Prehealth

Newsletter

July 27, 2020

Welcome!

Dear Readers,

To better be able to serve you during the summer, we are switching to sending out these newsletters bi-weekly during the summer months. This is the last edition that will be sent out weekly. We will still be bringing you relevant information, but will do so a little less frequently. You can still schedule meetings with us.

Stay Connected!

We have set up 2 new Canvas modules for current students and alumni to be able to stay connected with one another during the application process, and to allow you to watch our pre-recorded group advising sessions.

Join our Health Professions School Applicants Networking Space to ask & answer questions about any part of the application process. We want this to be a safe place for our Penn State applicants to have open and honest discussions about their candidacy. We will begin using this platform to send out important application and exam announcements.

Join our PreHealth Group Advising module to learn about preparing for a career in your chosen health profession, and gain access to the pre-health advising team.

SUBSCRIPTION LINK: If this e-mail was forwarded to you, please subscribe to the Prehealth Newsletter here.

Miss our 2021 applicant Q&A session last week?

The Pre-health Advising Office hosted a short presentation to help with common questions and new processes, followed by a question and answer session last week. If you missed it, you can access it within the Resources Module of our Canvas Networking Space.

COVID Violence and Abuse Resource Page

With the outbreak of COVID-19, you may have seen the reports about an increase intimate partner violence, both domestic and dating violence and abuse. Sadly, our Penn State students are not immune to these trends. The Gender Equity Center has partnered with the Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response (OMSPR), as well as Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Marketing & Communications to create a web page of resources to address this concern

AAMC VITA Tool

Looking for more information on the AAMC VITA Tool? Check out our resource page here!

What the Health Book Club

"What the Health?" wants to hear what YOU have to say about health disparities and issues we are facing in society today. Our next meeting is on Wednesday, July 29th from 7-8 pm, and our book club "What the Health?" will be debriefing and tackling concepts from the book: Just Medicine, A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care by Dayna Bowen Matthew.

-What the Health? Book Club- July 29th Meeting Event Page

-Link to book on: eBay. Amazon

-Learn more about PRW here

OPTOMCAS Officially Launched!

The 2020-2021 OptomCAS application has officially launched! Applicants are now able to begin completing their optometry school applications. The application can be accessed directly at http://optomcas.liaisoncas.com.

General information about the OptomCAS process, including COVID-19 modifications and more specific information about LORs and prerequisites, can be found at www.optomcas.org website, or directly on SUNY Optometry's website at the following link: www.sunyopt.edu/admissions.

This year, our Letters of Recommendations requirement has changed to the following (a Pre-Health Committee Letter is recommended but no longer required):
- 1 Science Faculty
- 1 Optometrist
- 1 Professional Other (ie: faculty from another discipline, coach, employer, principal investigator, etc.)

To help applicants submit a application competitive, we are hosting our Virtual Admissions Camp on:
Friday, August 7th, 2020, from 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM EST.

In this free day-long virtual event, we will cover:

Key elements of a competitive application

Tips on essay writing
How to interview successfully
Tips on preparing for the OATs

Registration is required! Register today at www.sunyopt.edu/camp

Penn State Contact Tracing

A group at Hershey is organizing volunteers to do contact tracing for 5 or more hours per week. This is information about how to join, if you want to contribute. Consider forwarding this message to interested parties. The training described below "takes a week" but it is not a 40 hour training ! My onboarding workshop was about an hour. If you need to take redcap training, that takes about an hour. After that, you shadow an experienced contact tracer to see how it is done. Then they supervise some of your calls.

Learn more here.

Advancing the Response to COVID-19

OMH will host a virtual symposium on Thursday, September 17, 2020 to highlight state, Tribal, territorial and community-based efforts to address COVID-19 among racial and ethnic minority populations. The Advancing the Response to COVID-19: Sharing Promising Programs and Practices for Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities virtual symposium aims to support and disseminate promising practices, programs and strategies for combating COVID-19, especially in communities of color

See more here!

AED Diversity in Medicine Taskforce

AED’s Diversity in Medicine task force has started an Instagram Campaign in order to amplify the voices of people that have suffered discrimination in the healthcare system and bring awareness to the very real problems that need to be addressed. You can follow the Instagram or submit a story at @discrimination_in_medicine. Contact psuaedsecretary@gmail.com to learn more.

City Semester Pittsburgh Open House

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 4:00-6:00PM

Hear more about Penn State City Semester by attending this open house. Email MVF10@psu.edu to RSVP

Articles To Read

Want to keep reading? Check out some potential articles of interest here!

See list here!

ATSU Professional Development for Pre-Health Students

Virtual DAT Prep Workshop
August 6 @ 12 pm CST
Learn how to effectively prepare for the DAT, featuring information from DAT Bootcamp and a Q & A with presenters and dental students after the presentation. Raffle prizes have been provided by DAT Bootcamp!
Presenters: Hannah Morse, BA, Admissions Counselor, Amanda Selby, EdD, Assistant Director of Admissions, & ATSU-MOSDOH Student Ambassadors

Competitive Medical School (DO) Applications Virtual Workshop
August 11 @ 12 pm CST
Learn how to effectively complete the AACOMAS medical school application, with tips for writing essays and summaries of experiences.
Presenters: Theresa Hunziker, MHA, Admissions Counselor & Andrea O'Brien, MS, Director of Admissions

Competitive Dental School Applications Virtual Workshop
August 20 @ 1 pm CST
Meet with Admissions professionals to review the AADSAS application and hear tips for how to complete it effectively.
Presenters: David Koenecke, DC, MEd, Vice President for Admissions & Hannah Morse, BA, Admissions Counselor

Personal Statement Virtual Workshop
August 26 @ 3 pm
This workshop is geared toward Pre-Health applicants, to help them understand what makes an effective personal statement that helps them stand out. After the presentation, there will be a Q & A with the presenters and a panel of current students.
Presenters: Amanda Selby, EdD, Assistant Director of Admissions, Hannah Morse, BA, Admissions Counselor, & ATSU Student Ambassadors

Tips for Virtual Interviewing

Almost all health professions interviews will be done virtually this cycle. Get ahead of the game and start preparing now for your virtual interviews with some tips and tricks! We also offer free Penn State virtual backgrounds like the image shown here!

Virtual Fairs & Open Houses

-MANY NEW EVENTS!-

Feel like you are missing out by staying at home? Want to learn more about osteopathic medicine, medical school in the Caribbean, or postbacc opportunities? Visit and connect with these and other programs virtually at these live events!

Visit today!

Miss an issue of the newsletter?

Head over to our website for an archive of past issues to see what you missed!