but you must choose which one in your HPA Appointment request.
- Request an appointment by the HPA Office email or through the START front desk to meet with any member of the HPA Team.
Please use and follow the HPA Appointment Policy and Instructions sent to you after your HPA New Student Session (HPA NSS) or in the HP Gen Info Google Classroom, Topic 1, item 1.
Prospective new students: high school or transfer students
- Please contact Office of Undergraduate Admissions.