You are invited to nominate students for the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS) D-PREP program.

D-PREP is a program that introduces students to careers in the health care professions by educating them about opportunities in health sciences and inspiring them to explore different pathways. Students participate in hands-on laboratory experiences, educational sessions, and interactive discussions with students and faculty in the CPHS to understand how to best prepare for a career in health care. Special emphasis is placed on promoting cultural competence and diversity in health care and among health professionals. The overarching goal of this program is to expose students to a wide variety of opportunities within health care and educate them about how they can best prepare for a career in the health professions.

Program Goals:

• Students will learn about careers in the health care professions.
• Students will learn about promoting cultural competence and diversity in health care and among health professionals.
• Students will learn about the importance of practical lab experiences and begin to develop laboratory skills.
• Students will investigate the role of health care professionals to gain a better understanding of patient-provider relationships through skill-building exercises.
• Students will be able to plan their remaining high school curriculum and extracurricular activities to prepare for a career in health care.

This summer we will host an overnight event for students who are interested in learning more about careers in health care and what they can do with a degree in the sciences. This event will take place on Thursday, July 20–Friday, July 21, on campus and will include a number of activities that will help students learn about preparing for a career in the health professions. Our sessions will include:

• Career options in health care
• Promoting cultural competence and diversity in health care
• Lab activities in pharmacy and health sciences
• Interaction with current pharmacy and health sciences students and faculty
• College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences programs at Drake
• Preparing for college admission
• Staying overnight in an on-campus residence hall
• Meals on campus

Students must meet the following requirements in order to participate:

• Must be enrolled as a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader during the 2016–2017 academic year (current year)
• Have an interest in careers in health care, math, and/or science fields

Due to the costs involved in providing an overnight experience on campus, there is an $80 fee for participating in the D-PREP program. All students that meet the eligibility criteria above are welcome to apply. Scholarships may be available to students from traditionally underrepresented groups within the health care professions.

If you have students who are interested in a career in the health professions, please nominate them using our nomination form. Students will be notified of your nomination via email, at which time we will send them a link to complete our online application. Student applications are due by Thursday, June 1. Students will be notified of their acceptance into the program via email by Thursday, June 15.

If you have questions about D-PREP or our CPHS programs, please contact:
Sydni Fenner
Assistant Director of Admissions & Student Affairs, CPHS
271-3018
sydni.fenner@drake.edu

We appreciate your help in supporting and preparing the next generation of health professionals!

—Sydni Fenner, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences