Pre-Health Professions
EDNA STEELE, Adviser
Department of Biology

Pre-Health Professions Programs are designed to assist students planning to attend medical , dental, and veterinary schools. They also assist students who have interests in physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant programs and other health-oriented careers. Students are provided assistance in course selection so as to tailor their academic experience to the requirements of the various programs. Students are also encouraged to participate in related internship experiences. These programs are not majors. Although most pre-health professions students major in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry, these programs are open to students with any major. The programs do not appear on a student’s academic record. Students in these programs seek the advice of the adviser or someone designated by the adviser, and they research the entrance requirements for specific programs.

Pre-Medicine
The successful pre-medical student must have a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The required courses vary depending on the school. Most schools require the following:

	General Chemistry	8 hours
	Organic Chemistry	8 hours
	Physics	8 hours
	Biology (Zoology is recommended)	8 hours
	Algebra and Calculus	6 hours
	English Composition and Literature	6 hours

Honors, independent study, and research work are highly encouraged as these activities demonstrate scholarly, in-depth, and lifelong learning skills. Additional upper-level biology and chemistry coursework is desirable, as it will help to prepare you for the MCAT. It is desirable to have the above coursework completed at the end of your junior year, and to take the MCAT during the summer between the junior and senior year. For admission, both your GPA and MCAT scores are critical. Most medical schools require a minimum GPA of 3.2-3.5 and MCAT score of 24-28. Clinical experience through internships or volunteer work is also highly recommended. Early application to medical schools is important. Information on application deadlines and application forms can be obtained at the following website: http://www.aamc.org/

Pre-Dentistry
Like the pre-medical student, the successful pre-dental student also must have a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. Applicants should successfully complete as many science courses as possible to prepare for the dental admission test (DAT) and dental school curriculum. Required prerequisite courses for prospective dental students are:

	General Chemistry	8 hours
	Organic Chemistry	8 hours
	Physics	8 hours
	Biology or Zoology	8 hours
	English	6 hours
	Mathematics	6 hours
	Science Electives (Microbiology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, Genetics, Histology, Physiology, etc.)	8 hours

Courses in computer science, business, finance, or accounting are also strongly recommended. Volunteer or internship experience in a variety of clinical settings is highly recommended. Early application to the dental school is important. Information on application deadlines and application forms can be obtained at the following website: http://www.ada.org.

Pre-Veterinary School
The coursework required by veterinary schools is very similar to that required by medical schools, although applicants may be required to take some additional courses such as biochemistry. Prior to application to the veterinary school, the student should have already completed the following prerequisite courses

	Biology/Zoology	8 hours
	Inorganic Chemistry	8 hours
	Organic Chemistry	8 hours
	Biochemistry	4 hours
	Physics	8 hours
	Microbiology	4 hours
	English	8 hours

Veterinary medical education requires strong academic abilities; 65% of the total admissions evaluation is given for academic achievement and aptitude. The student must therefore attain a high overall GPA, and score high on the GRE. Participation in undergraduate research, independent studies, honors program, and involvement in extracurricular activities are also taken into consideration. The student should also demonstrate, with proper documentation, an understanding of the veterinary medical profession and proper animal care through internships or volunteer works in a veterinary clinic. Some students gain experience by participating in research, breeding, rearing, feeding and showing of both small and large animals, domestic or wildlife. Students interested in veterinary programs should consult the following websites for more information about specific entrance requirements, and she should consult with the pre-health professions adviser to plan her curriculum to meet these requirements.

http://netvet.wustl.edu/vschool.htm#colleges http://www.avma.org/
http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/vmcas2.htm

Pre-Physician Assistant
Requirements for admission to the Physician Assistant program vary. Students will need to contact individual programs for their specific requirements. Health care experience is recommended and in some cases required. In addition, some programs require direct patient care while others accept shadowing health care professionals. Applicants are required to take the GRE (Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing Components). A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for most programs, although most programs report 3.3 - 3.5 average GPA. The American Academy of Physician Assistants maintains a website (http://www.aapa.org) that explains the profession, career opportunities and programs offered in the United States of America.

