UNCW Pre-Health Professions
Advising Program
General Information
Suggested Science Electives
Suggested Non-Science Electives
Suggested Minors
Alternative Health-Related Majors at UNCW
Additional Information For:
Dental
Pharmacy
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Physician Assistant
Pharmacy
Veterinary Medicine
There are no specific pre-health majors (i.e. pre-med, pre-dent, pre-vet, pre-PT, etc.) at UNCW or any other undergraduate school. Although not required, the majority of pre-health professions students choose to major in a science field. Typically about 50 - 60% of students major in biology and another 20 - 25% major in either chemistry or physics. The balance of students chooses from any of the other majors available on campus. Detailed information about the pre-health professions science courses of study at UNCW can be found below.
Biology (B.S.)
Biology (B.A.)
Chemistry (B.S.)
Chemistry (B.A)
Physics (B.S.)
Physics (B.A.)
No matter what major you choose, it is critical that you work carefully and consistently with your pre-health professions advisors (http://www.uncw.edu/prehealth/working.html) to create a curriculum that satisfies all of the prerequisites for your chosen field in the health professions. Your pre-health professions advisors will also guide you to take courses that will lead to an alternative career path should you not be accepted to a professional school of health. Whatever course of study you choose, it is recommended that you:
- Meet all of the minimum requirements for the professional schools of health to which you plan to apply; for example, most professional schools of health require the following as a minimum
- Completion of at least 90 semester hours, an undergraduate degree is generally expected prior to application (except some pharmacy schools)
- 8 semester hours each of general biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics (all with labs)
- Calculus plus one additional math course, statistics is sometimes required
- 6-8 semester hours of English with an emphasis on writing
- Beyond the minimums, follow a rigorous curriculum, particularly rich in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics;
- Take at least 15 - 16 hours each semester;
- complete as many upper-level elective science courses as possible to demonstrate depth of understanding and;
- choose a variety of non-science electives (see below) that increase your general knowledge as well as your specific understanding of healthcare related ideas and issues.
Like all undergraduate students, you will also need to complete your Basic Studies requirements http://www.uncw.edu/uc/documents/BasicStudiesWorksheet-Newest0809.pdf, the required courses for your major, and free elective hours to total the 124 hours needed to graduate from UNCW. Since almost all health professions programs are now at least Master's level academically (most are clinical doctorates), you will likely be spending four years here before going on to professional school. Some schools, like the medical, dental, and physical therapy schools, expect you to graduate from college before attending. Other programs, like pharmacy, allow you to apply in your sophomore year, and then move to their programs for another 4 years leading to a doctoral degree, if accepted.
For these reasons it is imperative that you learn all you can about the specific professional schools of health to which you think you will eventually apply and take the appropriate courses at the right times. Your pre-health profession advisors will be immensely helpful in this regard. Discuss all course choices with your pre-health advisors at least once each semester at pre-registration to make sure you are making suitable choices and progressing appropriately.
Typical Pre-Requisite Courses for Selected Pre-Health Graduate Programs
(NOTE: Specific pre-requisite courses may differ across graduate schools.
Consult web sites for each school you are considering to verify required course clusters.)
Pre-Medical/Dental/Chiropractic/Optometry/Podiatry
BIO 201 (with lab): Cells
Minimum of 4 additional hours in biology (e.g. BIO 202: Biodiversity;
BIO 335: Genetics; BIO 240-241: Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II, etc.)
CHM 101-102 (with labs): Chemistry
CHM 211-212 (with labs): Organic Chemistry
PHY 101-102 (with labs): Elementary College Physics
MAT 151: Basic Calculus
( Optometry add PSY 105, STT 215, and 6 additional hours of Math)
Pre-Physical Therapy
BIO 201(with lab): Cells
BIO 240-241(with labs): Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II
CHM 101-102 (with labs): General Chemistry
PHY 101-102 (with labs): Elementary College Physics
MAT 111:College Algebra
STT 215: Introduction to Statistics
PSY 105: Introduction to Psychology
PSY 223: Life Span Human Development
Pre-Occupational Therapy
BIO 240-241(with labs): Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II
STT 215: Introduction to Statistics
SOC 105: Introduction to Sociology -OR- ANT 105: Introduction to Anthropology
PSY 223: Life Span Human Development
PSY 347: Psychopathology
In addition to the common courses listed above, each Occupational Therapy
program requires several other courses to be completed prior to admission. It is critical that you look at each of the schools you are interested in and create your academic plan at UNCW to include the necessary pre-requisite courses.
