Pre-Health Timeline & Action Plan
A competitive applicant to the health professions should demonstrate strong academic performance, engagement in extracurricular activities and student leadership opportunities, a commitment to community and public service, and exposure to clinical experiences. Discover how to optimize your undergraduate experience with the timeline below.
First-Year Students
- Register with HPA. If you aren't on our mailing list, please email hpa@rhodes.edu to be added.
- Meet with HPA each semester to review your interests, goals, and prerequisite planning.
- Explore the HPA Box folder and website to discover the available resources for you.
- Check Canvas and your Rhodes email regularly for important updates from faculty and staff.
- Start a science course sequence.
- Develop and improve your time management and study skills.
- Strive to excel in your classes by attending tutoring sessions or supplemental instruction, joining study groups, scheduling office hours, and getting to know your faculty.
- Familiarize yourself with campus resources and utilize them as needed.
- Explore various areas of academic interest, including different potential majors and career paths.
- Get involved in student organizations. Consider the Health Professions Society, the Minority Association of Pre-medical Students, Remote Area Medical, the Veterinary Professions Society, and SpAid.
- Attend HPA class year meetings, small group advising, and HPA events.
- Consider participating in the Alumni Office's Winter Mentoring Program.
- Look into a shadowing experience during winter break.
- Look into summer clinical opportunities, including shadowing, volunteering, and paid experiences.
- Start a journal to track your experiences and involvement.
Sophomores
- Meet with HPA each semester to review GPA, prerequisite coursework, and clinical experiences.
- Start considering your major in the fall of your sophomore year. If you're exploring career options or undecided about your major, seek guidance from faculty, your academic advisor, Career Services, or your HPA advisor. Remember to declare your major(s) by the spring semester.
- Develop a list of five potential schools to which you would like to apply. Please familiarize yourself with each of their prerequisites and admissions processes.
- Complete online self-assessment in the spring and meet with your HPA advisor to review.
- Stay involved in activities from your first year and focus on strengthening areas that need improvement.
- Find a balance between co-curricular activities and academics.
- Involve yourself in community service and seek out consistent, long-term volunteer opportunities.
- Seek out research opportunities if interested.
- Consider an HPA winter externship.
- Consider various summer clinical opportunities.
- Consider applying in the spring for an academic internship that will begin in the fall of your junior year.
Juniors
- Continue participating in activities from previous years, with a focus on identifying and capitalizing on growth opportunities.
- Meet with HPA in the fall to discuss the timeline for applying to professional school and review key items to consider.
- Determine your timeline to prepare for and take a professional entrance exam. NOTE: If you plan to apply this cycle to medical or dental school, you should complete your entrance exam by the end of May.
- Attend our fall application support workshop series or watch the recordings in Box.
- If taking a growth year, consider clinical opportunities and/or entrance exam prep programs for the summer.
- Consider applying in the fall for an academic internship that will begin in the spring of your junior year.
- Consider applying in the spring for an academic internship that will begin in the fall of your senior year.
- If applying this upcoming cycle, have a completed experience list in bullet form by the end of winter break.
- Begin preparing financially for the costs associated with the application process.
Seniors
- Maintain activities from previous years, with a focus on areas that allow for continued growth.
- Consider applying in the fall for an academic internship that will begin in the spring of your senior year.
- Meet with HPA in the fall to discuss the timeline for applying to professional school and review key items to consider.
- Develop a study plan and timeline to prepare for your entrance exam with guidance from HPA. NOTE: If you plan to apply this cycle to medical or dental school, you should complete your entrance exam by the end of May.
- Attend our fall application support workshop series or watch the recordings in Box.
- Make plans for your upcoming growth year (work, volunteer, research, post-bac). Note: Application processes for post-bac programs vary. Admission cycles typically begin in August. Some application deadlines may be in November, while others may remain open for an extended period (April-July).
- If applying this upcoming cycle, have a completed experience list in bullet form by the end of winter break.
- Begin preparing financially for the costs associated with the application process.
- Participate in a mock interview with HPA, as you are invited to interview with health programs.