PEP introduces students to the complex realities of health care delivery, including patient care and practice management, while allowing them to witness the tremendous responsibility entrusted to physicians and healthcare professionals. This program combines small group discussions, independent study and reflection, mentoring, and shadowing in clinical settings. PEP students will begin to appreciate the important role physicians and healthcare professionals have in advocating for the health of individuals, families, and our community. For more information, visit the Office of Primary Care and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program website.
We recommend that all applicants complete the AAMC’s Anatomy of an Applicant Self-Assessment Guide to reflect on the Core Competencies that represent the skills, knowledge and abilities that health care providers should possess.
Students apply in the fall of their second year in college. Applications are due on the fourth Friday of September of each year.
The Committee reviews all complete applications and decides who to invite for interviews. Final decisions are based on which candidates best demonstrate:
- an interest in pursuing a career in healthcare
- maturity and professionalism
- a passion for community service
- a genuine desire to learn more about the US healthcare system
Application Steps
The application consists of the following:
- Resumé (resume writing guide)
- Transcript (get a copy from the Registrar's Office through myUVM)
- Three short essays (see written prompts below)
- Application form containing basic personal information (found through the APPLY NOW button at the bottom of the page; go there when you have all other parts of the application ready)
- One reference (ask a recent faculty member, coach, or employer); provide that person with a link to this page (link for referrals is at the bottom of the page)
To prepare for your submission, please read the prompts below and write your essays (no more than 250 words each). Once your essays are written, your resumé is ready, and you have a copy of your transcript(s), you are ready to hit the "APPLY NOW" button at the bottom of the page. At that point, you will be taken to the application portal in InfoReady. From there, follow the steps to apply, fill in your answers, then hit submit!
If you have any questions or problems, feel free to contact Ann Kroll Lerner (akrollle@uvm.edu), PEP Committee.
All application answers should be your own work.
Three Short Answer Prompts
Please answer each of the three questions below (no more than 250 words for each answer):
- Being a health care professional requires a tremendous commitment to others and an ability to adapt to difficult demands and responsibilities. PEP also requires a commitment and active participation over five semesters.
- Think about a time where you have been a contributor to a meaningful activity or project. Briefly describe the activity and your time commitment; then show how your personality, skills, and contributions influenced the overall dynamic and the outcome.
- What did you learn about yourself in the process?
- Most people who hope to become health professionals describe themselves as wanting to “help people.” Admissions Committees look beyond the cliché for solid evidence of this orientation to others.
- How do you demonstrate service and empathy in your daily life?
- What are specific examples from your life experiences that show this in action?
- PEP is guided by eight AHEC focus areas, one of which highlights the social determinants of health (SDOH). The CDC reminds us that “addressing differences in SDOH accelerates progress toward health equity, a state in which every person has the opportunity to attain their highest level of health.” Consider the SDOH as you prepare an essay in which you:
- Indicate steps you’ve taken to better understand people whose lived experiences differ from your own.
- Think out of the box and describe specific actions pre-health students can do (beyond PEP) to better understand challenges people face in accessing equitable health care and what actions do you plan to take and/or you have taken in the past.
Review of Applications
PEP applications are reviewed by a Selection Committee that may include faculty members and staff from the Larner College of Medicine, Patrick Leahy Honors College, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, and the Health Professions Advisor from the Career Center.
In addition to showing academic capability and a clear interest in pursuing a career in healthcare, the PEP Selection Committee is seeking candidates who:
- Exude curiosity for learning
- Demonstrate a collaborative spirit
- Manifest professionalism in their interactions
- Show strong evidence of reliability
- Communicate a commitment to participate fully in the program for the remainder of their college career
- A strong commitment to UVM’s mission to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Maturity and professionalism
- A passion for community service
- A genuine desire to learn more about the US healthcare system
The PEP Committee will review applications and invite about 24 students to an interview in late October/early November. Once final grades are in for the fall semester, we will make our final decisions.
Applicants are notified of their status by early January.
To Remain in PEP
Participants are expected to honor all requirements of the program each semester. If a student’s participation or professionalism does not meet the program’s expectations, the student will be placed on probationary status and may not be able to continue in PEP. Students are also expected to sustain a positive academic trajectory that supports a successful application to medical, or other health professions graduate, school. If there are concerns about a student’s academic trajectory, the PEP AHEC faculty will encourage the participant to access UVM’s academic support resources, and they will re-evaluate the student’s progress after the semester ends. Withdrawal from the program may be required.
Consideration for Admission to UVM LCOM
The benefit of participating in PEP centers on the mentored exposure to medicine received over two and a half years. These experiences are likely to enhance and strengthen an application to medical school.
LCOM admission decisions are made solely by the LCOM Admission Committee.