Pre-Pharmacy
BIO 201 (with lab): Cells
BIO 240 (with lab): Human Anatomy & Physiology I
BIO 246 (with lab): Microbiology of Human Disease
CHM 101-102 (with labs): General Chemistry
CHM 211-212 (with labs): Organic Chemistry
PHY 101-102 (with labs): Elementary College Physics
MAT 161: Calculus with Analytic Geometry
STT 215: Introduction to Statistics
Plus additional general studies requirements if student intends to enter pharmacy school
prior to earning a bachelor's degree.
Pre-Vet
BIO 201 (with lab): Cells or BIO 202 (with lab): Biodiversity
BIO 335 (with lab): Genetics
BIO 425 (with lab): Microbiology
BIO 465 (with lab): Biochemistry
CHM 101-102 (with labs): General Chemistry
CHM 211-212 (with labs): Organic Chemistry
PHY 101-102 (with labs): Elementary College Physics
MAT 151: Basic Calculus
STT 215: Introduction to Statistics
6 hours of business courses
Animal Nutrition
(Note: UNCW does not offer an animal nutrition course; this course must be taken either on-line from another university or from a select group of North Carolina community colleges which can be found at:
http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/studentservices/admissions.html#Admissions
Pre-Physician Assistant
There are currently four Physician Assistant (PA) graduate programs in North Carolina:
Duke University
East Carolina University
Methodist University
Wake Forest University
Although many of the pre-requisite courses for admission are similar across programs, there are several important differences. It is critical that you look at each of the schools/programs you are interested in and create your academic plan at UNCW to include the necessary pre-requisite courses. You should do the same for any PA graduate programs you are considering outside of North Carolina.
Admission Standards
Admission to graduate schools of health is highly competitive. Academic superiority (measured by GPA on a 4.0 scale) and excellent scores on admissions tests (e.g. MCAT, DAT, PCAT, GRE, etc.) are critical elements in any successful application. The following is a sample of admissions characteristics from a health related graduate programs in North Carolina. This list is not exhaustive. Except where specifically noted, statistics are averages for the class entering in Fall 2008.
Allopathic Medicine MD)
Duke (for class entering Fall 2009)
5000 applications for 100 seats
3.8 overall GPA
36 average MCAT
UNC Chapel Hill
4100 applications for 160 seats
3.6 overall GPA
34 average MCAT
Wake Forest
7201 applications for 120 seats
3.8 science GPA
31 average MCAT
Osteopathic Medicine (OD)
Virginia COM
3100 applications for 186 seats
3.5 science GPA
3.6 overall GPA
25 average MCAT
DeBusk COM
2500 applications for 150 seats
3.3 science GPA
3.4 overall GPA
25 average MCAT
Dentistry
UNC Chapel Hill
81 seats
3.6 overall GPA
3.4 science GPA
DAT average 19
Pharmacy
Campbell
100 seats
2.5 overall GPA
PCAT 70 percentile (minimum)
UNC Chapel Hill
152 seats
3.5 overall GPA
PCAT 86 percentile (average)
Wingate
1112 applications for 70 seats
3.6 average GPA
PCAT 71 percentile (mean)
Occupational Therapy
Winston Salem
3.0 overall GPA
Physical Therapy
Duke
3.6 overall GPA
Physician Assistant
Methodist University
367 applications for 34 seats
3.2 overall GPA
1050 GRE and higher
500 hours direct patient contact (minimum)
Wake Forest (class entering Fall 2009)
3.6 overall GPA
3.5 science GPA
Average direct patient contact:
3958 hours (22.8 months)
GRE Verbal 523
GRE Quantitative 640
GRE Analytical Writing 4.6
Although there are many biology and chemistry elective courses to choose from, some are more directly relevant to healthcare than others. The ones listed below are appropriate choices to both broaden your knowledge of, and demonstrate your commitment to, acquiring a solid foundation in the basic sciences.
