Selection Factors

When you apply to our program, we will review your academic history, your experience history, your personal statement, your letters of recommendation, and your supplemental essays to assess your fit for our program. You may find it useful to refer to our Guidelines for Writing Your Personal Statement and Tips for Writing Application Experience Descriptions to assist you in completing your PostBacCAS application.ÌýTypically, students accepted into the cohort-based Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions program meet all of the following criteria:Ìý

ÌýÌý The ability to dedicate 40 to 60+ hours per week to academics throughout the entire one-year program. (This program is not appropriate for those who anticipate needing to spend more than ~10 hours per week on work and/or other extracurricular commitments.)Ìý

ÌýÌý Have completedÌýa bachelor's degree (or above) in the United States or Canada, with aÌýhistory of academic excellence. Typically, students accepted into the program have cumulative GPAs above 3.0 and haveÌýearned term GPAs of 3.5 or above in each of their two most recent full-time semesters of college coursework, at minimum. Most accepted students have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or above.Ìý

  • We may consider applicants who graduated from an international college or university on a case-by-case basis. If this consideration applies to you, please be aware that it is common for medical schools to require a certain number of credit hours to be completed in the United States or Canada, above and beyond the prerequisites. Some require completion of a U.S. or Canadian bachelor's degree. Please contact us atÌýpostbaccprehealth@colorado.eduÌýif you have questions.

ÌýÌý Extensive clinical experience, including:Ìý

  • Direct patient interaction experience: We typically select applicants who have engaged in weekly patient interaction in clinical settings for at least six months (within the past two years) by the time they submit their application. Most of our students have significantly more clinical experience.

  • Clinical shadowing: At least a half day, each, with a minimum of 3 clinicians from different specialty areas by the time you submit your application. We focus primarily on shadowing experiences completed within the past two years.Ìý

Please refer to our Tips for Engaging in Patient Interaction and Shadowing documentÌýfor suggestions on ways to gain meaningful clinical experience.ÌýÌýÌýÌý

ÌýÌý A long history of working and volunteering in roles involving service to others. (For pre-vet applicants, we are looking for a history of formal animal handling jobs/volunteer roles as well as positions requiring strong interpersonal skills.)Ìý

ÌýÌý Ability to express clarity of purpose in pursuing a clinical career in health care, which includes an ability to articulate your professional goals and to explain how your experiences have informed your decision to pursue a career in health care.Ìý

ÌýÌý A desire to engage in a supportive, collaborative, cohort-based learning experience. As our admissions team reviews your application, we look for evidence of your ability to engage in self-reflection, to learn from experience, to appreciate the diverse perspectives of other people, and to engage happily in a supportive (not competitive) community with peers.Ìý

If your background does not match the evaluation factors needed to be a competitive applicant for the cohort-based Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions Program, we encourage you to consider enrolling as an Individually DesignedÌýpost-baccalaureate student, which would provide you with the same great access to our extensive pre-health advising services while allowing you to follow a personalized coursework plan.