Guest Speaker:
Sara Roser-Jones

Associate Director of Admissions at the Pritzker School of Medicine at The University of Chicago

Date: February 1st, 2022 at 6 P.M.

Link: https://psu.zoom.us/j/97641042015

Sara Roser-Jones is a Penn State Alumna and current Associate Director at the Pritzker School of Medicine at The University of Chicago. She is a strong advocate for access and inclusion for underrepresented students in professional school. Join us for a conversation that demystifies the application cycle for medical students and to learn what medical schools look for in their applicants. 

Black Men In White Coats: A Documentary

February 22, 6:00 p.m.
100 Thomas Building

Fewer Black men applied to medical school in 2014 than in 1978 and Black men have the lowest life expectancy in the United States. With Black men comprising only 2% of American doctors, this comes as no surprise. “Black Men in White Coats” dissects the systemic barriers preventing Black men from becoming medical doctors and the consequences on society at large. 

Join M.A.P.S, Pre-Health Advising Office and the Eberly College of Science Diversity & inclusion in the documentary viewing. A free meal will be served.

Health Professions Week

Health Professions Week is in full swing this spring!

Join us at any point during the full 5 weeks of spring HPW. Events start March 1 and run through March 31.

Register Now or by clicking https://bit.ly/SpringHPW22

Even if you have attended before, you should plan to come to the spring event! New live events, games and more inspiration! And it's all free.

What is Health Professions Week (HPW)? HPW is a series of events designed to help you explore healthcare careers. There are many events during each week of spring HPW – so you can choose which activities interest you the most. These events are 100% virtual and a lot is on-demand. Some webinars will be live, so watch for some events to be listed with a specific date and time. Don't miss out! To see what all of the buzz is about, visit our website for details and event descriptions.

Get ready to Explore Careers Confidently.

Register now!

“See” you at spring HPW!

Prehealth Group Advising

School Choice: Where do I apply?
February 10th, 2022 6 P. M.
Zoom Link

There are hundreds of schools out there for students to apply to. The average medical school applicant will apply to 15 institutions and that can be costly.  This session will discuss strategies for strategically determining where you will apply during your cycle and be as efficient as possible with the investment that is applying. 

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 for access to previous session recordings. 

Penn State Undergraduate Research Exhibition

Penn State's annual Undergraduate Exhibition communicates and celebrates the participation of undergraduate students from across the University in scholarly inquiry, research, engagement, and creative endeavors. Four presentation formats are available to students to showcase their scholarship.

Presentation Formats:

• Engagement Experience Poster
• Research Poster
• Performance
• Oral Presentation

The application is available on InfoReady with an application deadline of Sunday, March 20, 2022, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

The Exhibition will take place virtually, April 6 through April 8, 2022, with some in-person poster presentations in the HUB-Robeson Center at University Park on April 8. The in-person event is optional and has limited space.

Visit urfm.psu.edu/exhibition for more information.

Penn State Presidential Leadership Academy

Nominations for Presidential Leadership Academy Now Open!

Interested students may apply for membership in the Academy or may be nominated by members of the university community. Nominations and applications are now open. Deadline for receipt of nominations is February 11, 2022 and the application closes on February 25, 2022.

You may complete the formal nomination or application here.

To apply students must:

• currently be a first-year student
• have a minimum GPA of 3.2 at the time of application
• plan to be enrolled at University Park for second, third and fourth years
• have demonstrated leadership skills, either in or outside the classroom

Students nominated for the Academy will be asked to complete the application process, which includes a resume, two essay questions, and two letters of recommendation.

Erickson Discovery Undergrad Research Grants

Erickson Grants support undergraduate student engagement in original research, scholarship, and creative work under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Fifty grants, each in the amount of $3,500, are available for summer 2022.

The Erickson Discovery Grant application is available on InfoReady. Applications must be submitted by Sunday, February 13, 2022, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

More details can be found at urfm.psu.edu/erickson.

PreHealth Organization
of the Week:
Phi Epsilon Kappa

Phi Epsilon Kappa (PEK) is a nationally recognized, co-ed health professional fraternity for students pursuing careers in health professions. 

The objectives for PEK include to advance the profession, to disseminate information about the profession, to foster scientific research, to promote international exchange of information, to award outstanding work, and to foster a spirit of fraternity and fellowship. 

For more information, visit their website. 

Prehealth Comprehensive Interviews 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. View the 2023 Matriculation Applicant Guide for more details. 

Comprehensive Interview scheduling is now open. 

Submit your portfolio checklist here. 

Request a Health Professions portfolio here.

Penn State Global Health Minor

Extend your Pre-Health Major with a Minor in Global Health!  Study abroad in Ecuador, Mexico, Germany and South Africa!

The Global Health Minor is open to students from across the university. This 21-27 credit program includes, as a capstone feature,  participation in a five-week, six credit global health field placement in So. Africa, Ecuador, Mexico or Germany. The minor is particularly well suited for students who plan careers in medicine, public health and allied health fields. To learn more attend one of  our upcoming Information Sessions by Zoom at the following link:  https://psu.zoom.us/j/92049303804.

This is a competitive, closed minor and applications are due February 15^th. 

Tuesday February 1:  5:00 PM
Thursday February 3: 5:00 PM

Or, email Dr. Dana Naughton at dmn161@psu.edu.

Latino Medical Student Association 
National Conference

March 4th - 6th

On March 4-6, LMSA will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its founding at the National Conference in Philadelphia. Each year, the LMSA National Conference attracts over 300 pre-medical and medical students from across the country, exposing attendees to critical health-related issues facing the Hispanic community in the United States. 

This is a great opportunity for any student interested in medicine. You do not have to be Latino to attend the conference or join LMSA. The highlight of our conference for pre-medical students is a tour of some of the many medical schools in Philadelphia. 

Regular registration closes 1/31 (late registration is available. For more information, visit this page. 

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.

• 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

Summer Health Professions Education Program
Applications Due Soon!  

The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) is now taking applications through February 5th, 2022 at 11:59 P.M. 

All students who meet the Summer Health Professions Education Program eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply. Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Must be a high school graduate and currently enrolled as a freshman or sophomore in college.
• Have a minimum overall college GPA of 2.5.
• Be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or an individual granted deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) status by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• Must not have previously participated in the program.

Other factors for consideration include that a student:

• Identifies with a group that is racially/ethnically underrepresented in the health professions;
• Comes from an economically or educationally disadvantaged background; and/or
• Has demonstrated an interest in issues affecting underserved populations.
• Submits a compelling personal statement and a strong letter of recommendation.

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 be available virtually during the Spring 2022 semester at the following times:

Tuesdays from 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Fridays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

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!