Pre-Health Advising

PA student examining a patient in a clinical lab setting.

Health Professions Supported by JWU | Pre-Health Prep Tips | Pre-M.D./D.O./Dental | Pre-Physician Assistant | Pre-Physical Therapy | Pre-Occupational Therapy | Pre-Veterinary | Pre-Nursing | Contact

If you’re interested in a career in health-related fields like medicine, nursing, veterinary, physical therapy or naturopathic medicine (just to name a few), you’re going to need to gain some real-world experience and take certain courses in order to stay on track to apply.

Pre-Health Advising at JWU is available to support you in all your health-related professional pursuits. We do this by:

  1. Ensuring you are aware of timelines, course requirements, and extra-curricular experiences.
  2. Connecting you to resources and impactful experiences that can help you expand your knowledge — and contribute to your community
  3. Assisting you with one-on-one guidance as you apply to programs, including:

    • discussing test preparation
    • supporting recommendation requests
    • interview preparation
    • personal statement writing support
    • professional mentoring


Health Professions Supported by JWU’s Undergraduate Coursework


Pre-Health Prep Tips

  • AP credit is often accepted by health profession programs — always check specific school requirements.
  • Preparing to apply to any one of these programs requires you to take and master extensive scientific course and lab work in order to be eligible for acceptance and prepared for entrance exams.
  • Each section below includes links to solid preparatory majors to take. Refer to your prospective program’s Reference Guide for details on required coursework, as well as timelines, testing requirements, suggested volunteer/extracurricular activities, and frequently-asked questions. 

RECOMMENDED COURSEWORK (225K PDF)


Meet Our Pre-Health Alumni

JWU alumni from the university’s Biology, Health Sciences, and other College of Health & Wellness programs have gone on to post-graduate work to become physician assistants, pharmacists, veterinarians, dentists, occupational therapists and more.

Brenna Du Perry '19, below left, graduated from JWU’s Biology program and is on track to graduate from Tufts with her DVM in 2024.

Destini Quinones '19 (top right), also a Biology graduate, is currently enrolled in JWU’s M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies, with a projected 2022 graduation.

And Kolbi Holmes '18, below right, is another JWU Biology graduate. She is expected to get her OTD degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2022.

Below: 3 JWU alumni who have gone on to post-graduate health-related studies (counter-clockwise, from left): Brenna DuPerry, Destini Quinones and Kolbi Holmes.

Trio of pre-health alumni who have gone on to post-graduate health-related study (counter-clockwise, from left): Brenna DuPerry, Destini Quinones and Kolbi Holmes


Pre-Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O) or Dental

Recommended JWU preparatory programs:

JWU Pre-M.D./D.O. Advising Sheet (PDF) 
JWU Pre-Dental Advising Sheet (PDF)

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General Required Coursework for M.D./D.O. and Dental Schools:
  • Biology with labs:
    Cellular Biology and Lab, BIO1011 & 1016
    Organismal Biology and Lab, BIO1022 & 1026
  • Chemistry with labs:
    General Chemistry I, CHM1011 & 1016
    General Chemistry II, CHM1022 & 1026
    Organic Chemistry I, CHM2011 & 2016
    Organic Chemistry II, CHM2022 & 2026
  • Physics with labs:
    Either Algebra-based, PHY1011 & 1016 and PHY1022 & 1026 or Calculus-based, PHY2011 & 2016 and PHY2022 & 2026
  • Math:
    Calculus, MATH1040 or MATH 2040 Statistics, either MATH2001 or MATH 2010
  • English:
    ENG1020 ENG1021
  • Psychology PSYC1001
  • Recommended courses:
    Physiology and lab (BIO2041 & 2046)
    Microbiology with labs (BIO2010 & 2016 or BIO4010 & 4016)
    Biochemistry (BIO3010 or CHM3040)
    Genetics (BIO2001)

Pre-Physician Assistant

Students can major in anything, however, many interested pre-PA students major in:

Additionally, successful students in these majors are eligible for the JWU Physician Assistant Program Articulation Agreement, which guarantees a one-time interview with that program if all requirements are met.

More than 1000 hours of patient contact care are required for admittance. Suggested opportunities are:

  • EMT
  • CNA
  • Medical scribe
  • Phlebotomy

Many times, this work can be used for internship credit at JWU. More information can be found here:

Pre-PA Advising Sheet (PDF) 

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General Required Coursework for P.A.

Specific PA programs may vary so check individual school requirements.

JWU PA Articulation requirements for Biology and Health Science majors also vary.

