Premedical Professions Preparation
Pre-Health Advising
Students with an interest in helping and healing are supported through Pre-Health Academic Advising. Often, these interests are not undergraduate majors at KU rather they are career interests usually developed while completing a bachelor's degree. Students prepare by taking courses required for entry, studying to learn concepts and performing well academically, volunteering and shadowing to get experience, taking a standardized admissions test, and applying for admission to graduate-level professional schools. A few of the interest that students can add to their academic plan are detailed in the following tabs. For a complete list of Pre-Health interests as well as details about admission requirements, visit the Pre-Health Advising website.
Predentistry
Predentistry is a career interest, usually developed together with completing a bachelor's degree and major. Students prepare by taking courses to meet dental school entry requirements, studying to learn concepts and perform well academically, shadowing or working in dental practices, and volunteering to serve people in need. They take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and apply for admission to dental schools, usually in the summer between the junior and senior year.
Dental schooling is four years of graduate-level, professional education and training. There is no dental school in Kansas, however, there is an agreement for some seats for Kansas residents at the University of Missouri—Kansas City (UMKC) School of Dentistry.
Most dental schools require:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition I. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Composition | ||
or ENGL 105 | Honors Introduction to English | |
| English Composition II. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Critical Reading and Writing | ||
or ENGL 205 | Freshman-Sophomore Honors Proseminar: _____ | |
| Biology I with Lab. Satisfied by: | 5 | |
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology | ||
or BIOL 151 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors | |
| Introductory Biology Lab for STEM Majors | ||
| Biology II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4 | |
| Principles of Organismal Biology | ||
or BIOL 153 | Principles of Organismal Biology, Honors | |
| General Chemistry I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences I | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry I, Honors | ||
| General Chemistry II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences II | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry II, Honors | ||
| Organic Chemistry I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry I, Honors and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry II, Honors and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Physics I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| College Physics I | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | ||
| General Physics I Honors | ||
| Physics II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4 | |
| College Physics II | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Laboratory | ||
| General Physics II Honors | ||
The UMKC School of Dentistry also requires:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy with lab. Satisfied by: | 5 | |
| Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Observation Laboratory | ||
| Physiology with lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Principles of Human Physiology and Principles of Human Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Mammalian Physiology and Mammalian Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Cell biology. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Cell Structure and Function | ||
| Biochemistry. Satisfied by one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Introductory Biochemistry, Lectures | ||
or BIOL 636 | Biochemistry I | |
Some dental schools require additional mathematics, psychology, and/or biology courses.
For more information, visit the website.
Premedicine
Premedicine is a career interest, usually developed together with completing a bachelor's degree and major. Students prepare by taking courses to meet medical school entry requirements, studying to learn concepts and perform well academically, volunteering or working in health care settings, and serving people in need. They take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and apply for admission to medical schools, usually in the summer between the junior and senior year.
Medical schooling is four years of graduate-level, professional education and training, followed by a three- to six-year residency program. The only medical school in Kansas is the KU School of Medicine.
Most medical schools require:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition I. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Composition | ||
or ENGL 105 | Honors Introduction to English | |
| English Composition II. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Critical Reading and Writing | ||
or ENGL 205 | Freshman-Sophomore Honors Proseminar: _____ | |
| Biology I with Lab. Satisfied by: | 5 | |
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology | ||
or BIOL 151 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors | |
| Introductory Biology Lab for STEM Majors | ||
| Biology II with Lab. Satisfied by: | 4 | |
| Principles of Organismal Biology | ||
or BIOL 153 | Principles of Organismal Biology, Honors | |
| General Chemistry I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences I | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry I, Honors | ||
| General Chemistry II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences II | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry II, Honors | ||
| Organic Chemistry I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry I, Honors and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry II, Honors and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Physics I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| College Physics I | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | ||
| General Physics I Honors | ||
| Physics II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4 | |
| College Physics II | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Laboratory | ||
| General Physics II Honors | ||
Some also require:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry. Satisfied by: | 3-4 | |
| Introductory Biochemistry, Lectures | ||
or BIOL 636 | Biochemistry I | |
| Calculus. Satisfied by: | 3-5 | |
| Calculus I | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Genetics. Satisfied by: | 4 | |
| Principles of Genetics | ||
or BIOL 360 | Principles of Genetics, Honors | |
| Statistics. Satisfied by one of the following: | 3 | |
| Statistics in Psychological Research | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Biostatistics | ||
The MCAT also requires knowledge from:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry. Satisfied by one of the following: | 3-7 | |
| Introductory Biochemistry, Lectures | ||
| Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II | ||
| Psychology. Satisfied by one of the following: | 3 | |
| General Psychology | ||
or PSYC 105 | General Psychology, Honors | |
| Sociology. Satisfied by one of the following: | 3 | |
| Elements of Sociology | ||
| Elements of Sociology, Honors | ||
| Social Problems and American Values | ||
| Social Problems and American Values, Honors | ||
And, the KU School of Medicine also strongly encourages candidates to complete an immunology course before entering medical school:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 503 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOL 503 has a pre-requisite of BIOL 400: Fundamentals of Microbiology, which is also recommended by most medical schools. | ||
For more information, visit the website.
