Health Professional Program Preparation

Baccalaureate students intending to pursue a health professional program after graduation should take courses that meet the admissions requirements of medical and other health professional schools, and that prepare them for the pre-professional placement tests (e.g., MCAT, DAT, OAT, and PCAT). Examples of health professional programs with prerequisite course requirements include medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, chiropractic medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, podiatry, physician’s assistant, and public health.

In addition to completing these prerequisite courses, it is important that these students make the most of their University experiences by choosing a major that matches their interests, aptitudes, and alternative career goals. An ideal health professional school candidate is a well-rounded, intelligent, highly skilled university graduate with a solid background in the sciences. While, traditionally, students interested in health professions have majored in the sciences, health professional schools give equal consideration to students with any major, provided that they have completed the prerequisite coursework. A student should not automatically exclude any course of study when entering Dominican.

Students completing the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biological Sciences with a Molecular Cell Biology emphasis and a Chemistry minor fulfill the prerequisites for health professional school admission as they complete their degree requirements at Dominican. However, many majors at Dominican offer sufficient flexibility for students to complete these prerequisites, including pre-medical, along with their major requirements. Students not majoring in Biological Sciences should work with their primary academic advisor to select coursework in their major, but should also seek out advising from pre-health science advisors in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics regarding pre-health professional requirements.

In addition, health professional schools may require or strongly recommend other specific courses for admission; many of these courses cover topics on the pre-professional placement tests (e.g., MCAT, DAT, OAT, and PCAT). The following courses are highly recommended, in addition to the above list:

• At least one of the following upper division Biology courses: Animal Physiology, Comparative Anatomy, Developmental Biology, Epidemiology, Genetics, Histology, Molecular Cell Biology, and Neuroscience
• Biochemistry with lab (CHEM 4100/CHEM 4105)

Due to the competitive nature of health professional school admissions, in addition to the above coursework, it is recommended that students demonstrate their commitment to the profession by volunteering, participating in internships, and/or job shadowing.

Information regarding specific requirements for health professional programs at individual schools is available on reserve in the Dominican library, and on websites for each professional school.