Pre-Professional Health Advising

Return to: Academic Departments

Sharon Babcock, Director
Phone: (540) 568-6652
Email: pph@jmu.edu
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/pph

Pre-professional health (PPH) advising offers programs and services for undergraduate students who are preparing for professional health careers that require masters or doctoral education. PPH minors outline the courses, activities, experiences, and competencies associated with successful admission to graduate professional programs. PPH advisers assist students with academic planning, career-related exploration and decision-making, and constructing a competitive application to graduate professional programs.  Application advising and evaluation services are offered to current students and alumni.

Health profession schools are interested in the overall scope and quality of an applicant’s undergraduate performance. PPH students are encouraged to select a major based on interests and aptitudes. Regardless of baccalaureate degree or major program, competitive applicants must demonstrate excellence in academic accomplishments, prerequisite courses, career exploration, health-related experience, community service and standardized admission tests. Quality letters of recommendation are also fundamental to a competitive application. Thus, PPH students are encouraged to establish mentoring relationships with faculty, clinicians and supervisors.

Incoming first year and transfer students can declare interest in a PPH program without departmental review. Requests from current students to declare a PPH minor are reviewed prior to assigning an adviser. If the minor has admission standards, those standards are reviewed prior to approving a declaration request from a current student.

Pre-forensics studies  is an advisory program for students interested in careers in forensic science.  Students preparing for graduate education in forensics are encouraged to select a major in a discipline of interest. Numerous science disciplines (e.g., anthropology, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, physics and psychology) and health professions (e.g., dentistry, medicine and nursing) contribute specialized knowledge and techniques to the investigation of crime and legal proceedings.

Programs

• Pre-Athletic Training Minor
• Pre-Dentistry Minor
• Pre-Forensic Studies Advisory Program
• Pre-Medicine Minor
• Pre-Occupational Therapy Minor
• Pre-Optometry Minor
• Pre-Pharmacy Minor
• Pre-Physical Therapy Minor
• Pre-Physician Assistant Minor
• Pre-Veterinary Medicine Minor

Return to: Academic Departments