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Jackie Mikulski
Coordinator of Pre-Professional Programs
Academic Success Center
Office:ÌýTechnology Building
Email:Ìýjmikulski@ut.edu
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Pre-professional advising has a dedicated program coordinator to help students prepare for professional school in the health sciences and who would like to see all pre-health students early on to ensure they are on the path to success. Current University of Tampa students, please complete theÌýpre-professional interest formÌýand emailÌýjmikulski@ut.eduÌýto inquire about your next steps within the pre-health advising program. Please include your UTampa student ID number in the email.
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For academic advising questions regarding your major, please speak with your faculty or academic advisor.

Current UTampa students, please indicate your pre-professional path by filling out ourÌýpre-professional interest form. While pre-health is not a major, declaring your interest will allow us to send you specific information on your intended field. Once you complete the form, you will be invited to any current workshops.

Health Professions Graduate School Fair
Friday, Feb. 6,Ìý2026, 12–3 p.m.
Vaughn Center, 9th Floor
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Join us for our Health Professions Graduate School Fair. You can learn about the different health fields and the admissions requirements for these graduate programs. Business casual dress is recommended. TheÌýAcademic Success CenterÌýand theÌýDepartment of Health Sciences and Human PerformanceÌýhost the annual health fair.Ìý

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All students, from first-year students to seniors, are encouraged to attend.ÌýPlease review theÌýÌýto help you prepare for the fair!

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60 health professional graduate schools are expected to attend:

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Below is the list of programs and schools that attended the 2025 Fair. A list for 2026 will be available at the end of the fall semester.

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There are numerous Ìýto explore. Pre-professional advising focuses on the clinical health professions careers that require graduate school before entry, such as the following careers.

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Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)

As explained by the (AAAA), Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAAs) are highly skilled medical professionals who plan and deliver anesthesia care as essential members of the Anesthesia Care Team (ACT). The ACT builds a patient-centric team that provides each patient with the safest model of care. Within the ACT, CAAs work as physician extenders who deliver a variety of care techniques under the supervision of a physician anesthesiologist.

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Preparing for Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant School

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Earn a bachelor’s degree

CertifiedÌýAnesthesiologist Assistant school is a graduate program; to become eligible to apply to CAA school, students need to earn a bachelor's degree and take specific pre-requisites (classes that CAA schools require). At UTampa, students can earn a bachelor's degree and take pre-requisite courses. They will need to choose a major, as pre-CAA is not a major or a program at UTampa.

Students who are interested in going to CAA school typically major in biology or allied health with a concentration in medical sciences. These majors include many of the required courses for entrance into CAA programs. However, other degrees can also prepare students for health professions; thus, students are encouraged to major in the field where they excel and should consult the pre-health professions advisor about coursework.

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Common pre-requisite* courses required for CAA school:

• Biology I and II with labs
• Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs
• General Chemistry I and II with labs
• Organic Chemistry I and possibly II with labs
• Biochemistry
• Physics I and II with labs
• Two semesters of advanced college mathematics, including calculus

*Each CAA school has its own set of pre-requisites and suggested courses, and students need to research the admission requirements of each school they are intending to apply to.Ìý

: select the Members tab at the top of the page.

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Build an extensive record of relevant experiences

• Shadow a CAA or aÌýphysician anesthesiologist– gain knowledge of the field and confirm if this is your passionÌý
• Clinical ExperienceÌý– direct/hands-on patient care in a healthcare setting is usually required or preferred.ÌýOperating Room (OR) experience is ideal
• Volunteer/community service/work/researchÌý– in a medical setting Ìý
• LeadershipÌý- roles on and off-campusÌýÌý

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Entrance Exams

• Most programs require either the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) or the Graduate Records Admission Test (GRE).
• The GRE is about two hours long and costs $220.
• The MCAT ÌýisÌýabout 7.5 hours long and costs $345.
• Students who are on the traditional path of going to CAA school directly following graduation from UTampa should be prepared to take the entrance exam in the late spring/ early summer of their junior year.
• Take the exam before applying to CAA schools.ÌýÌý

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Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant School Applications

• Students apply to CAA school a full year before they intend to start (summer of junior year).Ìý
• Applications open every summer, and each school has its own deadline, usually between October and the following February.Ìý
• Some CAA schools have rolling admissions, so they will review student files as soon as they are complete and submitted. It is essential to apply early!
• Take a look now at what is expected of the application:Ìý.