- BIO 315 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
- BIO 316 Vertebrate Embryology
- BIO 320 Immunology
- BIO 325 Molecular Biology of the Cell
- BIO 371 Human Fungal Diseases
- BIO 415 Vertebrate Histology
- BIO 425 Microbiology
- BIO 459 Endocrinology
- BIO 465 Biochemistry
- CHEM 365 Biochemistry I
- CHEM 380 Forensic Chemistry
- CHEM 466 Biochemistry II
- CHEM 417 Medicinal Chemistry
Suggested Non-Science Electives
The following is a list of non-science elective courses that you may want to consider as a pre-health professions student. These courses are suggested because they contain material that is in some way relevant to professional practice in the health professions. You will also read about, write about, discuss and explore ideas and information that will be potentially useful when you apply to professional schools of health. You do not need to restrict yourself to this list. These are only suggestions. Look carefully at the amazing variety of courses that are available across the UNCW curriculum and then choose electives that both interest you and capture your imagination.
NOTE: Highlighted courses also fulfill Basic Studies requirements.
- ATR 450 Pharmacology for the Health Sciences
- COM 104 Concepts in Communication Studies
- COM 110 Public Speaking
- COM 220 Interpersonal Communication
- COM 225 Health Communication
- EDB 280 Entrepreneurship for Non-Business Majors
- ENG 313 Writing About Science
- GRN 101 Introduction to Gerontology
- GRN 440 Current Issues in Gerontology
- GRN 446 Health Care Access for the Elderly
- HEA 201 First Aid, Safety and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- HEA 240 Topics in Health
- HEA 245 Consumer Health
- HEA 325 Health and Aging
- HEA 351 Health Communications
- HST 275 History of Science I: Antiquity to the Scientific Revolution
- HST 276 History of Science II: Modern Science
- LED 211 Principles of Leadership
- LED 311 Communication and Leadership
- PAR 110 Introduction to Logic
- PAR 115 Introduction to Ethics
- PAR 215 Bioethics
- PSY 105 General Psychology
- PSY 223 Life Span Human Development
- PSY 352 Behavioral Medicine
- PSY 449 Psychology of Death
- SHS 210 Introduction to Science, the Humanities and Society
- SOC 105 Introduction to Sociology
- SOC 336 Sociology of Aging
- SOC 337 Medical Sociology
- STT 215 Introduction to Statistics
- UNI 101 Freshman Seminar for Pre-Meds ( http://www.uncw.edu/prehealth/seminars.html)
Currently, UNCW offers over 50 minors. While all of these minors are open to you, several are particularly relevant to pre-health professions students. If you are seeking a minor, you may want to consider the following:
Biology
Chemistry
Community Health
Forensic Science
Gerontology
Leadership Studies
Physics
Psychology
Alternative Health-Related Majors at UNCW
It is not unusual for pre-health professions students to change their minds and decide that pursuing admission to a professional school of health is no longer their goal. If you should come to this decision, you may want to consider one the following health-related undergraduate majors available at UNCW:
B.A. Athletic Training
B. A. Physical Education, Community Health Education Concentration
B. A. Physical Education, Exercise Science Concentration
B. A. Physical Education, Recreation Therapy Concentration
B .A. Sociology and Criminology, Public Sociology
B.S.W. Social Work
Some professional schools of health have additional requirement that go beyond course pre-requisites. Generally these requirements are tied directly to professional standards and expectations. You need to become familiar with and take appropriate steps to fulfill these requirements prior to application for admission. Failing to do so can disqualify you even if you have a high GPA and superior admissions test scores. Requirements can vary from school to school so make sure you research each professional school of health to which you plan to apply.
There is currently only one school of dentistry in North Carolina located at UNC Chapel Hill. A second is under construction at East Carolina University and will be accepting students for Fall, 2011 admission.
Beyond program specific academic requirements, applicants to dental school should possess psychomotor skills sufficient to perform the necessary technical tasks in dentistry. These skills are evidenced by an acceptable performance on the perceptual ability exam of the Dental Admission Test and by participation in hobbies and other experiences that require psychomotor activity outside the normal college curriculum. In addition, courses in drawing and sculpture are suggested.
