Welcome! We're excited that you're considering the University of Connecticut as the place to begin your journey toward a career in the health professions. Whether you're interested in medicine, dentistry, physician assistant studies, or another healthcare field, UConn offers countless opportunities to learn, grow, and discover your path.
The University of Connecticut's Pre-Professional Advising Office provides advising and resources to UConn students and alumni exploring certain careers in the health professions. While our office specializes in supporting pre-medical, pre-dental, and pre-physician assistant students/alumni, we encourage anyone interested in a healthcare career to explore the many pathways available. Our advisors focus on competency-based advising, encouraging students and future applicants to engage in self reflection, rigorous pursuit of academic enrichment, and intentional exploration of co-curricular activities and engagement. Meet our advisors here, and learn more about our advising offerings here.
At UConn, you won't navigate that journey alone. The Pre-Professional Advising Office is here to support you every step of the way with personalized advising, workshops, application resources, experiential learning guidance, and a community of peers who share your goals. Our mission is to help you become not only a competitive applicant, but also a compassionate and well-rounded future healthcare professional.
Our students and alumni consistently achieve outstanding outcomes. UConn applicants who work closely with our office earn medical school acceptance rates of more than 60% each year and dental school acceptance rates of 75% or higher—well above national averages. These results reflect the strength of our students, the opportunities available at UConn, and the individualized support our office provides throughout the pre-health journey.
We believe that the healthcare workforce should reflect the diverse communities it serves. We welcome students from all backgrounds and experiences and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has access to the resources, mentorship, and opportunities they need to thrive. We especially encourage students from populations that have been historically underrepresented in the health professions to connect with us early and take advantage of the programs and support designed to help them succeed.
No matter where you're starting from, we're excited to help you explore your interests, build your experiences, and prepare for a rewarding career in healthcare.
To get started with exploring how UConn may be the right place for you, click on the links below!
| Explore Majors | Clubs & Orgs | Health Professions Peer Advising | Campus Support |
In addition to the community that our professional advisors, peer advisors, and students are able to create on campus, we also encourage you to learn more about the broader campus community and how other departments/offices on campuses may enhance your experience while you're here.
Honors Program—Honors students at UConn are part of a community of scholars whom are leaders, creative thinkers, and committed citizens. The Honors framework, designed by a team of academic experts, allows students to dive deeply into their academic and research interests, receive exceptional academic and programmatic support, and learn alongside other bright, inquisitive students.
Students are either accepted into the program as incoming first-year students, or they can apply as rising second- or third-year students. Honors students are part of a learning community and have access to specific honors dormitories; all students are placed in first-year Honors housing.
First Year Experience Program—Since 1999, UConn's FYE program has offered courses and services that foster student success, development, transition, and leadership. Through their course offerings, first and second year students at the University study and engage in exploration, learning, and research in small 20 seat seminar sections. FYE course offerings are taught by instructors drawn from departments and colleges throughout the university system who are assisted by undergraduate peer mentors and graduate leaders, allowing our courses to become collaborative, community-based offerings for active and experiential learning.
Learning Community Program—There are over 30 distinct Learning Communities on the UConn campus that provide cohorts with the opportunity to find a sense of place on a big campus, make meaningful connections with faculty, staff, and other student leaders, and engage in deeper learning and service activities. There are several learning communities related to the pre-health professions, including the Public Health House and the WiMSE House.
Office of Undergraduate Research—As an R1 institution, UConn is one of the best places in the country to engage in impactful, innovate research. Our large student population means there are many university-supported faculty engaging in research that are excited to connect with undergraduate scholars. The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is a resource for all undergraduates in all majors on all UConn campuses seeking to enrich their undergraduate experiences through participation in research, scholarship, and creative activity.
Stay connected with our office and get the latest updates, tips, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on Instagram!
Find us @uconn_premed_predental
Scroll smarter! Follow us on TikTok for pre-health advice, event updates, application tips, and a peek into life at UConn.
