Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, & Pre-Veterinary Programs
Advisor: J. Rulfs
Students at WPI who wish to pursue careers in the medical professions should, in consultation with their academic advisors, plan their academic programs to include courses in biology, general and organic chemistry, and physics including laboratory experiences. Entry into medical or other health professions schools may be accomplished through any major program of study offered at WPI, although students majoring in some programs may have to use all of their electives to fulfill the required courses for medical school admission or may have to take some courses during summer sessions. It is important for students to work closely with their academic advisors as well as the pre-health advisor at WPI, to formulate an academic plan of study that will include the courses required for health professions schools. While each school may have specific and individual admissions requirements, typically these will include:
General chemistry* | 3 courses |
Organic chemistry* | 3 courses |
Biology* | 3 courses |
Physics* | 3 courses |
Calculus | 2 courses |
English composition** | 2 courses |
* These courses must include laboratory components.
** Check with the pre-health advisor for the use of course and project work to fulfill this requirement.
Students should consult catalogs of the individual health professions schools for specific requirements.
The WPI projects system offers a tremendous advantage to pre-health professions students. Medical, dental and veterinary schools value teamwork, as well as cross cultural, research, and medically related experience, all of which can be demonstrated through project work. Opportunities for such projects can be found on campus or at one of the project center sites at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center or Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine or through WPI's global projects program. These projects provide students with valuable and unique experiences that can strengthen their commitment to a health profession and their application for admission to health professions schools.
Because students will leave WPI with a degree in an academic discipline, they will have other career opportunities should they decide not to pursue a career in a health profession or should they choose to work for some time after graduation before continuing on to a health professions school. Students or alumni applying to health professions school should plan to meet with the pre-health advisor to discuss the application process as well as to plan for a letter of recommendation from the pre-health office to support their application. These meetings should happen no later than the spring of the junior year or as soon as the decision is made to pursue admission to a health profession school.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: January 28, 2009 13:55:03