USM Preprofessional FAQs

     

Who is the USM Preprofessional Advisor?
Dr. Patricia Biesiot (patricia.biesiot@usm.edu)
is the Preprofessional Advisor. She can meet with students to discuss
academic questions and concerns about the healthcare professions and
will give advice about course sequences, application to professional
schools, etc. 
Call 601.266.4883 to make an appointment.  



What areas are considered "Preprofessional"?
The healthcare preprofessional areas include dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant,  veterinary medicine, cytotechnology, dental hygiene, health informatics & information management, and radiologic sciences.

See the Preprofessional home page for information about each of the specific preprofessional areas:  
http://www.usm.edu/science-technology/preprofessional

Nursing programs are administered by the School of Nursing (http://www.usm.edu/nursing) in the College of Health.

The Med Tech program is administered by the Department of Medical Technology (http://www.usm.edu/medical-technology) in the College of Health.

I want to major in a Preprofessional area (premed, predental, preoptometry, prepharmacy,
prevet, pre-occupational therapy, pre-physical therapy, etc.). Can I do that?
No. The "preprofessional curriculum" is NOT an academic major, a minor, or an emphasis area.

It is just a list of courses that are required for admission to a particular professional school (medical, dental, optometry, pharmacy, occupational or physical therapy, vet, physician assistant, etc.).

The USM Preprofessional Office does track students by their chosen preprofessional area by using specific student group codes, so please contact the Preprofessional Office 601.266.4883 and tell them your name, student ID number, USM email address, and the preprofessional area you plan to pursue.

Whom do I notify at USM if I want to be a student in one of the preprofessional areas?
Contact the Preprofessional Office 601.266.4883 and give them your name, student ID number, USM email address, and the preprofessional area you plan to pursue.

They will enter a student group code for you in SOAR and will put you on  the Preprofessional Listserve so you can receive email messages of general interest and of specific interest for your chosen preprofessional area.

I am applying for a Preprofessional Scholarship but I have to be listed officially as a
preprofessional student at USM. How do I do that?
Contact the Preprofessional Office 601.266.4883 and give them your name, student ID number, USM email address, and the preprofessional area you plan to pursue.

What should be my major? I want to go to medical/ dental/ optometry/ pharmacy/ occupational or physical
therapy/ vet/ or physician assistant school after I graduate from USM.
Professional schools in the healthcare area do not require a particular major.  Although many students choose a major in one of the departments in the College of Science and Technology or select a Healthcare related major in the College of Health, majors in other areas are entirely acceptable.

Students should select the major in which they feel the most comfortable and in which they would like to work if they are not successful in gaining acceptance into a healthcare professional program.
In other words, students are advised "to prepare for at least two careers with one degree."

There are a number of majors that prepare students for careers in a healthcare related field immediately after obtaining the B.S. or B.A. degree and without having to go to a professional school. These include
Medical Technology, Nutrition Science, Therapeutic Recreation, Kinesiotherapy, Exercise Science, Athletic Training.

Prior to applying to a professional school, students opting for Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy
must provide evidence of a certain number of hours of observation in a clinical setting. Many such students select a major in the College of Heath because they will get those experiences as part of their undergraduate curriculum. However, students in other majors are able to arrange for clinical observations on their own.

Does USM offer any courses that help students prepare for healthcare professional entrance exams like
the DAT, MCAT, OAT, PCAT or GRE?
 1. BSC 399 MCAT Prep is a 2 hours nonmajors course offered via IVN each Spring semester. The course originates in Hattiesburg and is received at the Gulf Coast. This team taught course reviews Biology, Chemistry, Physics (and Math), and critical thinking skills and helps students to write an effective personal statement.

Although students in the course practice by using MCAT exam questions, students who want to review the subject matter for other entrance exams (DAT, OAT, PCAT) may take the course.

"Department Consent" is required to register for BSC 399 because of the prerequisites (see below). Contact the Preprofessional Office 601.266.4883 and tell them your name and student ID number to get permission to enroll. 

Prerequisites are:

ENG 101, 102; BSC 110/L, 111/L; CHE 106/L, 107/L, 255/L, 256/L; PHY 111/L, 112/L; (MAT 101, 103) OR (one Calculus course); minimum overall GPA 3.4.

