Health Professional Program Preparation
Dentistry, Medical
School, Pharmacy
Overview
These three professional programs have similar
science requirements. They all require a year of
general chemistry, general biology, and organic
chemistry. Dentistry and medical school and some
pharmacy schools (but not in Washington State)
also require one year of physics. Of course, you
will also need to meet General Education
requirements in English, Multicultural Studies,
Humanities and Social Sciences in accordance
with your Associates Degree and possibly a
Bachelors Degree.
Each of these professional programs are at
graduate level, which typically means that a
Bachelors degree is required. This is indeed
true for Medical School. Dental schools
recommend a Bachelors degree, but will admit
some students without it. Pharmacy schools have
typically admitted many students immediately
from a community college. However, in recent
years several Pharmacy schools have added upper
division course prerequisites and increasingly
more applicants now have a Bachelors degree. At
this point it is wise to plan on transfer to a
university and start work on a Bachelors degree
while perhaps also applying to Pharmacy.
These health professional programs emphasize
that they look for well-rounded applicants and
do not require or favor a Bachelors degree with
a major in the sciences. Applicants are advised
to choose a Bachelors degree program they would
find valuable even if, for whichever reason,
they do not actually enter the health
professional school. Students who really enjoy
science studies will be a good fit for choosing
a science major, and many students do choose a
science major because there are so many science
prerequisites. However, we encourage you to also
consider other majors. This time can be a great
opportunity to deepen a personal expertise or
develop one. Also, as a medical professional you
will spend most of your day working with people,
who after all, don’t behave like lab specimens.
There are many possible majors you may find
interesting and valuable!
Transfer Degree
We typically recommend students to complete the
Associate in Sciences Track 1 degree before
transfer to a university. Here are some links to
specific transfer degree planning sheets using
the AS Track 1 degree:
Since prospective medical school students
definitely have to complete a Bachelors degree,
you will have at least four years in which to
take your science prerequisite courses. If you
wish to take a lot of them in the first two half
of your Bachelors degree and/or are expecting to
choose a Biology, Chemistry or Biochemistry
major, use one of the following planning sheets:
If you wish to take fewer science courses in
your first half of the Bachelors degree and are
perhaps preparing for a different major, the
Associate in Arts & Sciences Option B is a good
choice. This degree allows you to design your
own course plan.
More about Preparing for Medical School is on
this handout:
Preparing for Medical School June
2008
Advising
- Karen Kreutzer, Chemistry, Rm. 2817, 546-4576,
kkreutze@shoreline.edu
- Linda Kuehnert, Chemistry, Rm 2821, Ph:
546-4575,
lkuehner@shoreline.edu
- Dave Phippen, Chemistry, Rm. 2822, 546-4572,
dphippen@shoreline.edu
- Amar Yahiaoui, Chemistry, Rm 2820, Ph:
546-4738,
ayahiaoui@shoreline.edu
- Joyce Fagel, Science Advisor, Rm. 2814,
546-6984, jfagel@shoreline.edu
Useful links
The information and planning sheets provide
several links.
> Back to:
Health Professional Program Preparation Home
© 2008 Shoreline Community College
16101 Greenwood Avenue North, Shoreline,
Washington 98133-5696 * Tel: (206)
546-4101 Fax: (206) 546-4630 - |
