Prepare for a Health Profession
Prepare for a Health Profession
Preparing for a career in the health professions involves much more than completing prerequisite coursework. Competitive applicants demonstrate academic excellence, sustained service to others, meaningful clinical and research experiences, leadership, professionalism, strong communication skills, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Health Professions Advising (HPA) provides guidance throughout your journey—from your first semester at Soka through your professional school application.
Thoughtful academic planning is one of the best ways to prepare for professional school. HPA works with students to develop individualized academic plans that align with career goals while making the most of Soka's liberal arts curriculum. Individualized advising support can include discussions on:
- Four-year academic planning
- Professional school prerequisite coursework
- Course sequencing
- Study abroad planning
- Summer coursework
- Academic success strategies
- Choosing a concentration
- Exploring multiple health professions
To access individualized academic planning support, Declare Your Pre-Health Interest →
Health professions schools seek applicants who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to service and have explored their chosen profession through meaningful experiences. HPA helps students identify opportunities that strengthen both their applications and their understanding of health care.
Soka offers a variety of experiential learning opportunities, including the Summer Clinical Preceptorship, the Soka Health Advocacy and Research Program (SHARP), faculty-mentored research, a sports medicine internship, volunteer opportunities, and other professional development experiences.
In addition to Soka-sponsored programs, HPA maintains resources to help students identify opportunities in:
- Clinical experience
- Physician and health professional shadowing
- Research
- Community service
- Leadership
- Internships
- Health advocacy
- Global health experiences
Professional Competencies
Health professions programs use holistic admissions to evaluate applicants beyond grades and test scores. While specific expectations vary among professions and institutions, many programs consider competencies such as communication, service orientation, ethical responsibility, teamwork, cultural humility, resilience, and critical thinking.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students provide one widely recognized example of the competencies valued in health professions admissions and provide a useful framework for students preparing for a variety of health careers.
Admissions Exams
Many health professions require a standardized admissions examination. The required exam depends on the profession and school to which you apply. Visit the official testing organizations below for information about exam requirements, registration, preparation resources, testing dates, and fee assistance programs.
Need help deciding which exam to take, when to take it, or how to prepare? HPA provides individualized guidance on admissions exam planning, recommended timelines, fee assistance programs, and discounted test preparation resources available to Soka students.
Required for most U.S. and Canadian MD and DO programs.
Required for admission to most U.S. and Canadian dental schools.
Required by most optometry programs in the United States and accepted by select Canadian programs.
Required or accepted by some programs, including selected public health, physician assistant, physical therapy, genetic counseling, speech-language pathology, and other graduate health professions programs.
A situational judgment assessment required or recommended by some medical and other health professions programs to evaluate interpersonal and professional skills.
A situational judgment assessment required or recommended by some U.S. medical schools to evaluate professional competencies.
Individualized Advising
No matter where you are in your pre-health journey, HPA is here to help. Meet one-on-one with the Health Professions Advisor for individualized guidance on career exploration, academic planning, experiential learning, admissions exams, and the professional school application process.