Academics
Students interested in entering the medical professions may major in any academic area offered by WPI. Experience has shown that majors in engineering, technology, and science, which give students exposure to complex technical concepts and a practical approach to problem solving, can be especially good preparation for health profession careers. Many pre-health students at WPI choose to major in one of the following areas:
Biology and Biotechnology
For students interested in the use of technological research tools to address questions about living organisms. Focus areas in the biological sciences range from cells and macromolecules to the interactions of organisms and their environments. Biologists need exposure to other sciences and mathematics in order to process data, solve problems, and understand the chemical and physical rules that govern biological systems. Biology and biotechnology majors may select general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, calculus, or statistics to round out their undergraduate program. These choices are easily tailored to fulfill the requirements for professional school admission.
Biomedical Engineering
For students who are interested in applying engineering techniques and tools to problems in the life sciences. Working at the intersection of engineering and medicine, biomedical engineers develop interesting and useful technology in such areas as medical imaging, surgery, and medical monitoring systems.
Biochemistry
For students who wish to combine the interests of the chemist and the biologist. Biochemistry examines how macromolecules like proteins and DNA combine to create organisms, how molecular abnormalities can lead to disease, and how new biochemical compounds can be developed to treat medical problems.
Chemistry
For students interested in observing and measuring how materials change. Chemistry students pursuing medical careers will become proficient at using sophisticated analytical equipment to measure minute amounts of medically significant compounds and small changes in the levels of various compounds in the body, skills vital to medical practice and research.
For more about pre-health at WPI, visit the undergraduate catalog.
WPI’s project-enriched curriculum
Once you’ve narrowed your focus, you can explore your chosen area of interest in depth through the WPI Plan, the university’s unique project-enriched approach to education. The project-enriched curriculum and WPI’s term system make it possible for you to spend one or more seven-week periods working on a major project at an off-campus site like UMass Medical School, the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, or a health care or biotechnology-related business.
When you’ve completed your project work, you’ll have a lot more than courses to list on your professional school application. You’ll have practical exposure to careers in the health professions and substantial experience conducting important, professional-level work in a health setting. WPI’s unique medical preparation program offers you the opportunity to perform in-depth work in a medical environment earlier than most traditional undergraduate programs.
Some pre-health projects recently completed by WPI students:
- Low-Level Radiation Health Effects Data
- Evaluation of the Asthma Epidemic
- Measuring Quality on the Fringes of Health Care
- Wellness on the Web
- Environmental Enrichment for Big Cats
- Analysis of Public Health Messages for HIV and Breast Cancer
- Farrier Services at U.S. Veterinary Schools
- Quality of Patient Care in American Hospitals
- Ethical Issues in Transgenic Animal Research
- Evaluation and Redesign of a Dental Device for Root Canal Surgery
- Evaluation of the Avian Flu Outbreaks in Hong Kong
- Evaluation of Lipid-Lowering Therapy in Coronary Artery Bypass Patients
- Health Care Delivery in a Pre-Hospital Setting
- Development of a Dengue Virus Detection Assay
Many students are intrigued by the rewards of careers in medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry. If you’ve decided on this career path, or if your interests lie in that direction, attending WPI can be an important step toward your goal.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: July 31, 2007 08:26:36