Pre-Health Tracks
Preparing for a Career in Healthcare at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½
If you want to become a doctor, dentist, veterinarian, pharmacist, or physician assistant, there are many paths to professional school at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½. You can select a major in the sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, health sciences, public health and more alongside the pre-health track of your choice. You can also take advantage of the pre-med pathway to medical school at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½.Â
In the meantime, learn from highly funded, world-renowned faculty who can write strong recommendation letters for your application to medical school, dental school, pharmacy school, veterinary school or physician assistant school.
Science-Related Majors that Prepare you for Health Professions
Biochemistry
Degree: Bachelor of Science
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Explore the chemistry of living systems and develop an in-depth understanding of metabolism, proteins, nucleic acids, molecular biology and the biochemical basis of health and disease.
- Build a strong foundation in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, mathematics and physics that provides excellent preparation for medical school and other health-professions programs.
- Gain hands-on laboratory and undergraduate research experience using modern instrumentation while working directly with faculty on research that can include human health and disease.
- The B.S. in Biochemistry is certified by the American Chemical Society and provides rigorous preparation for professional school, graduate study and careers in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and related fields.
- Choosing the pre-med track? The Biochemistry curriculum has substantial overlap with courses recommended for pre-med preparation. Because requirements vary among medical schools, students should work with Pre-Health Careers and Professional Pathways and their academic advisor to select any additional courses needed for the professional schools to which they plan to apply.
Bioengineering (5-Year Program)
Degree: Bachelor of Science
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Engineering
- Offers a pre-med concentration
- The technical education and research skills that medical schools desire
- Courses that prepare you for the MCAT exam (required for entrance to medical school) and medical school
- Bioengineering graduates are accepted into medical school at higher rates than students who major in the physical sciences.
Biology
Degree: Bachelor of Science
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- The most popular undergraduate degree choice for pre-med students.
- Get undergraduate research experience that is directly related to human disease and disorders and includes coursework in molecular, cellular and developmental biology.
- Offers a
- Choosing the pre-med track? This program includes the pre-med courses completely embedded in the curriculum, so you do not have to worry about taking any extra courses. Other pre-health tracks have significant overlap as well.
Chemistry
Degree: Bachelor of Science
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Offers a specifically designed for students preparing for medical school and other health-professions programs.
- Combines rigorous training in general, organic, analytical and biological chemistry with coursework in biology, physics, statistics, psychology, sociology, molecular genetics, cell biology and human physiology.
- Choosing the pre-med track? The courses recommended by ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ for pre-med preparation are built directly into the 120-credit Pre-Medical Professions Concentration, allowing students to prepare for medical school without adding courses beyond the degree requirements. Because requirements vary among medical schools, students should work with Pre-Health Careers and Professional Pathways to confirm requirements for the schools to which they plan to apply.
- A great choice for students who want to understand medicine at the molecular level. Chemistry provides hands-on experience understanding how molecules are made, how they interact with biological systems and how they are analyzed — a strong foundation for understanding drugs, metabolism and disease.
- Gain extensive hands-on laboratory experience, access to advanced scientific instrumentation and opportunities to conduct undergraduate research with Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty.
- A Chemistry degree also preserves broad career options in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, research, industry and graduate study if a student's interests or career goals change.
Drug Discovery and Design
Degree: Bachelor of Sciences in Pharmaceutical Sciences (B.S.P.S.)
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Prepares students to research and design pharmaceutical drugs for patient needs, diseases and health objectives.
- Curriculum blends courses in pharmacology and toxicology, medicinal and biological chemistry, pharmaceutics, and healthcare delivery.
- Includes a required internship and hands-on laboratory component, so you’ll be prepared for real-world applications.
- Great pre-health major for entering medical, dental or veterinary school as well as equipping for advanced graduate study in pharmaceutical sciences, forensics, toxicology and chemistry.
Health Sciences
Degree: Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Health and Human Services
The HS-B.S. program offers three health-related concentrations. The pre-professional course requirements are built into the program's curriculum — no extra classes required.
Gain foundational knowledge and skills related to the function of human systems and disease, as well as exposure to and knowledge of contemporary approaches including the non-clinical factors (social determinants of health) that impact the health of individuals and communities.
- Pre-medical professions – for students interested in medicine, dentistry or veterinary graduate programs
- Pre-physician assistant
- Pre-rehabilitation sciences — for students interested in athletic training or physical therapy graduate programs
The HS-B.A. program offers a Pre-Occupational Therapy concentration. The pre-professional course requirements are built into the program's curriculum — no extra classes required.
Neuroscience
Degree: Bachelor of Science
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Medicine and Life Sciences
- A great choice for pre-health students who want to specialize in neurology.
- Get undergraduate research experience directly related to human disease and disorders.
- A program that is jointly offered by faculty in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and faculty in the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Medicine and Life Sciences — the only undergraduate program where you get to work with and learn from faculty in the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Medicine and Life Sciences at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½. This gives you an advantage of getting to know faculty who could be your professors in medical school. They can even be used as some of your letter writers for your applications to medical school.
Public Health
Degree: Bachelor of Science
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Health and Human Services
- Offers a pre-medical track
- Rigorous, basic science courses and a solid foundation in public health
- A background in global and community health that helps you learn to prevent disease as well as treat it
- A side of medicine that many pre-med students don't see. Work with and learn from professionals in areas such as healthcare policy and substance abuse. This broader understanding of health will help you as a physician.