SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY Pre-Health Advisement Program

SACRED HEA R T U N I V E R S I T YPre-HealthAdvisement Program

Seminars in the Health ProfessionsIn addition to one-on-one advisement by the Pre-Health Advisement team, theprogram gives students the opportunity to participate in two health seminars offeredby the Pre-Health Advisement Program.SEMINAR IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONSSPRING SEMESTER FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMORE YEAREach week a speaker from a health profession visits class todiscuss the profession and provide first-hand informationabout the career. Topics include courses and tests requiredfor admittance to respective health profession schools,debt and timeline to recover from debt, salaries, realistictimelines for purchasing homes/starting a family/familytime, daily professional life, life on call and non-traditionaljobs students could explore with their degrees. Theseminar provides students with the information they needto find the right health career for them.ADVANCED SEMINAR IN THE HEALTHPROFESSIONSFALL SEMESTER JUNIOR OR SENIOR YEARThis class meets once per week for seminar discussionsand other activities associated with planning for andapplying to schools in the relevant health professions.Discussions include advice on course selections thatare required for different schools, any relevant revisionsto the course offerings at SHU, and the timing ofregistration for courses in relation to exams such as theMCAT, DAT, OAT, PharmCAT or GRE exam. We alsodiscuss the balance between pre-health requirementsand other academic and extracurricular goals, anddiscuss which paths may be most aligned with your ownvalues, abilities and interests. In addition to seminardiscussions, you will hear from invited speakers, such asalumni at different points in their health profession careers,admission directors of different schools and coordinators ofprograms that provide extracurricular clinical opportunities.Students learn about the logistics and timelines for theapplication process, write their personal statements underthe guidance of trained faculty and participate in mockinterviewing. Additionally, any student who receives aninterview is afforded a private mock-interview with theadvising team.

About the ProgramSACRED HEART UNIVERSITY OFFERS A STRONG AND UNIQUE PROGRAM IN PREPARATION FORGRADUATE WORK in medical (MD, DO and podiatry), dental, veterinary, pharmacy, optometry and physicianassistant schools, emphasizing both the humanities and the sciences.Students are guided through careful planning ofcoursework to meet the requirements from eachprofessional school: typically courses in the sciences,math and English along with courses in the humanitiesand behavioral sciences. In addition, Sacred HeartUniversity works with students to understand therealities of various health professions and earnacceptance to the professional schools. Out-of-theclassroom experiences are an important component ofprofessional school preparation and include internships,job shadowing, undergraduate research, participation inrelevant extracurricular organizations, volunteerism andentrance exam preparation. Pre-health students alsotake advantage of activities such as book discussionsand visits to museums, theaters, and exhibits. TheProgram’s mission is to prepare broadly-educatedstudents with high academic achievement and tonurture altruism and realism through service.What Major Should IChoose?THERE IS NO MAJOR THAT YOU MUST CHOOSE in order to bea pre-health student. You may hear that you must major in biology,chemistry or something in the natural sciences to be a pre-healthstudent or that certain majors will give you a better chance atgetting into medical schools. This is not true.At Sacred Heart University, our Pre-Health Advisement teamwill work with you to ensure that you complete the requiredpre-requisite courses; you can major in anything and still be prehealth. Your faculty advisors, along with the Center for Career andProfessional Development, will also help you choose a major thatyou are passionate about with courses that match your interests. Ahigh GPA, along with completing the required pre-requisite coursesand performing well on the admission test, is critical for yourapplication.“The Pre-Health Advisement Program has been nothing less thana phenomenal experience. Professors and advisors are passionateabout what they teach, and they all have a wealth of knowledge intheir respective fields. Research opportunities and internships areoffered in abundance to truly prepare you for any post-graduatecareer path.”—CHRISTOPHER TURECHEK ’19

InternshipsInternships and shadowing are an integral part of students’ pre-health development.SHU students benefit from the University’s location in Fairfield County, Connecticutwith access to a multitude of sites for internships and shadowing. A sampling ofrecent sites includes:›Leo Zoological Conservation Center›New England Oral Surgery Associates›Beardsley Zoo›Gentle Family Dentistry›Veterinary Surgery of New England›Dialysis Clinic Inc.›The Kennedy Center›Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine›Neurodiagnostics, LLC›Spring Mill Physical Therapy›Norwalk Hospital›Bristol Meyer Squibb›Pfizer›Summer Medical and Dental Education Program,Yale UniversityClubs and OrganizationsA VARIETY OF THRIVING PRE-HEALTH CLUBS ANDORGANIZATIONS ARE OFFERED FOR SHU STUDENTS.THESE INCLUDE:Alpha Epsilon Delta is the National Health Pre-professional HonorSociety dedicated to the encouragement and recognition ofexcellence in pre-professional health scholarship. The societywelcomes all students engaged in the pursuit of professionaldevelopment, provides a forum for students with commoninterests, and extends a program of service to benefit theUniversity community. Students apply after completing at leastthree semesters of health pre-professional studies work, with anoverall cumulative GPA of at least 3.20.The Pre-Physician Assistant club helps students learn more aboutthe occupation, interact with current physician assistants andprepare for exams and other requirements for physician assistantschools.Pre-Medical students may also join the American MedicalStudent Association club, in addition to academic major clubsand organizations such as the Biology Club, American ChemicalSociety, Psychology Club and English Club.

