Cue the White Coat Ceremony

Pitzer pre-health students strive to be healthcare practitioners with a purpose. From medicine to dentistry, they bring a holistic worldview that integrates public health and advocacy for vulnerable communities. The Department of Natural Sciences (DNS) of Pitzer and Scripps Colleges helps these students take the first step in their careers. 

The DNS offers year-round, one-on-one guidance as students apply for graduate health programs. In the 2025–26 application cycle, DNS students achieved a 92% acceptance rate to medical schools. This is more than double the 42.8% national average, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Those students also had a 100% acceptance rate to dental schools compared to the 51.8% national average (according to the American Dental Education Association). 

Director of Pre-Health Advising Susie Fang is accustomed to such strong results. Fang works closely with students throughout the academic year to ensure their applications are as competitive as possible. Students receive help collecting and organizing their letters of recommendation, in addition to mentorship and programming to guide them through the rigorous application process. 

Pitzer students major in a wide range of scientific disciplines in biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and more. For those seeking an advanced degree in health, Fang supports them throughout their undergraduate years and works with them after graduation. During this process, students do more than build prestigious resumes. They build themselves as people. 

“My goal is to help each student present the strongest and most authentic representation of themselves in their application, ultimately positioning them for a successful application cycle,” said Fang. 

Pitzer graduates’ success has opened the way to an important rite of passage: the white coat ceremony. During this ceremony, students put on their signature white coats for their initiation as health professionals. 

Check out a sampling of recent Pitzer graduates who have been accepted to med schools, dentistry schools, and physician associate schools. 

Medical School

Rhea Mistry ‘25

School: UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine 
Graduate Program: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) + Master’s Program 
Pitzer Major: Neuroscience (Behavioral Track) 
Pronouns: She/Her 

Long-Term Career Goal: To use her platform as a future physician to promote health equity and enhance medical education surrounding the care of medically vulnerable populations, such as individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities.  

“I am so appreciative for the education and support that both Pitzer and the DNS provided during my time there,” said Mistry. “There, I learned to understand medicine not only as a science, but a social infrastructure.” 

Mistry added that she wouldn’t be where she is today without the faculty who encouraged her to challenge and believe in herself. She offered special thanks to Susie Fang and faculty members Tessa Solomon-Lane, Sandra Watson, Mita Banerjee, Elise Ferree, Elizabeth Rega, Thomas Borowski, and Xiao Zhang. 

Arpitha Parthasarathy ’25 

School: Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine 
Graduate Program: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine/Master of Public Health 
Pitzer Major: Combined Biology and Psychology 
Pronouns: She/Her 

Long-Term Career Goal: Parthasarathy plans to become a psychiatrist and use her training in both medicine and public health to improve mental healthcare at the individual, community, and systemic levels. She hopes to work directly with patients while also advocating for changes that make mental healthcare more accessible and responsive to the needs of diverse communities.  

Parthasarathy wants to address mental health disparities and explore how public health and medicine can work together to improve mental health outcomes on a broader, global scale. She hopes to contribute to a healthcare system that not only provides compassionate care to individuals but also works to address the larger factors that shape their health and well-being. 

“Pitzer encouraged me to look beyond science in isolation and consider the social, cultural, and human factors that influence a person’s well-being,” said Parthasarathy. “This perspective naturally aligns with osteopathic medicine’s emphasis on treating the whole person, rather than simply a diagnosis, and inspired my interest in combining medicine with public health.” 

Aiden Tu ‘24

School: New York Medical College School of Medicine 
Graduate Program: M.D. 
Pitzer Major: Neuroscience 
Pronouns: He/Him 

Long-Term Career Goal: To become a diagnostic radiologist (using and interpreting medical images) practicing in California or New York. 

Dentistry School

Sarrah Zanzi ‘25

School: Yeshiva University College of Dental Medicine 
Graduate Program: Doctor of Dental Surgery  
Pitzer Major: Human Biology (Cross-Cultural Health and Healing Track) 
Pronouns: She/Her 

Long-Term Career Goal: Dentistry 

Zanzi said her experience at the DNS and the support she received prepared her to confidently navigate her path to dental school. She also expressed gratitude for Pitzer’s interdisciplinary curriculum, which gave her a broader perspective on science and society. 

“Studying human biology through a cross-cultural lens also taught me to look beyond the sciences and consider the people, communities, and broader factors that shape healthcare, which I hope to carry with me into the dental field,” said Zanzi. 

Physician Associate School

Jessica Choi ‘25

School: Oregon Health & Science University 
Graduate Program: Master of Physician Associate Studies 
Pitzer Major: Combined Biology & Environmental Analysis 
Pronouns: She/Her 

Long-Term Career Goal: Physician Associate 

Matthew Nishimura ‘24

School: Samuel Merritt University 
Graduate Program: Master of Physician Assistant  
Pitzer Major: Biology 
Pronouns: He/Him 

Long-Term Career Goal: To become a trauma surgery physician associate and work alongside trauma surgeons before, during, and after operations for critically injured patients. 

Ethan Shank ‘23

School: Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) 
Graduate Program: Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies 
Pitzer Major: Biology 
Pronouns: He/Him 

Long-Term Career Goal: To increase access to medicine for underrepresented communities in California.  

Shank has received tremendous support at The Claremont Colleges consortium, a journey that he will continue as a KGI student. 

“Pitzer and the Department of Natural Sciences introduced me to numerous academic and career resources, which have greatly benefitted me since graduating,” said Shank. “Being surrounded by so many like-minded students and faculty at the 5Cs helped push me to do all the hard work required to achieve my goals.” 

Learn more about pre-med and pre-health at Pitzer.