Advising information for Allied Health careers
The Allied Health career programs application process takes some time. You should plan your application ahead of time. It takes about 1 year from when you start applying to when you start the program if you accepted. The following timeline assumes you start A&P1 in a Fall semester and are planning to start your career program the following Fall semester:
- Fall semester (1 year before you plan to start the actual program):
- Take A&P1 lecture and lab.
- Research which Universities / College you want to apply for and what their specific requirements are for their programs.
- Identify application deadlines.
- Identify who you want to write letters of recommendation. If Dr Hollier, see the section on letters of recommendation.
- Identify entrance testing centers (such as for the TEAS, PCAT, MCAT, etc.) and make an appointment so the scores will reach the program by their deadline.
- Some programs requires the entrance test score to be submitted at the same deadline as the application deadline, others have the application deadline before the entrance test score deadline. Verify for the specific program you are applying to.
- Arrange volunteering in a related area.
- Volunteering in a related area shows you have initiative, know what you are getting into, and dedicated to the field.
- This may earn you “bonus” points in some programs. Other programs may look for this when deciding who to interview or offer places to.
- A lot of places require a background check to be done, which takes time. Others require letters of recommendation before they consider you.
- Between Fall and Spring semester:
- Do your volunteering work.
- If you wait until the semester is over before arranging volunteering then you will likely not be able to actually do it between semesters due to the time frame it takes to process your paperwork.
- Spring semester (the same calendar year as when you plan to start the actual program):
- Take A&P2 lecture and lab.
- Take the entrance test if the deadline was after the application deadline.
- Possibly be interviewed by the program.
- Wait to hear if you have a place for the next Fall semester. How long this takes depends on the program and school. Could be 1 week after an interview or could be 3 months or more!
- Summer semester (the semester immediately before you plan to start the actual program):
- Take Microbiology Lecture and Lab.