Who is eligible for the Committee Process?  

First-time applicants who have not submitted an application to AADSAS, AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS in a previous cycle are eligible for the Committee Process. In order to be considered, applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher by the time their PHPAC application is submitted. Each applicant, in cooperation with their advisors, will need to determine whether their academic and experiential preparation is competitive for admission to your choice of health professions schools. While we support all applicants in their pursuit of their academic and career goals, we are also mindful of the rigor required and will communicate that so applicants may make informed decisions about their application timeline.   

All participants in the Committee Process must continue to meet all deadlines for Application Deliverables.  

Applicants who have previously applied through AADSAS, AMCAS, AACOMAS, and/or TMDSAS, whether or not they have received a Committee Letter or Letter Packet from Loyola or another school, are considered re-applicants and may apply through an abbreviate reapplication process in the spring.

Applicants to other health professions schools (veterinary, PT, PT, optometry, pharmacy, etc.) are not eligible for the Committee process. 

 

Am I Required to Participate in the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee?  

No, participation in the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee is not obligatory. Participation in the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee is also not a right, and Committee participants must meet all applicable deadlines and requirements to remain eligible in any given Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee cycle. Applicants who do not participate/withdraw from the process may still apply to medical/dental school on their own, and may still receive advising support through Career Services up to 5 years post-graduation.

  

What does professionalism mean in the Committee Process?  

You are responsible for your own application from start to finish. You are responsible for knowing and meeting any requirements or deadlines. Make use of the resources made available by AAMC, etc. Keep a record of all the steps you take throughout the application process and make a practice of following up on these steps. You can learn more about the expectations for professionalism and ethics expected of a future clinician at: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/expectations-professionalism-during-medical-school-admissions-process  

It is your responsibility to keep your preferred e-mail address up-to-date at all times and to check email frequently. E-mail is the primary mode of communication used by the Committee and AMCAS, as well as the distribution of secondary applications by medical schools. Should you change your preferred e-mail address following the submission of your registration form, you will need to notify Pre-Health Professions Advising at PHAdvising@luc.edu. 

 

Who are the Committee Members? Can I choose my Committee Advisor? How are Committee Advisors assigned?  

The Committee is composed of the Pre-Health Professions Advising staff and a Pre-Health Faculty Advisory Board comprised of Loyola faculty members. 

  

Can I miss a deadline and still participate in the Committee process and receive a Letter Packet?  

All assignments must be completed and submitted to Sakai by each deadline.  All assignments and deadlines are known in advance and any conflicts or technical requirements are your responsibility. The deliverables are available well in advance and each applicant is responsible for balancing their outside demands with those of the Committee process.  

Any applicant who misses any deadlines and/or does not submit completed materials to Sakai will be withdrawn from the Committee process and will not receive additional feedback on materials or a Letter Packet.  Incomplete materials do not provide advisors with the information needed to continue to assist you in your application preparation.    

  

Can I participate in the full Committee process more than once?  

You can begin participation in the Committee process only 2 times (beginning with the 2024M cycle; previous participation does not count unless you submitted an application to medical/dental school, making you a re-applicant). An applicant who who is not accepted to health professional school after having applied through the Committee process may be eligible to participate in an abbreviated Re-applicant process. 

  

If I withdraw from the Committee, can I still apply to health professional school?  

If you withdraw from the PHPAC you can re-enter the program a second time. After withdrawing a second time, you can appeal to participate a third time and appeals will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Once you become ineligible for the PHPAC, you can apply to medical or dental school independently. Due to confidentiality issues, we cannot release letters of evaluation to students who have waived their right of access to their letters. Further, we do not coordinate letters of recommendation for Committee participants who withdraw from the Committee process or are otherwise not participating in that specific Committee cycle; it is your responsibility to ask your recommenders to send letters directly to the schools. You may also utilize a credential file service such as Interfolio. An applicant who does not participate in the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee is not eligible for a letter packet from the Pre-Health advising team.

 

How do I release my letters to health professional schools?  

To officially request the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee to submit a letter packet on your behalf, you need to complete and submit a series of documents (in the form of a PDF) to Sakai by stated deadlines.

  

Confidential or Non-Confidential Committee letter?   

Medical and dental schools will expect that you waive your right, so we highly recommend you speak with our office to know the potential consequences if you retain your right of access.