MySLC

Academic Preparation 

Algebra-based physics is accepted by most programs and is all that is needed for the MCAT. Some MD/PhD programs require calculus-based physics, so check out the requirements for specific programs that may interest you.

It all depends. The majority of medical and dental programs will accept AP credits in fulfillment of prerequisites, with the following restrictions:

• Sarah Lawrence College needs to have accepted those courses as credit toward your degree and that must appear on your transcript.
• In almost all cases you must go on to take advanced level courses with labs in those disciplines.
• Sarah Lawrence faculty reserve the right to require that you take the introductory course at SLC, if they have reason to think that you aren't fully prepared to go on to the next level in the discipline . High school biology or chemistry, even AP courses, may not give you a strong enough foundation, especially if more than one year has passed.
• AP Physics is typically accepted without taking any further classes; however we recommend forgoing your AP credits and take Physics at the College. 
• AP Calculus is typically accepted by health professional programs. However, we strongly encourage students to take at least one semester college math; statistics is a great option for those that already took Calculus in high school. 

It is a tempting option and it does work out well for some students. But it has several important pitfalls that you need to be aware of:

• Taking these courses at an "easier" school, e.g. a small community college, may earn you an A, but will leave doubt about the rigor of the course. Medical schools expect you to take summer school classes for the core prerequisites at the your home institution, that is, Sarah Lawrence, or at a school with equal standing.
• Students sometimes double up and take a whole year of physics, or a whole year of chemistry, in one summer.  The problem is that even if you do well in the courses you may remember very little six months later. When it's so concentrated and intense it may never move into long-term memory. That can show up on the MCAT exam taken some time later or in subsequent courses taken in that subject. So proceed with caution.

The Math/Science Third allows you, in effect, to fit two science and/or math courses into one 5-credit slot.  Therefore it allows you to take four courses at the same time.  However, rather than receiving 5 credits per course, the SLC norm, for the two that are sharing one slot, you receive 5 credits for the two courses combined, or 2.5 credits per course. However, given the fact that students are permitted to take up to 18 credits per semester (for a flat tuition rate for 12-18 credits), we do not advise registering for a math/science third. Instead, we recommend you take one course for 5 credits and the other course for 3 credits. Note: the ability to take a course for 3 credits is by instructor permission only as space permits, and you will only be able to registrar for the course in the second week of the add/drop period. Students are not permitted to enroll initially in a course for 5 credits and then drop down to 3 credits. 

Students are strongly advised to enroll in the core prerequisite courses with lab (e.g. general Biology with lab; General chemistry with lab, etc) for 5 credits. 

For more information on the Math/Science Third, click here. 

If you have yet to do so already, we strongly advise you to map out a multi-year course plan using our Course Planning Tool. Dean Cohen is always happy to meet with students to help them map out their classes (schedule an appointment with Dean Cohen).  

You can find both a list and chart of the prehealth prerequisite courses, along with sample course sequences, under the Academic Preparation tab. 

We know that this can be a very stressful and overwhelming time, so we are here for to support you! Below, we have some ideas of how to be productive and prioritize your work while practicing self-care - the best recipe to be successful and avoid burnout. 

The Pomodoro Technique can be a great way to tackle a ton of schoolwork without getting easily distracted. The technique works like this: 
First, choose a task to work on and set a timer for 25 minutes-  work on only that task. Put those phones away- no checking emails or texts during this time! 
Next, when the timer goes off, take a break for 5 minutes. Now is when you can check your phone/emails. 
Do this 4 times, and then take a well deserved 30 minute break! Grab something to eat too (staying nourished is important for your brain to work well!). With this structure and opportunities for little  brain breaks, this method is a great way to increase your productivity!  

To learn more about the Pomodoro method, check out their website!

Prioritizing Tasks: The end of the semester can feel like there is a never ending pile of work, and sometimes the hardest part is figuring out where to even begin. Something that can be really helpful is making a to-do list, and then sorting it by priorities. You can organize it by deadline, and then by any other way that you would like! Some people feel really good by checking off tasks, so they like to tackle the smaller tasks first before beginning the bigger things. Others feel really good by checking off the big things first, and then moving on to the smaller things. It is totally up to you!

Check out the LC's To Do/Task Worksheets

Make sure to practice self-care!

Whether it be going to get a sweet treat, going on a run, hanging out with friends, or decompressing by watching a show, make sure to take time to take care of yourself. You will perform the best if you feel good, and burn out is real! Check out this picture for 50 ideas of how to take fun breaks during your studying!

Tutoring is being offered through the Learning Commons through the end of the semester! Attend a SciMath tutoring session or schedule an appointment with a writing tutor.  Do not be afraid to ask for help- these resources are all available to make sure that you feel supported and successful!

Pre-Health Student Alliance Group 

Yes! We have a very active and robust student group with a very strong group of board members. Students are always welcomed and encouraged to join the Prehealth Alliance. To learn more and join, click here. 

Health Professional Schools

We are so glad you are exploring your options! There are plenty of jobs within the world of healthcare, and it can be super interesting and eye-opening to learn about the whole scope of the field! In fact, often people believe that if they want to help people/work with patients, then they must pursue medicine or dentistry. It makes sense as these are the most commonly encountered professions we've engaged with since childhood. However, there are many, many different types of clinical professions in healthcare, and one can be a great fit for you!

Below, you can find information and resources to learn more about the more commonly pursued allied health fields. And don't forget to use your network to connect with healthcare professionals. In fact, a great way to learn more is by connecting with SLC Alumni via (SLC Connect or LinkedIn)!

For a full list of healthcare fields, check out Explore Health Careers.org 


Nursing can include being a registered nurse, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists, among other jobs! These are great jobs for people who want to be hands on in the care of patients, and who are integral parts of the daily care of patients. To learn more about these pathways, look here:
American Association of Nurse Practitioners
American Nurses Association
American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology

The therapy-based jobs are a wonderful option, and some of the most common ones are Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Therapy (also known as speech language pathology). These are awesome healthcare jobs with are hands on with patients, and great for those looking to build relationships with patients. To learn more: 
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Physical Therapy Association
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)  - this is the specific page for speech, but also check out this page to learn more about audiology!

Physician Associates/Assistants are one of the most up and coming healthcare jobs, with demand being higher than ever! This is a great path for those who want to provide hands on care, but have the flexibility of being able to work in any specialty. To learn more about PA's, check out the American Academy of Physician Associates.

A common question that comes up is about the difference between PA's and NP's. Here are some great articles that compare and contrast the two professions: Check it out here and here!

Mental Health Clinicians, such as a clinical psychologist, social worker, marriage and family therapist, are such an important field and it is ever-growing! It is a great field for people who want to be involved in the mental and emotional field of healthcare, without having to provide physical care. Some of the most common jobs in this field are clinical psychologists and social workers! To learn more about each job, check out the links below. Of note, there are two ways to become a clinical psychologist (PHD vs. PsyD) so be sure to read up on the differences!
Society of Clinical Psychology
National Association of Social Workers

There are so many more healthcare jobs that can be amazing options depending on your interests. Below are a bunch more to explore!

Genetic Counseling - National Society of Genetic Counselors
Nutrition -  American Society of Nutrition
Child Life Specialist - Association of Child Life Professionals
Ultrasound Technology/Diagnostic Medical Sonography - The Association for Medical Ultrasound
Pharmacy - American Pharmacists Association
Veterinary - American Veterinary Medical Association
Optometry - American Optometric Association

Have questions about any of these clinical positions and/or want help mapping out a plan to pursue a graduate program in the health profession, schedule a meeting today with Dean Melinda Perlo Cohen, prehealth advisor. 

Gaining Clinical Experience 

While it is ideal to volunteer and have experiences in-person as much as you can, it is understandable that not everyone will be able to always fit this into their busy schedules. There are plenty of opportunities that allow for volunteering remotely, often on your schedule so that you can continue to volunteer even during busy semesters or break! Below are a few that are awesome, but there are plenty more online. Remember, you should volunteer with something that you are passionate about, and it does not always have to be directly related to medicine - do what you enjoy most!

Here are a few great ones to start, but there are plenty more online:

Pre-Health Shadowing 
Virtual Shadowing sessions from current healthcare professionals 
View upcoming live sessions

Crisis Text Line is an online 24/7 texting platform for anyone who is looking for free, confidential support. Volunteers are trained by mental health professionals, and then volunteer any time of day or night as trained crisis counselors. Shifts can be done anytime, anywhere, and do not have to be at the same time each week; just require a time commitment per week.

Be My Eyes is an app that connects blind and low-vision users who want sighted assistance with volunteers and companies anywhere in the world, through live video and artificial intelligence. You volunteer on your phone by answering calls through the app, and can help out whenever they have time!

Caring Calls through DOROT is an 8-week, low commitment program where volunteers are matched with senior citizens seeking companionship and connections. As a volunteer, you’ll hop on the phone and chat with older adults experiencing isolation and loneliness. You are expected to call once a week for about 30 minutes.

Learn to Be is an online volunteer tutoring program where volunteers work with students from underserved communities in any subject that they feel comfortable tutoring in. You can find a student that matches your schedule, and the commitment is to remotely work with the student once a week. 

PA Programs: These programs require a minimum number of clinical hours. The specific number of hours can vary from program to program, ranging from 500 hours to as high as 1500 hours. Feel free to check out Physician Assistant Education Association program directory which specifies school-specific minimum hour requirements

Medical/Dental/Vet/Nursing/Genetic Counseling: These graduate programs do not specify a minimum number of clinical hours; however, admissions committees are looking for a steady commitment, providing evidence of your interest, understanding, and commitment to health care and your desired profession. Committees are also looking for evidence of active engagement with patients and the health care team. This can look like talking with and comforting patients, helping nurses deliver supplies, etc. So rather than focus on the number of hours, focus on finding opportunities that excite and motivate you, and offers a valuable opportunity to actively engage. 

How to find clinical opportunities:

• Attend the Internship & Volunteer Fair 
• Check out our program's newsletter (see newsletter archives)
• View opportunities in Handshake
• Connect with your peers, family, and friends
• Contact SLC Alumni via (SLC Connect or LinkedIn)

Many hospital volunteer programs require 4-8 hours per week and/or 100 hours over a year commitment. However, these programs often do not require a 4 hour block commitment, it can usually be less at a time! These programs are very understanding and accommodating of students' schedules, including winter and summer breaks. It is okay to apply to be a volunteer even if you don't know your spring schedule yet. However, because the process can take several weeks to sometimes several months (!) from the time you apply to when you are trained and placed in the hospital, it's important to initiate the process early!

To find a list of hospitals with links to their volunteer department websites, view our clinical experience page on our program's mySLC site.

A great resource to begin your search to shadow is the AAMC Shadowing a Doctor Guide. Although it is created for premedical students, the same advice can be applied to any health profession. 

How Do I Contact Them? Can I cold email them? 
Yes! While we understand that cold calling or emailing may feel scary and uncomfortable, providers are usually so happy to help future students, especially when the provider is a SLC Alum, family member, or friend! [Learn more about connecting with a SLC Alum]

Need help drafting an email? Feel free to to reach out to our Graduate Assistant, Gabriella at prehealthprogram@sarahlawrence.edu. 

How long should I be shadowing for?
That is totally up to you and really depends on the shadowing experience! Shadowing is a great opportunity for you to learn about a particular field or specialty in healthcare, understand the day-to-day role of the doctor/clinician, observe the healthcare team working together, and more! However, the time and nature of shadowing opportunities vary tremendously. Some providers will be open to you shadowing for a longer period of time, while some may only have a day or two of availability. Or you might find you are only allowed to observe the provider, while another experience may allow you to be more actively engaged with patients and the healthcare team, such as talking and/or following up with patients. Remember that health professional schools are looking for evidence of active engagement with patients and the healthcare team, so depending on the nature of your shadowing experience, you may wish to stay a while or just take a quick peak. And who knows, maybe shadowing has the potential to turn into something more!

So, a good recommendation is to seek out opportunities that allow you to learn and observe in a valuable way that allows you to meaningfully share your experience in an application or interview. And it can be beneficial to spread out your time shadowing different providers to get a good sense of the field’s depth and diversity.

How can I find a Shadowing Opportunity?

• Utilize your Network - Connect with your peers, professors, family, and friends!

• Ask your own healthcare provider(s)

• Connect with SLC Alumni via (SLC Connect or LinkedIn)

Additional Resources:

• AAMC’s Shadowing a Doctor Guide

• The Big Picture: Questions about Clinical Experience 

• The Premed’s Complete Guide to Shadowing a Doctor

• Translating Pre-Medical Experiences into Clinical Skills

Have more questions? Contact prehealthprogram@sarahlawrence.edu

Schedule an advising appointment with Melinda via Handshake.

If you need a time outside of these hours, please contact Dean Cohen directly. 

Study Abroad

It is possible to study abroad and be a pre-health student, but this will take advanced planning. We encourage you to discuss your options early on in your academic career with your don, the pre-health dean and the Office of Global Studies.

    Most medical schools discourage this. It's difficult to evaluate the quality of courses in foreign institutions. There is also concern that the topics covered may be different, even if the course names sound similar. And finally, spending lots of time in a lab may not be the best way to spend your time when you are studying abroad.  Better to use that time exploring the local culture, developing language skills, and in general broadening your horizons.

    If you think, as you begin college, that you want to both (a) follow a premed path and (b) study abroad, then you need to consider that you are on the DIRECT ROUTE, even though it will take you 4 years, not 3, to get to the point that you are ready to apply to medical school. Even though you are applying at the end of senior year, consider the study abroad year as outside the premed path.

    One exception here is to take the sciences courses in England through the Sarah Lawrence at Oxford program. Courses taken in our own English-language study abroad program seem to be fully acceptable to all schools. Likewise, NYU has a science program in London geared for premed students and it too seems to be acceptable to medical schools.

Committee Letter of Evaluation 

Who should complete CL Part I: Declaration of Intent?
Any current student or alumni of the College wishing to matriculate into medical or dental school in Summer 2026 will initiate the CL process this Fall. Why start now if you won't matriculate for another 1.5 years? Because these application timelines are quite a beast lasting over a year long! Therefore, you initiate the CL process in the fall prior to the summer in which you plan to apply/ two summers before you matriculate into medical/dental school. 

I am still deciding if I am going to apply this cycle. Am I committed to applying if I fill out the CL Part I: Declaration of Intent? 
No, we understand that you may still be deciding if you are ready to apply this cycle. However, it is much better to initiate the process and decide to delay, rather than attempt to apply after the  committee letter deadlines have passed! Thus, if you are considering applying this cycle, please complete CL Part I, Declaration of Intent and attend the Application Year Overview Session on Wednesday, November 6th.

How long will it take me to fill out Part I? 
It should take you no more than 20-30 minutes to fill out the intent form. This includes a self-assessment: a tool to help you assess your candidacy, begin planning your application, and guide your conversation with Dean Cohen at your Cycle 2025 applicant initial meeting. Remember, this is a tool to help you! So please be thoughtful, insightful, and honest in your responses.  

Who will have access to Part I?
Aside from the demographic section, what you write in Part I, specifically the self-assessment, will be kept completely confidential- the only person that will have access is Dean Melinda Perlo Cohen. Your responses will be used to guide your conversation with Dean Cohen at your Cycle 2025 initial applicant meeting. The information will not be shared with our Prehealth Advisory Committee nor be used in your committee letter.

What should I do after I fill out Part I?
Congrats on taking your first step towards applying this cycle! There are three things to do after you submit:

1. Attend the Application Year Overview session, Part I on Wednesday, November 6th from 5:30-6:45pm (join in person or over zoom).
2. Schedule a Cycle 2025 applicant initial meeting appointment with Dean Cohen, required of all applicants. 
3. Await more information about CL Part II: Portfolio opening in Dec 2024.  

How can I learn more about the Committee Letter process and applying to medical/dental school? 
Join the Application Year Overview, Part I session on Wednesday, November 6th from 5:30-6:45pm to get lots of information and resources! This session will take place in the Prehealth Community Space  (alumni can join over zoom). Bring your questions!