Learning What It Takes to Enter the Health Field

The program, coordinated and led by the SHS associate dean, Dr. Rivka Molinsky, provided an overview of the programs, their admissions requirements, and the professional opportunities they offer. Representatives from each program remained afterward to answer questions and meet with students individually.

“This evening is really about sharing information,” Dr. Molinsky said. “We want to make sure you understand what the different professions are, what the admissions requirements look like, and what the career paths can be so that you can make informed decisions about your future.”

Exploring career paths in health sciences

During her presentation, Dr. Molinsky explained the roles professionals play across a variety of health-related fields and how students can prepare for graduate study in those areas.

“We really do have a wide range of programs, and each one provides an opportunity to do meaningful work and make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.

Dr. Molinsky emphasized the importance of preparing early for graduate applications by maintaining strong grades, completing prerequisite courses, and gaining exposure to the field students hope to enter.

“You want to know what the field is and why you want to do it,” she said, adding that preparation and professionalism are especially important during the admissions interview process.

A closer look at pharmacy

During the program, Heidi Fuchs, assistant dean for admissions and enrollment management at the Touro College of Pharmacy (TCOP), briefly addressed the students to discuss opportunities in pharmacy (TCOP is not part of SHS but representatives from the program were invited to participate in the session).

“Pharmacy is a four-year doctoral degree, and pharmacists play a vital role in healthcare as the medication experts,” said Fuchs.

In addition to discussing the process of applying to TCOP and earning a degree, Fuchs described the range of career paths available to pharmacy graduates, from hospital and community pharmacy to positions in research and the pharmaceutical industry.

Pathway programs already guiding students

For some students, the event reinforced plans they have already begun pursuing through Touro’s pathway and linkage programs, in which students applying for undergraduate degrees choose an accelerated track toward a degree at an SHS program. Applicants who meet certain criteria can do so by streamlining prerequisites for both undergraduate and graduate programs, or even by taking classes for SHS programs as they are completing their respective undergraduate degrees.

Sarah Enayatian, a first-year student who will begin Touro’s accelerated nursing program in the fall, said the session demonstrated how clearly structured the pathway can be.

“The pathway program is really incredible,” Enayatian said. “They tell you exactly what classes you need to take and guide you through every step of the process.”

Helping undecided students find direction

For other students still considering their options, the session provided valuable insight into possible careers.

Freeda Ziegler, a biology major who is weighing several health-related professions—for the moment, she seems to have narrowed it down to pharmacy and physician assistant—attended the event to learn more about the programs available after graduation.

“It was informative,” Ziegler said. “Having someone explain the prerequisites and what the programs involve was really helpful.”

And did she have any more clarity after the information session?

“The truth is I always seem to lean toward whichever program I talk to last, so right now it’s pharmacy, but that could change if I talk to someone from the PA program tomorrow.”