Pre-Health program

Introduction

The Pre-Health Program is administered jointly by the Committee for the Health Professions and the Career Center. Students who are interested in a career in any of the health professions are welcome to be a part of the program.  At the beginning of the academic year, first-year students who have expressed an interest in a health-related career receive a notice to attend an informational meeting.  These students will be included on a list of Pre-Health students. Any other students interested in pursuing a health career should contact Barb Redding in the Career Center to be assigned a Pre-Health advisor. The only requirement to stay in the Pre-Health Program is for the student to take the courses listed below and to maintain contact with his/her Pre-Health advisor each semester.  

Committee for the Health Professions: Each student is assigned to one of the committee members who will advise the student on course requirements and who will draft the committee letter of recommendation when the student applies to professional schools.  The committee provides advice and prepares evaluations for students interested in the health professions. 

Advice to students preparing for the health professions 

Minimum requirements 

The following is a list of courses that are required by the majority of professional schools.  These courses serve as matriculation requirements.  Individual schools will have additional requirements for the 2015 application, so this list is no more than a general guide to the minimum requirements.  Students must take 6 of the 8 lab science courses required by professional schools in at least 2 departments from Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. 

Chemistry:  4 courses 

CHEM 131, 132 General Chemistry I and II  

CHEM 241, 242 Organic Chemistry I and II 

or 

CHEM 141, Accelerated General Chemistry 

CHEM 241, 242 Organic Chemistry I and II 

plus 1 additional course (Note:  Chemistry 111 will not satisfy this requirement) 

The Committee recommends: CHEM 244, Equilibrium Systems or CHEM 243, Modern Chemical Analysis 

 Biology:  2 courses 

Any two of the introductory courses with laboratory (BIOL 120 level) will satisfy this requirement. The Committee also recommends: 

BIOL 313, Cell Biology  

BIOL 317, Genetics 

BIOL 333, Physiology 

BIOL 334, Vertebrate Anatomy  

Physics:  2 courses 

PHYS 141, 142 Physics for the Life Sciences or 

PHYS 131, 132 General Physics  (Note: Although Physics 131, 132 is acceptable, some topics on MCAT exam are not covered in these courses) 

Mathematics:  2 courses 

2 semesters including Calculus (MATH 170) and either Calculus (MATH 171) or Statistics (MATH 121). Depending on placement, students may be required to take MATH 151 prior to MATH 170.

Students should check with preferred medical schools to clarify specific mathematics requirements.  

English:  2 courses 

Any two courses, but the First Year Seminar may count as one course and a WR or Writing Intensive course as another at the professional school's discretion. 

Recommended courses 

Professional schools may suggest or even require specific courses such as biochemistry, humanities, sociology, psychology, physiology, vertebrate anatomy, advanced biology, or advanced chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, anthropology, genetics, embryology, and comparative anatomy. 

Required tests

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) 

All applicants to medical schools must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is offered annually on multiple dates and times.  The preferred time to take this exam is early in the spring of the applicant's junior year, after completing the required science courses listed.   

Dental Admissions Test (DAT) 

Applicants to dental schools must take the Dental Admission Test, given on computer year-round.  Spring of the junior year is the recommended time to take this test. 

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) 

Most applicants to veterinary or DPT programs must take the Graduate Record Examination, given on computer year-round. The spring of or summer following the junior year is the recommended time to take this exam. 

Tests in other health professions 

Other health professions have similar testing programs.  More information is available from the Career Center. 

Admission factors

Five important factors in determining admission to professional school are: 

1.  the undergraduate overall grade point average and science grade point average, 

2.  the score achieved on the pre-professional exam (MCAT, DAT, GRE), 

3.  the letter, or letters, of evaluation from the undergraduate college,  

4.  relevant hands-on volunteer or work experiences as well as research  

5.  the outcome of a personal interview, offered by the school to applicants they select for the interview. 

The relative importance of these factors varies from school to school and from case to case.  Generally speaking, an overall academic average of 3.30 or better is needed to be a competitive professional school applicant. 

Committee for the Health Professions

 Teresa Barber                 (Psychology & Neuroscience)  

Jeffrey Forrester              (Mathematics) 

Catrina M. Hamilton-Drager  (Physics & Astronomy) 

Michael Holden               (Chemistry) (Chairperson) 

Tony Pires                     (Biology) 

Rebecca Connor              (Chemistry) 

Debi Swarner                 (Career Center) 

Charles Zwemer              (Biology)