What directions do pre-health students take after graduation? The alumni featured below provide a glimpse into the professional journeys of some of our recent alumni, along with advice to future professional health program applicants.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: Pharmacists have an amazing work life balance while still caring for their patients and community. I chose to enroll into pharmacy school because I am able to spend time with my family while also working for a hospital in a team based environment.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: The most meaningful experience I engaged in that affirmed my commitment to pharmacy school was…my job which gave me access to dispense medication and mix antibiotics like amoxicillin for children.
How did you prepare for the application process?: Before my interviews, I used my resources! I made sure I was fully informed about the career before I made my overall choice. I was able to speak to pharmacists who practice in a hospital setting, retail pharmacy, as well as a pharmacist who works for a pharmaceutical company. After having a conversation with current pharmacists, Nova gave me additional resources to practice interview questions with her in a mock interview style.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: Nova assisted me through the ups and downs. She took the time out to meet with me, send me reminders, read over my personal statements, and my responses to secondary questions while giving excellent feedback on ways I can improve my answers. When I started receiving interview invites we were able to go through a mock interview.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Don’t give up on your dream! Don’t lose track of your passion because things aren’t going as planned. It will happen! Keep the faith!
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: My favorite memory of Puget Sound is spending time in the Access Office with local Tacoma students.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: Being able to interact with people in a meaningful way every day, feeling like I am able to do a job that fills a need in society, and having a job that requires critical thinking, problem solving, and the scientific method.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: Working in my first job out of college at a family medicine clinic where I played an administrative role and spoke with patients on the phone each day.
How did you prepare for the application process?: [I] stayed busy. I did my best to keep my calendar full with work, volunteer activities, and recreational activities and all [three] came in useful when filling out applications because they gave me stories to tell and lessons to draw from.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: In every step of the way and in every way imaginable. The HPA team is invaluable for applicants prepping for interviews, giving advice on when to apply, and answering every question that might come up during the application process. UPS students are lucky to have Joyce and Nova.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Engage the world. Say yes when opportunities arise and seek out things that interest and excite you. It matters less which volunteer and premed activities…you do and more so how you engage the things that you do and how they [help you] grow personally and professionally.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Beating Whitworth (in men's basketball) for the first time in many years for the program.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: I was interested in both medicine and teaching. Nursing is a great combination of both of these fields. I also chose nursing because of the high need for nurses in this country, the many career opportunities for nurses, and the flexibility of work once you are a nurse. Nurses often have more 1:1 interaction with patients, and I felt that as a nurse I would be in a better position to have a positive impact on my patients’ experience in the healthcare setting than I might as a doctor.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: I worked in adaptive recreation and had so many positive and impactful experiences working with people with disabilities and helping them to overcome challenges or fear to engage in outdoor activities. This work showed me how much I enjoy caretaking for vulnerable populations and also working as part of a team.
How did you prepare for the application process?: I talked to HPA; spoke at length with friends of friends who are nurses and asked about their experiences applying; took [pre-requisite] courses that I needed; read through a lot of nursing schools’ websites and other nursing blogs about the application process; and made a spreadsheet with each school’s [information], requirements, and deadlines.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: I attended a personal statement workshop which was very helpful in terms of dos and don’ts, and it also got me started on writing the statement early. I also did a mock interview and got general tips on my application and resume.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Do research on what type of program you want to [pursue]. For nursing there are several different ways to become an RN; think about and research what path you want to take into nursing and why. Talk to people who are currently in the field or in school and have applied recently…Any sort of exposure to the healthcare field or settings where nurses work is [also] helpful.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Being with friends outside on campus on sunny days!
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: I am attracted to nursing because there are so many different directions and specialties but you also can make a difference in people's lives. Nurses will spend more time with patients than doctors and can directly advocate for their patients.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: The most meaningful experienced I engaged in that affirmed my commitment to nursing was the clinical experiences while getting my CNA license and also working as a CNA. This gave me an idea of what the day to day looks like and I got to connect with patients and residents.