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CAA School Information and Beyond

• A traditional CAA school program is about two years long, 24-28 months, and includes classroom instruction and clinical rotations.
• There are 20 CAA schools in the country
• After completion, the student earns a Master’s Degree in Anesthesia. The title varies by program.
  • The AA student must then pass a certification exam administered by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) to become a CAA.
• CAAs can currently practice in 22 states (including Florida), Washington, DC, and the territory of Guam. The goal is to achieve the right to practice in all 50 states.

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Additional Resources

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Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)

According to theÌý, SLPs work with people throughout the lifespan and provide services to clients with disorders in the following areas:Ìý

• Speech disorders, including articulation problems, fluency (e.g., stuttering) disorders, and voice problems
• Language disorders, including receptive/expressive language, spoken and written language, and social/pragmatic language
• Swallowing disorders, including pediatric and adult feeding disorders
• Cognitive disorders, including dementia

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Education

A master’s degree is required to work independently as a speech-language pathologist. Some master’s degree programs require applicants to have an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), whereas others require applicants to have pre-requisite courses. Since UTampa does not have a CSD major orÌýpre-requisites, students must research where they will take these pre-requisites and/or do a post-bac program after graduation.

Here are Florida programs as an example:

• Ìý

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UTampa Majors

Some SLP programs require general science courses, which students can take at UTampa. Gannon University, for example, requires one level of biology, chemistry, and statistics.Ìý

You can major in any area that interests you and makes sense for your career. Some students select the . Within this major, the required concentrationÌýshould be chosen based on the number of science classes needed for SLP programs. Both the Medical Science and Physical Therapy concentrations require a strong foundation in science. The Occupational Therapy concentration requires fewer science courses but more exercise science-type courses. Some students select the and add additional science classes over the years.Ìý

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Additional Resources

• : identify master’s programs in speech-language pathology and their requirements.
• TheÌýÌýis a centralized admissions service that can be used to apply to multiple audiology or speech-language pathology programs.

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More career fields will be posted.

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Competitive applicants to health-related professional schools usually possess the following record:

• High overall and science-specific (biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics) GPA
• High score on standardized entrance exam
• Extensive record of relevant extracurricular activities: student organizations, volunteering, and/or community service
• Working in clinical or research settings, direct patient care and/or shadowing
• Demonstrated leadership activities

Majors:

Students who intend to pursue graduate professional degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, physician assistant, pharmacy or chiropractic medicine usually major inÌý,Ìý,ÌýÌýorÌý.

Students who wish to pursue graduate degrees in the allied health fields of physical therapy or occupational therapy can major in allied health with a concentration inÌýÌýorÌý.

These majors at UTampa provide excellent preparation to succeed in these professional programs and help the student fulfill many prerequisites necessary to apply to graduate programs in the health professions.

The biology major is housed in theÌýDepartment of Biology, and the biochemistry and chemistry majors are housed in theÌýDepartment of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics. The allied health majors are housed in theÌýDepartment of Health Sciences and Human Performance.

Students interested in nursing should visit theÌýDepartment of Nursing.

Other degrees can also prepare students for health professions; thus, students are encouraged to major in the field where they excel and should consult the pre-health professions advisor about coursework.

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Required Courses:

The following courses are typical requirements of many professional schools in the health sciences.

It is important to note:

• each health profession (e.g. medicine vs. pharmacy) and each school (e.g. University of Florida vs. University of Central Florida) differs in its academic requirements for admissions
• not all classes listed below are required for every student
• not all the classes listed below are a comprehensive list as other classes may be required
• It is imperative for students to check admission requirements forÌýeachÌýschool of interest!

