Workshops We Offer

If you have an idea about a workshop/event that you think should be hosted by HPAC, please let us know at hpac@ucr.edu.

• Introduction to Health Professions Workshop (Start Here!)

  This workshop is required before you set up an individual appointment with an HPAC advisor. 

  This workshop will cover 'the big picture' and timeline of being a pre-health professions student at UCR. Topics discussed include - pre-requisite health courses, co-curricular activities, expectations/responsibilities, etc. This workshop also provides a solid foundation to formulate questions for the first one on one advising appointment. This workshop is ideal for freshmen and sophomores; however, anyone is welcome to attend.

  Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer quarters
  Duration: 50 minutes

  This workshop will explore:

  • Brief overview of being a ‘pre-health’ student at UCR
  • Pre-Requisite coursework
  • Extra-curricular activities (i.e. shadowing, volunteering, research, etc.)
  • Q/A

  Here's a video of our Introduction Workshop

• Getting Involved in Extra-Curricular Opportunities

  This workshop introduces students to the various types of opportunities that are available in area community service, clubs and organizations, and clinical opportunities. During this workshop, you will hear from current HPAC peer mentors about their past experiences and how you can get involved outside of the classroom.

  This workshop is designed for first, second, and third-year students who are interested in becoming involved in enrichment programs, international missions, community programs, or clinical opportunities.

  Offered: Fall quarter
  Duration: 90 minutes.

  The organizations presented during the 2017 workshop included:

  • Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
  • Future Physician Leader (FPL)
  • Kindling Intellectual Development(KID)
  • Mini Medical School (MMS)
  • Riverside Health Connect (RHC)
  • Bhagat Puran Singh Health Initiative (BPSHI)
  • How to become a Pharm Tech.
  • Riverside Free Clinic – Pharmacy
  • Tecate Free Clinic - Optometry
  • COPE Health Scholars Program - Medical
  • San Bernardino Free Clinic - Medical
  • Cornerstone Free Clinic - Medical
  • Riverside Free Clinic - Medical

  Visit our Events page for information about registering for any upcoming workshops.

  Here's a video of our Getting Involved Workshop

• Personal Statement Workshop

  This workshop is required if you would like to have an HPAC professional advisor review your personal statement. Please refer to the HPAC homepage for availability. Designed for third and fourth-year students who are about to begin or are currently in the application process.

  A personal statement should clearly answer the question, "Why do I want to be a _______?" It should be personal in that it contains elements that only apply to you. The most important thing to write about will vary because each person's journey into health care is different. Writing a personal statement is a process. This workshop will break down the process of articulating your path toward health care for an admissions committee.

  Offered: Winter, Spring and Summer quarters
  Duration: 90 minutes

  Explores:

  • What goes into a personal statement
  • What to avoid in a personal statement
  • What are admissions committees looking for in a personal statement

  Visit our Events page for information about registering for any upcoming workshops.

   

  Watch the Personal Statement Workshop online!

   

• Application Workshop

  Designed for third-year students and beyond who are ready to apply to their respective health professions school.

  This workshop is for students who have worked with an HPAC advisor previously and have a strong understanding of what is needed to be a competitive applicant to a professional or graduate health program. This workshop will highlight the application timeline which includes various components of the application - entering coursework, co-curricular activities, letter of evaluation process, and professional test preparation. The workshop is intended for those who are about to apply but would like to learn the details of some of the centralized applications before completing their own. Please calculate your science GPA prior to attending this workshop if possible. For more information about GPAs please refer to our Preparing to Apply page for GPA information.

  Offered: Spring and Summer quarters
  Duration: 90 minutes.

  Learning Outcomes for Application Workshop

  • Application Competitiveness
  • Application timeline
  • Review of the application (CAS) systems, AMCAS, AACOMAS, AADSAS, etc.
  • How to enter and describe co-curricular experiences
  • Review of the Letter of Recommendation process
  • Overall understanding what it means to be a competitive applicant

  For those of you unable to attend a workshop, we have a prior Application Workshop recorded for your convenience.

  Visit our Events page for information about registering for any upcoming workshops.

  Watch the Applying to the Health Professions Workshop online!

• Interviewing Workshop

  Designed for third and fourth year students who are about to begin or are currently in the application process.

  This interactive workshop covers a wide array of interview formats including traditional, group, and multiple-mini interviews (MMI) for those who are preparing for a professional/graduate health professions interview. Students will work with faculty, staff, and various health professionals in learning the best practices for interviewing followed by mock interviews. This workshop is ideal and designed for students who are planning to interview in the near future.

  Offered: Fall, Winter, and Summer quarters
  Duration: 90 minutes.

  This workshop explores:

  • Core competencies interviewers are looking for in an interview setting
  • MMI Interviews
  • Traditional Interviews
  • Basic interview etiquette

  Attendance at this workshop is required before scheduling a mock interview with an HPAC advisor.

  Visit our Events page for information about registering for any upcoming workshops.

  Watch the Interview Workshop online!

• Post-Bac Workshop

  Designed for third and fourth year students who are interested in learning more about or applying to a post-baccalaureate program after graduation.

  Are you unsure if your academic record is strong enough to apply to a pre-health program? Are you about to graduate but still need to take a large amount of a professional school’s prerequisite courses? This workshop is designed to educate students on the various types of post-baccalaureate programs that are available. We will explore how to navigate researching various programs and which ones might be right for you! This workshop is ideal for students who are seeking additional coursework beyond the undergraduate degree.

  Offered: Fall and Winter quarters
  Duration: 90-120 minutes.

  Explores:

  • The different types of post-bac programs:
    • Academic Record Enhancers
    • Career Changers
    • Special Master's Programs
  • Is a post-bac right for you?
  • How and when do you apply to a post-bac program?

  Visit our Events page for information about registering for any upcoming workshops.

   

  Did you miss this year's Post-Bac workshop?

  Not to worry! Watch this recording!

• Securing Letter of Recommendations Workshop

  Designed for third-year students and beyond who are ready to apply to their respective health professions school.

  Letters of Recommendation are important to the admissions file as they should highlight the applicant in several areas. A strong letter should shed light on academic, extra-curricular, and job performance that isn't already apparent within the application. This workshop will explore how to build relationships with potential letter writers, how to request a letter of recommendation, what supporting information may be required, and the logistics regarding letter submissions.

  Offered: Winter quarter
  Duration: 60 minutes

  Did you miss this session?

  Not to worry! Watch this recording

• HPAC Open House

  This event is held each fall quarter to kick off the academic year. Pre-health students are invited to attend this event to meet HPAC staff, ambassadors, as well as UCR faculty and staff.