Pre-Professional Studies in Health Sciences

Lindenwood University offers several pre-professional programs for students planning careers in engineering or one of many health professions: athletic training, chiropractic, dentistry, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, physical or occupational therapy, physician’s assistant, allied health sciences, or veterinary medicine.

Pre-professional programs are not academic majors; rather, they are a curriculum of prerequisite coursework that will allow a student to become a qualified candidate for an appropriate professional school. It is important to note that students in any major can pursue admission to professional schools upon graduation. Acceptance to professional programs is very competitive; therefore, it is important for students to choose a major within their area of interest so they can maintain a competitive GPA. Students should strive to maintain a GPA at or above 3.50 to be competitive for acceptance into professional programs.

Additionally, many professional programs will require shadowing/service hours for application. Pre-professional students should seek out opportunities to shadow professionals in their career field, conduct research with Lindenwood faculty, and/or get involved in campus and community activities. All of these opportunities can be pursued as early as freshman year and will not only make for a more competitive application, but will give the student a greater perspective of their chosen field.

It is important for students connect with their advisor so they can help tailor a 4-year degree plan and discuss extracurricular opportunities to meet all the application requirements of the schools and programs to which the students aspires.