PRE-HEALTH PROGRAMS
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Students planning to complete a traditional four-year degree should select an academic major before completion of their third semester. Most students complete the biology or chemistry or biochemistry major curriculum, but other majors are viable options for students desiring admission to health professional schools. Non-science majors may become candidates for admission, if they have taken the prerequisite science courses required by the school to which they apply. For example, pre-medical subjects required by U.S. medical schools are listed in the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR), published by the Association of American Medical Colleges. If time permits within a student’s major curriculum, the following courses are recommended: • Applied Statistics/MATH 213 • Organic Spectroscopic Methods and Lab/CHEM 325/326 • Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Lab/BIOL 292/293 • Histology and Lab/BIOL 320/321 • Human Physiology and Lab/BIOL 368/369 • Genetics and Lab/BIOL 265/266 • Structural Biochemistry/CHEM 366 Advising Students participating in a pre-health program are assigned two pre-health advisors. The primary academic advisor assists students in scheduling courses appropriate for their chosen major curriculum. The Pre-Health Advising Program Director acts as a secondary advisor for all pre-health students, preparing students to become qualified professional school applicants and making recommendations on their behalf in collaboration with other faculty evaluators. Early Acceptance A three-year option is available to extraordinary students who have completed three years of undergraduate study at Gannon University (depending upon the affiliation this is a minimum of 90-92 credits including all the liberal studies core requirements) and have achieved early acceptance to an accredited health professional school. The student must petition the PreHealth Advising Program Director, who in consultation with the Dean of the Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences, may award a Bachelor of Science degree in health science upon completion of the first year of study at an accredited health professional school. After completion of the first year of professional school coursework, the student must submit an official transcript to the Gannon University Registrar, who will forward it to the Director for review. Upon the Director’s and Dean’s approval, a B.S. in Health Science will be awarded to the student.
PRE-PHARMACY Students participating in this program who complete a minimum of 60 to 67 credits will be eligible to apply to any of the 139 pharmacy schools across the United States. After completing the first semester, students should begin to think about which accredited pharmacy school(s) to which they would like to apply and look up the prerequisite coursework to ensure it is included in their undergraduate curriculum. Students planning to complete a traditional four-year degree should select an academic major before completion of their third semester. For these students, courses selected after the freshman year will depend upon the student’s final choice of major. GU Undergraduate Entry Requirements: • Completion of four years of science courses at the high school level (biology and chemistry courses are required, while physics is highly recommended) • Completion of four years of math courses at the high school level