Pre-Health FAQs

No. The pre-health tracks such as pre-dental, pre-medical, pre-nursing, pre-physician assistant, pre-optometry, pre-podiatry, pre-veterinary programs are curricular pathways and not majors.  Students may major in any field at the University while also fulfilling health profession school requirements.  Health profession schools do not show a marked preference for an applicant’s choice of major.  Due to the variation in pre-veterinary requirements at individual schools, pre-veterinary students often major or minor in Biology.  The quality and scope of one’s academic work is also very important to consider.  Professional schools usually prefer students who do well and display a variety of interests in their course work.  Personal qualities that admission committees deem valuable can be demonstrated in any academic field.

Students can major in anything while also fulfilling professional school requirements. Professional schools do not have a preference for an applicant’s choice of major.  Your choice of major as well as the breadth and level of courses you select should reflect your academic interests and degree of preparation.  Although you should not select courses solely with a view toward making an impression on admission committees, you should be aware that these committees give serious consideration to the rigor and scope of your education. We encourage applicants to meet with a pre-health advisor regularly so we can help you plan your curriculum in context of your major.

By meeting with a pre-health advisor to start a file in our office.

In thinking about the pre-health curriculum, it is important to remember that there is not one right way to plan your studies. The pre-health curriculum is not “one size fits all,” but rather is customizable based on your academic preparation and goals. While most health profession schools have a set list of pre-requisite courses that are required for admission, there can be great variability in how you complete them in a four year curriculum.  Pre-health advisors are available to help you plan your curriculum in context of your major.

Advanced credits in core science courses may not satisfy schools’ pre-requisite requirements since many health profession schools prefer that you take your science requirements while you are in college.  However, most schools accept advanced credit for their mathematics requirements.  Pre-health advisors can help you determine which of your advanced credits may be used to satisfy prerequisite requirements and which courses we recommend you take in college instead of utilizing your advanced credits. 

Appointments with pre-health advisors are available for current undergraduate students and alumni from any undergraduate program at Boston University.  Please visit our Appointments page to learn how to schedule an appointment.

No.  Students and alumni from any undergraduate program at BU are welcome to meet with the pre-health advisor of their choice whenever they schedule an appointment.  

Appointments with pre-health advisors are available to current undergraduate students and alumni from any undergraduate program at BU.

We recommend meeting with a pre-health advisor at least once per semester but you are welcome to meet with us more often than that if desired.  Our office is open all year, which includes the regular academic year (winter and spring break too) as well as throughout the summer.

We still want to meet with you! Pre-health advisors are available to help you identify experiential learning opportunities that will help you explore your interests.  We encourage you to meet with a pre-health advisor even if you are considering pursuing a health profession so we can help you gain a deeper understanding of what will be expected of you as an applicant.

Pre-health advisors provide comprehensive guidance to students aspiring to enter careers in a broad range of health-related professions including medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician assistant, nursing, optometry, podiatry, pharmacy, and other fields.

Yes! Boston University Study Abroad provides students the opportunity to participate in academic and internship programs in over 30 countries during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. While some programs are designed specifically for students pursuing studies in science, as a pre-health student you have the option of participating in the full range of study abroad programs. We encourage students to take advantage of the opportunities provided by Study Abroad, and pre-health advisors can help you begin to think about how to fit studying abroad into your curriculum.

Yes! Getting involved in student organizations is a great way to enhance your college experience and there are many health-related student groups that are active on campus.  We also encourage you to explore the wide variety of student organizations at BU.

Clinical experiences are critical to helping you determine whether pursuing a health profession is right for you and pre-health advisors can help you explore your interests and determine the right time to start pursuing clinical experience.  Clinical experiences can be developed through a variety of settings including hospitals, medical centers, community health centers, private practices, mobile clinics, service trips, and many more.  Professional schools will expect that you have thoughtfully explored your interests through meaningful in-depth experiences over time.  In other words, it is important to demonstrate continuous dedication to exploring the field you say you want to pursue.  We encourage you to reflect on your experiences as you go so you can be purposeful when building your clinical experiences and overall portfolio.

There are many opportunities for students to get involved in research on and off campus.  Pre-health advisors can help you explore your interests and determine when the right time for you to start pursuing research may be based on your timeline.

In addition to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, students may find research opportunities by networking with faculty directly.  Research does not have to be related to the core sciences and we encourage you to explore ANY area of interest you may have such as public health, psychology, health & rehabilitation sciences, engineering, and more.  Students may also coordinate research opportunities with faculty at our medical campus as well as with individuals affiliated with local hospitals and medical centers.  During the summer months, students may choose to pursue opportunities closer to home.  The Center for Career Development also has resources to help you create and update your resume and search for research internships through Handshake.

Yes! We offer a variety of programs throughout the regular academic year that include general information meetings, sessions with representatives from health profession schools, and a year-long series on exploring opportunities beyond the fields of medicine and dentistry.  These sessions complement and reinforce information students gain through individual advising appointments and help students broaden their perspective of the health professions.  Once you open a file in our office you will receive emails from us about upcoming events.  We also recommend you check out our Calendar of Events regularly. 

Most health profession schools require applicants take one or more standardized tests.  Pre-health advisors can help you determine when you should take the appropriate standardized test(s), which will largely be based on your application timeline.

A gap year is a term used when applicants apply to start health profession school one or more years after completing their undergraduate studies.  There are variety of reasons you might decide to take at least one gap year and pre-health advisors can help you determine whether taking one or more gap years could be beneficial for you.  We encourage all of our applicants to consider taking one or more gap years and approximately 75% of our applicants do so.  Pre-health advisors can help you plan your application timeline and provide you with recommendations about what to do during your gap year(s) based on what you accomplish during your undergraduate career.

The MMEDIC Program provides early acceptance to the School of Medicine or School of Dental Medicine for a limited number of current BU students who have completed two years of their undergraduate study.  It offers an integrated curriculum composed of medical/dental school-related courses, enabling students to enhance their transition to the professional school curriculum.  Students interested in applying to this program are encouraged to meet with a pre-health advisor to discuss their interest and plan how to incorporate the required prerequisites into their curriculum.