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Common Requirements

Common Requirements

Dentistry 

Common Requirements: 
  • Biology w/ lab (2 semesters)
  • Physics w/ lab (2 semesters)
  • English (1-2 semesters)
  • General Chemistry w/ lab (2 semesters)
  • Organic Chemistry w/ lab (2 semesters)
  • Statistics (1-2 semesters)
  • Additional Courses:
  • Biochemistry 
  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Cell biology
  • Anatomy
  • Social sciences/humanities coursework
Common Admission Requirements: 
  • Dental Admissions Test (DAT) are required.
  • 3-4 Letters of recommendation (at least one from a dentist)
  • Minimum GPA of 3.5
  • Community service and volunteer/work experience in a health care setting, including dental practice or clinic.
  • Some schools require an interview.
Tips:
  • Apply for admission at least a year in advance of the planned enrollment date (June- August). Application cycle opens in June and end in February. 
  • Utilize your health professions advisor throughout the process and meet with him or her as early as possible.
  • Be honest about your qualifications. One of the worst things you can do on your dental school application is embellish your qualifications. 
  • Look at the ranking of possible dental schools.
    Understand the success rates and the acceptance rate  
  • Join the American Dental Association (ADA) 

For more information about careers in dentistry 

Medicine 

Common Requirements:

2 Semester of the following.

  • General biology
  • Physics with lab
  • General chemistry (inorganic chemistry) with lab
  • Organic chemistry with lab
  • Calculus
  • English
  • Sociology
  • Psychology

Recommended Courses:

  • Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 with lab
  • Cell Biology with lab
  • Microbiology with lab
  • Biochemistry with lab
Common Admission Requirements:
  • Take the MCAT (http://offers.aamc.org/mcat-study)
  • Have official transcripts sent right to centralized application

Letters of Recommendation and Committee Evaluation (Committee letter/ letter packet or three individual letters, two letters from science faculty and one additional letter.  

Applying:
  • Use the centralized application, AMCAS (MD schools) and/or AACOMAS (DO schools) to submit to colleges of choice
Tips: 
  • Shadow doctors. A recommended amount of hours to shadow is 100. Think about shadowing three different doctors, over three different specialties, over three different weeks. 
  • Volunteer at a hospital.
  • Contact your advisor
  • Attend career fairs
  • Present in front of the health professions committee

Helpful planning worksheets for admission: 

Coursework Tracker

Med School Admission Questions

Princeton Review   

 

Occupational Therapy

Common Requirements
  • General Biology w/ labs (2 Semesters)
  • General Physics w/ lab (1 or 2 semesters)
  • General Psychology (1 semester)
  • Anatomy and Physiology w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Psychology of Child Development (1 semester)
  • Abnormal Psychology (1 semester)
  • Statistics (1semester)
  • Intro to Sociology (1 semester)
  • Lifespan Development (1 semester)
  • Possible requirements:
  • Medical Terminology
  • Ethics/ Philosophy
  • English
  • Exercise Physiology/ Kinesiology
  • Research Methods
  • General Chemistry
Common Admission Requirements:
  • Take the GRE 
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.0
  • 2-3 recommendation letters
  • Depending on the school there is a required 40 - 100 hours of shadowing/volunteering/working
Applying:
Useful links:

America Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Dept. of Labor

AOTA School list

Optometry

Common Course Requirements
  • General Biology w/labs  (2 semesters)
  • General Chemistry w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Organic Chemistry w/labs  (2 semesters)              
  • Physics w/labs  (2 semesters)                       
  • Statistics/Calculus (1-2 semesters)
  • English Composition (1-2 semesters)
Additional Courses depending on the program:
  • Biochemistry 
  • Microbiology
  • Public Speaking
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
Common Admissions Requirements:
  • OAT (Optometry Admission Test) test scores are required
  • 3-4 Letters of recommendation (at least one from an optometrist)
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Community service and volunteer/work experience in a health care setting.
    Guide to shadowing an Optometrist:
  • An interview.  
    Sneaky Questions
Applying:

Use OPTOMCAS (Optometry Centralized Application Service)

Helpful Websites:

