An Overview of Admission Processes for Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant Programs

Abstract

Advisors commonly meet with students interested in pursuing a career in a health profession. This paper addresses the admission processes used by medical, dental, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs. Advice on helping students gather information about the professions, seek health-related experience, and prepare academically competitive portfolios is presented. Admission procedures across the health professions are discussed, including the application timelines, as well as institutional use of standardized tests, interviews, and letters of evaluation to make selection decisions. By being better informed about the admissions process in the health professions, advisors can assist students in planning their undergraduate educational experiences.