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FAQs
For current high school or transfer students who are interested in applying to the University of Connecticut, we encourage you to visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions' website to learn more about our academics, life at UConn, how to apply, and how to visit campus if you are inclined to do so!
For recently accepted students that want to know how they can make the most out of their time at UConn, we encourage you to review the questions and answers below.
If you have any questions that are not answered here, or elsewhere on our website, you are welcome to email our office at premed_predental@uconn.edu
How does the Pre-Professional Advising Office support me as a student?
From your first semester through your professional school application, the Pre-Professional Advising Office is here to help you navigate every stage of your pre-health journey.
As a UConn student, you'll have access to one-on-one advising, application coaching, workshops (like our Chats with Alumni series), career exploration resources, and guidance on selecting courses, gaining clinical and research experience, preparing for entrance exams, requesting letters of recommendation, and building a competitive application. We also connect students with volunteer opportunities, campus organizations, networking events, and professional school representatives. We continually strengthen connections with campus partners—like the Office of Undergraduate Research, Career Center, and Office of Community Outreach—as well as cultivate our own current student networks through our Peer Advisors program, and maintain relationships with our graduated students through our Alumni Network.
Our goal is to help you make informed decisions, develop as a future healthcare professional, and submit the strongest application possible—all while finding the path that best fits your individual goals.
Do I need to fill out a specific application to become a pre-health student?
No!
There is no formal application required to work with the Pre-Professional Advising Office. Once you become a UConn student, getting started is easy! Simply complete the Foundations for Future Healthcare Professionals Required Modules in HuskyCT. These modules will introduce you to the pre-health journey, explain the resources and services our office provides, sign you up for our newsletter, and unlock access to schedule advising appointments with our team.
Any UConn student can pursue a pre-health pathway—including pre-medical, pre-PA, and pre-dental—regardless of their major or academic year. Whether you're just beginning to explore a healthcare career or you're ready to start preparing your professional school application, we're here to support you every step of the way.
How does UConn support health professions applicants to medical and dental school?
Our office is proud to support UConn students and alumni pursuing health professions through our Letter Packet process. A Letter Packet includes individual letters of recommendation collected by the applicant, along with a brief, non-evaluative cover letter from our office that explains the comprehensive support and advising provided throughout the application process.
We are committed to supporting every student who seeks our guidance. There is no selection process to receive our support, and we do not determine whether a student is “qualified” to pursue a health professions application. Instead, we work with students to help them understand their strengths, identify opportunities for growth, and develop the strongest application possible.
You may notice that our approach differs from institutions that provide committee letters. We believe strongly in our Letter Packet model because it allows us to focus our time and energy on meaningful, individualized support for each applicant. By not dedicating the majority of our time to writing evaluative committee letters, our advisors are able to:
- Spend more time meeting individually with applicants and learning about their experiences, goals, and personal journeys.
- Provide personalized guidance tailored to each student’s unique application timeline and needs.
- Help students identify and communicate their strengths, passions, and motivations for pursuing a career in healthcare.
Unlike committee letters, which typically include an evaluation or assessment of an applicant, our cover letter is non-evaluative. Our role is not to serve as a gatekeeper in the application process, but rather as a partner and advocate—helping students approach the application process with confidence, self-awareness, and a clear understanding of what makes them a strong candidate.
To read more about how to apply with our office, click here.
Can I be a pre-health student at a regional campus?
Yes!
Our office is happy to provide both in-person and virtual advising. While our office is based out of the main Storrs campus, we offer helpful asynchronous advising, virtual advising appointments, dedicated drop-in hours online, and visit regional campuses throughout the year. Additionally, our website serves as a fantastic resource for any student that is looking for guidance on how to get engaged and stay engaged throughout their collegiate career at UConn.
What is the Special Program in Medicine (SPiM) and how can I apply for it?
SPiM is a BA/BS–MD program that links four years of undergraduate preparation with four years of medical school at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine (UConn SoM). Members of the SPiM program can only be accepted as an incoming-first year student; there are no opportunities to apply into the program once you have matriculated to the university.