2. There are review classes for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE):


MTC 480 Conquering the GRE Computer Adaptive Test


MTC 481 GRE Preparation: Quantitative


MTC 482: GRE Preparation: Verbal


Check the Class Schedule Guide to determine when these courses are offered.

Does USM offer courses that are useful for students in the preprofessional areas?
In addition to the courses required for admission to specific professional programs, other courses thought by previous students to be useful:

 MTC 110 Phlebotomy I

 MTC 111Phlebotomy Practicum 

     NOTE:  students must be accepted into the Phlebotomy program in order to take MTC 111
    http://www.usm.edu/medical-technology/phlebotomy-certificate-program-0


MTC 201 Medical Terminology

PHI 452 Health Care Ethics

     NOTE:  a healthcare ethics course is required for admission to the Ole Miss Pharmacy program

BSC 392 Preprofessional Externship is a 1 hour nonmajors course offered each Fall semester (Wed 3:30-4:45 PM). During the semester Pre-med and Pre-dental students “job shadow”, which is a critical aspect of their preparation for admission to med school or dental school. Students may participate twice in the Externship course.

 http://www.usm.edu/science-technology/pre-professional-externships-pre-medical-pre-dental

BSC 399 MCAT Prep is a 2 hours nonmajors course offered via IVN each Spring semester. The course originates in Hattiesburg and is received at the Gulf Coast. This team taught course reviews Biology,
Chemistry, Physics (and Math), critical thinking skills and helps students to write an effective personal statement. 

Although students in the course practice with MCAT exam questions, students who want to review the BCPM subject matter for other entrance exams (DAT, OAT, PCAT) may take BSC 399.

I want to take the Hatten Premed / Predental Externship course but when I tried to register for BSC 392 (Preprofessional Externship) on SOAR it said I need permission.
How do I get permission to enroll?
BSC 392 Preprofessional Externship is a 1 hour nonmajors course offered each Fall semester (Wed 3:30-4:45 PM). During the semester Premed and Predental students “job shadow”, which is a critical aspect
of their preparation for admission to med school or dental school.

"Department Consent" is required to register for BSC 392 because of the prerequisites. Contact the Preprofessional Office 601.266.4883 and tell them your name and student ID number to get permission to enroll.


Prerequisites are:

 ENG 101, 102; BSC 110/L, 111/L; CHE 106/L, 107/L; (MAT 101, 103) OR (one Calculus course); minimum overall and USM GPA 3.2.

Sophomores and Juniors are encouraged to participate, so Freshmen must complete the prerequisites in the Spring or Summer semesters. Students may participate twice in the Externship course (in two separate Fall semesters).

I tried to register on SOAR for BSC 399 (MCAT Prep), but it said I need permission. How do I do that?
 "Department Consent" is required to register for BSC 399 because of the prerequisites.

If you have the prerequisites listed below, you should contact Ms. L. Machell Haynes, Preprofessional Assistant at 601.266.4741 or ladonna.haynes@usm.edu and tell her your name and student ID number to get permission to enroll.

Prerequisites are:

ENG 101, 102; BSC 110/L, 111/L; CHE 106/L, 107/L, 255/L, 256/L; (MAT 101, 103) OR (one Calculus course); PHY 111/L, 112/L; minimum overall and minimum USM GPA 3.4.


I am applying to a medical school (or to dental/ optometry/ pharmacy/ occupational or physical therapy/ vet/ physician assistant school) and need an evaluation letter from the Preprofessional Advisory Committee. How do I do that?
USM does not have a Preprofessional Advisory Committee; therefore, it is not possible to submit a composite evaluation. You must submit the required letters of evaluation from college faculty,
preferably those who taught your prerequisite courses. Be sure to ask someone who knows you well and who can offer detailed comments about your work and your abilities.

    

I am applying to a medical school (or to dental/ optometry/ pharmacy/ occupational or physical therapy/ vet/ or physician assistant school) and need an evaluation letter from the Preprofessional Advisor. How do I do that?
If a letter of recommendation from a Preprofessional Advisor is OPTIONAL but the student has never had Dr. Biesiot in a class nor met with her for preprofessional advisement or for help with the student’s Personal Statement, then it is in the student’s best interest to request letters of evaluation from instructors.

