• LSA Advising
  • //
  • Pre-Law Advising
  • //
  • Study Skills
  • //
  • U-M
  • //
  • LSA
  • //
  • Majors and Minors
  • //
  • Departments and Units
  • //
  • LSA Academic Policies, Forms, Petitions
  • //
  • LSA Gateway

for

  • LSA Advising
  • Pre-Law Advising
  • Study Skills
  • U-M
  • LSA
  • Majors and Minors
  • Departments and Units
  • LSA Academic Policies, Forms, Petitions
  • LSA Gateway
  • Support LSA
  • Course Guide

Search: {{$root.lsaSearchQuery.q}}, Page {{$root.page}}

previous | next
Skip to Content
LSA Pre-Health Advising
  • Explore
    • Careers in Health
    • Gaining Exposure
  • Prepare
    • Academics
    • Methods and Skills
    • Work, Activities, and Experiences
  • Apply
    • Admission and Tests
    • Application
    • Finance and Cost
    • Schools
    • Identity-based Resources
  • Graduation and Beyond
    • "Gap Year"
  • Connect
    • Pre-Health Advisors
    • All Events

Search: {{$root.lsaSearchQuery.q}}, Page {{$root.page}}

previous | next

Developing Your Competencies

Skip to Page Content
  1. Prepare
  2. Methods and Skills
  3. Developing Your Competencies
  1. ...
  2. Developing Your Competencies
    1. Prepare
    2. Methods and Skills
  1. [X] close
  1. Prepare
  2. Academics
  3. Methods and Skills
    1. Building Relationships and Networking
    2. Developing Your Competencies
    3. Integrity, Professionalism, and HiPAA
    4. Journaling
  4. Work, Activities, and Experiences

Developing Your Competencies

  1. Prepare
  2. Academics
  3. Methods and Skills
    1. Building Relationships and Networking
    2. Developing Your Competencies
    3. Integrity, Professionalism, and HiPAA
    4. Journaling
  4. Work, Activities, and Experiences

Many health professions programs require or strongly recommend courses and experiences that develop competencies in the areas of ethics, interpersonal (and intrapersonal) communication, and cultural awareness. These competencies help you build strong working relationships with colleagues, community members, patients, and families who may come from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, racial, gender, ability status, sexual orientation, age, religious, and other backgrounds from your own. It is important to understand the cultural context in which you will conduct your professional practice.

Political, historical, and cultural processes all play a significant role in healthcare practice. Demonstrating a level of understanding about these topics before you begin your health professional program will be expected, and you’ll be evaluated about these aspects via interviews. 

If you would like to learn more about developing competency in your specific pre-health path, here are resources and information to support you: 

Essential Competencies for Pre-Health

Core Competencies Resources

Required Pre-Medical Coursework and Competencies

Competencies for the New General Dentist

Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession

Competencies in Optometry

Competencies for Veterinary School

Consider taking advantage of the academic strength here at U-M and LSA. In particular, use part of your education to explore health, illness, and medicine. Some (but not all) of the courses that talk about health and illness are listed here:

  • AMCULT 331: Health in America: Patterns, Experiences, and Inequalities
  • ANTHRCUL 344: Medical Anthropology
  • HISTORY 234: History of Medicine in the Western World from the 18th Century to the Present
  • HISTORY 284: Sickness and Health in Society: 1492 to the Present
  • PHIL 356: Issues in Bioethics
  • PUBHLTH 300: Behavioral and Social Science Foundations for the Health Professions (non-LSA)
  • SOC 302: Health and Society: An Introduction to Sociology
  • SOC 475: Introduction to Medical Sociology
  • WOMENSTD 220: Perspectives in Women’s Health

Ethics

In addition to the above courses, check out these articles curated by the American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics. 

Connect with an Advisor

Pre Health Advisors

All Events

Explore

Prepare

Apply

 

Code Maize

Code Maize
LSA Pre-Health Advising
1255 Angel Hall
435 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1003
ask.newnan@umich.edu
734.764.0332
Sitemap
LSA - College of Literature, Science, and The Arts - University of Michigan
  • Information For
  • Prospective Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Alumni and Friends
  • More about LSA
  • About LSA
  • How Do I Apply?
  • LSA Opportunity Hub
  • News
  • LSA Magazine
  • Give
  • Maps
  • Student Resources
  • Courses
  • Academic Advising
  • Majors and Minors
  • Departments and Units
  • Global Studies
  • LSA Opportunity Hub
  • Connect
  • Social Media
  • Update Contact Info
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Statement
  • Report Feedback
© 2025 Regents of the University of Michigan