MyPreHealth

Washington University's Institutional Support Process

The MyPreHealth System is an internal, multi-faceted system that we use to collect the materials we deem necessary to support a student's application to health professional programs. We do not rank applicants; we support everyone. Your advisor will use the MyPreHealth materials to understand your narrative and to give you constructive feedback. You will use your MyPreHealth portfolio to journal about activities, develop your narrative, collect and submit letters of recommendation and to share materials with your PreHealth advisor.

The MyPreHealth System

  •  a means for you to provide your prehealth advisor with the information we need to write a strong letter of support for you (the cover letter)
  •  a place to collect your letters of recommendation, which you will eventually send to medical schools.
  •  an opportunity for you to self-assess, to rehearse and refine your narrative and get your advisor's constructive feedback, as practice for every part of the application from AMCAS to interviews.

The MyPreHealth System DOES NOT

  • require you to have faculty letters submitted before your strategy appointment
  • send emails to your recommenders

If you opt out of our process we will not be able to offer our support in the form of our cover letter. Please take the time to complete your assessment materials thoughtfully and carefully. We have found that students who submit these documents without full reflection compromise their chances of a successful application process.

Ready to move forward? Create your MyPreHealth account with your WUSTL Key.

Requirements: Application Timeline

In the year you plan to apply ...

Create MyPreHealth Account

The MyPreHealth system is a resource for all PreHealth students at WashU. It allows students to access information, journal about experiences, receive announcements, advisor assignments, collect and submit letters of recommendation, and share materials with the PreHealth team in preparation for health professional programs.

Create MyPreHealth Account

Complete "A Reflective Guide for PreHealth Students" Canvas Course

This noncredit Canvas course will help students reflect on their goals in healthcare and understand how to start preparing now for a future in healthcare. The course runs every semester and is recommended for rising or current sophomores. ONCE THIS COURSE IS COMPLETE, STUDENTS WILL BE ASSIGNED A PREHEALTH ADVISOR .

Complete Canvas Course

Complete "Ready to Apply to Medical School" Canvas Course

This course is intended to prepare students for upcoming application to a health profession's school. Completion of this course is a program requirement and must be completed by MARCH 1 in the application year in order to secure a Strategy Appointment with student’s assigned PreHealth advisor.

Complete Canvas Course

Schedule Application Strategy Advisor Appointment

Students who are able to incorporate feedback from their PreHealth advisors are able to make improvements on their final materials and ultimately their applications to medical school. The strategy appointment/final meeting deadline is APRIL 1.

Submit AMCAS Application

There is substantial evidence that, all things being equal, students who APPLY IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JUNE will have higher success rates than applying later in the summer.

Requesting Letters of Recommendation

Application Prep

Entrance Exams

A pre-professional entrance exam, such as, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Dental Admission Test (DAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) are an important component of your professional school application. You should study extensively and sit for these exams when best prepared. If needed, you can consult your prehealth advisor to best determine exam timing.

Learn More

Letters of Recommendation for Medical Schools

Recommendations are an important piece of your application. Find out more about what is required, how to secure strong letters, and logistics.

Learn More

Preparing for Interviews

A successful application to medical school includes having had a successful interview.

Learn More

Applying to Medical School this Cycle?

You should have already been assigned an advisor after completing the Canvas Course: A Reflective Guide for Pre-Health Students. Your next step is to register and complete the Canvas Course: Ready to Apply to Medical School. This course is intended to prepare you for an upcoming application to medical school and must be completed prior to your strategy appointment with your pre-health advisor. The Strategy Appointment must be scheduled and completed prior to April 1st in the year that you plan to apply. Choosing not to participate in these required components will result in you relinquishing your letter of institutional support from Washington University.

Complete Canvas Course

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Strategy Appointment?

Using the MyPreHealth system, you will work on self-assessment materials to help prepare and guide you into discovering and articulating your unique narrative. Once you have completed your Assessment questions, your personal statement, and your activities section, you will schedule a strategy appointment with your PreHealth Advisor. During this meeting, you will discuss your readiness to apply. Please Note: You must schedule your appointment well in advance of the April 1st deadline. You will also need to upload your materials at least 1-2 weeks in advance so that your advisor is prepared for your meeting. 

What if I Miss the April 1 Deadline for Completing My MyPreHealth Strategy Appointment?

Juniors who do not complete their materials and meet with their advisor by the deadline are not eligible for an institutional letter of endorsement (cover letter). *Please note: materials are due for some advisors up to 2 weeks prior to the appointment; students must factor this into their planning. Our experience is that juniors who have not crafted a personal narrative and completed their MyPreHealth Strategy Appointment benefit from more preparation time before they apply.   We urge you to complete your appointment in your senior year, apply at graduation, and make plans for a gap year.

Seniors who miss the deadline may be granted an extension* but we still strongly urge you to take more time to be fully prepared to apply, even if this will mean two gap years.  This advice is based on data (below).

In 2018-2019, we endorsed 47 first time A&S applicants who were not admitted to medical school.  19 of those applicants had a science gpa below 3.2 or an MCAT below 500.  Of the remaining 28 with with BCPM > 3.2 and MCAT > 500, 13 or almost half had incomplete materials at the deadline.  80% of the first-time applicants we endorse are admitted, but having incomplete materials by late spring poses a significant risk factor for non-admittance and is best avoided.

*Extensions will not be granted past the end of May.  Applicants who have not completed a MyPreHealth Strategy appointment by the end of May are not eligible for a cover letter.

Should I apply this Cycle?

The application process is best summed up as one of finding the right fit for the school and for you so that a match can be made. As you go into the application process, it is important to examine, critically and reflectively, not only your scores and experience but also what they mean to you and to the schools to which you apply.

Well-prepared candidates have found the aspects here to be significant to their applications. Consider the degree to which each statement represents your own readiness for the current cycle.

If, after considering your readiness in these regards, you think a gap year might be in your best interest, your pre-health advisor, as well as the pre-health advisors in the Career Center, are happy to help you generate options.

What if I Have to Reapply?

Many successful physicians applied to medical school more than once!  The AAMC encourages reapplication after thoughtful reflection. If reapplication is part of your path to medicine, that’s ok, and we want to help. Some medical schools will give applicants feedback on their applications, so it is definitely worth investigating whether this option is available to you. After carefully assessing your prior application using these reflection questions, discuss your responses with your prehealth advisor, who can help you with a strategy for next steps.

Still have questions?

Contact our team