Selecting Schools

When you think about where to apply, think about what you want learning and life more broadly to be like during a health professions program:

Where do you want to live? Close to family? A particular region of the country? A place that’s urban, rural, something in between?
What kind of learning community do you want to be part of? Large? Small? Diverse? Service-oriented?
Do the mission and goals of the school align with yours?
Are there special programs schools offer that you’re interested in?
How is curriculum organized?
When and where will you do rotations? Early or late in the program? In one or many locations? Somewhere private (where people usually have good health insurance) or public (where you might see more people from underserved communities)?
Who are the faculty, and what kind of relationship do students have with them?

Also think about important contingencies:

In what state are you a resident? (You will have an advantage applying to public schools in that state.)
What is the cost of the program?
How long is the program?

Take a lot of time to research specific schools: learn the mission, goals, special programs, and curriculum of each. Call schools and speak with advisors for prospective students, ask if they might connect you with current students, and talk with current students about their experiences. Below are links to resources to help you begin your process of researching schools: