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Pre-Health Science Advising

Explore health careers

Many students want to work in the health field, but are not yet sure what role they would like to play. It’s also important to consider if you are well-suited for health care:

  • You should have an intellectual interest and ability in science. Different health careers require differing amounts of science mastery.
  • You should have a deep and abiding interest in people and their problems, and a service-oriented mentality demonstrated through participation in civic engagement activities.
  • You should be ready to work in a team setting, as both a leader and a collaborator and with a wide variety of people as your colleagues and as your patients.
  • You should have a realistic understanding of the challenges and rewards of your career interest.
  • You should be comfortable interacting with patients and others in healthcare settings.

The URGO office provides advising for students interested all areas of the health field and will work with you to determine which area best fits your interests, strengths, and personality.  Because advanced degree programs may have different prerequisites and expectations, we recommend you begin exploring the various health careers early so that you can start working toward your goal.

If you’re looking to prep for the MCAT, DAT or OAT, the URGO office offers these resources.

Start Your Journey to a Health Career

Even if you are uncertain of which health career you would like to pursue, there are things that you can do to put yourself in the best position to apply when the time comes.

  1. Set up a meeting with URGO 
    • Preparing yourself for a health career involves much more than just an application, so it is never too early to seek pre-health advising.  If you are thinking about a career in the health field, please email urgo@augsburg.edu for an advising appointment. We are located in Hagfors Center, Suite 101. The URGO office can serve as a resource throughout your college years and we enjoy seeing students develop their talents and skills during their time at Augsburg.
  2. Set up a meeting with your academic advisor
    • Most pre-health careers have pre-requisites that students must complete before applying to professional school.  Talk with your advisor about these pre-requisites to ensure that you can complete them all in a timely manner.
  3. Work hard in classes and get to know your professors
    • While GPA is not the sole factor in determining whether one gets in to a professional school, a strong academic record suggests to admissions committees that you will be able to manage the demands of professional school and the continued learning required in health fields.  You will also need professors to write letters of recommendation regarding your performance and engagement in class, so take every opportunity to participate and further your learning.  Go to office hours, help out in lab, read beyond what is assigned, and talk with your professors about class topics that interest you.
  4. Start volunteering in the health field
    • If you are considering a health career, we strongly recommend that you build a record of sustained involvement as a volunteer or paid employee within the health field.  This time is necessary to gain a good understanding of the various roles within a health care team and the daily tasks that are involved in patient care.  A record of such sustained experience is now expected for application to most advanced degree programs in the health field.  To find such volunteer and work experiences, please see the “Opportunities” tab to the left.
  5. Attend pre-health events on campus
    • Keep your eye on the URGO calendar on our homepage for opportunities to hear from guest speakers and attend workshops, club meetings, and information sessions.
  6. Follow “Augsburg URGO” on Facebook
    • We regularly post pre-health opportunities, application tips, and event announcements on this page.  This is an easy way to stay connected to the pre-health community at Augsburg.