The Pre-Professional Office
The Premedical and Health Professions Office, located within the College of Science and Technology in Chain Technology 105A and managed by LaTandra Cowan, helps students prepare for careers in medical fields. The Office offer assistance with course selection, schedule planning, and the application process.
The programs administered by the Office are medicine, dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dental hygiene, physical therapy, occupational therapy, cyto-technology and health information management. Students who complete the pre-professional programs at Southern Miss are highly successful in gaining admission to the professional schools of their choice.
The health careers for which we prepare students involve two educational phases. The first is coursework at The University of Southern Mississippi, the "preprofessional" phase. For most fields, such as medicine, dentistry, and physical therapy, this usually means a bachelor's degree from Southern Miss followed by two or more years of professional school. Other programs, such as pharmacy, dental hygiene, and occupational therapy, may consist of two to three years of courses at Southern Miss followed by a two to four year phase in a professional school. Admission to professional programs is generally very competitive, and the application process must be initiated anywhere from several months to almost a year before the expected date of entry.
Pre-professional programs at Southern Miss offer several advantages. The College of Science and Technology has exceptionally strong departments in the biological, mathematical, and physical sciences and thus provides the background needed to do well on dental and medical school admission tests. The pre-professional office provides individualized help in the application process and with letters of recommendation. In addition, we bring professionals and recruiters from a variety of professional schools to campus and arrange field trips for students to medical centers and hospitals.
Most medical and dental schools now require that applicants have up-close experience with a medical doctor or dentist. For several years, the Stephen Hatten Externship Program has paired premedical students with local physicians, giving students that "shadowing" experience. Recently, the Pre-professional Office, with the guidance of Dr. John Roberson, began a similar program for pre-dental students.
If you are considering a career in medicine, dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dental hygiene, physical therapy, occupational therapy, cyto-technology, or health information management, contact:
LaTandra Cowan
601-266-4724
College of Science and Technology
118 College Dr. #5165
Hattiesburg, MS 39406