Spring Pre-Health Group Advising Sessions

The list of dates for Spring 2022 Pre-Health Group Advising Sessions is now available. The full list of group advising sessions can be found here.

Click here to join the Prehealth Group Advising Canvas Course 

Portfolio Checklist Submission Now Open

If you are applying to medical, dental, optometry or podiatry programs for the 2022-2023 cycle to begin at the professional program in Fall 2023, you may complete the checklist below to schedule a comprehensive interview with a member of the prehealth advising team.

Comprehensive Interview scheduling opens on January 21, 2022. 

Submit your portfolio checklist here. 

Request a Health Professions portfolio here.

Nominate Delegates to the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee

The Office of Minority Health invites nominations of qualified candidates to serve as primary and alternate delegates for the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee (CIIHE TAC). The CIIHE TAC will play a role in helping to ensure OMH has Tribal input that is critical for the CIIHE's success and effectiveness. The CIIHE TAC will have 16 delegate positions, one from each of the 12 geographic areas served by the Indian Health Service (IHS), and four national at-large member positions.
Nominations deadline extended to January 7, 2022.

Volunteer Hotline Counselor Training Opportunity

Training through Centre Helps

Centre Helps will offer a Volunteer Hotline Counselor Training beginning Tuesday, January 18th, 2022. This is a 7-week training that is required for our volunteer counselors. The program includes training and certifications on things like active listening, conflict resolution, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) as well as instruction from guest speakers on topics like Multicultural Counseling, Domestic Violence, Grief, and many more. This is a great opportunity for students to learn valuable skills and gain experience that could be applicable to their future careers while giving back to the Centre County Community. 

Once training is completed our volunteer counselors are responsible for answering our 24/7 hotline, taking calls ranging from information referral, financial crisis, emotional support, crisis intervention, addiction, and much more. We are a certified crisis hotline and are partnered with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Alcoholics Anonymous, Centre Safe, and a variety of local therapists.  

Applications for our training program are due on Monday, January 10th. Please encourage students to apply online at https://www.centrehelps.org/

Med School Applicants: AAMC Fee Assistance Program

Applications for the AAMC Fee Assistance program close on December 16th. If you plan to use the FAP toward your 2022 MCAT registration you should apply now!

Now is the time to start looking at the AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP). AAMC has updated the income eligibility requirements to 400% or less of the 2020 national poverty level for that family size. Many students are eligible for this!!!

**You must have your parents tax information from 2020 in order to apply***

Benefits are NOT retroactive. You should submit your AAMC FAP before you register for your MCAT exam. 

Even if you plan to only apply to DO programs, you should still complete an AAMC FAP to receive the MCAT benefits. 

AAMC FAP includes the following: 

MCAT Official Prep Products Benefit

• The MCAT Official Prep products benefit package is subject to change. The current MCAT Official Prep products benefit is the MCAT Official Prep Online-Only Bundle ($268.80 value), which includes all online MCAT Official Prep products. 

MCAT Benefits

• Reduced registration fee), from $320 to $130, for MCAT exams.
• Consideration for financial assistance to obtain an updated evaluation to support an application for MCAT exam accommodations (For more information and instructions on how to apply, please visit aamc.org/accombenefit).

Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) Benefit

• Complimentary subscription to the Medical School Admission Requirements online database following account activation ($36 value).

AMCAS Benefit

Waiver for all AMCAS fees for one (1) application submission with up to 20 medical school designations ($990 value), submitted by December 31, 2022.

Q&A Session on Post Bac Programs/PREP/Gap Years

Hosted by APSA

Thursday December 16th
7:00 PM Eastern

If you are currently applying or planning to apply to MD-PhD or DO-PhD programs, the American Physician Scientists Association is supporting you with an interactive session. This is geared towards students who are considering a path as a physician-scientist and have questions about Post Bac/PREP/Gap Year programs as they pertain to MD/DO-PhD applications/preparation. A panel of current trainees will be available to answer your questions. Anyone can join; you do not have to be applying this cycle to participate! 

Register for FREE at: https://tinyurl.com/bp7ebepa. For more information about our sessions as well as an application FAQ document, please visit our website: www.physicianscientists.org/page/interactive-series.

Penn State College of Medicine State College Campus

Click here to register and view details

Did you know that in addition to the Penn State College of Medicine Hershey Campus, PSCOM also has a 4 year curriculum campus in State College, PA? We’d love to share more with you about the University Park Curriculum Track, and we’d like to invite you to a series of ZOOM talks that we are hosting – each one focusing on a different aspect of the UP track. I’ve attached a highlight sheet for some additional information.

Sessions available are below. All sessions will be held 6 to 7 p.m.

• Dec. 15: Life in State College
• Jan. 12: Current student meet and greet
• Feb. 9: University Park Curriculum Track welcome and Year 1
• Feb. 16: Program Overview, Years 2-4
• March 2: Mock IQ group
• March 16: Life in State College
• April 6: Current student meet and greet

MCAT Information

MCAT Registration for July-September 2022 dates 
Registration for the second half of the testing year will open on Feb. 8 at noon ET. At that time, you can begin scheduling exams held in July through September. Priority scheduling will be available for examinees with approved accommodations, and more information will be provided in the coming weeks. In the meantime, take a moment to learn about registration and scheduling in 2022. 

New Video on AAMC MCAT Official Prep Free Resources  

Learn all about AAMC MCAT Official Prep free resources in a new video tutorial. Log into the AAMC MCAT Official Prep Hub with your AAMC credentials to access all the resources in the video and create your personalized study plan. Visit www.aamc.org/mcatprep to get started today!

Prehealth Drop-in Hours

Prehealth Advising will not be holding Drop-In appointments over Winter Break. 

Check back soon for Drop In hours for the Spring 2022 semester. 

Summer Enrichment Opportunities

Are you interested in pursuing a summer experience? Explore the Opportunities that are updated weekly. 

News from the Office of Science Engagement

New opportunities posted weekly!

The Office of Science Engagement has many resources and ways for you to get involved with internships and jobs!

Explore the Opportunities! 

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!

 Check it out today!

Miss an issue of the newsletter? 

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