Pre-Medical Sciences

The pre-medical sciences program provides the basic training students require for careers in dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, optometry, and podiatry. Students may select any major as a field of study which must include specific preprofessional courses. When selecting a major consider that your undergraduate years may be your last opportunity to pursue in depth a nonscience subject of interest. Professional schools are most concerned with the overall quality, scope and difficulty of undergraduate work.

Preprofessional courses are designed to provide a strong foundation in the sciences, highly developed communicative skills and a solid background in the social sciences and humanities. The curriculum guide outlined below conforms to the minimal course requirements established by professional schools. The minimal requirements should be completed by the end of the third year of study or prior to taking the admission test required by professional schools. Since specific subject requirements vary among institutions, students should discuss their academic plans with a pre-medical sciences advisor. Individuals with weak math and science preparation should consider a five year undergraduate program beginning with remedial courses in math, English, and reading skills.

Admission to a professional school is very competitive. Students must maintain a B-plus grade-point average in college if they expect to be admitted. All required courses must be taken for letter grades. In addition, the applicant must place high on an admissions test which has been designed to measure basic academic ability in the natural sciences, reading ability and problem solving skills. The examinations are given twice a year, usually in the spring and autumn, and ordinarily is taken during the junior year.

Besides their academic accomplishments and admission exam scores, acceptance by a professional school is also dependent upon letters of recommendation by the University's pre-professional advisory committee and personal interviews conducted by the professional school. It is important that students consult with their pre-medical sciences advisor and with their major advisor each year to make sure that he or she can satisfy the necessary requirements for graduation within the time available. The advisor can also discuss procedures, counsel and support the student during the process of applying to a professional school.

High School Preparation: High school students contemplating a pre-medical sciences program should have three to four years of mathematics, several years of a modern foreign language, experience in chemistry and considerable background in literature and social science.

Suggested Course of Study