The Pre-Health Professions Committee (PHPC) of The Citadel assesses a student’s readiness for a particular graduate program in a health-related profession, and writes a consensus letter of recommendation for the student on behalf of The Citadel.
A letter from the Pre-Health Professions Committee of The Citadel is not usually required for application to an education program in the Health Professions, but it is esteemed by most schools. The committee recommendation is made in the following manner:
Each student seeking a committee letter of recommendation meets with the Chair of the Pre-Health Professions Committee to select 5-7 individual letter writers (referees) who might be able to provide positive evaluations of the student as a candidate for health professional school. The group of referees must include at least one science course instructor plus at least two other course or research instructors, with at least two letter writers from The Citadel. The group of individual referees could also include mentors or medical professionals with whom the student has worked. The student asks those referees to complete a confidential evaluation form and return it, together with a signed letter of recommendation, on professional letterhead, to the Chair of the Pre-Health Professions Committee. Upon completion and return of all individual letters and forms to the Chair, the results of the evaluations are tallied and reported on a confidential summary evaluation form. The members of the Pre-Health Professions Committee then meet, consider the evaluations and individual letters from the faculty members, discuss the student’s abilities, and personally evaluate the student. The Chair of the committee then drafts a letter to make the committee’s recommendation to the medical, dental or other health professional school. The committee letter will indicate a recommendation level: recommended enthusiastically, recommended with confidence, recommended, recommended with reservations, or not recommended. Committee letters include a summary explaining the committee’s recommendation and may also include written comments from the individual evaluators.
The Chair of the Pre-Health Professions Committee will keep a summary of specific replies from professors on file for five years. During that time, students may get a consensus report from the committee sent to any medical, dental, or other health-related school by requesting it in writing from the Chair.
Pre-Health Professions Committee Membership (2023-2024)
Dr. Kathy Zanin (Associate Professor, Biology and Chair of PHPC)
Dr. Kimbo Yee (Assistant Professor, Health and Human Performance)
Dr. Lisa Zuraw (Professor, Chemistry Department)
Dr. Claudia Rocha (Associate Professor, Biology)
Dr. Sarah Imam (Associate Professor, Health and Human Performance)
Dr. Patrice Capers (Assistant Professor, Biology Department)
Dr. Lloyd “Chip” Taylor (Department Head and Professor of Psychology)
Charter of The Pre-Health Professions Committee
How to Complete a Folder for a Committee Letter
Preparing letters of evaluation for the AMCAS application
How to save and print a PDF of your Citadel Transcript
The AAMC’s expectations for medical school applicants are posted here: The Premed Competencies for Entering Medical Students
AAMC Guidelines for Letter Writers for Pre-Medical Students
ADEA Guidelines for Letter Writers for Pre-Dental Students
Pre-Health Information