Mar 19, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program


Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program

The field of health care is broad, and students may consider careers as physicians (allopathic and osteopathic), physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, optometrists, veterinarians, and chiropractors, to name a few. These careers require completion of a graduate degree after the baccalaureate, and admission to these graduate programs typically requires the successful completion of additional courses in science, mathematics, social sciences, and the humanities at the undergraduate level. The Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program allow students in any major to complete these course requirements while it provides guidance and experiences to fulfill the prerequisites for admission to various health profession graduate programs.

The Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program is not a degree or a stand-alone program. Students MUST be in a major degree program at Endicott College to participate in the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program. The program is directed by the Health Professions Advising Committee. Members of the committee also act as additional faculty advisors, helping students to select courses and suggesting internship experiences and extracurricular activities that are relevant to their fields of interest and strengthen student credentials. If required, the committee also writes letters of recommendation
for individuals applying to health profession programs that require a committee letter, such as medical school.

Grade Requirements

Professional schools typically require a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) to apply for admission. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee an offer of admission, as that is only one criterion among many that are assessed by admission committees. Based upon the admission requirements of a number of professional schools, the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program has the following minimum GPA requirements:

  • Overall GPA 3.00
  • Science GPA 3.00

Students must meet the GPA and course requirements upon graduation to have the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program designation appear on their transcripts with their degree. If any of the requirements of the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program are not met by the time of graduation, the designation will not appear on transcripts, but the student will still graduate with their major degree if those requirements have been met.

Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Honors

Students in the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program may also receive the designation of Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Honors if the following additional requirements are met:

  • Overall GPA 3.67
  • Science GPA 3.67
  • Competitive scores on standardized examinations
  • Recommendation of the Health Professions Advising Committee

The awarding of Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Honors will be based upon a review of a portfolio outlining academic (including Senior Thesis), extracurricular, and clinical experience and interviews during the junior and/or senior year.

Course Requirements

The required prerequisite courses for a particular program and school are unique. Students should meet with their health professions advisor to select the necessary courses to complete the admission requirements for their particular field. Courses should be selected to permit students to apply to multiple programs. All prerequisite courses for professional school may count toward the major (if allowed), any appropriate minor, General Education requirements, and the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program.

Medical, Dental, and Pharmacy Schools
Required Courses (All Courses Required for a Minimum of 44 Credits)

Students considering medical, dental, or pharmacy school must complete all of the listed required courses, as they are the minimum prerequisites for admission and form the basis of standardized admission tests (Medical College Admission Test, Dental Admission Test, Optometry Admission Test, and Pharmacy College Admission Test).

Biology 102 and 102L Principles of Biology I (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
Biology 103 and 103L Principles of Biology II (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
Chemistry 105 and 105L General Chemistry I (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
Chemistry 106 and 106L General Chemistry II (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
Chemistry 207 and 207L Organic Chemistry I (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
Chemistry 209 and 209L Biochemistry (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
Physics 107 and 107L General Physics I (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
Physics 108 and 108L General Physics II (lecture and laboratory) 4 credits
English 111 Critical Reading and Writing I 3 credits
English 112 Critical Reading and Writing II 3 credits
Mathematics 6 credits
Mathematics 134 Calculus I (recommended)
or Mathematics 126 Applied Statistics (recommended)
or Mathematics 129 Analysis of Functions
or Mathematics 136 Calculus II

Other Professional Programs and Recommended Elective Courses

Different health profession programs require that a specific series of courses and/or additional electives be taken as an undergraduate. Students should review the specific prerequisite course requirements and recommendations of the health profession programs that they are planning to apply to. Many professional schools recommend taking additional courses in the humanities and social sciences to provide breadth, and science electives to provide a more extensive background for subjects covered by standardized admissions tests.

Transfer Students

Transfer students are eligible to participate in the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Professional Program and complete all of the prerequisite courses. Although Endicott College only transfers the course credit, the Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Program will require grades from the required and/or elective courses from other institutions to calculate the science GPA to ensure that the minimum requirements are met for the science courses. The overall GPA for transfer students will be calculated as for all other transfer students, based on courses completed at Endicott.

Advanced Placement Credits

The way in which health profession schools deal with AP credits is somewhat variable. Some programs will accept AP credits, as long as an additional course is taken in the same subject matter at a higher level, such as AP credit in biology in addition to a 200-level biology course. Other health profession schools do not accept AP credits as a replacement for prerequisite courses. Students should review the AP credit policies of the graduate health profession program to which they intend to apply.