Ideally, students should complete these core courses before the start of their junior year by taking course loads of about 15-18 credit hours per semester. Summer school may be necessary. Students should realize that certain professional schools may not recognize credits earned from AP or IB exams or community colleges, especially if higher-level coursework in that discipline was not taken at a four-year college or university.

Most math and science classes have prerequisites. In addition, many courses are only offered during one term of the academic year. If students have a major outside of biology or chemistry, they may want to consult with a faculty member in one of those departments for advice in scheduling math and science courses.

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ViewÌýÌýfor degree requirements.

The University’s Pre-Health Professions Committee (PHPC) is composed of biology, chemistry, biochemistry and physics faculty, and offers advising and guidance for students interested in pursuing a career in the health professions.

Students attending the University of Tampa who intend to pursue professional doctoral studies in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry and podiatry are strongly encouraged to request a letter of recommendation from the PHPC referred to as a "committee letter."

• Requests are due to Dr. Kimberly Dobrinski,ÌýKDobrinski@ut.edu, by March 1 of the year you are applying.
• Please note the PHPC does not typically write letters for students with BCPM GPAs below 3.2.
• Students with a BCPM GPA below 3.2 are urged to contact the co-chairmen of the PHPC for advising.
• Committee Letter Request Form* Please visit the Pre-Health Professions Committee website for comprehensive information on the PHPC.

*Please visit theÌýPre-Health Professions Committee websiteÌýfor comprehensive information on the PHPC.

Pre-Health Advising Services

The internalÌý includes information on shadowing, volunteer and paid opportunities, clinical experiences and research opportunities.

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Career Services

The Office of Career Services can also assist inÌýinternshipÌýpreparation and has many helpful resources available with advice on how to get an internship, a student internship guide and internship frequently asked questions, along with many other useful tools.
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Tampa General Hospital

ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ has partnered with nephrologists and hepatologists at Tampa General Hospital to provide a unique experience for some of our top pre-medical students. UTampa undergraduates have participated in this summer internship program where the students participate in retrospective research studies with the physicians, shadow the physicians and participate in a series of lectures on medically important topics. The program occurs during the summer, but many interns continue to work with these physicians on their projects during subsequent school years. In addition, students have completed internships with local physicians, dentists and veterinarians in the Tampa Bay area.

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Allied Health majors

Allied Health majors intern with public and private corporate and health organizations. More information on allied health internships can be found through theÌýDepartment of Health Sciences and Human Performance.

Alpha Epsilon Delta



PEACE Volunteer Center

LECOM, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the University of Tampa have established an Early Acceptance Program (EAP) that grants qualified students a provisional early acceptance to LECOM’s School of Pharmacy, School of Dental Medicine, School of Podiatric Medicine, or College of Osteopathic Medicine, located in Bradenton, FL or Erie, PA. High school seniors and current UTampa students can apply up until they complete their junior year.ÌýÌý

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Applications to EAP are done through LECOM and are separate from UTampa's Admissions application.

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EAP information and admission requirements can be found on theÌý. You canÌýÌýto LECOM on their website, which is the first step of the process through the LECOM Portal.

ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ and LECOM have the following EAP tracks:

• 4+4 track for College of Osteopathic Medicine (Erie, PA; Greensburg, PA; or in Bradenton, FL)
  • No SAT/ACT required; however, students may be exempt from taking the MCAT if they meet theÌýSAT 1240 or ACT 26 and GPA requirements
  • Students without SAT/ACT scores will either have to complete LECOM'sÌýMaster of Medical Science (MMS)Ìý program with a 3.0 GPA or higher, or score a 500 on the MCAT for the medical program
  • Students with low SAT/ACT scores can opt out of the MMS program or MCAT, if their Ìýis a 115 or higher for the medical program
• 4+4 track for Pharmacy School (Bradenton, FL)
• 4+3 accelerated track for Pharmacy School (Erie, PA)
• 4+4 track for Dental School (Bradenton, FL):Ìý1240 SAT or 26 ACT required
• 4+4 track for Podiatric Medicine (Erie, PA)
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Please contact Jackie Mikulski with any questions atÌýjmikulski@ut.edu.