P R E -A DV I S I N G W O R K S H O P

PRE-HEALTH ADVISING AND STEM EDUCATION

PRE-ADVISING WORKSHOP

• Workshop goals:• How to prepare for a productive advising session• Academic regulations• Where to get help

• Advising appointments are mandatory before you register for Spring semester• Advising Holds are removed at appointment• Midterm week is September 30 – October 4 • Registration for Freshmen: NOVEMBER 14-15• Make your appointment between OCT 10 and NOV 1

WHO IS MY ADVISOR?

• Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental• Dr. Kay Brothers, Dr. Sutton Mooney, Karen Chase

• Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Pre-Physician Assistant

Marian McDonnell Horton • Pre-Veterinary• Brooke Wolf

• Pre-Pharmacy• Marian McDonnell Horton

• Pre-Nursing• April Seehafer, LeeAnn Tibbals, Karen Chase

• Nutrition and Exercise Physiology• Karen Chase

• Speech and Hearing Science• April Seehafer

HOW TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT

• Call Barb: 509-335-4549• Or come by the office to see Barb: CUE 502• No appointments will be made via e-mail

• Make your appointment 2-3 weeks in advance. • We will begin seeing freshmen as soon as mid-term

grades are posted.• Be on time for your appointment• Notify the office if you must cancel or reschedule• Don’t wait until the last minute to call Barb! Advisor

schedules will fill up fast.• We take walk-ins for quick questions every Thursday

from 1 to 3 PM, but these aren’t meant for preregistration advising

PREPARING FOR YOUR ADVISING APPOINTMENT…..DO YOUR

HOMEWORK• Research required classes for your intended major• Research prerequisites for your professional program• What is a competitive GPA for your program?• Review your Academic Requirements / Advisement

report• Select classes you need to take for the next

semester – approximately 15 credits recommended• Check the course schedule and rough out your class

times • Select some optional times or classes

PREPARING FOR YOUR ADVISING APPOINTMENT

• Planning your classes • How are you doing? • mid-term grades

• Professional school requirements• Possible major choices• What are your long-term goals?• Questions you may have

• Don’t be afraid to change your mind about your major or your career goals – NOW is the time to discover the best fit for you!

OTHER THINGS TO DISCUSS

• How are your current classes going?• How is your time management: do you have a

plan and are you sticking to it?• Research and internship opportunities• Job shadowing• Recommend planning at least one professional activity

per semester

• Competitive GPA’s for professional programs• Are clinical hours recommended or required for

your program?

PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS

• Get Experience• Job shadowing, long-term volunteering, or a paid position in

the health field – and several different experiences

• Attend PHASE workshops• Becoming a Competitive Applicant• Interview Basics and Small Group Interviews (for practice)• Letters of Recommendation

• Get to know your instructors• Your instructor can’t write a letter of recommendation if they

don’t know you!• Take advantage of their office hours• How do your instructors see you? Alert and eager to learn or

slouching in the back row? Are you going to class in pajamas?• How do you come across on Facebook? Professionally? Silly?

WHAT GRADES DO I NEEDTO GAIN ADMISSION?

• Expected GPA’s• Medical Schools: 3.5 to 3.6 minimum• Nursing: 3.3 to 3.6 minimum• Pharmacy: 3.0 min; average 3.4 – 3.5• Vet Med: average 3.5 – 3.6

• Dental: around 3.6 minimum• Physicians Assistants: 3.3 minimum • Physical Therapist: 3.5 to 3.8• Occupational Therapist: 3.2 to 3.8

A = 4.0A- = 3.7

B+ = 3.3

B = 3.0B- = 2.7

C+ = 2.3

C = 2.0C- = 1.7

D+ = 1.3

D = 1.0F = 0.0

DECLARING A MAJOR / DUAL ADVISING

• Certification of Major• After you have completed at least 24 semester hours• Go to the departmental office to complete the form• Some majors may require additional criteria such as higher GPA

and completion of specific classes. Check the WSU catalog for requirements.

• Dual Advising• Meet with both Departmental and PHASE advisor each semester.• Your departmental advisor will make sure you’re on track for your

major requirements and your degree• Your PHASE advisor will work with you on your Pre-Professional

goals: professional school pre-requisite classes, applications, interviews, essay writing, etc., etc.

JUNIOR WRITING PORTFOLIO

• Writingportfolio.wsu.edu/ or go to the A to Z index and enter “Writing Portfolio”• Keep original copies of papers and lab notes• 3 samples of course writing & signed cover sheets with

WSU Junior Writing Portfolio Packet• Take the timed Writing Exam

• How many papers and lab write-ups are you saving?• Instructor’s comments• Cover sheets• Electronically submitted papers: save all email comments

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

• Withdrawals• A student can drop a course without record up to the end

of the 30th day of the semester – Sept. 17• After the 30th day each student has a maximum of 4

withdrawals during their WSU academic career.• New! Last day to withdraw from any course is November 15.

• Academic Deficiency• WSU expects students to maintain a 2.00 or above

semester and cumulative GPA:• Students are academically deficient if they fall below a 2.00

for either a cumulative or semester GPA

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

• Repeating courses• Courses can be repeated if:• Student receives a C- or below• Student withdraws (W)• Courses can be repeated ONE time only• Some courses can be repeated for additional credit

(check catalog)

IF A HEALTH FIELD ISN’T FOR ME

• What is your “Plan B” or your “Parallel Plan”? • Is your Plan A

something that you will enjoy? • Is there another pre-

health profession or one outside of health that you would enjoy?

OTHER RESOURCES

• Tutoring & Career Assessment: cacd.wsu.edu

• CACD schedule, Departments, PHASE Office: Thurs 9-11 am

• Online Catalog: catalog.wsu.edu

• Majors, class descriptions, regulations

• Degree Audit or Advisement Reports• Academic Calendar• Transfer Equivalency Website• Pre-Health Clubs: PHASE website

• Pre-PT / OT • Pre-Pharmacy• Pre-PA• Pre-Health• Pre-Dental• Rho Nu (Pre-Nursing)• Organization of Future Veterinarians (Pre-Vet)

QUESTIONS ???

• Your PHASE Advisors are here to help!!