View information for the Department of Biological Sciences , including Learning Objectives for the department and its programs.
Mark A. Grobner (Biological Sciences), Ph.D., Adviser
Office: Naraghi Hall of Science 259
Phone: (209) 667-3628
Students interested in health careers such as dentistry, medicine, clinical laboratory science, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, podiatry, or veterinary medicine are usually not required to complete a prescribed undergraduate major, although most do. Each professional school has specific prerequisite coursework. The University offers the appropriate pre-professional coursework for these programs and the Department of Biological Sciences has fliers that outline the undergraduate courses recommended for each of these career paths. In general, students interested in a health profession choose in biological sciences or chemistry as a major.
Course Requirements
The minimum requirement for admission to most health professional schools is completion of at least 90 semester units; however, a bachelor’s degree is recommended. In addition, specific course requirements may differ from one school to another. Therefore, it is highly recommended that students, while preparing for admission, examine the requirements of their prospective professional schools and, with the assistance of their major adviser, design a program of study.
Experience
It is critical for students to have special health-related experience in addition to their coursework. The experience should have direct patient contact or other interpersonal involvement. The professional schools want to know if the applicants have first-hand knowledge of the realities of a career in a health profession. An undergraduate internship in an appropriate health profession setting is a recommended way to achieve this “real world” experience.
In some situations, experience plays a significant role in the admission selection process. Academic credit may be received for such experiences. Research experience may be useful to some students, but it is not a major requirement for admission to some of the health professions. Consult your major adviser and a member of the Pre-health Professions Committee.
