Pre Medicine / Pre Dental
Pre-Professional
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Overview
Earn your degree in Biology with an emphasis in Pre-Medicine / Pre-Dental at Pittsburg State University.
Are you empathetic, caring, and focused on helping others improve their health and wellness? Through the pre-professional program at PSU, earn the prerequisites you need to apply to a variety of medical programs, whether you want to be a surgeon, dentist, chiropractor, or other specialized position.
Our pre-professional tracks are paired with the biology program to achieve a balanced curriculum in general sciences. From genetics to general microbiology, complete a broad scope of courses that will help you meet your graduate school requirements.
What is a pre-professional program?
A pre-professional program prepares students for graduate studies in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and more. Pitt State instructs the following pre-professional tracks:
- Pre-medical
- Pre-dental
- Pre-veterinary
- Pre-optometry
- Pre-chiropractic
Pre-professional programs typically do not lead to certification or licensure in a specific profession. Instead, it serves as a stepping stone to a professional program.
After graduation students typically apply to a professional school to continue their education and training. Pitt State med students can fast-track their education with the KCU Partners Program, a competitive early admission program for KCU Medical School that allows selected students at PSU to streamline their education.
Why Pitt State is one of the best pre-med schools!
Take advantage of the unique and rare experience of dissecting human cadavers. Explore the orientation of muscles and their fibers, organs, nerves, and vessels in order to fully understand how it all works together.
PSU maintains strong relationships with local healthcare providers, many of whom are alumni. Gain professional experience shadowing ER doctors, family physicians, and veterinarians. Take part in the Premeds with Promise program, which trains students to scribe and document patient visits at a local physician.
Conduct worthwhile research with your PSU professors. Our students embody innovation, most recently exploring methods to deliver life-saving anti-cancer drugs.
Is getting into a professional school difficult?
Competition for entry into health-related professional schools is high. A student must expect to have an outstanding academic record to gain admission to a professional school.
Currently, our students have an 80-85% acceptance rate to graduate/professional programs.
Our pre-professional students excel after graduation.
Pre-professional program graduates learn skills that apply to many different health and laboratory science careers. We have a proven track record of our alumni being accepted into leading medical schools and programs. Combined with expert advising, the pre-professional programs are a stepping-stone to some of the best graduate schools in the nation:
- University of Kansas
- University of Iowa
- University of Oklahoma
- Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
- UMSL College of Optometry
- A.T. Still University
- Rockhurst University
- Creighton University
- Yale
- Dartmouth
One of the benefits of starting your academic career at Pitt State is the array of pre-professional tracks we offer. Narrow your field of study and stand out to graduate school admissions. Show your dedication in one of our many emphases to make yourself a more marketable graduate.
About Biology Department
We have undergraduate programs covering the range of modern biology including: pre-health (pre-med, pre-dentistry, pre-vet, pre-optometry, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant), medical laboratory sciences, cell and molecular biology, wildlife biology, fisheries and aquatic sciences, botany, ecology, and secondary education.
There are almost 400 students in the undergraduate program and about 20 in the graduate division. The Department of Biology has 13 full-time faculty with a wide range of interests. The faculty are dedicated and committed to Pittsburg State University and the department, but most importantly, to students. Most faculty are actively engaged in research activities, national professional organizations, and professional service.