Pathways to a Medical Profession
It’s not a major, it’s a path of preparation
Students frequently ask if we offer a pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, pre-optometry and pre-physical therapy majors. Our honest answer: at Simpson University these are not majors, they are paths of preparation.
Each graduate program will have its own list of prerequisite courses, as well as courses that are recommended, but not required. You should note that entry into these programs is competitive: a strong GPA—both overall and in the sciences—is considered essential. Most programs require a standardized exam (MCAT, DAT, PCAT, OAT or GRE) that allows the institution to assess your preparedness for graduate studies.
It is quite possible to be accepted into a professional school, even if you are not a Biology major. However, you will need to plan ahead and use your unrestricted electives wisely to address prerequisite courses for each program.
Applications to medical professional programs will also require letters of recommendation. It will be important for you to forge strong relationships with your professors who can then be your recommenders.
At Simpson University, we would like the opportunity to prepare you for application to these graduate programs. But first, we’d like to offer you a challenge:
Think ahead and pick one or two graduate medical professional programs. Then, do a bit of research. Find out about each institution’s prerequisite and recommended courses and then compare those courses to Simpson University’s Biology major. We think you’ll find that courses offered in our major will more than prepare you for most of these graduate professional programs.
Simpson University Medical Profession Paths*
- Dental School Path (DDS/DMD)
- Medical School Path (MD, DO, DC, DPM)
- Occupational Therapy Path (MOT)
- Optometry Path (OD)
- Pharmacy Path (PharmD)
- Physical Therapy Path (DPT)
*Please note that Simpson University does not offer these doctorate programs. Our biology program meets the necessary pre-requisites to gain admittance into these graduate-level programs.
