Academic and Other Preparation

Academic Preparation:

• Although the majority of health professions students choose to major in a science field, it is not required.
• Most professional schools require a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy are two notable exceptions, although even students entering these fields often choose to complete their bachelor’s degree ahead of matriculation to professional school, and requirements do still vary by institution.
• Coursework guidelines for undergraduate students preparing for admission to health profession graduate programs vary depending on the health profession and the school or program. Health Professions Advising strongly encourages students to research course guidelines based on your future profession and individual schools.
• Acceptability of AP/IB coursework to fulfill prerequisite requirements also varies by institution.
• Acceptability of online coursework to fulfill prerequisite requirements also varies by institution. HPA recommends that prerequisite coursework, especially for laboratory courses, be taken in-person, if possible.
• Coursework for undergraduate majors: see your academic department.
• Undecided / major-undeclared undergraduate students receive academic advising through University Studies.

Common Prerequisite Coursework By Profession

• Prerequisites are undergraduate courses required to be completed before matriculating to professional school. These are generally taken during the undergraduate degree in preparation for applying for admission to professional school.
• Regarding the prerequisite information by professions listed below: Please note that many schools either require or recommend additional courses depending on the health profession and the school. Some of these courses may be in such areas as biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, cell and molecular biology, anatomy and physiology, immunology, psychology, sociology, and human development. Merely meeting the minimum prerequisites is generally not sufficient to be a competitive applicant.
• Academic departments manage enrollment for coursework within their department. Please consult with your academic advisor if you have questions about any enrollment restrictions.

Academic assistance at Virginia Tech:

• Academic study skills assistance and tutoring through the Student Success Center.
• Math tutoring through the Department of Mathematics private tutoring and tutoring lab.
• Writing guidance through the Writing Center.

Preparing to be competitive:

• Undergraduate timeline.
• Professionalism: HPA expects advisees and applicants to exhibit professional conduct and behavior.
• Admission exams: preparation and more information.

Undergraduate and summer research and study opportunities:

• These kinds of opportunities are strongly encouraged both to give you exposure to topics of interest and to strengthen your application.

Extra-curricular preparation:

• Do volunteering and service.
• Shadow health professionals.
• Get to know a health professional in your field.
• Work and/or volunteer in a clinical setting (clinics, ED/ER, hospital)
• Explore a variety of volunteer and community service activities to determine where you would like to devote concentrated energy and time.
• If you choose to seek employment, consider an opportunity that involves working with the general public in some capacity.
• Plan to obtain experiences where you can take on increasing levels of responsibility and/or leadership.
• Gain leadership experiences through employment, clubs, research projects, course projects, community service, or other relevant opportunities.