Pre-Health Professions

The pre-medicine track is a rigorous sequence of courses in math, biology, chemistry and physics, and typically takes three years to complete.

Minimum Pre-requisites for Admission in General
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific schools for detailed prerequisites and admission requirements. Furthermore, visit Association of American Medical Schools (AAMC) for assistance and additional resources.

General Course prerequisites include the following:

• 1 year English
• 1 year of General (Inorganic) Chemistry with Laboratory
• 1 year of Organic Chemistry with Laboratory
• 1 year of General Biology with Laboratory (Please consult a counselor or admissions rep for the campus you are applying to.)
• 1 year of Physics with Laboratory

Tests Needed
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Online MCAT registration is available on the AAMC website.

California Medical Schools
University of California Davis

University of California Irvine

University of California Los Angeles

University of California San Diego

University of California San Francisco

Loma Linda University School of Medicine

University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine

Western University of the Health Sciences

Stanford University

Pharmacists are health care professionals who dispense medications prescribed by physicians. They also counsel patients on proper drug use. Pharmacists work in a variety of settings including hospitals, retail businesses, long-term care facilities, internet pharmacies, and public health services.

Minimum Prerequisites for Admission
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is recommended. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific schools for prerequisites details.

General course prerequisites include the following:

• 1 year of general biology with lab
• 1 year of biochemistry
• human anatomy and physiology
• microbiology with lab
• 1 year of general chemistry with lab
• 1 year of organic chemistry with lab
• 1 year of general physics with lab
• 1 year of English
• calculus, two courses
• speech, two courses

Test Needed
Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

California Pharmacy Schools
California Northstate University

Loma Linda University

Touro University California

University of California Irvine

University of California San Diego

University of California San Francisco

University of Southern California

University of the Pacific

Western University of the Health Sciences

Dentists play a significant role in our oral health care throughout our lives. Whether it’s maintenance in our early years, braces in our adolescent years, or treatment for gum disease or teeth extractions in our senior years, successful dentists are capable and compassionate practitioners.

Minimum Prerequisites for Admission
A baccalaureate degree strongly preferred. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific schools for prerequisites details.

General course prerequisites include the following:

• 1 year of general biology with lab
• 1 year of general chemistry with lab
• 1 year of organic chemistry with lab
• 1 year of general physics with lab
• 1 year of English, one year

Other highly recommended courses are:

• upper division biology courses like human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology, histology, embryology, and cell biology
• business courses like personnel management, accounting, and marketing
• calculus
• psychology
• public speaking
• sociology

Test Needed
Dental Admission Test (DAT)

California Dental Schools
Loma Linda University

University of California San Francisco

University of California Los Angeles

University of Southern California

University of the Pacific

Post-baccalaureate degree: OD

Optometrists are trained to provide eye-care for people who have vision problems or develop
them as a result of reduced ability to adjust their eyes to changing light and distance, a problem that often appears as we age. Optometrists spend much of their time assessing the vision status of each patient to provide individualized lenses, in the form of contact lenses or glasses. Recently, optometrists have also begun to perform laser surgeries on the eye and to specialize in low-vision care.

Minimum Prerequisites for Admission
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is preferred. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific school for prerequisites details.

General course prerequisites include the following:

• at least 3 years of pre-optometric study, minimum 135 quarter units prior to admission
• 1 year of general biology with lab
• 1 year of general chemistry with lab
• 1 year of organic chemistry with lab
• 1 year of general physics with lab
• 1 year of English
• calculus
• statistics
• biochemistry
• microbiology
• psychology
• anatomy
• cellular physiology

Test Needed
Optometry Admission Test (OAT)

California Optometry Schools
Marshal B. Ketchum University, Southern California College of Optometry

University of California Berkeley

Western University of Health Sciences

Veterinarians specialize in providing medical care for domestic food animals, pets, zoo animals and those of the wild. Part of their activities are also providing for the health of the human population by controlling animal diseases such as rabies and mad cow disease. In addition, they inspect our meats, fish and milk to keep these foods safe for us.

Minimum Pre-requisites for Admission
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific school for detail prerequisites. Furthermore, visit American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for assistance and additional resources.

