First Year

• Explore your career choice, visit www.explorehealthcareers.org
• Approach a practitioner in the field you are considering to find about shadowing or conduct an informational interview to gain a realistic view of the profession.
• Investigate becoming involved in the campus by joining a club or organization. A complete list is located on the student life web site: http://home.nau.edu/studentlife/orgs.asp
• Enroll in the seminar course USC 108. This course introduces students to the components of successful application, how to research schools and professions and how to become prepared to apply. We also host a series of guest speakers from the healthcare community.
• Explore your major and degree with your academic advisor
• Begin taking pre requisite courses for your Premedical Profession program. Visit the professions link to learn about pre requisite courses needed.

Second (Sophomore) Year

• Continue taking your pre requisite courses
• Maintain an updated and detailed timeline of your next few years of preparation. Include courses and entrance exams to be taken, plans for clinical experience, application cycle deadlines, and any other relevant information.
• Continue or begin gaining clinical experience. Examples of places students gain experience in Flagstaff:
  • Flagstaff Medical Center Hospital, http://www.flagstaffmedicalcenter.com/default
  • North Country Healthcare: http://www.northcountrychc.org/
  • Northland Hospice: http://www.northlandhospice.org/
• Consider Undergraduate Research or other clinical or community service
• Look at scholarship opportunities, visit the Financial Aid and/or your academic department website for more information

Third (Junior) Year

Fall Term

• Make an appointment with a Premedical Professions advisor to discuss your application plans and schedule for your committee letter if applicable. To schedule, call 523-4772
• Decide on the date to take your entrance exam, sign up to take the exam
• Make plans for how you will prepare for your entrance exam. Consider the timeframe you will need, as well as the amount of time per week you will need to set aside to prepare.
• Begin working on your personal statement
• Research schools you intend to apply to by visiting national and individual school web sites
• Continue gaining clinical experience. Continue, if applicable, your research and community service involvement.

Spring Term

• Continue taking pre requisite courses, as well as those needed for your degree plan
• You may be setting aside time for entrance exam preparation during this term
• You may be taking your entrance exam during this term
• Begin preparing for applications, which typically open between May and June
• If you are a medical or dental student, you will sign up for and obtain your committee interview
• Begin asking individuals for letters of recommendation. You will need at least one from an academic faculty and at least one from your clinical experience.

Summer after Junior Year

• Send in your primary application
• You may be taking your entrance exam
• Make sure your letters of recommendation are arriving at the
• Premedical Professions Office
• Begin anticipating the arrival of secondary applications

Fourth (Senior) Year

• Continue to complete degree and pre requisite courses
• Continue to anticipate the arrival of secondary applications
• Anticipate invitations for interviews
• Continue gaining clinical experience. Continue, if applicable, your research and community service involvement.
• During Spring, anticipate the beginning of acceptance, denial or wait list decisions
• Plan for reapplication or alternate plans should you not gain admittance
• Make an appointment with your Premedical Professions advisor for consultation about your plans. To schedule, call 523-4772