Stethoscope with pill box and medical wrap

Pre-Health Joint Degree Programs

What is Pre-Health?

Pre-health is a course of study that prepares students for entry into professional schools in a variety fields including medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, osteopathy, optometry, physical therapy, and podiatry. Students applying to those professional schools should present a strong foundation in the natural sciences, as well as a liberal education in the social sciences and humanities.

What Major Should I Choose?

Pre-health is not a major in and of itself. While the many Pre-health students major in the biological, physical and social sciences, you can create your own undergraduate path to any of the medical careers and any major that interests you. If you major in an area other than science, you will need to take a number of science courses to prepare for the professional school entrance examination.

What Courses Will I Take?

Most medical, dental, veterinary, optometry and podiatry schools have the same general entry requirements. But it is important to understand that each school sets its own prerequisite course requirements, so there may be differences among the schools in any profession.

The following courses are required for application to most medical schools. They will also prepare you for many other professional program entrance exams:

1 year of General Biology with lab
1 year of General Chemistry with lab
1 year of Organic Chemistry with lab
1 year of General Physics with lab
1 semester of Biochemistry
1 year of Calculus
Molecular and Cellular Biology with lab
Genetics with lab
1 semester of Introductory Psychology
1 semester of Introductory Sociology

Joint Degree Program Options

Dyson College offers a number of joint programs in conjunction with professional schools. These programs will provide the student with both an undergraduate degree from Pace and the appropriate graduate degree from the professional school.

This program consists of three years of undergraduate study at Pace (108 credits) and four additional years of study at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry. Students who complete the program receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Pace and a Doctor of Optometry degree (DO) from SUNY.

Note: for information about the Optometry joint degree program on the NYC campus contact the chair of Biology NYC
This program consists of three years of undergraduate study at Pace (108 credits) and four additional years of study at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. Students who complete the program receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Pace and a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree (DPM) degree from New York College of Podiatric Medicine.
This program consists of three years of undergraduate study at Pace and four additional years of study at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS). Students who complete the program receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Pace and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from ACPHS.

Student Organizations

Pre-health students are highly encouraged to join student organizations which provide information regarding seminars, workshops, internship/volunteer opportunities and the like. Membership in these organizations allow you to network with others in your fields of interest. Student organizations include: PPHS (Pre-Professional Health Society), CC (Chemistry Club), and Tri-Beta (National Biology Honor Society).

Pre-Health Courses for Post Baccalaureate Students

Dyson College can help students who already hold an undergraduate degree, regardless of major, but still need to complete the prerequisite science courses to apply to medical, dental or veterinary schools. Interested students must meet with the pre-health coordinators who will advise them on which courses they need to enroll into in preparation for entrance exams. To begin this process, please submit an online application as a non-matriculated student and then contact the coordinator on your respective campus.