Presentation from September 3, 2009, prehealth convocation to advisees. Includes survey data from 2009-2010 Welcome Week Survey, AAMC admissions directors survey 2009, and competency-based evaluations including ETS PPI. (Sorry, the audio is a bit fuzzy: recorder was in my shirt pocket as I was moving around.)

1. Great Expectationsfor Great Applications George Mason University Prehealth Convocation 2009 Prehealth Convocation 2009 is supported by a grant from the Office of University Life. Additional support comes from Student Academic Affairs & Advising, College of Science, and the prehealth clubs at George Mason University.

2. Convocation Goals Connect advisees with Mason resources Educate advisees on “the process” Inform advisees of opportunities Understand why early advising and planning are critical to success Raffle off a free Kaplan class

3. What do you expect in 2020?

4. A different health care system?

5. There’s a class for that. HHS 201: Introduction to the Health Professions There’s also a seminar series for that. Center for Health Policy, Research, and Ethics 21 September noon: Will we see health care reform in 2009?

6. A better health care system? A Consumer Reports survey found that doctors and patients don't always see eye-to-eye. Here are some of the most common gripes: What bugs patients about doctors Kept me waiting 30 minutes or longer 24% Could not schedule an appointment within a week 19% Spent too little time with me 9% Didn't get test results promptly 7% Didn't respond to my calls promptly 6% What bugs doctors about patients Don't follow prescribed treatment 59% Wait too long before making appointment 41% Are reluctant to discuss symptoms 32% Request unnecessary tests 31% Request unnecessary prescriptions 28% Source: Consumer Reports, February 2007

7. What role will you play?

9. 2009-2010 Annual Welcome Week Survey 265 completed responses

10. What’s important for you? What are my chances of getting in?

11. What are you pursuing at Mason? Majors (239) Minors/Certificates (116)

12. If I Had Only Known… That majoring in “Pre-Med” was not mandatory. That taking time off before med school should be seriously considered. That each undergraduate school has a premed advisor who will write a letter of recommendation. That I knew how to interact more effectively with the prehealth advising system. That I needed more time to research a career choice. How to make a careful decision about what is important in a medical school How to better gauge the relative competitiveness of medical schools How to consider and understand the financial challenges. That rolling admissions doesn’t mean I should send in applications at the deadline (applying early is ideal). 2007 NEOSR/NEGSA med student forum

13. What’s important to schools?

14. What’s important to schools?

15. Screening applicants(AAMC survey 2009) Personal and professional characteristics Analysis and communications skills Natural science preparationOther factors

16. Calculating GPA Your Mason GPA is not the important GPA. Mason GPA counts most recent course grades for repeated classes. Application GPA’s count ALL grades. Only AACOMAS (DO programs) calculates GPA similarly to Mason. Admissions committees calculate other GPA’s. Prerequisite and science Non-major vs. Major Undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, graduate Last three years

17. Your GPA is important. Summer research programs. Internship opportunities. Scholarships. Awards and Honors. All these things provide evidence of how prepared you are to succeed. What you do today, during your summers, and throughout your time here will determine how successful you will be.

18. Schools accepting GMU-affiliated applicants for EY 2009 Dentistry Howard University (3) Virginia Commonwealth (2) University of Pittsburgh Optometry SUNY (2) Osteopathic Medicine Edward Via VCOM (3) Kansas City COM Philadelphia COM in Georgia Touro CA Touro NY (2 refused) West Virginia COM (refused) Pharmacy VCU (2) Podiatry Midwestern New York CPM Veterinary University of Pennsylvania Virginia Maryland Regional (at Virginia Tech) Caribbean MD American University of the Caribbean Ross University

19. GMU AMCAS 2009 statistics 18 Mason applicants for 2009 class, ALL with MSAC letter(11 had committee letters from postbac/other programs) Case Western Reserve UniversityDrexel University (Special Pathway) Eastern Virginia Medical School (8, 4 wd) George Washington University (3) Howard University (wd) Tulane University (wd) Virginia Commonwealth University (7, 2wd) Uniformed Services University (3) University of Vermont (wd) University of Wisconsin (2, 1wd) West Virginia University (wd)

22. Assessing scientific foundations

23. “I don’t know” I don’t know the answer because I never did my homework. “Did you read the website?” I don’t know the answer because it hasn’t been discovered yet (because I don’t have the perspective to answer). “Did you get a consensus opinion from the admissions directors?”

24. Assessing scientific foundations Critically reviewing “alternative therapies” Presentation by Eugenie Mielczierack (professor emerita, Medical Physics, GMU) Friday, September 25 4:30 to 5:30 pm, JC Room F Alpha Epsilon Delta meeting

25. Liberal arts and humanities Prof. de Paula invokes the liberal arts tradition, but he mentions only science and math. Meaningful reform of the pre-med curriculum should stress science, of course, but it should also give just as much emphasis to courses in the humanities. Since medical professionals confront all aspects of the human condition in their work—from birth to death and everything in between—it makes sense for them to have a strong background in the humanities, so that they can draw on the collective wisdom of those who have pondered and struggled with what it means to be human. Posted by Samuel J. Huskey , Chair, Classics and Letters at University of Oklahoma on August 20, 2009 at 10:00am EDT

26. Academic status of advisees

27. Health professional fields

28. Advantages to early advising Find out about all the roles. Early interventions to understand the application process. Access to early selection programs. 9 of 10 freshmen claim interest in early selection programs. Early involvement in research opportunities. Freshman/sophomore-only programs MD/PhD candidates should have 2 years of research exposure. Early interactions with admissions officials.