Explore Health Careers

American Optometric Association

Physician Assistant

Common Requirements
  • General Biology w/labs (2 semesters)
  • General Chemistry w/labs  (2 semesters)
  • Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry  (1 semester)
  • Anatomy and Physiology I & II w/labs  (2 semesters)
  • General Psychology  (1 semester)
  • Statistics  (1 semester)
  • Intro to Sociology  (1 semester)
  • Microbiology w/lab   (1 semester)
  • English Composition (1 semester)
Possible Requirements:
  • College Algebra
  • Genetics
  • Cell Biology
  • Other Social/Behavioral sciences
Common Admission requirements: 
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores
  • 2-3 letters of recommendation
  • 1,000 - 3,000 hours of direct patient care experience BEFORE applying
  • GPA of 3.0
Applying:
  • Use CASPA central application.
    Deadlines: November 1st and March 1st. 
Tips:
  • Start looking for schools early so you understand the requirements. 
  • Go to a community school and receive a certification to become a Certificated Nursing Assistant (CNA), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT),  Medical Assistant (MA), or EKG technician. 
  • Don’t take a break in the summer! Take classes, do some research, attend medical mission trips, become a medical or ER scribe.
  • Know the Top PA schools:
  • Apply early: four to six weeks before school’s deadline.
  • Helpful GRE websites:
    Kaplan 
    Discover Business

Physical Therapy

Common Course Requirements
  • General Biology w/labs  (2 semesters)
  • General Chemistry w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Anatomy and Physiology I & II w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Physics w/labs (1-2 semesters)
  • General Psychology  (1 semester)
  • Statistics  (1 semester)
  • English Composition (1 semester)
  • Other Biology (Cell biology, Genetics) (1 semester)
  • Other Psychology (child, abnormal, lifespan) (1 semester) 
Possible requirements:
  • Advanced Math (calculus, college algebra)
  • Medical Terminology
  • Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Computer science
  • Microbiology
Common Admissions Requirements:
  • GRE (Graduate Record Exam) test scores
  • 3-4 Letters of recommendation
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Significant physical therapy volunteer/work experience w/licensed physical therapist
Applying: 
  • Using Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) 
Helpful Websites: 

American Physical Therapy Association

Physical Therapy Careers

Explore Careers

Kaplan

Discover Business

Podiatry

Common Course Requirements
  • General Biology w/labs (2 semesters)
  • General Chemistry w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Organic Chemistry w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Physics w/labs ( 2 semesters)
  • Statistics/Calculus (1-2 semesters)
  • English Composition (1-2 semesters)
Possible requirements:
  • Additional Biology coursework such as Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Genetics
  • Communication courses
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
Common Admissions Requirements:
  • MCAT test scores are accepted by most podiatry schools but some schools will accept GRE (Graduate Record Exam) or DAT test scores. 
  • 3-4 Letters of recommendation (at least one from a podiatrist)
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Community service and volunteer/work experience in a health care setting
Applying: 
  • Use AACPMAS (American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine Application Service) which is the central application service
Helpful Websites:

Podiatric Medical College Information Book

The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine

Explore Health Careers

Veterinary Medicine 

Common Course Requirements
  • General Biology w/labs  (2 semesters)
  • General Chemistry w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Organic Chemistry w/labs (2 semesters)
  • Physics w/labs  (2 semesters)
  • Statistics/Calculus  (1-2 semesters)
  • English Composition (1-2 semesters)
Possible requirements:
  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Public Speaking
  • Humanities/Social Sciences
Common Admissions Requirements:
  • GRE (Graduate Record Exam) test scores 
  • 3-4 Letters of recommendation (at least one from a veterinarian or research scientist)
  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 +
  • Significant volunteer/work experience w/animals in a hospital, clinic, kennel, shelter, lab,zoo,etc.
How to Apply:
  • Use Veterinary Medicine College Application Service (VMCAS) is the central application service
Tips: 
  • You don’t have to be a pre-vet major to get into Veterinary school. You just need to complete all the prerequisites of your desired Veterinary school. 
  • Get experience! Being apart of the FFA or 4-H is a great addition to your application. Volunteer at the local shelter and/or work with a Veterinarian.  
  • Gain leadership and communication skills.
  • Get a recommendation letter from a professor who knows you. Not just from a professor that taught a class you got an “A” in. 
  • Is Veterinary school for you? 
  • Job outlook
  • Jobs similar to a Veterinarian