  • Biology with labs: Cellular Biology and Lab, BIO1011 & 1016
    Organismal Biology and Lab, BIO1022 & 1026
    Anatomy and Lab, BIO2021 & 2026 Physiology and Lab, BIO2041 & 2046
    Microbiology and Lab, BIO2010 & 2016 OR BIO4010 & 4016
  • Chemistry with labs:
    General Chemistry I, CHM1011 & 1016
    General Chemistry II, CHM1022 & 1026
  • Math:
    Statistics, either MATH2001 or MATH 2010
  • English Composition
    ENG1020 ENG1021
  • Psychology PSYC1001
  • Recommended or sometimes required courses:
    Genetics (BIO2001)
    Organic Chemistry and Lab (CHM2011 & 2016 or CHM2050 and 2056)
    Biochemistry (BIO3010 or CHM3040)
    Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 2002)

Pre-Physical Therapy

Students can major in anything, however, many interested pre-PT students major in:

Extensive PT experiential hours (suggested 100 hours) are often required for admittance. Many times, these hours can be used for internship credit at JWU.

Pre-PT Advising Sheet (PDF)

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General Required PT Coursework

Specific PT programs may vary so check individual school requirements.

  • Biology with labs:
    Cellular Biology and Lab, BIO1011 & 1016
    Organismal Biology and Lab, BIO1022 & 1026
    Anatomy and Lab, BIO2021 & 2026
    Physiology and Lab, BIO2041 & 2046
  • Chemistry with labs:
    General Chemistry I, CHM1011 & 1016
    General Chemistry II, CHM1022 & 1026
  • Physics with labs:
    Either Algebra-based, PHY1011 & 1016 and PHY1022 & 1026 or Calculus-based, PHY2011 & 2016 and PHY2022 & 2026
  • Math:
    Statistics, either MATH2001 or MATH 2010
  • Psychology PSYC1001

Pre-Occupational Therapy (OT)

Students can major in anything, however, many interested pre-OT students major in:

Additionally, successful students in Biology, Psychology or Health Science are eligible for the JWU OTD Program Articulation Agreement, which guarantees a one-time interview with that program if all requirements are met.

Extensive OT experiential hours (20-100 hours) are often suggested for admittance. Many times, these hours can be used for internship credit at JWU.

Pre-OT Advising Sheet (PDF)

Note: See Physical Therapy section for PT/OT prep video.

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General Required OT Coursework

Specific OT programs may vary, so check individual school requirements.

  • Biology with labs:
    Anatomy and Lab, BIO2021 & 2026
    Physiology and Lab, BIO2041 & 2046
  • Math:
    Statistics, either MATH2001 or MATH 2010
  • Psychology PSYC1001
  • Suggested but not always required:
    Physics with labs:
    Either Algebra-based, PHY1011 & 1016 and PHY1022 & 1026 or Calculus-based, PHY2011 & 2016 and PHY2022 & 2026

Pre-Vet at JWU

Students can major in anything, however many interested pre-vet students major in:

Volunteer/work with animals required, with 500-1000 hours recommended for successful entry. Many times, this work can be used for internship credit at JWU.

Pre-Vet Advising Sheet (PDF)

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General Required Pre-Vet Coursework
  • Biology with labs:
    Cellular Biology and Lab, BIO1011 & 1016
    Organismal Biology and Lab, BIO1022 & 1026
    Biochemistry, BIO3010
  • Chemistry with labs:
    General Chemistry I, CHM1011 & 1016
    General Chemistry II, CHM1022 & 1026
    Organic Chemistry I, CHM2011 & 2016
    Organic Chemistry II, CHM2022 & 2026
  • Physics with labs:
    Either Algebra-based, PHY1011 & 1016 and PHY1022 & 1026 or Calculus-based, PHY2011 & 2016 and PHY2022 & 2026
  • Math:
    Statistics, either MATH2001 or MATH 2010
  • English ENG1020 ENG1021
  • Recommended or suggested courses:
    Nutrition (SCI1050)
    Physiology and lab (BIO2041 & 2046)
    Microbiology with labs (BIO2010 & 2016 or BIO4010 & 4016)
    Physiology and lab (BIO2041 & 2046)
    Genetics (BIO2001)

Pre-Nursing

The most common path for JWU graduates in any major to enter nursing is

  • to complete a post-baccalaureate or accelerated (sometimes called second degree) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, which are usually intensive 12-16 month programs 
  • or a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs which encompasses the typical coursework of the BSN but also incorporates additional upper-level coursework needed for a variety of nursing specializations

Nurses with either BSN or MSN qualifications can proceed on to midwifery or nurse practitioner programs (NP/DNP).

JWU’s Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) started in Fall 2023 with its first cohort; the Charlotte program is set to begin in May 2024.

Accelerated Nursing Programs

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General Coursework for Accelerated Nursing
  • Biology with labs:
    Anatomy and Lab, BIO2021 & 2026
    Physiology and Lab, BIO2041 & 2046
    Microbiology, BIO2010 & 2016 or BIO4010 & 4016
  • Chemistry: CHM1011 & 1016 or CHM1050 & 1056
  • Math: Statistics, either MATH2001 or MATH 2010

Contact

Associate Professor Kristin Rosler
Email
401-598-2822