Pre-Professional Advising Center

Welcome! The Pre-professional Advising Center (PAC) in 111 Irvine Hall offers individualized assistance and advice for Ohio University students and alumni interested in the health professions, including Dentistry, Medicine, Optometry, Physical Therapy, Veterinary Medicine and other allied health professions. Students should meet with the Pre-professional Advisor early in the Freshman year to discuss their professional goals, explore options and discover how the PAC can serve them throughout their college career.

To be successful in the health care field requires strong academic performance and admissions exam scores. Beyond that, it will require personal development and a full understanding of the expectations of your field of interest. Below are a few of the goals pre-health students should set for themselves.

If you are applying to professional school (Medicine, Veterinary, Optometry, Dental, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy), you will want to do the following:

Earn a solid overall GPA (3.5+)

Earn a solid Science GPA (3.5+)

Become knowledgeable about the admissions test for professional school (MCAT, PCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE)

Get to know your faculty! You will most likely need 2-3 letters of recommendation from faculty when you apply

Get clinical experience in your field of medicine in more than one setting

Shadow professionals in your area of interest

Get involved in volunteer work and student organizations and consider taking on a leadership role during college

Consider gaining research experience

READ to strengthen comprehension skills for undergraduate work and beyond

Advising Resources Provided by the PAC

Information on application processes for professional schools (Medical {Allopathic and Osteopathic}, Dental, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Veterinary)

Preparation for standardized tests, including the MCAT, PCAT, DAT, OAT and GRE

Assistance with identifying beneficial undergraduate opportunities, scholarship information and timelines

Techniques for creating a well written Personal Statement for the professional school application

* Interviewing tips and mock interviews to prepare for professional school interviews

* Coordination of the submission of Letters of Recommendation

* Information for Parents of prospective and current Ohio University students.

If you would like to discuss your interest in the health professions, please do not hesitate to contact the Pre-professional Advisor, Ann LaComb. “Walk-in” appointment availability will vary from quarter to quarter; scheduled appointments can be made by e-mail (lacomb@ohio.edu) or phone (740-593-0431).