Pre-Health Professions

Post-Baccalaureate Degrees: MD, DO

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

Minimum Prerequisites for Admission

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific schools for detailed prerequisites and admission requirements. Visit the 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 lab
• 1 year of organic chemistry with lab
• 1 year of general biology with lab
• 1 year of physics with lab

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

Post-Baccalaureate Degree: PharmD

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
• 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
• Human anatomy and physiology
• Microbiology with lab
• 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

Post-baccalaureate degree: DDS

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

Other highly recommended courses are:

• Upper division biology courses, such as 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. Most schools require at least 3 years of pre-optometric study, minimum 135 quarter units prior to admission.

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
• 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

Post-Baccalaureate Degree: DVM

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 Prerequisites for Admission

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required. Each program has its own prerequisites; check specific school for detail prerequisites. Visit the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for additional resources.

General course prerequisites include:

• 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

 

Post-Baccalaureate Degree: OT, OTD

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 Prerequisites for Admission

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.

The following prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation in an occupational therapy program:

General course prerequisites include the following:

• 1 year of general biology with lab
• 1 year of general chemistry with lab
• 1 year of English
• 1 year of behavioral science
• Human anatomy and physiology with lab
• Statistics

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

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required. The following prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation in a physical therapy program:

• 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
• 1 year of behavioral science
• Human anatomy and physiology with lab
• Statistics

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
• Chapman University
• Loma Linda University
• Mount St. Mary’s College
• Samuel Merritt University
• San Diego State 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 Prerequisites 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:

• 1 year of humanities (i.e. art, music, ethics, philosophy, foreign languages, religion)
• 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

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 should 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