Do

Due to the nature of the application process, we highly encourage you to support your student as to alleviate some of the stress. Allow your student to take the lead while undergoing the process; this can foster independence, a trait they will need as a first year student.

Encourage your student to contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions with any questions they may have. By taking initiative, they may gain a better understanding of the application process. While you may also contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions with your questions, we encourage your student to take the lead because they may gain a better understanding of the process by hearing it for themselves.

There are many paths to pursuing a medical career, and you should encourage your student to investigate as many paths as possible to ensure that they pick the best suited option. At UAB, your student can earn any undergraduate degree that is provided while knowing that their seat at UAB Heersink School of Medicine is preserved.

It is also imperative that you encourage your student to investigate a variety of career options because the best doctors are the ones most committed to their profession. By looking at other careers, your student can ensure that medicine is the career that they would like to pursue.

As the person that knows your child best, offer your support and guidance through the process. Ask your student questions and interact with your student as they go through the process. Offer your advice and help your student, but do not make decisions for them.

Don’t

Complete the application for your student because this could lead to an interview that does not match the tone of the student’s application. We want to get to know the student, the one that will be going through the program. The best applications come from students - the ones who are allowed to express themselves in the most truthful way possible. Remember, you are not applying to medical school - your student is.

Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions on your student’s behalf. Allow them to develop independence and communication skills and learn about the process on their own because this will benefit them in the future and during interviews. You are welcome to ask your own questions, but allow your student to be the main point of contact.

Insist that your student only consider combined degree programs. There are many different ways to lead a life in medicine and many great physicians come from alternative paths. By limiting them to certain paths, you can cause unnecessary stress and pressure for your student in one of the most exciting times of their life.

Make decisions for your student regarding college choices. Remember, your student will be the one attending college, not you. The most successful students are the ones who enjoy their path and feel passionately about the work that they are pursuing.

Prepare your student too much for the interview. Preparation is important to calm your nervous student, but an over-prepared student can also struggle on interview day. We want to get to know your student, unhindered by prepared answers crafted to please the SOM admissions committee.