 
If a letter from the Preprofessional Advisor is REQUIRED by a specific professional school (or if a student who has never had Dr. Biesiot for a class but wishes to obtain a letter from the Preprofessional Advisor), then the student must make an appointment for at least one face to face meeting at least one month prior to the date the student wishes to submit his/her application and must submit the items listed below prior to that meeting.


If the student has never had Dr. Biesiot in class, then the letter of evaluation from Dr. Biesiot obviously must include the following sentences (or something similar):

“This letter constitutes my evaluation of Student Name who  is applying to ______ school. I serve as coordinator of the Healthcare Preprofessional Office at USM and have a good understanding of the
requirements for admission to ______ school. However, I have never had Student Name in class, so my remarks must be taken in this context.”


In order to write an effective, individualized letter of evaluation for any preprofessional student, Dr. Biesiot will need the following items. The documents mentioned in #3, 4, 5 must be submitted as separate attachments to a single email message and all the other items should be answered in the body of the same email message. Send the one email message to patricia.biesiot@usm.edu.

  1. USM ID number, so we can access your student transcript.
  2. All your admission test scores (MCAT, DAT, OAT, PCAT, GRE, etc.) and
    the date(s) you took them. Include the individual scores and the
    composite score for each time you took the test.
  3. Your resume or CV or statement of jobs, college organizations,
    positions of leadership, volunteer and community service activities,
    etc.
  4. Statement detailing all preprofessional exposures/experiences (work, shadowing, etc.), including supervisor, place, duration.
  5. Your Personal Statement for admission to professional school.
  6. A statement of your strengths and your weaknesses.
  7. Your target date for the letter and the official Deadline for the
    application. Dr. Biesiot needs sufficient lead time (at LEAST three
    weeks if she has never written a letter of support for you).
  8. Electronic version of evaluation form, if there is one.
  9. If a printed letter is needed, then include the complete addresses
    of schools/ departments/ business etc., with contact person’s name and
    job title. Also, is this person “Dr.” or “Mr.” or “Ms.” etc.?
  10. Your phone number, in case there are questions.
  11. The student must fill out and sign a form waiving his/her right to see the evaluation letter and giving explicit permission for evaluation letter writers to discuss the student’s academic records. Form is available in the Preprofessional Office TEC 103 or email Dr. Biesiot (patricia.biesiot@usm.edu) for an electronic version of the form.




 

I am applying to a professional school. Should I waive or not waive my right to see the recommendation letters?
 Many applicants waive their right to see the recommendation or evaluation letter. Some Admissions Committees may believe, rightly or wrongly, that letter writers are more candid and detailed when writing
about students who have waived their right to see the letter.

I planned to go to a medical/ dental/ optometry/ pharmacy/ occupational or physical therapy/ vet/ or physician assistant school but my GPA is not high enough to be competitive. I still want to work in a healthcare field. What can I do instead?
There are a number of options. You can find lots of information and descriptions about medicine and health related careers at http://facweb.furman.edu/%7Ejsnyder/careers/medical.html

Also look at

Health care career options for everyone 

Health care and human services programs   

Health Care Career Options    



I applied but didn’t get into medical school (or to dental/ optometry/ pharmacy/ occupational or physical therapy/ vet/ physician assistant school). What should I do now?
There are numerous websites with helpful suggestions: 

What will you do if you don’t get into medical school?   

What if I don’t into medical school?

What to do if your medical school application is rejected?


   

For more information about health-care careers in any of the Preprofessional areas contact:


Preprofessional Office
Ms. L. Machell Haynes, Preprofessional Assistant
601.266.4741
ladonna.haynes@usm.edu
College of Science and Technology
118 College Dr. #5165
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001

Dr. Patricia Biesiot, Associate Dean and Preprofessional Advisor
601.266.4883
patricia.biesiot@usm.edu
Preprofessional Office
College of Science and Technology
118 College Dr. #5165
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001