SPiM students are automatically members of the University of Connecticut Honors Program and an exclusive cohort of other SPiM students. If one remains in the SPiM program throughout their time at UConn, by maintaining a certain grade point average (GPA), scoring above a certain threshold on the MCAT, and accumulating a designated number of experiential hours before applying to medical school, they have almost guaranteed admission into UConn SOM (contingent on other application requirements such as a successful admissions interview).
To learn more about SPiM and how to apply, we encourage you to visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions page here, as well as the Honors Program information here.
What is the Special Program in Dental Medicine (SPiDM) and how can I apply for it?
SPiDM is a BA/BS–DMD program that links four years of undergraduate preparation with four years of dental school at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine (UConn SODM). Members of the SPiDM program can only be accepted as an incoming-first year student; there are no opportunities to apply into the program once you have matriculated to the university.
SPiDM students are automatically members of the University of Connecticut Honors Program and an exclusive cohort of other SPiDM students. If one remains in the SPiDM program throughout their time at UConn, by maintaining a certain grade point average (GPA), scoring above a certain threshold on the DAT, and accumulating a designated number of experiential hours before applying to medical school, they have almost guaranteed admission into UConn SODM.
To learn more about SPiDM and how to apply, we encourage you to visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions page here, as well as the Honors Program information here.
Do I need to be a member of SPiM or SPiDM to be a pre-medical or pre-dental student?
No!
The SPiM and SPiDM populations are a very small percentage of the overall pre-health population at UConn. Depending on the size of each applicant class (those that choose to apply to medical or dental school in a certain calendar year) and the size of the respective SPiM/SPiDM applicant class, those students only make up around 3% of all applicants.
If you are wondering how you can get involved as a pre-health student and what kinds of steps you will need to take in order to be able to apply to health professions school, we encourage you to explore the wealth of resources we have listed on our website.
If you applied to either of these programs and were not accepted, do not worry! There are still a variety of ways to find your community on campus, challenge yourself academically, and engaged in a variety of co-curricular activities. You might consider applying to the Honors Program, or look into joining a learning community on campus. We encourage everyone to review the resources linked on the website above to see what else the university has to offer.
Can I be considered a pre-medical or pre-dental student if I am in the School of Nursing or School of Pharmacy?
Yes...with some caveats.
The School of Nursing and School of Pharmacy offer specialized bachelor's degree programs designed to prepare students for professional practice in their respective fields. The B.S. in Nursing program prepares students to become licensed Registered Nurses (RNs), while the B.S./PharmD program prepares students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Students who enroll in these programs typically do so with the goal of entering the nursing or pharmacy professions. However, each year we do work with a small number of students who complete one of these programs and later decide to pursue another health profession, such as medicine or dentistry.
For students interested in pursuing a pre-medical or pre-dental pathway while enrolled in nursing or pharmacy programs, it is important to understand that this can be a challenging path. The nursing and pharmacy curricula are highly structured and include extensive course requirements, experiential learning, and clinical expectations that are designed specifically to prepare students for those professions. As a result, it can be difficult to fit in all of the additional prerequisite coursework required for medical or dental school within the typical program timeline.
Students should also thoughtfully consider how their academic and professional experiences will be presented as part of a future application. Medical and dental schools value applicants who demonstrate a clear understanding of and commitment to the profession they are pursuing. While experiences in nursing or pharmacy can provide valuable insight into patient care and the healthcare system, applicants should be prepared to articulate why they are pursuing medicine or dentistry specifically and how their experiences have shaped that decision.
If you are considering a pre-medical or pre-dental pathway while enrolled in nursing or pharmacy, we strongly encourage you to communicate regularly with both your program advisor and the Pre-Professional Advising Office. Careful planning early in your academic career is essential to ensure you can meet prerequisite requirements, gain appropriate experiences, and build a cohesive application.