How did you prepare for the application process?: I prepared for the application process by brainstorming ideas for the essay prompts before writing and practicing for the interview.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: HPA at Puget Sound supported me by helping me brainstorm ideas for the essay prompts, thinking about ways to strength my application, find volunteer opportunities, and offering mock interviews for practice.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Find a consistent volunteer [opportunity], practice, and have faith. Even though programs are competitive you are probably a stronger applicant than you think.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Being in the anatomy lab and looking at the cadavers.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: While working at Walmart I would always watch the technicians, and I liked how they were always moving and it was never slow in the pharmacy.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: Working as a pharmacy technician.
How did you prepare for the application process?: I did a lot of research on the prerequisites, and interview questions. I volunteered a lot, especially in the Health Professions [Advising] department at UPS.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: During my research if there was something that I was curious about but could not find…they could point me in the right direction. Additionally, if I had a hard time with a test or an assignment, they really helped me not give up on myself.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: If you are having problems or are stuck on something that is okay. You are not expected to know everything. What you can do is talk with your classmates. Their areas of expertise are going to be different than yours, and if no one in the class can help you ask help from your professor.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: I loved my work-study job. It was fun to work with the other students and spend…more time on campus so I could make new friends.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: Ability to benefit my community and help others; love of science.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: Volunteering at the [Tacoma] Neighborhood Clinic where I worked one-on-one with patients; working alongside doctors as a medical scribe.
How did you prepare for the application process?: [I] made sure I had good clinical experiences (scribing and volunteering in my case), so I knew I was ready to apply and had things to reference in my [applications]/interviews. [I] started my application as early as possible, and wrote several drafts of my personal statement before applications were even open. [I] kept a journal of notable experiences to talk about in my applications and during interviews.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: I did a couple mock interviews with Health Professions Advising, which were very helpful – they gave me an idea of what to expect and were pretty close to what I experienced in my actual interviews. I also had support from the HPA team in terms of going over rough drafts of my personal statement and other parts of my applications.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Really look into all of your options and interests before committing to this track (it is a long road, and it’s good to have a sense of “this is really what I want” to help push you through). At the same time, try not to become overwhelmed with the magnitude of this journey – take things one step at a time, and eventually you will be surprised at how far you have come. Utilize your resources! And, know that this isn’t the end-all-be-all; there is a lot more to life than school/work, and this path can be a part of who you are without defining who you are.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Not a specific memory, but I loved the sense of community at Puget Sound!
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: Sense of community and the ability to impact people’s lives on a daily basis.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: I worked at a dental office for a few summers and that’s where I learned the most.
How did you prepare for the application process?: I think what prepared me was developing my resume and thinking about experiences that I’ve had within my chosen profession and other experiences through my involvement in the Puget Sound community (sports, clubs, etc.). You want to show that you are well rounded and pull from multiple experiences to show that you’re a good candidate.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: Nova and Joyce supported me in every way possible. Nova helped me edit my application materials, answered random questions, helped me in my decision-making process, and everything in between! They also did a mock interview and wrote a committee letter for me. They are always available and so easy to talk to. This was one of the biggest helps in the process.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: I would advise you to use your resources here on campus with our amazing pre-health advisors, your faculty advisor, and professors. I would also say…to write down moments...while shadowing, being in leadership positions, on your sports team/club team, doing your hobbies, etc. that can help show your passions, interests, and qualities as a person. A journal may be super helpful in that way to pull your experiences. I realized that there can be lots of questions (written and verbal) during the application and interview process that are significantly better with a short story. Engage with professors and classmates and just do your best. If you want to do something, you can!
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Beating Whitworth on their home court the last game of my collegiate volleyball career.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: I wanted a career where I never stop learning and get to help people.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: Being a medical scribe in the emergency department solidified my desire to become a physician. I learned so much, not about only medicine, but about the way that hospitals are organized as well. It was scary working in the emergency department, at first, but I came to love it!
How did you prepare for the application process?: I think what prepared me was developing my resume and thinking about experiences that I’ve had within my chosen profession and other experiences through my involvement in the Puget Sound community (sports, clubs, etc.). You want to show that you are well rounded and pull from multiple experiences to show that you’re a good candidate.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: Practice interview with the Health Professions team!
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Track all of your activities with dates and hours completed. This will make the application much smoother! Have someone, who you know will give you tough feedback, read all of your application essays.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Independent research in both the Exercise Science and Biology departments!
