Pre-Professional Health Sciences
What is meant by "Pre-Professional Health Sciences"?
Careers in health care require a science education, and pre-professional health sciences are those that are
- Pre-medicine
- Pre-osteopathic medicine
- Pre-dentistry
- Pre-veterinary
- Pre- pharmacy
- Pre- optometry
- Pre- podiatry
- Pre-physician’s assistant
- Pre-physical therapy
- Pre-occupational therapy
- Pre-nurse practitioner
What Is the Advantage of Attending Otterbein for Pre-Health Professional Studies?
- A liberal arts science degree is an excellent preparation for many careers, including but not limiting you to those in healthcare.
- Expert faculty, including several MDs who teach full-time or part-time in the Department of Biology, two MDs who act as Pre Health Professional Advisors for all majors, two DVMs in the Department of Equine Sciences.
- Small classes that allow your professors to know you and your career-goals well, and to write strong letters of support of your application. The student to faculty ratio at Otterbein is 11:1.
- Opportunities for faculty/student science research projects beginning in your freshman year.
- Structured internships that allow you to immerse yourself in your chosen field.
- Otterbein’s Ohio Gamma chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national pre-health honorary society, allows students to demonstrate leadership and humanitarian qualities, as well as to support each other through the application process
What is the Otterbein Success Rate of Gaining Acceptance into Health Professional Schools?
A large proportion of high school students entering Otterbein aspire to a health career, but as they move through the different areas of biology, molecular biology and biochemistry, or chemistry they find that there are other careers that attract them more strongly. Of the students who are still serious applicants in their junior year over 80% gain entrance on graduation to the school of their choice, and this number rises even higher in the year following graduation.
Which is the Best Major for Pre-Med or Other Pre-Health studies?
Otterbein, like most colleges and universities, does not have a specific "pre-health profession" or "pre-med" major that is a training for a health career, but offers degrees that form a good educational foundation for graduate studies of many areas, and for the national entrance exams for many health schools.
Nationally, most students preparing for medical school, dental school, veterinary school, pharmacy school and optometry school major in biology, biochemistry/molecular biology, or chemistry. The advantage of these majors is that the coursework required is a preparation for the national entrance exams MCAT, DAT, VMCAS, PCAT, OAT . These science majors also enable you to fulfill the admissions requirements listed by health professional school more easily.
Students who wish to become veterinarians may wish to major in Equine Pre-Veterinary/Pre-Graduate Studies.
Students wishing to go to physical therapy school or physician’s assistant school may wish to major in Allied Health, housed in the Department of Health and Sport Sciences.
Students wishing to become nurse practitioners can apply to graduate school on the basis of a science degree, or a degree in nursing
BUT the best major for you is the one that attracts you most strongly. You should have enthusiasm and true intellectual interest in your major. Your undergraduate education is a chance to look around and develop your talents and interests, and then see where that leads you for an appropriate and rewarding career, whether in health care or not.
Learn More
Read our FAQ's to learn more about Otterbein and careers in the health field.