Health Professions Advising Program

Considering medical, dental, veterinary or other health professions careers? This program provides assistance to students like you.

If you are considering applying to medical, dental, veterinary or another health professions school after graduating from Cedar Crest College, make sure you take advantage of our Health Professions Program starting right now—even if you have not firmly decided upon your future career path. This program is designed to provide students like you with the guidance, information, and assistance needed to successfully pursue advanced medical education.

Simply send an e-mail to the Health Professions Advisor, (Dr. Audrey Ettinger; ajetting@cedarcrest.edu), and she will keep you informed of various workshops, internships, open houses and other opportunities that will help you explore your interests and improve your credentials. You will also benefit from the guidance and assistance of our Health Professions Committee (see information below).

Because of the required courses in science, most health professions students choose to major in the sciences, most often in biology, biochemistry, or neuroscience.. However, it is not necessary to major in science. Cedar Crest does not have pre-health professions majors. The best major is the one that interests and excites you; enjoy it and be prepared to work hard in it!

The Health Professions Committee

This group of Cedar Crest faculty members advises interested students, writes letters of recommendation for qualified students, and determines policies regarding pre-health professions studies. The current members of this committee include:

Audrey Ettinger, PhD, Health Professions Advisor, Biology
Dianne Babbitt, PhD, Health Sciences
Jeanne Berk, PhD, Chemistry
Allison Cornell, PhD, Biology
Jennifer Hayden, PhD, Biology
Carol Pulham, PhD, English

Advanced Medical Education Requirements

Students wishing to complete the Health Professions Concentration should consult the College catalog for the full list of requirements. The following Cedar Crest College courses fulfill the undergraduate course requirements for most medical, dental and veterinary schools:

BIO 123 Foundations in Biology
BIO 124 Principles of Cell and Molecular Biology
CHE 111 Chemical Principles
CHE 112 Chemical Equilibrium and Analysis
CHE 205, 206 Organic Chemistry I & II
CHE 217 or CHE 307, Biochemistry
PHY 104, 105 College Physics I & II
MAT 141, 142 Calculus I & II
BIO 248 Biostatistics or MAT 110 Probability and Statistics
ENG (Two courses, including WRI 100, College Writing)
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 100 Introduction to Culture and Society

Please bear in mind that these courses are the minimum requirements. To perform well on admissions tests and succeed in professional school, students may need additional coursework, such as genetics, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, or public speaking, all of which are regularly offered at Cedar Crest.

Professional schools seek students with a demonstrated record of academic achievement. The Health Professions Advisor can assist you in evaluating your academic record to determine your competitiveness for particular schools and programs.

You should also seek the following as part of your undergraduate studies:

Research experience
Exposure to clinical practice
Volunteer service opportunities
Involvement in the student Health Professions Society

Pre-dental students should also have a high degree of manual dexterity.

Application Process

The application process for health professions schools begins the year prior to the intended start date (i.e., in the spring of the junior year for students planning to proceed immediately after graduation). Students should consult with the Health Professions Advisor initially and throughout the application process. Most medical schools expect a confidential letter of recommendation from the Health Professions Committee, and it is inadvisable for students to apply without requesting a letter using the form available from the Advisor.

Most health professions programs require completion of a standardized test, typically administered at a computerized testing center.
Medical schools require applicants to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
Most U.S. dental schools require the Dental Admission Test (DAT).
Veterinary schools use either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
Physician Assistant and Masters of Public Health schools use either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Students should determine the preference of the schools in which they are interested.