Student Success StoriesFOR MORE SHU SUCCESS STORIES VISITwww.sacredheart.edu/pre-healthsuccessDEEVA FRANKEL, DPMDr. DeeVa Frankel, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine,graduated from Sacred Heart University in 2010 witha bachelor’s degree in biology. After Sacred Heart,she attended Barry University School of PodiatricMedicine, graduating in 2014 when she began a3-year surgical residency in foot and ankle surgery atMount Sinai Medical Center. Currently DeeVa serves asChief Resident.NEIL DOPPLERNeil Doppler graduated from Sacred Heart Universityin 2015 with a double major in biology (concentrationin cellular and molecular biology) and chemistry(concentration in biochemistry). He went on to studyoptometry at the University of Alabama at BirminghamSchool of Optometry, graduating in May 2019. Neilalso served as a member of the American OptometricStudent Association Board of Trustees. Neil plans tofocus his practice on Low Vision and Ocular Disease.JOCELYN BRICKETT, DVMJocelyn Brickett earned her Bachelor of Science witha double major in Biology and Chemistry at SacredHeart University in 2009 and went on to attendthe University of Tennessee, earning her Doctor ofVeterinary Medicine in 2014. Jocelyn is currentlya veterinarian at Animal Specialty and EmergencyHospital in Rockledge, Florida and a member of theAmerican Veterinary Medical Association and theVeterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society.

Sampling of AcceptancesSCHOOLS ATTENDED BY SHU GRADUATES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS (FOR A FULLLISTING SEE �� New York UniversityCollege of Dentistry› Rutgers, the StateUniversity of New JerseySchool of Dental Medicine› Tufts University School ofDental Medicine› University at Buffalo Schoolof Dental Medicine› University of ConnecticutSchool of Dental Medicine› University of MarylandSchool of Dentistry› University of Medicine andDentistry of New JerseyDental School› AlbertAlbert Einstein College of Medicine›Chicago Medical School›Drexel University College of Medicine›Florida Atlantic University College of Medicine›Indiana University School of Medicine› Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Bradenton›New Jersey College of Osteopathic Medicine›New York College of Osteopathic Medicine›New York Medical College›Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine›Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine›Quinnipiac University School of Medicine›St. George’s University School of Medicine›Stanford University School of Medicine›Stony Brook University School of Medicine›Temple University School of Medicine›››University of Calgary School of Medicine›University of California at Davis School of MedicinePHARMACY›University of Connecticut School of Medicine› Albany College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesUniversity of Massachusetts Medical School› Northeastern University School of PharmacyUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine› Touro College of PharmacyUniversity of Texas San Antonio Long School of Medicine› University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine› Western New England College of Pharmacy and HealthSciences›››››College College of Optometry atPacific CollegeTexas College of Osteopathic Medicine› New England College of OptometryUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences› University of Alabama at Birmingham School of OptometryVETERINARY›OPTOMETRY Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of PrinceEdward IslandPHYSICIAN ASSISTANT› Albany Medical College Physician Assistant Program Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine› Arcadia University Physician Assistant Program Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine &Biomedical Sciences› Elon University Physician Assistant Program› Long Island University Physician Assistant Program› Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine›› Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesPhysician Assistant Program› orth Carolina State University College of VeterinaryNMedicine› Mercy College Physician Assistant Program› New York Institute of Technology Physician AssistantProgram››› Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine› Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine›› Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at University ofEdinburgh Pace University/Lennox Hill Hospital Physician AssistantProgram› Quinnipiac University Physician Assistant Program University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine› Sacred Heart University Physician Assistant Program Western University of Health Sciences College of VeterinaryMedicine› Springfield College Physician Assistant Program› Stony Brook University Physician Assistant Program› Touro University Physician Assistant Program› UMDNJ Physician Assistant Program› University of Bridgeport Physician Assistant Program››DENTAL› Boston University School of Dental Medicine› LECOM School of Dental Medicine› Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine

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› Mercy College Physician Assistant Program › New York Institute of Technology Physician Assistant Program . › Springfield College Physician Assistant Program › Stony Brook University Physician Assistant Program › Touro University Physician Assistant Program