The Pre-Health professions program is open to all HCU students interested in a career in health professions. The program is not a major; rather, it is a series of classes and activities designed to prepare students for entry into these schools. Activities in the program include membership and participation in the applicable pre-professional student organizations, trips to health professions schools, and workshops offered by the Professional Experience Office. Students should check around COSE for information about scheduled activities. Students are also encouraged to seek shadowing opportunities with area healthcare professionals and to perform community service as individuals or in conjunction with student organizations. Entry into a health professions school is a competitive process. Applications to health professions schools may occur early in the summer after a student’s junior year if prerequisite courses are complete and a student has a competitive GPA and test scores. If these conditions are not met, it may be in the student’s best interest to delay application until he or she obtains a competitive GPA and admissions test score. Texas health professions schools require evaluation letters. Evaluation letters are submitted in one of two forms. 1) A Health Professions Packet (HPP) or 2) Individual letters of evaluation. The Health Professions Packet (HPP) is the preferred letter of recommendation by the Health Profession schools because it is similar to a composite letter. This packet includes information from the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) (mandatory self-assessment, workshops and mock interview) and letters of evaluation from HCU faculty in support of a student’s application. In order to request the Health Professions Packet an HCU student must: Complete required Self-Assessment by published deadlines Request individual letters from COSE faculty and staff. Students approved for the HPP will ask faculty and staff to submit letters to the Professional Experience Office PXO (pxo@hc.edu). Students not approved for the HPP will ask recommenders of their choice to submit letters directly to the health profession school. Complete 30 semester hours at HCU of which 16 hours are science courses. Complete at least 90% of pre-requisites courses for the intended Health Profession. Notify the Professional Experience Office (pxo@hc.edu) and indicate their intention to apply to a health profession school. Attend three (3) workshops designed to acquaint students with the health professions application services, the format of an impactful personal statement and the expectations of applicants at interviews. Attend a 30-minute scheduled interview (Mock Interview) with the Health Professions Advisory Committee during the spring semester prior to application submission. Meet the following requirements 3.0 or above overall GPA 3.0 or above Science and Math GPA Experience beyond high school with healthcare and/or research Participation in COSE Health Professions events Leadership Student organization involvement Faculty/staff Interaction – need maximum of 3 faculty and/or staff letter writers
