Pre-Health Services

Overview

Pre-health services programs prepare people to attend professional programs in chiropractic, optometry, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.

Pre-health programs include topics such as:

Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Anatomy
Physiology
Organic chemistry

Schools

Community colleges and other two-year schools offer associate degree programs in pre-health services. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in pre-health services. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Anatomy and Physiology
Community Health
Community Service
General Computer Applications
Health Education
Healthcare Occupations
Healthcare Sciences Work Experience
Leadership
Medical and Clerical Assisting
Psychology
Safety and First Aid

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This undergraduate program typically offers courses in the following subjects:

Calculus
English
General Biology with lab
General Chemistry with lab
General Physics – Classical Mechanics with lab
General Physics – Electromagnetism with lab
Organic Chemistry with lab

Things to Know

Majoring in pre-health services does not guarantee admission to a professional school. This program also provides a good background for graduate study in the natural sciences.

Professional health programs involve a lot of laboratory work, critical research skills, and patient care. But you may also want to seek research assistant positions in laboratories during the summers. Or you might consider volunteering in a hospital or clinic.

If you are considering a professional health program after you have already finished college in another program of study, look for a post-bachelor's, pre-health services program where you can complete the course work required to apply.