Academic Requirements

Last Updated: 8/16/05

    
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  Pre-Health Schedules and Course Loads

To enter professional school, you will be expected to demonstrate good academic performance while taking full loads and rigorous course combinations. Plan to take 15 credits a semester, including two or more science courses. You can major in any subject , but you need to take a core of courses. The courses listed below are required for medical schools but should satisfy the major portion of the requirements for other health professional schools (dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, etc.). You are encouraged to investigate the requirements of professional schools you are interested in early in your college career so that you can plan your schedule accordingly. Most required courses should be taken before applying and before taking the admissions t est (usually spring of the Junior year).

Nearly all medical schools require these core courses:

•General Biology (BY 101, 102)
•General Chemistry (CY 101, 102)
•Organic Chemistry (CY 303, 304)
•College Physics (PS 101, 102)
•Calculus (MS 222, or MS 201, 202)
•English (EH 111, 121 or 121, 131)

Some medical schools (including the University of Florida) require:

•Biochemistry (CY 305)

Usually recommended but not required are:

•Microbiology (BY 301)
•Genetics (BY 302)
•Cell Biology (BY 320)
•General Physiology (BY 401)
•Physical Chemistry (CY 351)
•Human Anatomy and Physiology (SES 311)
•Introduction to Psychology (PSY 101)

You may wish to investigate the requirements of schools that interest you by visiting other web sites that list their specific requirements:

Choosing Your Major

You do not have to be a natural science major to get into medical school or other health programs, but you are expected to show excellent achievement in a wide range of science courses (outlined above). Many students choose to major in a natural science since this is the easiest way to fulfill these basic requirements. Medical schools look at the cumulative grade point average (GPA) and the GPA in natural science courses. Your goal for most health professions is a GPA of 3.5. A GPA above 3.0 is competetive for other health professional schools (visit applying t o profession school page).

You should choose a major that matches your interests and abilities, and will allow you to excel in the required courses for professional school. When registering for courses, please do not hesitate to have a HPAC member check your schedule to ensure that you are fulfilling the pre-health requirements in a timely fashion.

Don't forget a minor! You can choose a minor that enhances your major course of study. If you think you would like to have your own practice one day, you may want to consider a business minor. If you choose not to major in a natural science, it might be a good choice for a minor. Other subjects like Applied Ethics, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy and Communications will enhance any pre-health curriculum. There are many potential combinations; try to find one that is right for you.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

     
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