General course prerequisites include the following:

• 1 year of English
• 1 year of general (inorganic) chemistry with lab
• 1 year of organic chemistry with lab
• 1 course of biochemistry
• 1 year of college mathematics including college algebra, college trigonometry, calculus and/or statistics
• 1 year of general biology with lab
• 1 year of physics with lab

Other highly recommended courses are:

• Animal Nutrition
• Animal Husbandry
• Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals
• Genetics of Domestic Animals
• Mammalian Endocrinology
• Genetics
• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Medical Bacteriology
• Virology
• Medical Mycology
• Cell, Molecular, and developmental Biology
• Cell Biology
• Concepts of Molecular Biology
• Anatomy
• Embryology
• Animal Physiology
• Histology

Animal experience requirements include a minimum of 300 hours of veterinary-related experience through internship and/or externship.

Tests Needed:
GRE or MCAT or VCAT
Online MCAT registration is available on the AAMC website.

California Veterinary Schools
University of California Davis

Western University of the Health Sciences

Occupational therapy is the art and science of helping people do the day-to-day activities that are important and meaningful to their health and well-being. Occupational Therapists (OTs) make it possible for people who face physical, cognitive, or mental health changes to participate more fully in their life roles at home and at the school, at work, and at play. Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.

Minimum Pre-requisites for Admission
The following prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation in an occupational therapy program:
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific school for prerequisites details. Note that some schools will not accept AP credit for prerequisites.

General course prerequisites include the following:

• 1 year of general biology with lab
• human anatomy and physiology with lab
• 1 year of general chemistry with lab
• 1 year of English
• statistics
• 1 year of behavioral science

Test Needed
Most programs require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for admission and have established a GRE Code for the reporting of scores.

California Occupational Therapy Schools
California State University Dominguez Hills

Loma Linda University

San Jose State University

University of Southern California

Post-baccalaureate degrees: MPT, DPT

Physical therapists (PTs) are evidence-based healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. They offer cost-effective treatment that improves mobility and relieves pain, reduces the need for surgery and prescription drugs, and allows patients to participate in a recovery plan designed for their specific needs. In addition, physical therapists work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.

Minimum Prerequisites for Admission
The following prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation in a physical therapy program:
baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.

• 1 year of general biology with lab
• 1 year of general chemistry with lab
• 1 year of general physics with lab
• 1 year of English
• statistics
• 1 year of behavioral science
• human anatomy and physiology with lab

Test Needed
Most programs require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for admission.

California Physical Therapy Schools
Azusa Pacific University

California State University Fresno

California State University Long Beach

California State University Northridge

California State University Sacramento

California State University San Diego

Chapman University

Loma Linda University

Mount St. Mary’s College

Samuel Merritt University

University of California San Francisco

University of Southern California

University of Southern California Hybrid Program

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

University of the Pacific

Western University of Health Sciences

Post-Baccalaureate Certification: PA-C

Physician Assistants (PAs) are health care professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. PAs provide physical exams, order and administer tests, make diagnoses, and treat illnesses. PAs work in a variety of settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and surgical centers. They are qualified to practice in over 60 specialty areas.

Minimum Pre-requisites for Admission
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is require with a minimum cumulative overall G.P.A. of 2.5 with minimum pre-requisite GPA of 2.7.

General Course prerequisites include the following:

• 1 full year of English including composition
• 1 year of inorganic chemistry with lab
• 1 year of biology with lab
• physiology
• microbiology with lab
• genetics
• college algebra
• human anatomy
• psychology
• sociology
• statistics
• Spanish
• 1 year of humanities (i.e. Art, Music, Ethics, Philosophy, Foreign Languages, Religion)

It is strongly recommended that applicants also complete courses in:

• medical terminology
• biochemistry with lab
• immunology
• other biology courses
• organic Chemistry

Clinical health care experience include about 1000 hours of direct patient contact.

Tests Needed:
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

California Programs
University of Southern California

Samuel Merritt University

Stanford University

Western University of Health Sciences

For information on Rio Hondo College’s nursing and orthopedic technician program, visit the Health Sciences office in S206, call (562)-463-3227, or click here.