Health Professions Advising at Mason

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Exploring Career Options

Myth: The Admissions Pipeline

To state it bluntly, you're not in high school anymore. Whereas most people went directly into college after graduating from high school, getting into a health professions school does not follow this "pipeline" principle. The average age of health professional program matriculants (new graduate students) ranges from 24 to 26 years, and more programs prefer taking students who have realistic experiences and perspectives of a career in health care. Even some students who perform outstandingly in the classroom get rejected and have to work for a year or more after graduation before applying again. (Read about why people don't get accepted into a health professions graduate school.)

Thus it is very important that you know about the many different options in health care that you can either gain experience in or set for yourself as your professional goal. One must-read book is 300 Ways to Put Your Talent to Work in the Health Field from the National Health Council (June 2002).

You should also keep your options open. There are many people with MD degrees who do not practice but are involved with promoting health. Admit it... Dr. Sanjay Gupta's job as health correspondent on CNN is pretty cool (and he still does practice!); just imagine how many other jobs there are that you could use your medical knowledge outside the usual confines of a patient ward. Sometimes the most fulfilling jobs are the ones you create for yourself based on the tools you develop.

Exploring Career Options
Myth: The Admissions Pipeline

Starting Here, Starting Now

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Exploring Grad/Prof (University Career Services)

Premedical Students Guide to Preparing for Medical Programs (University Career Services)

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Nursing and Health Careers Resources (University Career Services)

Careers in Biology (American Institute of Biological Sciences)