Athens State University offers courses in several undergraduate academic programs designed to prepare students for further study in the fields of medicine, dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, chiropractic medicine, physical therapy, and other related disciplines. We offer situation-based guidance according to prior courses taken, previous employment, and target school program admissions requirements. Students interested in pre-health programs should contact the chief Pre-Health programs advisor, Sara Cline (sara.cline@athens.edu).
Our Pre-Health certificate is designed to link students with an advisor that can help transfer students and Post-Bachelor students build their resumes with shadowing, volunteerism, and committee letters for Professional School. The certificate covers the pre-requisites for most Pre-Health professional programs, including Medical (MD and DO), PT, PA, OT, pharmacy, dental, nurse practitioner, veterinary, podiatry, chiropractic, optometry, athletic training, anesthesiologist assistant, audiology, and psychiatry. It also includes the classes necessary to prepare for the MCAT, DAT, and PCAT. In this 1-year (3-semester) certificate, students transfer to Athens State from a community college either in the Fall or Spring semester after completing Chemistry I & II, Physics I, and Physics II (if necessary).
This degree program is useful for students pursuing a variety of pre-health fields, including:
- Pre-Med
- Pre-Pharm
- Pre-Pharmacy
- Pre-Vet
- Pre-Dental
- Pre-PT
- Pre-Optometry
In particular, students interested in attending Medical School should begin preparing for the Medical School Application process during their Junior year. See a generic timeline below Other health allied program application deadlines can vary.
Athens State supports students interested in applying to Professional Schools, and we will work with you to develop a course load and timeline. Example information for Medical school application preparations:
Courses typically required for medical school admission (requirements vary):
- Two Biology courses with labs
- Physics I & II
- General Chemistry I & II
- Organic Chemistry I & II
- English Composition I & II
Students should begin studying MCAT content during their Junior year. Test Content includes:
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
In addition to the required courses, there are several courses we offer at Athens State that can help with MCAT Prep:
- Biochemistry
- Statistics With Advanced Topics In Behavioral Science or Applied Probability and Statistics
- Cell Structure and Function
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
- Human Structure and Function
- Animal Physiology
- Abnormal Psychology
- Gender and Multicultural Studies
- Social Analysis
- Majority/Minority Group Relations
- Histology
- Immunology
Generic Timeline
This timeline is a guideline. Please check with the medical school you would like to apply to for specific details.
Junior Year
Fall
Study for MCAT
Complete Shadowing hours, if still needed
Spring
MCAT
Summer
Organize letters of recommendation
May
Medical School Application Opens for Incoming Class of Fall after Next (AMCAS or AACOMAS)
Senior Year
Fall
First Round Interviews
Deposits Due
Spring
Second Round Interviews