Pre-Health Advisory Committee (PAC) Eligibility FAQs

PAC Eligibility FAQs

student wearing white doctors coat being sworn in

Am I required to do the OSU PAC process?
- No.
- You’re not required to participate in PAC, but it can be a great opportunity to reflect on your personal growth, practice interviewing, and get an outside perspective of where you are on your career path.
I was considering PAC for because of the Committee Letter. How do I get letters of recommendation, now?
- We can still help! Review our letters of recommendation resources, including guidance for both students and letter writers.
- Schools that indicate they "recommend," "prefer," or even "require" a committee letter will include a provision for schools that do not offer committee letters.
I am pursuing a health care field other than physician, dentist, PA, PT, OT, or pharmacy. Should I do the PAC process?
- No.
- At this time we only offer the process for the professional areas listed above.
- But we have tons of resources and are happy to talk with you about navigating toward your professional program in a one-on-one appointment!
My cumulative and/or overall science GPA are below a 3.0. Can I participate in OSU's PAC?
- Not at this time. National data demonstrates that average professional applicant’s GPAs and matriculants (those accepted) trend much higher than our minimum PAC GPA requirements.
- We review your PAC application holistically but we do enforce the set minimum GPA requirements. No exceptions.

OSU's PAC application requires 50 a minimum of hours of health-related experience. What is “health-related” experience?
- Both paid and unpaid work/public service in a health or health-related field where you are not directly responsible for a patient’s care but may still have patient interaction.
- For example: filling prescriptions, performing clerical work, delivering patient food, cleaning patients and/or their rooms, administering food or medication, taking vitals or other record keeping information, working as a scribe, CNA, medical assistant, dental assistant, patient care tech, phlebotomist, pharmacy technician, EMT, etc.
- Shadowing, clinical research and/or any direct observation or participation in patient care in a clinic, hospital or with a physician, PA, or dentist.
- Clinical research that involves working directly with patients, or directly with patient data. Clinical trials and observational studies are classic examples, as is analyzing the data produced in those settings. Work you may have performed includes working directly with medical/patient data or data related to medications, medical devices, procedures, or other patient care topics to address a hypothesis laid out by a physician, PA, dentist, healthcare provider, or other research team.
- Virtual shadowing with a physician, PA or dentist might be considered on a case-by-case basis if there is specific, warranted context explaining why you were not able to participate in person.
- The PAC committee prefers a demonstration of direct, hands-on patient care experience in your candidacy.
Can my 50 minimum hours of health-related experience be in-progress after the official PAC application deadline?
- No. Health-related experience hours cannot be in-progress after the official OSU PAC deadline to reach the minimum 50 hour requirement. No exceptions.
- Your health-related experience hours must be completed and fully documented on your OSU PAC application by the required deadline.
- We encourage all PAC candidates to exceed the 50 hour minimum and continue to document additional hours of healthcare (and non-healthcare) experiences after your PAC application is completed. Continuous self-documentation is important throughout your professional school application process.
May I ask for a letter of recommendation from one of my PAC interviewers?
- Participation in your PAC interview does not, on its own, establish a sufficient basis for a letter of recommendation. If your primary connection to a committee member is through their role in your PAC interview, you should not request a letter from them. Letters should come from individuals who know you in a broader context—academically, professionally, or personally—beyond their service on your committee.
- Check our letters of recommendation resources for more guidance.

Do I have to attend a personal statement workshop, or mock interview to apply to the OSU PAC process?
- No. You are only required to meet the minimum eligibility requirements and apply on time.
- Additional events are optional opportunities to strengthen your application, and are recommended, but not required.
I am planning to apply to the OSU-COM 3+1 program. Do I need to participate in PAC?
- No.
- Many 3+1 candidates will do a substantial amount of their shadowing/clinical experiences over the summer between their sophomore - junior year and then complete their 3+1 application in August or September.
- Since the PAC deadline is in early January, generally 3+1 candidates have not had as much time for personal growth and extensive affirmation of their pathways, as non 3+1 candidates and do not gain as much from the PAC process.
- We are still happy to work with you one-on-one as a 3+1 student.
I am in the OSU-COM Med Bound program. Do I need to participate in the PAC process?
- No. You were provisionally accepted into medical school as a freshmen and do not need to apply again.
- Review our guide for provisionally accepted OSU-COM Med Bound students for more information.
I am an OSU alumnus. Am I eligible to complete the PAC process?
- If you were enrolled during the fall semester when this PAC cycle's applications opened, but have since graduated (prior to the February deadline) then you are eligible to participate.
- If you are an alumnus who was not enrolled in when this cycle began, we are happy to individually discuss your pathway and progress towards your professional program outside of the PAC process in an one-on-one interview.

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PAC Eligibility FAQs