The PreMedical and PreDental Advising Office wishes you luck on your final exams! This year had its own unique challenges, and you deserve some rest and relaxation. In your free time, consider ways that you can support your development as a pre-health student. Here are a few ideas:
•Look into in-person or telehealth shadowing. Clinical opportunities have been limited during the pandemic, however this may be changing as more people are getting vaccinated. Now is a great time to reach out to health professionals that you have a connection with to inquire about whether you could shadow in-person and/or telehealth appointments. “Virtual shadowing” opportunities, in which a health professional may talk about their field and typical clinical cases, is another way to learn about your intended field. While there is no substitution for in-person experience, virtual opportunities for learning can support your professional development as well. More information on clinical experience can be found here.
•Read about your intended field. From personal accounts and memoirs of health professionals to critiques of healthcare systems, there are many books that can help you grow as a health professional.
•Explore professional schools' websites. Review admissions requirements, teaching philosophy, and mission of professional schools that you are considering applying to. Check back frequently to learn about upcoming open houses or other events for prospective students. Check out the “Upcoming Events” section below for information on school fairs and other events happening in the near future.
•Serve your community in a way that is meaningful to you. How will you use your unique strengths, skillset, knowledge and ideas to connect with others and work collaboratively towards a more just and equitable future?
•Take a class! Take care of a GEP, dive into a topic that interests you, or get a head start on next year. You may also consider classes or training for a job that can allow you to build your clinical skills. Community colleges will often have classes to prepare students for work as an EMT, veterinary assistant, certified nursing assistant, etc. See information below on two healthcare jobs that were recently posted to UMBCworks.
•Write your personal statement on why you want to pursue your intended field. What drives you to pursue your intended field? Why this field and not another? How do you see yourself contributing to the future of healthcare? Take some time to consider these questions and reflect on your reasons for pursuing a pre-health path.
•Prepare for future research or professional development opportunities. Explore academic department websites to learn more about the research projects professors are leading. Check out the fascinating research projects and creative achievements of your peers by exploring the 2021 URCAD VoiceThread presentations. You can learn more about preparing for research and professional development opportunities by visiting the Undergraduate Research website as well as the Career Center website. Also consider watching the recording of last fall’s presentation on summer opportunities here to get ideas for next summer.
•Assess learning strategies from the previous term and consider optimizing learning strategies for next semester. The summer break is a great time to reflect on how the past year went and consider resources and strategies to support your success in the next year. The Academic Success Center has a wealth of resources to help you study more effectively.
We hope that you will have a safe and relaxing summer break! If you would like to set up an appointment, you can visit our website to do so.
Upcoming events
2021 American Dental Education Association (ADEA) GoDental Virtual Fair
Tuesday, May 18-Thursday, May 20 3-6pm EST
Register here
Army Medical Department Virtual Career Fair
May 12, 12-9pm EST
Register here
2021 Student-Athlete Healthcare Career Conference hosted by Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine
June 2 and 3, 11am-5pm EST
Register here
Choose DO Virtual Osteopathic Medical School Expo
June 8, 12-6pm EST
Register here
Healthcare Jobs on UMBCworks:
Menon Medical Center LLC • Kensington, Maryland, United States |
Full-Time - Entry-Level |
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