Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, Pre-Optometry, or Pre-Chiropractic
Students interested in pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.), Doctor of Optometry (O.D.), or Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree should major in Biology or Chemistry (with a Biology minor). For the best preparation, we recommend a double major in both Biology and Chemistry. Students should review the admissions requirements for the professional schools of their choice. We recommend that students complete the following courses (in addition to major requirements) for preparation for admission and success in medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic school:
- BIOL3120 Internship in Biological Sciences
- BIOL3420 Human Anatomy
- BIOL3440 Human Physiology
- BIOL4310 Biochemistry
- BIOL4400 Immunology
- BIOL4450 Molecular and Cellular Biology
- MATH1380 Introduction to Statistics
- MATH1510 Calculus I
During summers, students should consider internships or volunteer experiences at local hospitals, clinics, or private practices to gain practical experience. Most students take the MCAT (medicine), DAT (dentistry), or OAT (optometry) exam in April of their junior year and begin to apply to professional schools during the summer following their junior year. Early application using the AMCAS (medicine), AADSAS (dentistry), OptomCAS (optometry) or another appropriate application service is strongly recommended.
