professionals as reasons for the high acceptance
rates of COSAM students applying to medical,
dental, and optometry schools, it is Childress
herself who is, perhaps, the secret ingredient that
sets COSAM apart. She forms lasting relationships
with students who continue to contact her year
after year to thank her for her help.
Auburn alumna Stephanie Donaldson, who is
a first-year medical student at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham had this to say:
During their junior year, pre-health students
submit their resumes to the committee for review.
Childress conducts challenging interviews with
every student who is applying to professional
school, about 160 students per year. Included in
that number are Auburn University applicants
to dental, medical, and optometry schools, rural
medical program applicants, alumni who graduated
in the last few years, and students and alumni
reapplying for the second or third time.
Each applicant must also have an interview with
one randomly assigned member of the committee
and three other people they select to interview and
evaluate them.
“Each committee member interviews 15 to 20
students, which provides a valuable opportunity
for our students to improve before they sit for an
actual interview at a professional school. We give
them honest feedback about their performance.
We also critique their personal statements and
their resumes. Once they have applied, I review
each student’s resume, interview feedback, test
scores, and professional school application, and I
draft a committee letter for each applicant,” said
Childress. “I transmit the committee letter plus
the other individual evaluation forms and letters
to the professional schools at the student’s written
request. The process is very time consuming, and
our faculty are not compensated for being on the
committee, which is a testament to the dedication
of Auburn’s faculty. The PPAC process is complex,
but it frees the students from having to coordinate
their applications alone, and it provides a clear path
through the application process.”
Results:
PPAC perseverance translates into exceptional
results, with medical school acceptance rates at
more than 30 percent above the national average,
and optometry and dental school acceptance rates
averaging close to 90 percent each year. Althou