Successful applicants must also demonstrate a service commitment and a desire to help others. This is evidenced by participation in extracurricular and volunteer activities that require interaction with others. A caring attitude is considered central to the practice of dentistry and, therefore, admissions committees expect applicants to demonstrate such an attitude. A pre-dental curriculum designed to expand social awareness and extracurricular experiences demonstrating social sensitivity will be important factors in any application for admission.
In addition, applicants should possess the potential to be self-directed, life-long learners. By definition, the dental profession requires a practitioner to learn continually in order to provide the highest level of patient care. This attitude is evidenced by appropriate self-learning activities and other experiences that indicate a high level of independent, intellectual curiosity.
Unlike other professional schools of health, pharmacy programs may allow you to apply in your sophomore year and to transfer in your junior year to become a first-year pharmacy student. The PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree is a six year course of study. Therefore, it is critical that you pay particular attention to pre-requisites so that they are completed prior to application. Since acceptance is not guaranteed in the junior year, you should be working consistently toward completing a major. If you are not accepted, you can continue to progress in your major and apply again senior year. Although not specifically required, pharmacy school admissions committees look for commitment to the pharmacy profession as demonstrated by documented experiential hours spent in pharmacy settings. These can be either volunteer or paid experiences. Although most schools do not state a specific number of required hours, you should strive to accrue as many as possible. Make sure you keep a precise accounting of your experiential hours in your Pre-Health Professions Admissions e-Portfolio.
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Physical therapy and occupational therapy professional schools can vary widely in their courses required for admission. You are strongly encouraged to carefully research each program you are interested in applying to and, then, to incorporate the required courses into your plan of study. If you hope to satisfy the prerequisites for multiple schools you will have to plan your semesters very carefully. Be sure to work closely with your pre-health professions advisors. It is also imperative that you begin to accumulate physical therapy or occupational therapy volunteer and/or work experience. Many schools require a minimum of 100 documented hours prior to application. All PT and OT admissions committees place high value on these experiences even if they are not specifically required. Again, your Pre-Health Professions Admissions e-Portfolio is an excellent place to keep track of your experiential hours.
As with OT and PT, physician assistant programs generally have their own curricular nuances. Again, you are strongly encouraged to carefully research each program you are interested in applying to and to incorporate the required courses into your plan of study. Your pre-health professions advisors can assist with making appropriate course and sequencing choices. Most PA programs require extensive patient care experience prior to application. Accruing 1000 documented hours (or 6 months of employment) of clinical experience is a typical requirement. Appropriate clinical experience includes: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) http://www.cfcc.edu/ce; Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) http://www.cfcc.edu/ce or any other allied health profession involving direct patient care. Document your hours carefully and consistently in your Pre-Health Professions Admissions e-Portfolio.
The College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University is the primary choice if you are a North Carolina resident. Other schools of veterinary medicine accept North Carolina residents but there are few seats available. NC State, and many other schools, requires a course in Animal Nutrition. UNCW does not offer this course. You will have to fulfill this requirement either via distance learning from another university or from a select group of North Carolina community colleges which can be found at: (http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/studentservices/admissions.html#Admissions).
The experiential expectations prior to admission at NC Sate are typical of many schools of veterinary medicine. A minimum of 400 hours of clinical, medical, agribusiness, health science or research experience is required. Experience in three different areas of the veterinary medical profession (e.g. small animal, large animal, research, food animal production, exotic, aquatic, wildlife, zoological medicine, etc.) is highly recommended for a competitive application. The work can be either paid or voluntary and must be completed under the supervision of a veterinarian (or PhD scientist for scientific research). Applicants will be evaluated on duration, level of duties, and diversity of the experiences.
All other animal related experiences will also be evaluated, such as working with livestock, breeding/ showing dogs, working at a zoo, aquarium or pet shop, equestrian activities, volunteer time at an animal shelter/rescue facility, etc. Like veterinary experience, animal experience will be evaluated on duration with at least 100 hours or more contact time highly recommended. Multiple experiences of long duration are preferred. This category doesn't include pet ownership.