29. Advisee Experiences and Actions

30. Postgraduate Fellowships http://www2.gmu.edu/dpt/saa/fellowships/

31. Rhodes Scholarship (class of 2008-09) Myron Rolle(FSU 2009) The Rhodes is a crowning achievement for the student-athlete who aspires to both the NFL and medical school. Graduating in just two-and-a-half years with a 3.75 grade point average, Rolle completed all the necessary pre-medical requirements and earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Florida State in August. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in public administration. Along the way, Rolle founded Our Way to Health, a fifth-grade curriculum that addresses diabetes and obesity for students at a charter school run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida; conducted research on the metabolic profile of stem and cancer cells; tutored at-risk eighth-graders; studied abroad; and played the position of safety - he's one of the best in the nation - for the Florida State Seminoles football team. http://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=880314

32. Admissions Visit Kickoff Dentistry (17 Sep): VCU Medicine (21 Sep): Howard University Optometry (21 Sep): Salus University Pharmacy (21 Sep): University of Maryland Optometry (23 Sep): SUNY Medicine (23 Sep): UAG Medicine (28 Sep): University of Virginia Podiatry (30 Sep): NYCPM

33. What’s important to schools? It’s more than GPA and test scores.

34. Factors determining offers(AAMC survey 2009) Personal and professional characteristics Analysis and communications skills Natural science preparationOther factors

35. Evaluating applicants… FAIL.

36. GMU has a prehealth committee. An evaluation packet from the GMU Prehealth Advisor will be expected by admissions committees. Medicine (MD, DO) Dentistry (DMD/DDS) Veterinary medicine (VMD/DMV) Other programs see the institutional committee letter as a benefit to the application. Requests for committee letters end Feb 1. Committee interviews end April 1.

37. GMU has a prehealth committee. Some summer research opportunities want to see a prehealth advisor letter. Requests for Dr. Chuck’s recommendation letters must occur between November 1 and January 1 (through Blackboard with requested information).

38. Are you prepared? Smart (scientific and culturally aware) Up-to-date with treatments and technology Collaborates with other professionals Emulates professional behavior and trust Manages time, people, resources exceptionally Observant in diagnosis Technically capable Communicates impeccably Operates fluidly in health care environment

39. GMU Prehealth Applicants

40. 2009-2010 Annual Welcome Week Survey 337 completed responses

41. 2009-2010 Annual Welcome Week Survey FRESHMEN 51 completed responses

42. Success depends on(AAMC survey 2009) Self-evaluation and moral character Interfacing with others

43. Ethics and Integrity (ETS PPI) Is among the most honest persons I know. Maintains high ethical standards. Is worthy of trust from others. Demonstrates sincerity.

44. Teamwork (ETS PPI) Supports the efforts of others. Behaves in an open and friendly manner. Works well in group settings. Gives criticism/feedback to others in a helpful way.

45. Emulating professionalism How you should behave and believe How you think, act, and behave reflects Your friends and family Your peers, teachers, and work colleagues Your school(s) Your profession and professional societies

46. When things go right Consumer Reports asked readers what they liked about their doctors. Here is the percentage of patients who rated their doctor "excellent" in the following areas: Treats me with respect 77% Listens to me with patience and understanding 67% Seems to care about my emotional well-being 64% Has encouraged me to ask questions 57% Has made efforts to get to know me as a person 42% Source: Consumer Reports, February 2007

47. How to be a success Surround yourself with successful friends. Develop a strong group of mentors. Freshman/sophomore summer programs. Research/scholarly experiences. Scholarship recommendations and awards. Address your weaknesses truthfully. Two science professors One non-science professor One clinical professional Volunteer or work supervisor Expect to be more than you planned to be

48. 2009-2010 Annual Welcome Week Survey 265 completed responses

49. Then you have to ask… How do you convince someone else that you have successful traits?

50. Success depends on Self-evaluation and moral character Interfacing with others

51. Finding opportunities for success

52. Finding opportunities for success

53. Finding opportunities for success Take the HIV/AIDS class (Bio 301). AIDS Walk DC or NY to DC bike ride. Help Dr. Yuntao Wu with his charity bike ride. http://mason.gmu.edu/~ywu8/WuLab/home.html HIV/AIDS counseling http://clce.gmu.edu/volunteering/aids.html Research with Dr. Yuntao Wu (UAP) or at NIH Prehealth Ally Safe Zone Training Friday, November 13 (9am to 5pm) Listen to HHMI Holliday Lecture on HIV/AIDS. Discuss the Angels in America plays.

54. Finding opportunities for success 09 September: IOM: The Healthcare Imperative conference 15 September: IOM: H1N1 pandemic 24 September: NIH Pioneer Award symposium 24 September: Capital Science lecture How the Ear Hears, and Sometimes Doesn’t 25 September: Dr. Mielczierack talk 18 October weekend: OneSight in Richmond 23 October: Visit to GW School of Medicine 13 November: Ally Safe Zone Training

55. Prehealth Resources Success depends on how you use these and other resources.

58. Facebook “fan” page

59. Resources for Success GMU Prehealth Website Annual Welcome Week Survey Prehealth-L listserv GMU Prehealth Newsfeeds Prehealth Blackboard “class” Facebook fan page iTunesU channel (CHHS) MasonWikiwebpages Bookshelf and Library (on reserve)