Preparing for Medical/Health Professions
Graduate/medical degree programs in the health professions generally have admissions requirements that include two semesters of biology (beyond the introductory level), general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, mathematics, and English. Some programs may have differing or additional requirements, such as psychology, statistics, biochemistry, and/or microbiology. The University of Rochester has no pre-med or pre-health major, and it is not necessary to be a biology or chemistry major in order to be accepted to a health professional graduate program. Choosing a major that fits your particular skills and interests allows you to take classes you enjoy and can excel at while you pursue the pre-health requirements. BCS graduates (both BA and BS degree holders) have been successful in graduate programs including allopathic and osteopathic medical school, nursing school, pharmacy programs, veterinary school, dental school, physician’s assistant programs, and physical therapy programs. For students pursuing a BS in BCS, many of the science and math courses required for medical and health professional programs can simultaneously fulfill some of the BCS degree requirements for the General Science Foundation, Allied Field, and Open Electives.
For detailed information on premed course requirements, academic planning, and the MCAT, visit the Health Professions Advising website.
Other useful information, including general planning guidelines and relevant student organizations, is available from the College Center for Advising Services.
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