Catalog 2024-25

Pre-Health Sciences

Pre-Health Sciences

www.plu.edu/healthsciences/

 

The overwhelming majority of students entering the professional schools for the careers listed below have earned baccalaureate degrees, each securing a broad educational background in the process. This background includes a thorough preparation in the sciences as well as study in the social sciences and the humanities.

The Pre-Health Sciences Advising Team in the College of Natural Sciences advises students aspiring to careers in the health sciences. Students having such interests are encouraged to obtain a Pre-Health Sciences Team advisor early in their program. Summarized below are general pre-professional requirements for many health science areas; however, students should research the exact prerequisites for each specific program in which they are interested. Additional information is also available through the Pre-Health Sciences Advising Team.

Pre-Medicine

There is no pre-professional major for medicine at PLU; rather students each should select the major which best matches their interests and which best prepares them for alternative careers. In addition to the general university requirements and the courses needed to complete the student’s major, the following courses are generally required for admission to medical school:

  • BIOL 225, 226
    • Recommended courses include BIOL 330, 341, 342, 352, 357, 442, 453
  • CHEM 115 & 116, 331 & 332 (with accompanying labs)
    • Some medical schools require CHEM 403
    • MATH 140 is a pre-requisite for CHEM 115
  • ENGL – most medical schools require two English courses
  • MATH –most medical schools require Math and/or Statistics
  • PHYS 125 & 126 or 153 & 154 (with accompanying labs)
  • PSYC 101
  • SOCI 101

Pre-Dentistry

There is no pre-professional major for dentistry at PLU; rather students each should select the major which best matches their interests and which best prepares them for alternative careers. In addition to the general university requirements and the courses needed to complete the student’s major, the following courses are generally required for admission to dental school:

  • BIOL 225, 226
    • Many dental schools require BIOL 342 and 352
    • Recommended courses include BIOL 330, 341, 357, 442, 453
  • CHEM 115 & 116, 331 & 332 (with accompanying labs)
    • Some dental schools require CHEM 403
    • MATH 140 is a pre-requisite for CHEM 115
  • ENGL – most dental schools require two English courses
  • MATH – some dental schools require Math and/or Statistics
  • PHYS 125 & 126 or 153 & 154 (with accompanying labs)
  • PSYC 101 – most dental schools require one semester of Psychology

Pre-Physician’s Assistant School

In general, the following coursework satisfies the required and recommended courses for admission to physician assistant school. Note this represents general guidelines and requirements vary from one school to the next.

  • BIOL 225, 226
    • Often PA schools require BIOL 342, 352 and/or 453
    • Additional recommended courses include BIOL 330, 448
  • CHEM 115, 116, 331, 332 or 346 (with accompanying labs)
    • Most PA schools require CHEM 403
    • MATH 140 is a pre-requisite for CHEM 115
  • MATH – most PA schools require one Math and/or Statistics course
  • PSYC 315 and/or 320 are required by most PA schools
    • PSYC 101 is a pre-requisite for PSYC 315 and 320

Pre-Physical Therapy

At PLU, there are two routes to completing your prerequisites for admission to a PT program.

  1. A BS in Kinesiology with a concentration in Pre-Physical Therapy – a concentration in Pre-Physical Therapy provides preparation for entry into Doctor of Physical Therapy degree programs throughout the United States. Visit plu.edu/kinesiology/quick-facts/ for details.
  2. A major in a Natural Sciences discipline – a good approach with greater flexibility that might be right for you if you’re unsure about committing to a PT program. This route allows you to fulfill the requirements for admission to a school of physical therapy but gives you more career options.

The requirements for admission to schools of physical therapy vary. In general, the following coursework satisfies the required and recommended courses for admission to a school of physical therapy:

  • BIOL 225, 226
    • Most PT schools require BIOL 353 and 453
  • CHEM 115, 116
    • CHEM 331 is recommended (with accompanying lab)
  • MATH 140 is a pre-requisite for CHEM 115
  • PHYS 125 & 126 or 153 & 154 (with accompanying labs)
  • PSYC 101
  • SOCI 101
  • STAT – most PT schools require a Statistics course

Pre-Occupational Therapy

There are a few different choices for majors that will assist in becoming a certified occupational therapist. Some of these choices include anthropology, sociology, and psychology. In general, the following coursework satisfies the required and recommended courses for admission to a school of occupational therapy.

  • BIOL 205, 206
  • PSYCH 101, 320, 415
  • SOCI 101
  • STAT – most OT schools require a Statistics course

Pre-Veterinary Medicine

There is no pre-professional major for veterinary medicine at PLU; rather students each should select the major which best matches their interests and which best prepares them for alternative careers. In addition to the general university requirements and the courses needed to complete the student’s major, the following courses are generally required for admission to veterinary school:

  • BIOL 225, 226
    • Often vet schools require BIOL 330, 342, 352, 453
    • Recommended courses include BIOL 341, 357, 442
  • CHEM 115 & 116, 331 & 332 (with accompanying labs)
    • Most vet schools require CHEM 403
    • MATH 140 is a pre-requisite for CHEM 115
  • COMA 212 or 214 – many schools require a course in oral communication
  • ENGL – most vet schools require two English courses
  • MATH –most vet schools require Math and/or Statistics
  • PHYS 125 & 126 or 153 & 154 (with accompanying labs)

Pre-Pharmacy

Although the pre-pharmacy requirements for individual schools vary, the following courses are usually required:

  • BIOL 225, 226
  • Recommended courses include BIOL 330, 341, 342, 352, 357, 442, 453
  • CHEM 115, 116, 331, 332 (with accompanying labs)
    • Some pharmacy schools require CHEM 403
    • MATH 140 is a pre-requisite for CHEM 115
  • COMA 212 or 214 – many schools require a course in oral communication
  • ENGL – most pharmacy schools require two English courses
  • MATH 151
    • Many pharmacy schools requires one Statistics course
  • PHYS 125 & 126 or 153 & 154 (with accompanying labs)
  • PSYC 101
  • SOCI 101

Pre-Optometry

Although two years of pre-optometry study is the minimum required, most students accepted by schools of optometry have completed at least three years of undergraduate work. A large percentage of students accepted by schools of optometry have earned baccalaureate degrees. For those students who have not completed baccalaureate degrees, completion of such a degree must be done in conjunction with optometry professional studies.

The requirements for admission to the schools of optometry vary. However, the basic science and mathematics requirements are generally uniform and include the following courses:

  • BIOL 225, 226
  • Recommended courses include BIOL 342, 352, 453
  • CHEM 115 & 116, 331 & 332 (with accompanying labs)
    • Most optometry schools require CHEM 403
    • MATH 140 is a pre-requisite for CHEM 115
  • ENGL – most optometry schools require two English courses
  • MATH – Calculus and Statistics
  • PHYS 125 & 126 or 153 & 154 (with accompanying labs)
  • PSYC 101