PRE-PROFESSIONAL and HEALTH PROGRAMS

If you wish to become a physician, an optometrist, a dentist, a podiatrist, an occupational therapist or an osteopath, this fact sheet may answer some of your questions about pre-health professional programs available at North Dakota State University.

The Program

The pre-professional curricula are designed for students who intend to pursue their undergraduate or graduate education in professional schools. At NDSU, the curricula are offered by a number of departments for students interested in preparing for careers in health related fields. Most pre-professional programs are flexible and can be developed around many different majors, including biological sciences, chemistry and molecular biology, physics and psychology. Students planning to apply to professional schools should seek information from particular schools and become familiar with any special requirements.

The entry point into any of the science or mathematics sequences should be determined by you and your academic advisor on the basis of your high school preparation. High school students who take college course work as part of their high school enrollment may earn credit at NDSU. A list of approved courses is online at www.ndsu.edu/registrar/transfer/. One may earn NDSU credit for course work earned through Advanced Placement, the College Level Examination Program, International Baccalaureate or courses taken through other regionally accredited colleges and universities. (While NDSU accepts AP credit, some professional schools do not accept it because those credits are not graded. Check with individual professional schools of interest to see if they accept these credits.)

Opportunities and services available to students at NDSU include:

• Strong academic preparation in the required pre-health core of classes (in general, these requirements include a year of organic chemistry, physics, general biology, and inorganic (general) chemistry);
• Broad selection of recommended classes beyond the core;
• Advisors to answer questions regarding admission procedures and to assist students in planning their programs of study;
• Job shadowing opportunities with medical providers (Sanford Health) in the Fargo-Moorhead area;
• Opportunities to become involved in research on campus; and
• Student organizations that offer guest speakers, community service opportunities and support.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Pre-health professional students are encouraged to participate in on-campus student organizations such as the Pre-Med Club, AMSA, Pre-Dental Club and Pre-Optometry Club. These organizations are run by students with similar career goals and provide an opportunity for others to discuss career plans and gather details about the professions in which they are interested. These clubs also may offer leadership opportunities for pre-health professional students.

Applying to Professional School

Most students choosing professional careers in health fields have scholastic abilities and levels of motivation sufficient to ensure an above average grade point. Grades, however, do not tell the whole story. Admission committees also require information about you as a person. This information is brought to their attention through letters of recommendation and personal interviews. It is, therefore, important that students attempt to develop a personal relationship with responsible members of the community in general and the University community in particular. Volunteer to help in community projects such as Big Brother/Big Sister or Hospice. Work as an orderly in a hospital or as an aid in a nursing home. Interact with professors on campus. Volunteer to help in faculty research projects or initiate an individual study program under the supervision of a favorite professor. Attempt to demonstrate your social, emotional and scholastic maturity, and your individual uniqueness and talents.

Most professional schools also require that scores from admission tests be submitted with an application. It is recommended that particular health professions admission tests be taken during or at the end of one's junior year at NDSU.

Pre-professional programs usually consist of four years of college. This is generally followed by three or four additional years in a professional school. While state-supported professional schools usually admit very few nonresidents, a resident of Minnesota attending NDSU and applying to the University of Minnesota Medical School will be given the same consideration as a Minnesota resident who has received a pre-medical education in Minnesota. Similarly, North Dakota residents are given equal priority by the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine regardless of graduation from NDSU, UND or any other university of equal standing.

Contacts For Information Concerning Health Professions Admission Tests

Association of American Medical Colleges
(Medical/Podiatry/Osteopathic Medicine)
Medical College Admission Test
www.aamc.org/students/

Optometric Admission Testing Program(Optometry)
www.opted.org

ADA Department of Testing Services(Dentistry)
www.ada.org/dat.aspx

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
(Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy/ Physician Assistant)
GRE test Question Inquiries
ETS www.ets.org/gre/

The Pre-Professional Curriculum

The pre-professional curricula are designed for students who intend to pursue their undergraduate or graduate education in professional schools. The following suggested program will meet the requirements of most professional schools. In general, these requirements include a year of organic chemistry, physics, general biology and inorganic chemistry.

Advisors are available in the Department of Biological Sciences to answer questions regarding admission procedures and to assist students in planning their programs of study.

Suggested Science And Mathematics Courses

¹These courses are required by almost all professional schools.
²Students should consult their academic advisors in choosing courses beyond the requirements. Some students decide to take courses similar to those taken in pre-health professional school, such as biochemistry or advanced biology, in an attempt to demonstrate that they can perform well in a course taught in medical school or to ease their studying during the first year of professional school.
³Most medical schools require one year of English. This can be a combination of literature and writing requirements. Some schools will not consider writing across the curriculum to meet this requirement.

This sample curriculum is not intended to serve as a curriculum guide for current students, but rather an example of course offerings for prospective students. For the curriculum requirements in effect at the time of entrance into a program, consult with an academic advisor or with the Office of Registration and Records.

Contact Information

Julie Schroer, Advisor,

Pre-Professional Programs
Department of Biological Sciences
North Dakota State University
209G Geosciences
Dept. #2715
PO Box 6050
Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Tel: (701) 231-9784
Fax: (701) 231-7149
Email:Julie.Schroer@ndsu.edu
Web: www.ndsu.edu/biology

or

Febina Mathew, Advisor,

Pre-Professional Programs
Department of Biological Sciences
North Dakota State University
209E Geosciences
Dept. #2715
PO Box 6050
Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Tel: (701) 231-5767
Email:Fabina.Mathew@ndsu.edu
Web: www.ndsu.edu/biology

Office of Admission

North Dakota State University
Ceres 114
Dept 5230, PO Box 6050
Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Tel: (701) 231-8643
Fax: (701) 231-8802
Email: NDSU.Admission@ndsu.edu
Web: www.ndsu.edu/admission/

(09/12)