Pre-Health Preparation
The health professions are popular career goals for many Adelphi students. Students preparing for allopathic, chiropractic, dental, optometric, osteopathic, pharmacy, physician assistant, podiatric, or veterinary medical schools (“pre-meds”) or those interested in physical therapy may major in any subject but must all take a number of science courses: you must consult with the adviser of the field you are interested in (typically: general chemistry, organic chemistry, general biology, and physics [all one year sequences] and at least one semester of math and statistics). Careful planning is important because the required science courses must be completed by the end of the junior year, at which time the national pre-professional examinations (Medical College Admissions Test [MCAT], Dental Admissions Test [DAT], Optometry Admissions Test [OAT], Graduate Record Exam [GRE]) should be taken.
Admission to health professional schools requires excellent grades, good performance on standardized tests (which test reading, reasoning, mathematical skills and science knowledge), and documented interest in the profession, as evidenced by relevant volunteer work or employment and knowledge of the profession.
All pre-health students should register with the Office of Pre-Professional Advising and Fellowships in Levermore Hall, Room 303, early in their college career and no later than the end of their sophomore year. In the fall of their junior year, students should make an appointment with the OPPAF Director, Robert I. Schwartz, to discuss the application procedure and finalize the process of gathering letters of evaluation. Early consultation with the departmental adviser and pre-medical adviser are recommended to discuss career plans, assure appropriate course selection, and monitor progress.
Pre-health students can keep abreast of current details concerning admission requirements, application procedures, required standardized tests, and summer programs by checking the OPPAF bulletin wall located in Levermore 303 and on the first floor of the Science Building as well as checking with the Office of Pre-Professional Advising and Fellowships; visiting Adelphi’s pre-health Web site academics.adelphi.edu/artsci/ppa/prehealth; subscribing to the pre-health email list (subscribe in Levermore Hall, Room 303); and participating in the Pre-Professions Club, the Biology Club, the Chemistry Club and if selected, the Pre-Health Honor Society (Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED). Books on the application process, test preparation, and medical school bulletins are available for examination in OPPAF, Levermore 303, the Learning Center and the Adelphi Library.
Students with a bachelor’s degree in non-science disciplines can prepare for health professional school admission by participating in the post-baccalaureate pre-med program. Candidates with degrees in non-science disciplines can take the required pre-medical courses and appropriate ancillary courses and receive advising and letters of evaluation in support of their professional school applications. (See Basic Sciences for Health Professions Post-Bachelor’s Certificate ). Science graduates interested in becoming health professionals may also participate in this program or may benefit by enrolling in the M.S. program in biology to improve their pre-health credentials. They too will receive full pre-health support services. More information about these programs can be obtained from Robert I. Schwartz at (516) 877-3140 or by emailing: rschwartz@adelphi.edu. The M.S. program in biology is described in the College of Arts and Sciences section of this Bulletin.
Information about Adelphi’s Joint Degree/Early Acceptance Programs in dentistry, engineering, environmental studies, medicine, optometry, physical therapy, and podiatry, can be found later in this chapter.