By Aarah Sardesai | Intern
Hundreds of Baylor students swapped their backpacks for professional blazers on Saturday, filling the Foster Campus for Business and Innovation for the 53rd annual Pre-Health Symposium.
Hosted by the Baylor chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta and the Office of Pre-Health Studies, the event provided a bridge between undergraduate aspirations and professional reality. The symposium featured representatives from over 40 professional schools, including medical and dental programs, as well as veterinary and physical therapy schools. Vivan Huynh, AED vice president of scholarly events, said her own experience as a pre-health student motivated the event.
“As a pre-physical therapy student, it was really important to me that we had representation throughout all of pre-health, so I made sure to do a lot of research alongside my PHS team to make sure that we have enough schools and programs so that we are suitable for all Baylor pre-health students,” Huynh said.
For many, the event was more than a networking opportunity — it was a roadmap for the rigorous journey toward a career in healthcare.
“A lot of students may not know the process of applying to medical school, dental school or PA school,” Huynh said. “Having these events on campus and hosting these schools allows for students to get connected and learn about their admissions process and also be able to get any of their questions answered.”
The symposium kicked off with breakout sessions where admissions officers shared “insider information” on what makes an application stand out in an increasingly competitive field.
Frederick, Md., senior Hailey Cline was the chair of the Pre-Health Symposium. Cline emphasized that the event exists to help students find their future paths and feel comfortable with the application process.
“Our goal is to make sure that students feel more at peace and comfortable now having these face-to-face interactions and having their questions answered so that they can feel comfortable submitting their applications and know what happens behind-the-scenes at universities,” Cline said.
Cline noted that the symposium offers a rare chance for students to put a face to a name before their applications ever reach a committee desk.
“In today’s digital world, you can find a lot of information on the schools on their websites,” Cline said. “Something that’s really great about PHS is the simple fact that you get to speak with the people that will read your application and you get to ask about what they’re looking for and how you can get admission to their university.”
As the event concluded, students left with confidence in their pre-health paths and also learned more about what goes on behind the scenes in the admissions offices.
These events are becoming increasingly important as professional schools grow more competitive by the day. According to the Association for American Medical Colleges, the average matriculant GPA at medical schools was 3.81 in 2025, up from 3.79 in 2024. Events like the symposium give students a chance to become more competitive applicants and build the skills necessary to become better healthcare professionals in the future.
“At the end of the day, we’re all here for the same reason,” Huynh said. “To learn how to better serve our future patients.”
