Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

HPAC Application Procedure

To students planning to apply for admission to a Health Professional School:

The purpose of this notice is to aid you in getting the application procedure underway for admission to a Health Professions school in the class beginning fall semester.

  1. During final exams week, the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) will meet individually with all who wish to use the services of the Committee. By that time, your file should be complete:
    • Letters of evaluation: At least eight letters of evaluation (on HPAC form) including at least two from your major.
    • Student information sheet: Please fill in as much information as possible and return to me (Dr. Gabriel). If you have items you would like to add later, write me a note asking that they be added to the information sheet in your file.
    • "Why statement": A brief statement indicating why you are interested in a career in one of the Health Professions.
    • Family Education Rights and Privacy Act form: Stop by HPAC office to sign the form. This will be copied and enclosed with each of the letters sent by the Committee.
  2. Check the appropriate Admissions Requirements book. There is one for each profession (Medicine, Dentistry, Osteopathy, Optometry, etc.). You should have your own current copy. New editions are published each year (I have a copy of each in my office). You should also check to see if your profession has a website.

  3. Admissions tests will have to be taken, one for each type of school. For all tests, see the list of dates on the HPAC bulletin board. Test registration packets are available in the Career Development Center, Wertz Student Center.

    Complete and mail test registration materials according to the instructions in the booklet. Please have the scores reported to the Health Professions Advisory Committee.

    Official preparation manuals and/or manuals prepared by private companies are available for all tests. I have, in my office, order forms for the official MCAT Manual and also the official DAT preparation materials. Announcements of all other preparation materials are posted on the HPAC bulletin board.

  4. Become familiar with the catalog of each school in which you are interested. Some catalogs are available in my office, Heim Building, Room 114.

  5. Application Services (AMCAS, AADSAS, AACOMAS, etc.): Many of the health professions schools use a central application service. Most medical schools, for example, participate in the American Medical Colleges Application Service (AMCAS). In these programs, a single application filed with the application service. Application request cards will be available in the Career Development Center about mid-April. Get one before leaving campus. For schools not participating in the application service, write to the individual school for applications.

  6. Transcripts: Order a sufficient number of transcripts from the Registrar’s office. One for the application service and one for each school that does not use the application service. The transcripts are sent directly from the Registrar to the school (s) of choice.

  7. Health Professions Advisory Committee: HPAC meets in April. Each of you who has chosen to have the Committee write a letter of recommendation in your behalf will be asked to meet with the Committee at that time. Soon after that meeting, a composite letter of recommendation will be prepared for each school you are applying to.

    You should give me a list of schools, including addresses, of the schools you are applying to. They will be sent as required. (This is in addition to the tentative list which you must supply on the student information sheet.)

  8. Report to me of any action taken by the school (i.e., interview, acceptance, rejection, etc.).

  9. During the summer months you can contact me by email (gabriel@lycoming.edu) or by mail to Dr. Edward Gabriel, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701-5192. The Heim secretary can be reached at (570) 321-4180. She will be able to help you with many questions.

  10. APPLY EARLY

  11. Keep a record of all correspondence.