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Attending this year’s inaugural Health Professions Panel & Fair afforded me the opportunity to not only hear from current health professionals, but it also furthered my understanding of what graduate schools are looking for in prospective students. I highly recommend participating in the events that Florida Southern offers for a host of reasons.

Primarily, students are able to hear firsthand the experiences each professional endured on their personal journey to success. In light of this, I have discovered that when you feel uncertain, it can be reassuring to hear about similar situations from individuals who have already overcome the same obstacles.

Secondly, by attending the Health Professions Panel & Fair, I was able to speak directly to the admissions representatives. This gave me the opportunity to gain further insight on the school’s process for prospective students. Most students preparing to apply to professional schools tend to obtain a majority of their information about that school on the internet. At the fair, I was able to ask direct questions about topics that were vague on the school’s website.

Furthermore, I was exposed to a diverse range of programs.  The fair provided information on tons of programs. This was beneficial for all pre-health students, especially for the students who are still unsure of the career path they want to pursue. 

I found this year’s Health Professions Panel & Fair personally advantageous for several reasons. During my independent search for physician assistant schools, I looked at schools primarily in the state of Florida. At the fair, I was introduced to several great out-of-state institutions, such as Midwestern University, Mercer University College of Health Professions, and A.T. Still University. I would not have been exposed to these great out-of-state options if it were not for the fair.

I also learned that each school has a different process for their prospective applicants, even once they commit to a school. I learned that Mercer’s physician assistant program has a different start date, which would allow me more time for my "gap year". This is exciting for me because by applying to this school, I will have the opportunity to accomplish more during that season of my proposed track. Another school explained how it evaluates students during the application process, which was quite different from what I expected. This was beneficial because it showed me that schools are taking into consideration every aspect of the applicant, even if they do not adhere strictly to the stereotypical applicant image. Using the resources that Florida Southern provides, like the Health Professions Panel & Fair, I have learned new information that will help me pursue my dreams.