To be "pre-health” means you are seeking admission to a health professional program, upon completion of a baccalaureate degree (B.A., B.S., etc.), such as Medicine (Allopathic/Osteopathic), Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, & etc. The term also means that you are embarking on a specific course of study and gaining experience outside the classroom aimed at preparing you to be a qualified and well-rounded applicant.

Although we provide information on our website, students are responsible for researching specific admissions requirements for each school of interest and incorporating any special/additional requirements into their academic schedule. Each health professional school sets its own requirements regarding courses. When in doubt, students are encouraged to check with the admission offices of the health professional schools to which they are applying.

The Office of Pre-Health Advisement offers advisement for the tracks listed below. Multiple handouts for these areas are available to print from our website, and are available in the FIG 107 lobby.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS-COMMON PRE-HEALTH PREREQUISITE COURSES

Pre-Health Sample 4 year tentative schedule with and without summer

For detailed information on academic and extracurricular requirements within the health professions, please make an appointment with a Pre-Health Advisor.

PLEASE NOTE:

• A number of schools require a molecular biology course (BISC 320L) including Keck, others strongly recommend it. Also fourteen of the 134 allopathic (MD) schools require biochemistry (BISC 330) while over seventy more “suggest” or “strongly recommend” it. Some health professional schools may recommend or require additional sciences, such as physiology, anatomy, microbiology, etc. Please meet with a Pre-Health Advisor for more information.

• Some health professional schools require one semester of math (Calculus I and/or II-Math 125 and/or 126), while others require one year of math, and any two math courses (including Statistics) would meet this requirement. Please check with individual schools.

• Many health professional schools require or recommend that students take courses in areas such as languages (e.g., Spanish), humanities, and social sciences. Please check with individual schools.

• The new MCAT will be introduced in 2015. In addition to general chemistry with lab (one year); general biology with lab (one year); organic chemistry with lab (one year); physics with lab (one year); & English (one year), the following are also recommended prior to taking the MCAT 2015: biochemistry (one semester); statistics (one semester); & a psychology/sociology course(s). Please review the Preview Guide for the MCAT 2015 for more detailed information. Click here for the MCAT 2015 Preview Guide.

• All pre-health requirements must be taken for a letter grade and, for the majority of the health professional schools, that letter grade must be a "C" or better.

Choosing a Major

No particular major is required for admission to health professional school. Choose your major based on your interests and an area that you find exciting, which at the same time, will keep you academically competitive. It is possible to major in any academic discipline and still complete the science courses required for health professional schools. Health professional schools are also interested in students who have a well-rounded education, and an understanding gained through the study of literature, history, & the social and behavioral sciences. The ability to read, write, think critically, and to do well in the sciences, are crucial for successful admission to health professional schools.