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: I was attracted to medicine because I enjoy the combination of working with people in clinic, encouraging them to attain their health goals, and also having a deep understanding of the physiology and medicine behind what a physician does.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: Volunteering at the emergency department at Mary Bridge Children’s hospital in Tacoma allowed me to learn that I enjoy working with children and their families while working as a medical scribe allowed me to form relationships with two physicians and their teams. Working as a scribe put me in the clinic setting and allowed me to see what physicians do every day and because I was at a teaching hospital, I also got to work with residents and medical students which allowed me to see a little bit about what medical training is like.
How did you prepare for the application process?: I chose to apply after graduating so that I could enjoy my last year at UPS without worrying about essays and interviews and because I wanted to gain more clinical experience before applying.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: The Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound was incredibly helpful in laying out a timeline of what the application cycle looks like, finding areas of strength and potential weak points in my application, and helped with feedback when I was working on the written sections of my primary application.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Find activities that you enjoy because those are the easiest to write and talk about, even if they aren’t directly related to medicine. I mentioned teaching children’s tennis classes in my personal statement, and it ended up being one of my activities that doctors were more interested in talking about during interviews.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Having a snowball fight with my friends during a big snowstorm my senior year.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: I think the single most helpful thing I did with the pre health committee when I was applying was the mock interview. I knew my paper application and GPA weren't my strong suits so I ended up getting invited to interview at less than a third of the schools I applied to but was admitted to every school I interviewed at.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: If you're in the process of applying and you have the chance to interview at both DO and MD schools…try [to] get an OMT demonstration because that was a deciding factor for me when I was choosing which route I wanted to go.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: The tenets of osteopathic medicine resonated with me initially and the more I learned about the DO philosophy, I just knew it was where I wanted to be.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: During my gap year, I worked as a medical assistant and lab technician at a dermatology clinic. I was able to gain experience in direct patient care as well as collaborating with a team of health care professionals, ranging from physicians, PAs, RNs, and other staff. This job really solidified my desire to continue to work in the medical field and become a physician.
How did you prepare for the application process?: I kept a Google document of specific experiences I had through different shadowing opportunities, volunteering, and working. From those experiences, I was able to pick out ones that I could use for my personal statement, specific essays, and even interviews. Taking time to understand what I learned from those experiences really helped as well.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: Health Professions Advising supported me through every step of the way. I was able to get advice on my personal statement and learned a lot about my interview skills through both of my mock interviews. They also provided me with resources on how I could improve certain aspects of my application and interview. I don't think I would've been able to unlock that potential without them.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Take the time that you need. I know my family was pretty hesitant about me taking time off before starting medical school, but I think it was the best decision I could've made. I was able to gain experience through a full time job and then fully focus on my application when the time came. I was also able to work on my physical and mental health during this time, which will definitely help me in medical school and in the future in general.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Way too many! I would say RDG since it's the first memory that comes to mind. It was an amazing time to show our peers all the dance routines we had been working on throughout the semester. I discovered my love for dancing at Puget Sound through RDG, and dancing is a hobby I still continue and plan to use as self-care for medical school.
What attracted you to your chosen profession?: I have always loved the personal connections that nurses have with their patients. I am also fascinated with the human body, its mechanisms, and felt nursing was the best of both worlds.
What was the most meaningful experience you engaged in that affirmed your commitment to your professional health field?: Being involved in the cadaver dissection course at UPS, [as] it was so incredibly interesting. I also really enjoyed my...experience at MultiCare Pediatric Neurology Clinic in Tacoma. These both helped me realize my passions and gave me experience into clinical care.
In what ways did Health Professions Advising at Puget Sound support you throughout your application process?: HPA was incredible in my time at UPS. They gave me advice starting my first year, and I credit them to helping me get into my top choice school. Nova...helped me brainstorm the best ways to convey my ideas for my essays. She also helped me prepare for my interviews...Overall, they were so helpful and such an amazing resource...through the application process.
What advice would you give to future pre-health students?: Start with a long list of [potential] schools...slowly narrow the list down to your top choices...Also, use [the Health Professions Advisors]! They are incredible people, and have endless advice and knowledge.
Favorite memory of Puget Sound?: Cadaver dissection with my partner. We had so much fun and got to nerd out...over the cadavers.