Getting Your Professional School Application to Stand Out: Expert Advice from Creighton Faculty

Three faculty experts from Creighton University’s School of Pharmacy and Health Professions reveal what makes professional school applications stand out in pharmacy, physical therapy and occupational therapy programs. Learn how to showcase your experiences, craft compelling essays and demonstrate your potential as a future healthcare professional. Experienced admissions committee members’ insider tips will help you go beyond academic achievements to tell your complete story.

Congratulations! You’ve decided to apply to graduate school in healthcare. Now what? Three experienced faculty members from Creighton University’s School of Pharmacy and Health Professions share their insider perspectives on what makes applications stand out for occupational therapy, physical therapy and pharmacy programs.

Beyond academic excellence: what admissions committees look for

While reviewing admission requirements, committees look beyond grades to find well-rounded candidates. “We do review transcripts and things like that, which is probably not a huge surprise,” says Heather Knight, PT, DPT, associate professor in Physical Therapy, “But a big part of the application is to let us get to know the student. We want to understand the candidate’s drive to be a physical therapist and ensure opportunities offered in our program will help them meet their professional goals.”

This balance between academic strength and authentic passion is common across all three programs. Kylie Widhelm, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR, assistant professor in Occupational Therapy, emphasizes that while grades matter, they’re just the beginning: “At Creighton, we value service and giving back to our community. What stands out isn’t necessarily that they’re a straight-A student but how well-rounded they are. Do they do service activities? Do they have leadership roles? Were they involved outside the classroom? Did they have jobs that gave them real-world experience?”

“I want to make sure they can academically handle the rigors of a professional program,” explains Stacey Dull, PharmD, BCPS, associate professor in Pharmacy, who has served on pharmacy admissions committees since 2012. “But I also want to see their passion for pursuing pharmacy and that they’ve put real thought into what they want to do with the rest of their lives.”

The pandemic highlighted another crucial quality admissions committees seek. “We’ve seen a whole different level of resilience needed in healthcare,” Widhelm notes. “COVID specifically showed us how to prevent burnout and care for ourselves so we can be good healthcare providers to care for other people.”

Making your life experience count

When it comes to experience, pharmacy-specific roles are preferred, and quality matters as much as quantity. Experience from other healthcare settings can also be valuable. Dull explains, “If you’ve worked in roles like waiting tables or taking orders, you’ve developed key communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to handle conflict in high-pressure environments. Almost any profession can help build skills that contribute to becoming a great pharmacist.”

Creativity in problem-solving is another valuable trait that can emerge from diverse experiences. “If we as healthcare providers can really look at a patient and see what makes them tick, what gets them excited and motivated, we can be creative,” Widhelm shares. “We can do everything from practicing photography skills in a hospital room to figuring out how to walk someone down the aisle after a stroke.”

For direct healthcare experience, Knight suggests being strategic and considering all types of experiences, including service, research, or work experience: “If you have many experiences, prioritize those from the most recent three to four years or those that impacted your decision to pursue physical therapy. Think about providing examples from different areas so we can see how you’ve been involved in various ways and developed skills and abilities that can be utilized in healthcare.”

Crafting a compelling personal statement

Your personal statement is an important component of the application, and all three faculty members emphasize the importance of authenticity. “In the essay, we want to learn about you as a person,” Knight explains. “We want to see your personality come through.”

Dull adds that the most memorable essays often include meaningful personal stories: “A lot of times, there’s a personal story that comes along with it. It might be something significant that happened throughout their childhood or adult life related to healthcare or meaningful interaction with a pharmacist that inspired them.”

“Those personal stories really draw me as a reader,” Widhelm agrees. “When you get it, you get what the profession does. That personal connection shows you understand the impact we can have.”

Choosing the right references

One of the most overlooked aspects of the application process is reference selection. “Choose your references carefully,” Widhelm advises. “What holds more weight for me personally is if they shadowed an occupational therapist who then wrote a reference for them. That’s huge because it shows they understand what they’re getting into, and the recommender has a similar perspective on what makes a strong candidate.”

Knight adds that professional references carry more weight than personal ones: “Keep them professionally or academically oriented. A strong recommendation from another healthcare provider or supervisor can speak to how you’ll interact in a professional work environment.”

The bigger picture: joining a profession

Dull emphasizes, “We’re not just admitting students into our program—we’re admitting them into our profession. “ This perspective shapes how applications are evaluated across all three programs.

“Every person that comes into the profession becomes the face of our profession,” Widhelm adds. “We want our profession represented well and uniquely - and represented professionally, willing to go above and beyond to do what’s best for our clients.”

Timing your application

Meeting application deadlines is crucial, but applying early provides advantages. All three faculty members stress the importance of early application. “If you know you want to apply to our program, don’t wait,” advises Knight. “Applying earlier allows you to get into the system, allows us to review the applications early and hopefully get you through that interview process early.”

For prospective students looking to stand out in the competitive world of professional healthcare program admissions, the message from these experienced faculty members is clear: while academic excellence matters, your complete story—your experiences, your service, your passion and your potential to contribute to the profession—will truly make your application shine.

“That’s the beauty of healthcare professions,” Dull concludes. “There are so many avenues you can take. The degree opens a lot of doors, and you can move in and out of different avenues throughout your career.”