Premedicine | Advising and Academic Support | Northwestern University: School of Professional Studies

Professional Health Seminars

The premedicine post-baccalaureate certificate program additionally offers two quarter-length Professional Health Proseminars that support students through the transition to the rigor of a Northwestern science curriculum, as well as preparing for the medical school application process. The Professional Health Proseminars are exclusive to SPS professional health students and are offered at no additional cost.

Proseminar 1

This course covers topics including adjusting to life as a science student, academic resources, guidance for finding research and clinical opportunities, and preparing for the professional/medical school application process.

Proseminar 2

This course prepares students for the application cycle. The course will provide opportunities for students to work on significant application components as part of the coursework, including their AMCAS activities listing, preparing a strong personal statement, selecting target medical/professional schools, and navigating the centralized application. The course will also allow students to practice their interviewing skills and plan for their glide year.

Student Insights

See what students have to say about the Professional Health Proseminars

(taken from recent course evaluations)

"This seminar is incredibly helpful for getting prepared to apply to professional health programs (such as medical school). Without the deadlines and detailed instruction on how to complete elements of the application (particularly AMCAS personal statement and activities listing), I would not be as prepared as I am now to hit submit as early as possible on my applications."

"I found this to be a helpful forum for getting direct feedback for my personal path to medical school. I had done a lot of research about the process before this course, but this helped me debunk myths, get a plan together that works for me, and get input from someone who has seen many students go through this process specifically at Northwestern."

"For students in the SPS premed program, this class is more valuable than the certificate that SPS gives you. Kate Schultz set up an excellent coursework plan. Walking through this process and completing the assignments is insanely helpful. It helps relieve the stress come the time to apply. Kate provides incredible feedback. I cannot even express how helpful her comments have been and how grateful I am for them. She puts an insane amount of care into looking over these assignments, and I know this has helped on my journey to med school."

“This class was immensely helpful in preparing my application for PA school. Kate did a great job in guiding us in developing a strong personal statement, preparing for interviews, and staying on top of current events that will likely make an appearance in interviews. She was very direct and honest regarding interview feedback and, most importantly, personal statement advice. When developing a strong personal statement, honest and direct feedback is key, and she provided it to us. I highly recommend taking this course; it’s very important to start thinking about the admission process early. This class forces you to do so.”

Tutoring Services

SPS Tutoring Services

SPS hires teaching assistants (TAs) in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses to serve the needs of students throughout the academic year. TAs often hold review sessions outside of class before exams.

University Tutoring Services

Students in the premedicine post-baccalaureate certificate program can utilize all of the academic support services offered through the university.

The Math Place is a free tutorial service provided to students currently enrolled in Northwestern University's School of Professional Studies courses or other Northwestern University courses. Students can make in-person or virtual appointments throughout the academic year.
The Writing Place is a free tutorial service for students currently enrolled in a Northwestern University School of Professional Studies class to provide extra help with writing assignments or other types of writing, such as personal statements for applications. Students can make in-person or virtual appointments throughout the academic year.
WCAS Department of Physics and Astronomy offers walk-in tutoring with TA’s within the Department.
The Department of Chemistry offers TA tutoring throughout the week for General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry.
NU Academic Support and Learning Advancement offers peer study groups, which students can enroll in at the beginning of the term, and drop-in tutoring, for multiple subjects throughout the term. Enrollment in peer-study groups is limited, so interested students are advised to register as early as possible. Drop-in tutoring is offered both in the evenings and on weekends.

Working with our students throughout this transition, and then seeing them successfully move forward to medical school and other professional health programs is incredibly fulfilling.”

Erin Cable, Premedicine adviser and faculty member

Q&A with Erin Cable

How did you become interested in science?

I’ve had a passion for the sciences throughout my life! Science allows us to ask the “how” and “why” of our daily existence, and provides the tools to answer those questions. I knew I wanted to follow that interest with certainty in college when I started to learn about the connection between physiology and behavior. Taking classes and working in research expanded an appreciation for how our environment shapes our biology and how our biology, in turn, affects our interactions and perceptions within the environment. It’s fascinating stuff!

What do you like about advising SPS students?

SPS students are an inspiring population of learners. Our students come to Northwestern from a wide variety of backgrounds, having decided to fundamentally shift the direction of their careers. Listening to our student’s stories and how they bring diverse perspectives and experiences into their education and goals is fascinating. No two students have the same path. Working with our students throughout this transition, and then seeing them successfully move forward to medical school and other professional health programs is incredibly fulfilling.