College of Medicine

Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences

New students will:

Meet with the Office of Student Services and Advisement (OSSA) advisors in group settings during Orientation to:

1. Discuss degree program requirements;
2. Understand career options of the major program of study; and,
3. Plan an appropriate first semester class schedule.

Continuing students will:

1. Meet with an advisor in the Office of Student Services and Advisement (OSSA) in HPA 2, room 335 every semester to check progress toward graduation and selection of program courses;
2. See their faculty advisor each semester to check on possible career and research opportunities;
3. See an advisor in the Office of Student Services and Advisement (OSSA) if pending major for limited-access Medical Laboratory Sciences program during the first few weeks of each semester to check progress toward eligibility for application to the major;
4. View a SASS Degree Audit, the registration time, and search for classes (once the class schedule is available) through myUCF;
5. Register at the scheduled appointment time. Complete all schedule changes by the end of the published add/drop period;
6. File the Intent to Graduate through myUCF and meet with an advisor for graduation check in the Office of Student Services and Advisement (OSSA), by the end of the term prior to the term in which graduation will occur; and,
7. Pre-Health professional students: See Pre-Health Professions Advisor in HPA 124, 407 823 2670.

Pre-Health Professions Advisement

The Pre-Health Professions Advisement Office (HPA 124; 407 823 2670) serves all students University-wide preparing for and seeking admission to professional schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, podiatry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs. The services range from basic advising in pre-health professions matters, to providing a Composite Evaluation of the student to each professional school to which the student applies (upon his/her request after at least 30 credit hours of typical undergraduate pre-health professions courses taken at UCF).

Pre-Health Professional Planning

Pre-professional advisement deals primarily with application and admission procedures to professional schools.

Admission to a health professional school is highly competitive. Pre-health professions students are expected to be high achievers, and to obtain good grades with heavy loads and rigorous course combinations.

Most professional schools expect applicants to present at least a B average and to carry a minimum of 15 credit hours each term, with the exception of Summer term.

Each student is urged to carefully select a degree-granting major. This will not only allow one to become more competitive for admission, but also to prepare for an alternate career in the event admission to a professional school is denied. Any degree-granting program may be selected as a major; however, the science majors generally lend themselves most adequately to pre-health professions preparation as their curricula includes many courses required for admission to most professional schools.

All students seeking admission to health professional schools should enroll in SLS 2311, Overview of Selected Medical Careers, on their first Spring semester at UCF.

Additionally, prudent use of elective hours in the curricula will permit other appropriate pre-health professions courses to be obtained.

All pre-health professions students are strongly encouraged to participate in the activities of one or more of the student health related organizations.

Curricula Guidelines

All pre-health professions students are strongly encouraged to enroll in SLS 2311 (Overview of Select Medical Careers) the first Spring semester they are enrolled. This course provides a broad exposure to the various four-year health professions. In addition, the entire pre-professional process (academic preparation, applications, admission tests, interviews, admissions, scholarships, etc.) is explained in depth.

All pre-health professions students should complete the following science courses (many of which are applicable to the GEP) to meet the variable requirements of the Florida medical schools:

For additional recommended courses, contact the Pre-health Professional Advisement Office (HPA 124).

Dates of Importance

The preprofessional screening process is initiated every February. Application packets are available at the pre-health Professions Advisement Office during the month of February. Dental and veterinary medicine applicants should return completed packets by April 15. All other applicants (chiropractic, medical, optometry, podiatry, and pharmacy) are encouraged to return completed packets by May 1.

All students should be aware of registration deadlines and test dates for their specific admissions exam (DAT, MCAT, OAT, GRE, etc.). In addition, most four-year health professions schools subscribe to professional application services (AMCAS, AADSAS, AACOMAS, etc.), thus require completion of a thorough application packet provided by the various application services. Otherwise, the student applicant must deal directly with the admissions office of the school.