Interested in the Certificate in Health Professions Preparation (CHPP) program? Join us for one of our virtual open houses.
Wednesday, January 27th 12:30PM
Wednesday, February 17th at 12:30PM
Monday, March 22nd at 12:00PM
Friday, April 2nd at 11:30AM (Rescheduled)
Friday, April 9that 11:30AM
View our brochure
Are you interested in pursuing a career in osteopathic medicine, but need some additional experiences in order to excel in the demanding medical school curriculum? A postbaccalaureate option may be just what you need to prepare yourself.
Designed by faculty members in the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, NSU’s innovative Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Preparation (CHPP) is unique in that it offers direct entry into the D.O. program upon completion of the two-semester program with a 3.6 GPA. Students who graduate with a 3.3 GPA or higher are also guaranteed an interview. The college does not guarantee interviews or admissions for graduates from any other program, so this is a unique opportunity to develop the skills necessary to become a competent and compassionate future Shark physician.
The Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Preparation is designed to enhance the academic qualifications of students in preparation for direct matriculation into NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine or other health professional programs. If you are passionate about pursuing a career as a physician, you will leave this program better prepared for the basic biomedical sciences you will encounter during your first two years at any medical school.
Our faculty members have found that students who have a strong background in the basic sciences perform better academically once enrolled in medical school, and in turn are better prepared for board exams. In order to best prepare the students enrolled in the program, we utilize the same faculty members who will teach them once enrolled in medical school. The CHPP cohort is also intergrated with current medical students and the campus community in order to enhance the quality and diversity of the CHPP student experience.
Similar to students who are in NSU’s D.O. program, CHPP students will be introduced to a variety of teaching techniques and learning resources. We utilize a flipped classroom model for instruction and make use of other asynchronous content delivery mechanisms available, such as Canvas, Lecturio, and Complete Anatomy.
Very few programs around the nation are as confident in their students’ preparation that they guarantee admission into their medical school class without additional requirements. We believe the academic preparation of our students is so robust that if they finish the program with a 3.6 GPA, we directly admit them into the following year’s D.O. class.
*Students must also have a cumulative MCAT score of 500 by the time they complete the certificate and must be able to pass a background check to be eligible for acceptance into the college’s D.O. program.
The Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Preparation program evaluates the overall quality of its applicants, looking at academic achievement, personal motivation, knowledge of health care and osteopathic medicine profession-related experiences and recommendations.
Specific criteria for admission are as follows:
Prerequisites
Students first step in the application process is to initiate an application to the CHPP program by first applying to NSU through either the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) or the PostBacCAS application services.
Step 1:
AACOMAS Path
The college participates in the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) for the receipt and processing of applications. All students who are currently applying to NSU's D.O. program must complete an AACOMAS application and thus have already started the application process for the CHPP program. Students who submit through PostBacCAS will need to fill out an AACOMAS application in order to matriculate into the D.O. program at a later date. AACOMAS takes no part in the selection of students.
To start the application process through AACOMAS, please follow the below instructions.
Applicants should submit applications electronically through AACOMAS Online, an interactive, web-based application at aacom.org. For questions, applicants may call (301) 968-4190.
The following steps are necessary to the primary application process.
After completing your primary application and receiving notification that it is verified, NSU will send you a secondary application to complete. Once submitted, please contact the Office of Admissions and notify the office of your intent to apply to the CHPP program. Students may apply to the CHPP program and the D.O. program concurrently.
PostBacCAS Path
To start the application process through PostBacCAS, please follow the below instructions.
Applicants should submit applications electronically through PostBacCas Online, an interactive, web-based application at postbaccas.liaisoncas.org. For questions about PostBacCAS, applicants may call (857) 304-2047. PostBacCas takes no part in the selection of NSU students.
The following steps are necessary to the PostBacCAS application process.
After completing your primary application and receiving notification that it is verified, NSU will send you a secondary CHPP application to complete. If you have questions about this or experience a delay receiving the CHPP application, please contact Melissa Chamberlain (954-262-1989) or chammeli@nova.edu).
Step 2:
A personal interview is a part of the admission process; however, being interviewed is not a guarantee of admission. Not all applicants will be granted an interview. Those selected for an interview will be notified of the date and time of such interview by the Office of Admissions.
Notice of acceptance will be on a rolling or periodic schedule; therefore, early completion of the application is in the best interest of the applicant because of the limited number of spaces available in each class.
After acceptance, final and official documents and requirements must be received by the Office of Admissions within 90 days following the start of the first term. If these final and official documents are not received, or other requirements are not met by that time, the student will not be able to continue his or her enrollment.
NSU is proud to offer the CHPP program with one of the most affordable tuition price points in the country. Tuition for the CHPP program during the 2021–2022 academic year is $20,000. A Health Professions Division general access fee of $145 is required each year. An NSU student services fee of $1,500 is also required annually. There is also a registration fee of $30 each semester. All tuition and fees are subject to change by the NSU Board of Trustees.
Financial aid eligible. Eligibility dependent upon the completion of the FAFSA application and institutional review. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid, or Maria A. Mateu, M.B.A. (mmateu@nova.edu | (813) 574-5292), for more information.
Required Courses—Class of 2021
This is a full-time graduate program of study with 18 total credits over 2 semesters.
Please plan on attending one of our virtual open houses. The director of the CHPP program and our inaugural class of students will give a presentation on the program and will be available to answer all of your questions.
Other questions related to the application process can be answered by one of our admissions counselors.
Fauzhy "Jouseph" Sliba, Admissions Counselor: fsliba@nova.edu
Jermila Claxton, Admissions Counselor: jclaxtonco@nova.edu
Melissa Chamberlain, Director of Graduate Admissions: chammeli@nova.edu
Christina Brown-Wujick, Assistant Professor and Director of the CHPP Program: cbrownwu@nova.edu