Pre-Health Advising
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:
- Ensuring you are aware of timelines, course requirements, and extra-curricular experiences.
- Connecting you to resources and impactful experiences that can help you expand your knowledge — and contribute to your community
- 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
- Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
- Veterinary Medicine
- Dentistry
- Pharmacy
- Physician Assistant
- Nursing/Midwifery
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Optometry
- Pathology Assistant
- Genetic Counseling
- Podiatry
- Chiropract
- Naturopathic Medicine (NMD)
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.
Pre-Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O) or Dental
Recommended JWU preparatory programs:
- Biology (all the required coursework is part of the major)
- Health Science or Exercise and Sports Science (some required coursework is part of their electives)
- Animal Science
- Chemistry Minor (can be beneficial to complete the relevant Chemistry coursework)
JWU Pre-M.D./D.O. Advising Sheet (PDF)
JWU Pre-Dental Advising Sheet (PDF)
- 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:
- Biology or Health Science (both majors encompass requirement)
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)
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:
- Biology, Health Science or Exercise and Sports Science (all three majors encompass requirements)
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)
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:
- Biology, Health Science or Exercise and Sports Science (all three majors encompass requirements)
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.
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:
- Biology (all the required coursework is part of the major)
- Health Science or Exercise and Sports Science (some required coursework is part of their electives)
- Chemistry Minor (can be beneficial to complete the relevant Chemistry coursework)
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)
- 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.
- 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