Preoptometry
Preoptometry is a career interest, usually developed together with completing a bachelor's degree and major. Students prepare by taking courses to meet optometry school admission requirements, studying to learn concepts and perform well academically, shadowing or working in optometry practices, and volunteering to serve people in need. They take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) and apply for admission to optometry schools, usually in the summer between the junior and senior year.
Optometry schooling is four years of graduate-level, professional education and training. There is no optometry school in Kansas, however, there are agreements for some seats for Kansas residents at the University of Missouri - St. Louis School of Optometry, Northeastern State University of Oklahoma College of Optometry, and the Southern College of Optometry in Tennessee.
Most optometry schools require:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition I. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Composition | ||
or ENGL 105 | Honors Introduction to English | |
| English Composition II. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Critical Reading and Writing | ||
or ENGL 205 | Freshman-Sophomore Honors Proseminar: _____ | |
| Biology I with Lab. Satisfied by: | 5 | |
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology | ||
or BIOL 151 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors | |
| Introductory Biology Lab for STEM Majors | ||
| Biology II with Lab. Satisfied by: | 4 | |
| Principles of Organismal Biology | ||
or BIOL 153 | Principles of Organismal Biology, Honors | |
| General Chemistry I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences I | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry I, Honors | ||
| General Chemistry II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences II | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry II, Honors | ||
| Physics I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| College Physics I | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | ||
| General Physics I Honors | ||
| Physics II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4 | |
| College Physics II | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Laboratory | ||
| General Physics II Honors | ||
| Calculus I: Satisfied by one of the following: | 3-5 | |
| Calculus I | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Microbiology with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Fundamentals of Microbiology and Fundamentals of Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Microbiology, Honors and Fundamentals of Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
or CHEM 380 | Organic Chemistry I, Honors | |
| Psychology. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| General Psychology | ||
or PSYC 105 | General Psychology, Honors | |
| Statistics. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Statistics in Psychological Research | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Biostatistics | ||
Most also require or recommend:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy with lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Observation Laboratory | ||
| Biochemistry. Satisfied by: | 3-4 | |
| Introductory Biochemistry, Lectures | ||
or BIOL 636 | Biochemistry I | |
| Physiology with lab: Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Principles of Human Physiology and Principles of Human Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Mammalian Physiology and Mammalian Physiology Laboratory | ||
Some require additional mathematics, psychology, and/or other courses.
For more information, visit the website.
Preveterinary Medicine
Preveterinary medicine is a career interest, usually developed together with completing a bachelor's degree and major. Students prepare by taking courses to meet veterinary school admission requirements, studying to learn concepts and perform well academically, shadowing or working in veterinary practices, and volunteering to help people and other animals in need. They take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and apply for admission to veterinary schools, usually in the summer between the junior and senior year.
Veterinary schooling is four years of graduate-level, professional education and training. The only veterinary school in Kansas is the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine.
The Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine requires:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition I. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Composition | ||
or ENGL 105 | Honors Introduction to English | |
| English Composition II. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Critical Reading and Writing | ||
or ENGL 205 | Freshman-Sophomore Honors Proseminar: _____ | |
| Public Speaking. Satisfied by: | 3 | |
| Public Speaking | ||
or COMS 131 | Public Speaking, Honors | |
| Chemistry I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences I | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry I, Honors | ||
| Chemistry II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences II | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry II, Honors | ||
| General Organic Chemistry with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry I, Honors and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| General Biochemistry. Satisfied by one of the following: | 3-6 | |
| Introductory Biochemistry, Lectures | ||
| Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II | ||
| Physics I with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| College Physics I | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics I Laboratory | ||
| General Physics I Honors | ||
| Physics II with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 4 | |
| College Physics II | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Laboratory | ||
| General Physics II Honors | ||
| Biology I with Lab. Satisfied by: | 5 | |
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology | ||
or BIOL 151 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Honors | |
| Introductory Biology Lab for STEM Majors | ||
| Microbiology with Lab. Satisfied by one of the following: | 5 | |
| Fundamentals of Microbiology and Fundamentals of Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Microbiology, Honors and Fundamentals of Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Genetics. Satisfied by: | 4 | |
| Principles of Genetics | ||
or BIOL 360 | Principles of Genetics, Honors | |
| 12 credit hours of social sciences and/or humanities | 12 | |
| And, enough electives to reach a total of 64 credit hours | ||
For more information, visit the website.