About Lewis Associates

Summary of Advising Experience

•Expert in advising traditional, non-traditional,  change-of-career, re-entry, postbaccalaureate, disadvantaged and minority applicants for 26 years

•Advised over 800 alumni who are attending health professions schools or practicing

•Average of 97% acceptance rate for advised applicants into medical, dental, veterinary, physician assistant schools and other health professions programs over the last three years (year 2006 national rate of acceptance by all applicants in the US into Allopathic medical school was 47.2%. Source: AAMC FACTS - Applicants, Matriculants and Graduates, Table 6)

•30 alumni accepted into Harvard Medical and Dental  Schools

•Developed professional working relationships with Medical, Dental, Veterinary, Pharmacy, Optometric, Naturopathic, and Physician Assistant School Administrators

•1990 National Academic Advising Association Award for Outstanding Institutional Advising Program in the United States, 1996

•University of Southern California Award for developing the first Pre-Physician Assistant program in the United States

•Student-selected Outstanding Biology Faculty 1994, 1995, San Diego State University

•Vice Presidential Student Service Award "Quest for the Best" selected by students, 1991–1997, San Diego State University (only San Diego State University faculty awarded this seven times)

•Former Preprofessional Health Advisor, San Diego State University 11 years

•Founder and Director of the Health Careers Opportunity Program, San Diego State University, 1990-1996

Short Biography - Dr. Cynthia Lewis

B.S., Biological Sciences (Honors) Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
 Ph.D., Zoology University of Alberta, Canada
 Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Dental Institute, National Institutes of Health and Scripps Institution of Oceanography
 Biology faculty, Professor level, taught biology 1975-1997

Dr. Lewis is keenly interested in the problems faced  by applicants of all backgrounds, including non-traditional students who  are re-entry, "change of career" or post-baccalaureate. She  served as the Chief Premedical Advisor at San Diego State University for  11 years, forming many professional contacts with Deans and Directors  of Admission. Dr. Lewis is Founder and former Director of a Pre-Health  Health Careers Opportunity Program and initiated an Interdisciplinary Studies track for Pre-Health students. She is an expert in advising traditional,  non-traditional, disadvantaged and minority students for admission to  medical schools for 26 years.

Dr. Lewis has advised over 2500 pre-health students since 1985 with an average 97% acceptance rate for applicants in the last 3 years; almost 900 of Dr. Lewis’ alumni are in health professions  school training or are practicing now. 30 of Dr. Lewis’ alumni have been accepted to Harvard Medical and Dental Schools. She is past President  of the Western Association of Advisors for the Health Professions and past Representative on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.

In 1990, the National Academic Advising Association awarded Dr. Lewis the Outstanding Institutional Advising Program in the United States, she is the only faculty member selected by seven students for the San Diego State University Vice Presidential Student Service Quest for the Best Award, and was twice honored as Outstanding Biology faculty by her students.

Dr. Lewis’ 26-year career in health services school  preparation is marked by her professionalism and competence with a high level of commitment to her clients. She is a consummate student advocate with integrity. An astute communicator, she’s presented over 30 posters and reports on research at scientific meetings, and has been the invited speaker on pre-health advising issues at nine national and regional conferences.

Selected Publications

Author, 1998, Kaplan’s Medical School Admissions Advisor. Chapters on Special Considerations: Women Students and Non-Traditional Students. (Now in its 4th Edition)

Co-Editor, 1997, A Road Map to the Medical Promised Land - An Advising Manual, University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Contributing Editor, 2001, Medical Professions Admission Guide: Strategy for Success, 5th ed.

Author, 1990, "Veterinary Medicine" supplement to Medical Professions Admissions Guide.

Author, 1996, "Academic Medicine" (71: 1050-1057). Article describing a comprehensive model program to increase the number of disadvantaged students matriculating into health professions schools.

Reviewer, Meeting the Challenge of the MCAT- A Test Preparation by Jackson, McGlinn, and Herrold.