Self Assessment of Your Application Profile

It is recommended that you do a self-assessment to determine your readiness to apply for a health professions career.

What are the strengths of your application profile? What areas of weakness do you see? What are ways you can improve your overall application?

Consider the following self-inventory. Be honest with yourself as you rate yourself according to the following scale. The results are confidential and for your personal use, so please be honest.

Ratings:
1 = needs considerable improvement
2 = needs some improvement
3 = OK
4 = very good shape
5 = outstanding

Your involvement in health-related experiences	1	2	3	4	5
Your involvement in extra-curricular activities	1	2	3	4	5
Your ability to present yourself in person	1	2	3	4	5
Your ability to present yourself in writing	1	2	3	4	5
How well you relate to others	1	2	3	4	5
Ways you exhibit independence/initiative/perseverance	1	2	3	4	5
Ways you exhibit leadership skills	1	2	3	4	5
Your sense of purpose and motivation	1	2	3	4	5
Your sense of intellectual curiosity	1	2	3	4	5
Your common sense	1	2	3	4	5
Your ability to handle stressful situations	1	2	3	4	5
Your interest in science and biomedical research	1	2	3	4	5
Your breadth of interests	1	2	3	4	5
How you have demonstrated commitment to service	1	2	3	4	5
Your familiarity with current issues in health care	1	2	3	4	5
How you will distinguish yourself as a candidate	1	2	3	4	5
How well your professors and advisors know you	1	2	3	4	5
Strength of your overall undergraduate GPA	1	2	3	4	5
Strength of your undergraduate science GPA	1	2	3	4	5
Strength of your standardized test scores	1	2	3	4	5

 

To develop a plan of action after you complete this profile, you are encouraged to visit the peer advisors or your health professions advisor.

Some things to think about after you've completed the assessment:

1. What are three major areas you think you need to develop?
2. What are some concrete steps you can take to develop in those areas?
3. What is a realistic time frame for your game plan?
4. What resources do you need access to in order to achieve your goals?
5. When would be the optimal time for you to apply to a health professions school?

The preceding self assessment was created by David Verrier, Ph.D., at Franklin and Marshall College and Gale Lang, MSW, at University of Pennsylvania. Many thanks for their permission to use this valuable tool.