What is a Health Profession Expo?

If you guys want to be proactive and take charge in what you can do as a premed in terms of figuring out what medical school you want to go to, then going to a health profession expo is the way to go. This is a really great resource to learn about different medical schools!What is a Health Professions Expo?

• It is a fair hosted by most universities in which different types of health professional schools such as medical, physician assistant, nursing, etc. come together to talk about what they offer and see which students are interested in coming to their school.
• These professional schools send their admission representatives to come and directly answer questions from students and provide valuable information about applying and getting in.

Why should I go?

• The most important reason to go is that you are trying to build a connection with these people. This is your chance to make that first impression and hopefully, they will remember your face to go along with your name. These representatives will be around again if you do happen to interview at their school so it gives you an advantage if you leave a good impression with them.
• Get their contact information and keep in touch with them throughout the application and interview processes. They provide a lot of valuable insight into what they are looking for in an applicant.
• In addition, these schools will have booths filled with informational pamphlets and free goodies (chapstick, hand sanitizer, pens, notepads, etc). So, if you just want free stationaries, it is a definite yes you should go.

How should I prepare to go?

• Dressing appropriately! I’ve seen people dress casually to go because they have class or they are just stopping by. I’ve also seen people wear a suit and dress professionally. It is whatever you feel most comfortable doing. I wouldn’t suggest wearing really short shorts, crop tops, or tank tops to this event if possible.
• If you are worried about if you’re a strong applicant, you can bring a copy of your resume and let them check it out. They will be able to give you good advice depending on what year you are. It never hurts to ask for advice or different opinions besides from just your health professions advisors.

What types of questions do I ask them?

• You have to remember that these representatives are experts at their job and they have been a part of the admission committee for years. They know what type of students the school makes exceptions for and what type of students they want. I’ve seen students asking questions such as “Should I apply with this MCAT score” and “Should I apply this cycle with this GPA/ lacking this health experience?”
• This is a good opportunity to see what schools there are across the nation. You might be Googling a lot about these professional schools online when you can straight up ask them in person what they offer. You can ask them questions like “How does your school prepare me for STEP?” or “What type of clinical rotations do you offer?” or “How is your curriculum?” or “How are your classes structured?” You will be able to ask all of them this on interview day but that will only be if you get an interview. Being able to ask it now will help you narrow down what schools you want to apply to (save you money) and get a feel of where you fit in.
• The most important questions you can ask a school is what their admission and interview process is like. You can get more insight into if they are doing rolling admission, when they start sending invitations for interviews, and if they do early acceptance. Knowing the timelines will let you anticipate when you will hear back from them once you’ve applied.

At the end of the conversation, if you would like to know more information then feel free to give them your email address. You can always unsubscribe later if you are no longer interested (LOL). Afterwards, you can also email the representative and thank them for answering your questions and taking the time out to come to your university. There is nothing wrong with being polite and sincere.So make sure you check with your university and see if this is a service they offer, then plan to go! I hope y’all found this post helpful!  Lub dub,Shanon