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Admission to health professional schools is highly competitive and, in general, the most successful applicants will have credentials which significantly exceed the stated minimum admissions requirements. For example, while many dental and medical schools may have stated requirements of three years of college preparation, greater than 95 percent of the students actually accepted will have had four years of college. Thus, since “pre-programs” do not lead to a degree, such students should pursue a degree-granting program. The student is then not only a more competitive professional school applicant but also has prepared for an alternate career should admission to a professional school not be possible. Most degree-granting programs at the university may be chosen; however, programs within the sciences are generally the most appropriate as their required curricula contain many of the courses also required for professional school admission. In addition, careful use of elective hours in the curricula will allow for the selection of other appropriate pre-professional courses. Students considering courses at junior colleges should contact the professional school(s) they plan to attend because many professional schools are reluctant to accept transfer hours from junior colleges.

Standardized examinations are required as a part of the admissions process to professional schools (dentistry—DAT; medicine and podiatry—MCAT; optometry—OAT; veterinary medicine—MCAT or GRE; pharmacy—PCAT). Students should consult with the pre-professional advisor concerning preparation for a particular examination and the appropriate time at which the examination should be taken.

Pre-Professional Advisory Committee for the Health Professions

The Pre-Professional Advisory Committee for the Health Professions was created as a service to all ÐßÐßÊÓƵ students preparing for and seeking admission to professional schools of dentistry, medicine, optometry, and podiatry. The services provided include basic advising and counseling in pre-professional matters, academic advising, information on professional school application procedures, and submitting composite evaluative information on the student to professional schools. It is extremely important that pre-professional students work closely with the program advisor from the time they initiate their studies at the university.

Advisory Committee Members 

Rebecca Boone, Ph.D.
James Henry, Ph.D.