Pre-Allied Health

Department of Physical Sciences Options

• Pre-Medicine

  The Pre-medical and Pre-dental programs are non-degree granting programs available to students interested in attending medical or dental. Students in these programs will choose a major such as chemistry along with completing the professional school requirements.

  Students would graduate from Lander with a Bachelor’s Degree in their major.

  Each school may have different admissions requirements; therefore, the student should become familiar with each of their choice school’s requirements. There are both private and public medical and dental schools. Both private and public schools have different policies on students from out of state, and this should be investigated before applying.

  Medical schools require students to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and dental schools require the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). Preparation for these test include courses BIOL 111 and 112, CHEM 111 and 112, CHEM 221 and 222, and PHYS 201 and 202 or PHYS 211 and 212. These courses should be completed by the end of the student’s junior year. These tests are generally taken at the beginning of the senior year.

  During the fall of the student’s senior year a mock admissions interview will be scheduled with the pre-health advisor to help prepare the students for their interviews. This will allow the students to work on their communication and overall interview skills.

  The course degree worksheet below is based on the typical medical school’s requirements and may be modified for specific schools.
  
  If there are any questions feel free to contact Dr. M. Paige Ouzts to discuss the program.

• Pre-Pharmacy

  The Pre-Pharmacy program is a non-degree granting program available to students interested in attending a pharmacy school for a Pharm.D. degree.

  Students typically major in chemistry and take the required courses for admission into a pharmacy school. Students can apply to the pharmacy schools at any time after completing the particular prerequisites for the school to which they are applying. The prerequisites can be completed in a minimum of two years, but many students prefer to take three years or even four years and apply after receiving their Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.

  For South Carolina residents, the state supported pharmacy schools are USC in Columbia and MUSC in Charleston. Students may apply to any school, but private schools tend to be more expensive and state supported schools outside of South Carolina tend to have greater restrictions on out of state residents.

  The suggested programs below are based on the prerequisites for the USC College of Pharmacy. In order to gain admission to the MUSC program, students would have to additionally complete a Microbiology course. In our Pre-Pharmacy program, the advisor maintains communications with all the area pharmacy schools and meets with interested students on a regular basis, reminding them of deadlines and requirements. Currenlty, the pre-pharmacy advisor is Dr. David Slimmer.