Pre-Health Undergraduate, Four-Year Plan

Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences

May be combined with any major.

Year One

Year One: Fall
  • ABIO 130 (DP-NATSCI)
  • ACHM 115 or 130
  • AMAT 100 or 108 or 112 (MATH)
  • English Class
Year One: Spring
  • ABIO 131
  • ACHM 116
  • AMAT 108 or 112
  • Writing and Critical Inquiry (WCI)

Academics

  • Join the pre-health newsletter.
  • Establish good study habits.
  • Meet with a pre-health advisor during group advising sessions.
  • In the spring semester, attend the "Freshman Pre-Health Workshop" to hear from UAlbany upperclassmen who have already been accepted to health professional school.
  • Extensive reading in both science and non-science areas will help to develop your vocabulary, speed and comprehension.

Health Care Experience

  • Gather information on health-care professions.
  • Consider health care-related experience, such as volunteer work or job shadowing.
  • Consider attending an information meeting to learn more about Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Service on campus.
  • Utilize the summer to begin or continue gaining health care experience (e.g., volunteer, job shadow, or consider an EMT training course, etc.)
  • Keep a diary of your health profession and related activities.

Extra-Curricular Activities

  • Attend guest speaking events hosted by a pre-health advisor and student organizations, etc.
  • Participate in activities that you enjoy and are meaningful to you (e.g., clubs, sports, community service activities, hobbies, etc.)

Year Two

Year Two: Fall
  • ABIO 212 or 217
  • ABIO 201
  • ACHM 220
  • ACHM 222
  • APSY 101or ASOC 115 (DP-SOCSCI)
  • AMAT 108 (If AMAT 100 and 112 taken in 1st year)
Year Two: Spring
  • ABIO 217 or 212
  • ABIO 202
  • ACHM 221
  • ACHM 223
  • APSY 101 or ASOC 115

Academics

  • Work on study habits and time-management skills that allow your grades to improve even as courses get more challenging.
  • Research health professional programs to learn about specific requirements. 
  • Continue to meet with a pre-health advisor during group advising sessions.
  • Get to know your faculty, raise questions in class and visit during office hours. Faculty are a great resource for major and career information and for future letters of recommendation.
  • In the spring semester, attend the "Sophomore Pre-Health Workshop" which focuses on resume and personal statement writing.
  • Begin to explore research opportunities, especially if you're interested in pursuing a MD or PhD degree. 
  • Continue to read as this will help you prepare for the MCAT, DAT, GRE, etc.

Health Care Experience

  • Continue to gain meaningful health care experience that allows for direct patient contact.
  • Consider performing community service for credit through the UAlbany Community and Public Service Program.
  • Investigate opportunities for health care programs during the summer and on breaks from school. 

Extra-Curricular Activities

  • Continue to expand your involvement with student clubs and groups and community service or volunteer programs. 
  • Regular participation in extra-curricular activities shows commitment, and these activities will help you develop good time management and interpersonal skills.
  • Take a good look at yourself. Are you an excellent student? Do you thrive on patient contact? Do you like a hectic, challenging lifestyle? If not, perhaps you should reassess your goals now. If you answered "yes," then continue reading.

Year Three

Year Three: Fall
  • APHY 105
  • APHY 106
  • ABIO 365
Year Three: Spring
  • APHY 108
  • APHY 109
  • ABIO 410

Academics

  • Continue to excel in your academic coursework.
  • In the fall, attend the information session for students who plan to interview with the pre-health advisory committee.
  • In the spring, interview with the pre-health advisory committee. This includes students who plan to apply to medical, dental, and optometry schools.
  • Prepare a study plan for your MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, etc.
  • Plan to take the MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, etc. as early as the spring of your junior year.
  • Discuss letters of recommendation with faculty who know you well.
  • Draft, revise, and edit your personal statement.

Health Care Experience

  • Continue and expand your involvement in healthcare-related activities. Health professional schools are looking for students with a depth and breadth of experience in healthcare.

Extra-Curricular Activities

  • Continue and expand your involvement with student groups and community service and volunteer programs.
  • Consider a leadership role within a group or organization.

Note: Pre-health students should begin their primary applications to health professional schools in the early summer (May-July). Many health professions have a common application. Also, students should complete their personal statement, secondary applications and send letters of recommendation by late summer.

Year Four

  • Fine-tune your interviewing skills
  • Go on professional school interviews
  • Graduate from UAlbany

Notes

You should incorporate academics, health care experience, and extra-curricular activities at each stage of your college careers to prepare yourself for admission to health professional school. Please reach out to a pre-health advisor for any questions.

The following courses are required for most medical, dental, optometry and veterinary schools: AMAT 100, ABIO 212 or 217, ABIO 217 or 212, ABIO 365 and ABIO 410 are recommended to prepare for MCAT 2015 and beyond.

 

General Education Requirements, for students matriculating Fall 2023 and after

  • MS Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning
  • WCI Writing and Critical Inquiry
  • AR Arts 
  • HU Humanities
  • NS Natural Sciences and Scientific Reasoning
  • SS Social Sciences
  • US U.S. History and Civic Engagement
  • IP World History and International Perspectives 
  • LANG Languages Other than English (one semester of collegiate study, or the equivalent, of a language other than English)
  • DEISJ Diversity: Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice

Credit bearing Professional Development Options

  • RSSW 290, 291 and 390 – Community Service
  • Research within major
  • University internship
  • Departmental Internship
  • Community Engaged Coursework
  • Study Abroad
  • Tutoring opportunities

This is a suggested course sequence.

 

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