University of New England
Return to HomeBiology - No Photo
Pre-Health Professions Advising Protocol
In an effort to standardize our advising and evaluation process for pre-health professions students, the Department of Biological Sciences has established the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee (PHPAC). The committee's charge is to facilitate the pre-health professions student-advising process and to write evaluation letters for students applying to health professional schools. Most schools highly value letters of recommendation from this type of committee. Providing a PHPAC-reviewed letter allows health professional school admissions committee to more effectively evaluate the suitability of student applicants.
The PHPAC's evaluation letter will be based upon information from the following sources:
The PHPAC will evaluate the student based upon the information supplied by him/her. The student's ranking is as follows with some of the criteria used to help determine each of the rankings:
Students will be advised of their rating (highly recommend, recommend, recommend with reservations, or not recommend) during the summer between their 3rd and 4th years, before the letter is written. The student can decide if he / she wants the letter to be written and sent or not. A written response from the student is required notifying the PHPAC of the student's decision. This written response should be sent within two weeks of receiving the committee's rating to the PHPAC address listed below. The letter of recommendation will be confidential and will highlight the student's academic achievements, extracurricular activities, special qualities and the level of PHPAC recommendation. The letter of recommendation will be mailed directly to those application services and schools designated by the applicant.
Students unhappy with the PHPAC rating or wishing to be re-evaluated must re-submit their entire portfolio, with any additional materials the following year. No portfolios will be reassessed during the initial year of PHPAC evaluation. In other words, evaluations will stand for a full academic year before the committee meets again to re-review any portfolio.
Many schools will require additional letters of recommendation from professionals currently practicing in their respective fields of expertise in addition to committee letters.
Grade Point Averages
Both cumulative and math / science grade point averages are considered in evaluation of students. Please refer to the PHPAC manual for current information regarding undergraduate grade point averages for students enrolled in health professional programs. Additionally, students in accelerated (3-2 pre-PA, 3-4 pre-med) and guaranteed (health science / pre-PT) programs should consult the college catalog for the grade point averages that they must maintain in order to remain in good standing.
Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee (PHPAC)
Department of Biological Sciences
University of New England
11 Hills Beach Road
Biddeford, Maine 04005
In an effort to standardize our advising and evaluation process for pre-health professions students, the Department of Biological Sciences has established the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee (PHPAC). The committee's charge is to facilitate the pre-health professions student-advising process and to write evaluation letters for students applying to health professional schools. Most schools highly value letters of recommendation from this type of committee. Providing a PHPAC-reviewed letter allows health professional school admissions committee to more effectively evaluate the suitability of student applicants.
The PHPAC's evaluation letter will be based upon information from the following sources:
| 1. | Self-evaluation letter This two-page, typed letter should address the student’s reasons for wanting to pursue a particular health professional career. This letter may also include any other information that will help the PHPAC write an accurate letter, including their undergraduate activities, honors and health care experiences. If the student is applying for early admissions (3-4 pre-medical, 3-2 pre-PA or early decision at a specific school), it should be indicated in the letter. | |
| 2. | Email list of programs / schools Students should email the list of schools / programs to which they are intending to apply, including up-to-date specific addresses of admissions committees and application deadlines for each school. Students should also email any other requirements for the PHPAC letter (e.g. separate evaluation forms required by the schools to which they're applying). The items described in this paragraph should be emailed to Isabelle Yokana, whose email address is iyokana@une.edu. | |
| 3. | Two letters of recommendation At least one of these letters should be from an undergraduate faculty member outside of the Department of Biological Sciences and one letter should be a character reference letter. | |
| 4. | Curriculum vitae or résumé giving more detailed lists of student activities and experiences | |
| 5. | All official academic transcripts from any undergraduate school attended. The PHPAC will obtain the student's UNE undergraduate transcript after the student submits the signed consent form (see back page of this handout for consent form) with his/her PHPAC portfolio. The student must provide all other official transcripts from other schools to PHPAC. This usually requires a written and signed letter from the student to his/her previous schools requesting that the school send the transcript to the PHPAC. | |
| 6. | A summer (or permanent) address to which the PHPAC can send letters of notification. | |
| 7. | Any direct experiences that the student has had with any of the PHPAC committee members, including those in the classroom setting, as a research assistant or as a member of a student club. All information must be submitted to the PHPAC by April 15th of the student’s junior (3rd) year (use the address given on the last page of this document for materials mailed from off-campus). This will allow the committee to evaluate the portfolio, make a decision, and write the letter of evaluation before the September application dates of most schools (1 year before admission). | |
| ***3-2 pre-PA and 3-4 pre-medical students need to submit materials one calendar year earlier (April 15th of sophomore (2nd) year) due to the accelerated nature of their programs*** |
The PHPAC will evaluate the student based upon the information supplied by him/her. The student's ranking is as follows with some of the criteria used to help determine each of the rankings:
| Highly Recommend: | ||
| High grade point average | ||
| Extensive health care experience | ||
| Leadership roles in extracurricular activities | ||
| Good sense of profession and expectations |
| Recommend: | ||
| Good grade point average | ||
| Some health care experience | ||
|
Participation in extracurricular activities | ||
| Some knowledge of profession |
| Recommend With Reservations: | ||
| Borderline grade point average | ||
| Limited health care experience | ||
| Limited extracurricular participation |
| Not Recommend: | ||
| Sub-standard grade point average | ||
| No health care expericence | ||
| No extracurricular participation | ||
| Academic conduct issues (cheating, plagerism, etc.) |
Students will be advised of their rating (highly recommend, recommend, recommend with reservations, or not recommend) during the summer between their 3rd and 4th years, before the letter is written. The student can decide if he / she wants the letter to be written and sent or not. A written response from the student is required notifying the PHPAC of the student's decision. This written response should be sent within two weeks of receiving the committee's rating to the PHPAC address listed below. The letter of recommendation will be confidential and will highlight the student's academic achievements, extracurricular activities, special qualities and the level of PHPAC recommendation. The letter of recommendation will be mailed directly to those application services and schools designated by the applicant.
Students unhappy with the PHPAC rating or wishing to be re-evaluated must re-submit their entire portfolio, with any additional materials the following year. No portfolios will be reassessed during the initial year of PHPAC evaluation. In other words, evaluations will stand for a full academic year before the committee meets again to re-review any portfolio.
Many schools will require additional letters of recommendation from professionals currently practicing in their respective fields of expertise in addition to committee letters.
Grade Point Averages
Both cumulative and math / science grade point averages are considered in evaluation of students. Please refer to the PHPAC manual for current information regarding undergraduate grade point averages for students enrolled in health professional programs. Additionally, students in accelerated (3-2 pre-PA, 3-4 pre-med) and guaranteed (health science / pre-PT) programs should consult the college catalog for the grade point averages that they must maintain in order to remain in good standing.
Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee (PHPAC)
Department of Biological Sciences
University of New England
11 Hills Beach Road
Biddeford, Maine 04005
- Libraries
- |
- eServices
- |
- Virtual Tours
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Events
- |
- Email a Friend
- |
- Site Map
Two Maine Campuses:
University Campus, Biddeford / Westbrook College Campus, Portland · 207.283.0171
University Campus, Biddeford / Westbrook College Campus, Portland · 207.283.0171
Copyright © 2008 University of New England