HPA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are common FAQs.
We hope these questions and answers are helpful. Please read them 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, 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.
Please bear in mind Course Program of Study requirements and work with your academic advisor to ensure you are taking appropriate coursework.
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.
Minors are not considered "required" under Course Program of Study guidelines. Please work with your academic advisor before declaring a minor.
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 or attempts, including repeats, and their grades are entered into your future 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 professor, academic advisor or the UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advisor early on. Do not wait. The sooner you get help, the easier it will be for you in the long run.
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 (W's) are troublesome 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.
If you want or need to take a course online, including a pre-requisite or science lecture course, then do so. Just do academically very well in the course. Lab courses are now offered in-person and it is expected labs be taken in-person.
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 Sessions (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 Sessions (NSS) to learn about and develop a plan for developing your core clinical competencies.
We have many pre-med and pre-health professions student groups at UM-Dearborn. The UM-Dearborn Health Professions Advising Director is the faculty advisor to six 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 organizations and campus resources at UM-Dearborn, to find and learn more. You can also find the groups on the Health Professions General Information Google Classroom, Topic 2.
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 & Events, and find HPA NSS at the top of the page! You will see information about the next set of sessions in Fall or Winter. No need to sign up, just attend!
We're glad you asked. You have to attend a HPA New Student Sessions (NSS). Please see the answer to Q13 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 Sessions (NSS). Please see the answer to Q13 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.