The WSU Health Professions Student Center (HPSC) is hosting a Health Professions Expo at 4:10 p.m. today at the Center for Undergraduate Education, Room 219.

HPSC Director Donald Allison said the expo is a three-day event and will feature key speakers and educational activities. He said the event will allow students to explore a variety of health career options.

HPSC Pre-physician Assistant Lourdes Giordani said she began planning the event last May.

She said the expo begins with a presentation on the “Do’s and Don’ts of Professional Applications.” The presentation will be about how to properly apply for a position in the medical field.

She said WSU partnered with Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences to provide information on both allopathic and osteopathic medical practices. There will be a presentation called “Pathways to a Career in Medicine: MD and DO,” which will highlight the differences between allopathic and osteopathic degrees, respectively.

Giordani said there will be another session called “Pharmacy: an Expanding Profession” that will describe pharmaceutical science and education.

She said Wednesday’s itinerary ends with a panel of medical professionals who will speak about how to handle finances for medical school.

Giordani said presentations on Thursday will feature Lynn Howard, medical student recruitment director of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, and Leeann Hunter, enrollment services director of Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.

“It’s open to anyone,” she said. “If you’re interested in health profession, then go there.”

Allison said Thursday’s itinerary will consist of over 25 medical programs tabling from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the CUB Junior Ballroom. He said representatives of those medical school programs will talk to students about general application processes.

Giordani said a reception celebrating the partnership between WSU and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences will occur from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday at the CUE, Room 502.

A presentation called “Mind the Gap” will explain how to have a productive gap year after graduating and before entering medical school. She said the presentation will help attendees continue their engagement in the healthcare community.

Giordani said Thursday will end with a 30-minute panel of healthcare providers talking about their personal careers and journeys throughout the medical field.

Giordani said attendees present from 9-11 a.m. Friday can present pitches to healthcare officials.

Allison said this will be part of the mock Multi Mini Interview (MMI) workshop led by students from the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI) Regional Medical Education Program.

He said the expo will feature a suture clinic also lead by WWAMI from 1-3 p.m. in CUE, Room 502.

“They have volunteered to show students how to suture,” he said, “ using the banana skin to demonstrate how to suture the banana.”