CoSM Pre-med checklist

First Year:

Meet regularly with your academic advisor

Fall

• Attend “Intro to the Health Professions” Workshop and meet with the Pre-Health Advisor to develop your schedule
• Develop good study habits and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above
• Join Wright State Pre-Vet Society or other student organizations
• Visit “Explore Health Careers” website (www.explorehealthcareers.org
• Participate in pre-health activities and seminars

Winter

• Begin volunteer work in a veterinary clinic, specifically working with large or exotic animals
• Read magazines, newspapers, novels, etc. to enhance your reading and verbal skills
• Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above

Spring

• Look at a sample of the GRE to get an idea of what these tests are like
• Meet with the Pre-Health Advisor to plan next year's schedule

Summer

• Enjoy the summer
• Volunteer and gain experience working with animals
• Read everything you can
• Attend summer school, if necessary

Sophomore:

Meet regularly with your academic advisor

Fall: Check in with Pre-Health Advisor and participate in pre-health activities

• Request admission test prep books as holiday gifts
• Get A's in Organic Chemistry
• Find out about research opportunities and summer internships (zoos!)
• Participate in volunteer/paid medically related clinical activities
• Stay involved in student organizations; develop leadership role

Winter:

• Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above
• Seriously look at GRE sample questions
• Get to know your professors
• Continue volunteering

Spring:

• Meet with the Pre-Health Advisor to plan next year's schedule
• Maintain your grades

Summer:

• Enjoy the summer
• Volunteer
• Start studying for the GRE
• Attend summer school, if necessary

Junior:

Meet regularly with your academic advisor

Fall:

• Check in with Pre-health Advisor and participate in pre-health activities
• Continue participation in volunteer/paid medically related activities
• Continue involvement in Wright State Pre-Vet Society (run for office, be a mentor)
• Investigate:

Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements, published by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges

• Begin preparation for GRE administration
• Successfully complete first-quarter required pre-vet coursework and other degree requirements
• Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above
• Get to know your professors

Winter

• Meet with the Pre-Health Advisor
• Register for GRE online at www.ets.org
• Start to get letters of recommendation
• Do serious studying for the GRE and/or take an GRE prep course

Spring

• Consult regularly with Pre-Health Advisor regarding:

Schedule for completion of school-specific requirements for advisor evaluation

Advice about veterinary education options

• Continue participation in volunteer /paid animal related activities
• Take GRE
• Work on personal statement for VMCAS

How did you become interested in veterinary medicine?

What have you done to demonstrate your interest in veterinary medicine?

What have you done to demonstrate your commitment to others?

Do you have any special talents or leadership skills?

Did you have to work to pay for your education? How has that made you a stronger applicant?

Have you had to overcome hardships or obstacles to get where you are today? How that influenced your motivation for advanced education?

• Begin preparing your VMCAS application

Application becomes available in early June

Begin lining up your letters of recommendation

Collect copies of transcripts

Complete application early so that you can submit well in advance of the application deadline. VMCAS verification can take four to six weeks!

Summer

• Participate in summer health careers program, if available
• Complete VMCAS application and submit

After submission, check with the schools you are applying to for supplemental materials or fees that are required

Log onto VMCAS application to monitor that status of your application

Update any changes of address or other contact information in your application

• Retake GRE, if necessary
• Attend summer school, if necessary
• Receive a copy of your GRE scores
• If letters of recommendations are being sent to Pre-Health Advisor, keep up-to-date that all letters of recommendation have been received and indicate where the letters should be sent

Senior

Meet regularly with your academic advisor

Fall:

• Complete supplementary application materials for schools applied to
• Consult regularly with Pre-Health advisor regarding:

Completion of school-specific requirements for advisor evaluation

Status of application/admission process at dental schools applied to

• Continue participation in volunteer/paid medically related activities
• Continue involvement with Wright State Pre-Vet Society
• Visit schools when invited for interviews (see the Pre-Health Advisor interviews to help prepare)
• Interview at veterinary schools
• Continue review of veterinary education options
• Investigate:

Financial aid planning process with VMCAS

Financial aid forms required by school of interest

Winter

• Maintain your grades (if you are not successful in gaining admission to dental school this year and you decide to try again next year, these grades will be important
• Decide if you need to retake the GRE

Spring

• Celebrate your acceptance into veterinary school
• Make interim and final decisions about veterinary school choice
• Immediately notify veterinary schools that you will not be attending
• Graduate

Summer

• Enjoy your summer off before starting veterinary school
• Prepare for veterinary school enrollment: purchase books and equipment and make appropriate living arrangements
• Relax and prepare for veterinary school
• Attend orientation programs and matriculate into veterinary school