CMU Biology Department

Pre-professional Studies are designed to assist students in understanding the requirements for applying to professional schools for further study. Students are urged to contact an advisor as soon as possible to discuss a plan of action for selecting courses, to gather information regarding requirements for entrance in professional schools, and to determine an appropriate undergraduate major at Central Michigan university.

Pre-professional Studies are NOT majors or minors at Central Michigan University.

Pre-Dentistry | Suggested Course Sequence
Certain basic requirements must be fulfilled before one can be accepted to dental school. These requirements include eight hours of inorganic chemistry, eight hours of organic chemistry, eight hours of biology, eight hours of physics and six hours of English. Some English composition must be included. All of the above science classes must include a laboratory. Dental school applicants must also score well on the Dental Admission Test. Usually three to four years of college work is needed to pass.

Students should contact the CMU pre-dentistry advisor before or during the freshman year to develop a program of study. The choice of a major is not critical, but careful planning is needed if one is to move effectively towards being a successful dental school applicant.

Pre-Medicine and Osteopathy(Pre-Med) | Suggested Course Sequence
This course of study is designed for a student who believes that medicine might be his or her chosen field for life. Although no specified CMU major is required, a student should plan to earn an undergraduate degree from CMU and must select a degree program from those found elsewhere in the bulletin and successfully complete all its requirements.

The student should contact the CMU pre-medical advisor during the freshman year to develop a program of study and to obtain information about medical schools.

Pre- Physical Therapy | Suggested Course Sequence
The student has the option to choose from a wide variety of undergraduate majors to prepare them for the physical therapy program. Suggested undergraduate majors include health Fitness in Preventative and Rehabilitative Programs, Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology, Child Development, Therapeutic Recreation, Athletic Training/Sports Medicine and Health Administration. Students should consult with and advisor to identify the most appropriate undergraduate major for their interests, skills and career goals. Students must be assigned an advisor from their chosen undergraduate major to identify the courses that they need to take to complete the requirements of their undergraduate major.

Central Michigan University offers a graduate program in physical therapy. For a student to become eligible to apply for entry into the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy they must complete both: 1) the requirements for their undergraduate major, and 2) a series of prerequisite courses.

Pre-Physician Assistant | Suggested Course Sequence
As health professionals who are licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision, physician assistants provide many services that have been traditionally performed by physicians. Physician assistants take patient histories, conduct physical examinations, diagnose and treat illness, order and interpret laboratory tests, perform minor surgery and, in most states, prescribe medication.

Physician assistants work in a variety of medical settings including emergency departments, private physician practices, health care clinics, mental health facilities and hospitals. Because physician assistants can deliver care in such diverse settings and are cost-effective members of the traditional health care team, employment opportunities are abundant for graduates of this master's degree program.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine | Suggested Course Sequence
In addition to general practice, doctors of veterinary medicine have opportunities to engage in small and large animal practice, wildlife or exotic (zoo) animal medicine, teaching and research, public health work, livestock disease control and meat inspection, and biomedical research. Additionally doctors of veterinary medicine are employed by pharmaceutical laboratories, state and county agencies, departments of agriculture, and various public health services. Employment opportunities will be best in industry and research organizations. Veterinarians work to prevent the transmission of animal diseases to humans.