Applicants to the program are generally required to complete the following prerequisite courses prior to admission:

	English	6 hours
	Mathematics	3 hours
	Statistics or Biostatistics	3 hours
	General Chemistry	8 hours
	Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry	4 hours
	Biology	4 hours
	Anatomy	4 hours
	Physiology	4 hours
	Microbiology	4 hours
	General Psychology	3 hours
	Psychology and/or Sociology electives	6 hours
	Humanities	12 hours

Pre-Occupational Therapy
Requirements for admission to the occupational therapy program vary. Students will need to contact individual programs for their specific requirements. To apply for entry-level Master or Doctor of Occupational Therapy, the student should have completed the prerequisites listed below.

	English	3 hours
	Mathematics	3 hours
	Statistics	3 hours
	Biology	4 hours
	Anatomy	4 hours
	Physiology	4 hours
	Chemistry	4 hours
	Physics	4 hours
	Computer	3 hours
	Medical Terminology	3 hours
	Social Sciences
	Psychology	3 hours
	Sociology	3 hours
	Abnormal Psychology	3 hours
	Human Growth and Development	3 hours
	Humanities (from at least two of the following: education, fine arts, foreign language, literature, philosophy, speech)	9 hours

A GPA of 3.0 or above is desirable and a combined minimum GRE score of 1,000 for the verbal and quantitative sections is recommended. It is also to student’s advantage to research the field of occupational therapy through internships or volunteer work and have her experience and work hours properly documented.

Pre-Physical Therapy
Many schools are now offering entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy. Most schools require completion of the following courses at the time of application:

	English Composition	6 hours
	Mathematics	3 hours
	Statistics	3 hours
	Chemistry	8 hours
	Physics	8 hours
	Biology	4 hours
	Anatomy	4 hours
	Physiology	4 hours
	Social Sciences
	General Psychology	3 hours
	Child Growth and Development	3 hours
	Other (any of the following: anthropology, economics, history, sociology, political science)	3 hours
	Humanities (from at least two categories: education, fine arts, speech, foreign language, literature, philosophy)	9 hours
	Medical Terminology (not required in some schools)	1-3 hours

Students should be familiar with the specific requirements of the school in which she intends to apply. A GPA of 3.0 or above is desirable and a combined minimum GRE score of 1,000 for the verbal and quantitative sections in recommended. It is also to the student’s advantage to research the field of physical therapy through internships or volunteer works and have her experiences and work hours properly documented.

Medical Technology
Edna Steele, Director
Department of Biology

Converse offers a major in medical technology for students who are ASCP- certified Medical Laboratory Technicians. Students completing this major must make their own arrangements for their certification examinations (check www.ascp.org for eligibility) and must complete all requirements for a Converse degree.

Required courses include the following:

	Biological Sciences
	BIO 100: General Biology or BIO 202: General Zoology	4 hours
	BIO 312: Microbiology	4 hours
	BIO 330: Introduction to Immunology	3 hours
	Additional Biology Electives (choose courses from the topics listed) Genetics Comparative Anatomy Embryology Cell Biology Physiology	8 hours
	Chemistry
	CHM 201–202: General College Chemistry	8 hours
	CHM 303–304: Organic Chemistry	8 hours
	Biochemistry	4 hours
	Mathematics and Physics
	MTH Elective above MTH 110	3 hours
	PHY 241: Elements of Physics	4 hours

The student must complete the General Education Program and have a total of 120 hours to graduate from Converse.

Dr. Kirsten Kerr, who majored in biology and English at Converse before earning her M.D. from the University of Arkansas, says that her liberal arts education at Converse prepared her well.

 "My experience at Converse turned into more than academics. The lessons learned about accomplishing goals, social interactions, and hard work still play large roles in my life as I enter my first year of practice as a family physician. Converse College truly prepared me to be a successful woman, physician, and friend."

"My experience at Converse was largely responsible for my decision to pursue my chosen career. The small classes, the chance to ask questions and not feel intimidated, the openness of the faculty—these all resulted in a metaphorical transformation from a spoon-fed high school student to an inquiring, determined, and confident college graduate."