Office of Pre-Health and Pre-Law Studies
Leadership
Eva Gonzales, Ph.D.
Director
Overview
Saint Louis University's Pre-Health and Pre-Law Studies programs are administered through the Office of the Provost and meet the needs of students preparing for admission into schools dedicated to health or law professions.
Students officially accepted by the SLU Office of Undergraduate Admission are eligible to begin a curriculum preparatory to pre-health or pre-law professions. Approximately 1,500 students (first-year students through seniors) are involved in the pre-professional curriculum.
Pre-professional students major in an academic discipline in addition to completing the prerequisite curriculum requirements.
- For pre-health students, the basic science courses comprising this curriculum are suitable preparation for entry into many professional areas, including medicine (allopathic and osteopathic), dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine and podiatry.
- Pre-law students prepare for entry into law programs through liberal arts courses that examine political and legal systems, as well as internships and co-curricular experiences.
This program for pre-law, pre-medical, pre-dental, and other pre-health professions students encourages personal contact with faculty mentors, professional advisors in the colleges, and the Office of Pre-Health and Pre-Law Studies staff. These offices have responsibility for advisement related to the student's overall degree requirements and career choices.
For pre-health students specifically, the Office of Pre-Health and Pre-Law Studies facilitates the Pre-Health Committee on Evaluations for eligible students interested in the health professions previously mentioned. The committee is composed of the director, senior academic advisor, and academic advisor of the Office of Pre-Health and Pre-Law Studies, in addition to volunteer faculty from a variety of disciplines across campus. The committee sends a thorough letter of evaluation and recommendation to professional schools of the student's choice, replacing individual letters of recommendation sought from faculty. The evaluation process of this committee begins early in the student's third year – or two years before the anticipated date of entrance to professional school.
PLS 1000 - Introduction to Law
0-3 Credits
The purpose of the course is to provide students an introduction to the law and legal principles. The structure of the court system, civil litigation and methods of alternative dispute resolution will be examined. Elements of the following areas of substantive law: torts, contracts, property, trusts and estates, corporations, family law, and criminal law and procedure will be examined.
Attributes: Law, Religion and Politics
PLS 1930 - Special Topics
1-4 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
PLS 2000 - Intro Legal Research & Writing
3 Credits
This course has two main objectives (1) to introduce students to the basics of legal research and writing and (2) to introduce students to the fundamentals of legal reasoning and analysis. Students will be required to complete a series of research and writing exercises and a final legal analysis paper.
PLS 2800 - Special Topics
1-3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
Pre-Law Studies topics course, content varies by section and semester.
PLS 3000 - Alternative Dispute Resolution
3 Credits
The purpose of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to study the nature of conflict and explore dispute resolution techniques that provide alternatives to litigation. The course will educate students on specific dispute resolution techniques including: negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and other forms of dispute resolution. While the course is intended to have a health law focus, the practice exercises will cover all areas of conflict resolution.
PLS 3100 - Introduction to Trial Advocacy
2 Credits
This course teaches students how to prepare a legal case for a jury trial. Students learn the basic building blocks of a jury trial, the development of trial strategy, and the use of evidence at trial. The course focuses on advocacy techniques and the application of those techniques to the court setting. In conjunction with this course, students are encouraged to participate in SLU Mock Trial, a student led group, where students will use the techniques in a practical setting as members of the undergraduate mock trial teams.
PLS 3900 - Intro to Appellate Advocacy
3 Credits
This course introduces students to the role of appellate courts in the American justice system. Students learn and apply the basic elements of appellate argument including brief writing and oral advocacy. Students use a case problem to explore written and oral advocacy techniques in the court of appeals. Students prepare and present an oral argument at the end of the semester based upon the case problem.
PLS 3930 - Special Topics
3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
PLS 3935 - Issues in Health Law
3 Credits
This course provides the opportunity to explore basic law as it applies to health-related issues and the health-care community. Special emphasis will be given to those laws that directly affect health-care businesses and care delivery such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The student will also be introduced to the concepts of medical ethics and will explore the interplay between law and major ethical issues in health care. This is a rotating course that will address various areas of law. Possible courses include Sports Law and Race, Gender and Justice. This course cannot substitute for MGT 2000.
PLS 4910 - Legal Internship
1-6 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
This course is open to Junior and Senior Law Scholars. Interns work in private legal service agency and federal, local, and state judicial systems. Students are directed by SLU School of Law in securing their law internship placement. This internship is offered during the fall and spring semesters and students are encouraged to take this course in the spring of junior year or fall of senior year. If the student has any questions, please contact the Pre-Law program.
Prerequisite(s): PLS 1000; PLS 4965*; Minimum Earned Credits of 60; CORE 1500*; PLS 2000; (CORE 1000 or UUC Ignite Seminar Waiver with a minimum score of S)
* Concurrent enrollment allowed.
Attributes: UUC:Reflection-in-Action
PLS 4965 - Foundations of Law
3 Credits
This course is open to Pre-Law Scholars. Pre-Law students who have a GPA of 3.60 or higher can petition the course instructor for inclusion in the course. This is a seminar conducted by faculty of the School of Law. A final paper and class participation are major determinants of the grade. Cross-listed with POLS 3340.
Attributes: UG Pol Sci Public Law Elective
PPHS 1000 - Foundations of Medicine
1 Credit
This course provides a broad survey of premedical studies, the preparation for medical school admission and the medical profession. The class will address the specifics of medical school admission requirements and processes, academic coursework at the undergraduate and professional school level, the training of the physician and typical routines of a medical practice. The sequence of events from undergraduate coursework to becoming a licensed physician will be discussed. The class will examine how this sequence plays an integral part in the development of a capable physician. Medical Scholars may not enroll in this course.
PPHS 1020 - Intro to Healthcare Professions
2 Credits
This course explores career opportunities in the healthcare professions with an emphasis on medicine, but other professions will also be reviewed including physician assistant, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nutrition and dietetics, occupational science, physical therapy, and more. This course provides a broad survey of premedical studies, the preparation for medical school admission and the medical profession. The class will address the specifics of professional school admission requirements and processes, academic coursework at the undergraduate and professional school level, the training of the physician and typical routines of a medical practice. Students will receive presentations from healthcare professionals and engage in a number of assignments to increase their knowledge of those professions in which they are most interested.
Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a classification of Freshman or Sophomore.
PPHS 1050 - Medical Scholar Seminar
0 Credits
This course is required (and is limited to) freshman Medical Scholars. A variety of activities are planned with some lectures, hands-on activities, and networking with the SLU School of Medicine students and faculty.
Restrictions:
Students with a classification of Junior or Senior may not enroll.
PPHS 2000 - Introduction to Medical Research Class
2 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
The Introduction to Medical Research Class is a lecture-based course designed to introduce undergraduate students to clinical research in an academic medical setting via lectures and group work. Throughout the course, the class will address a range of topics including medical ethics, research modalities and tools in evaluating studies. Attending emergency medicine faculty from Saint Louis University Hospital will teach the course. The class will look at how clinical research and the application of evidence- based medicine is used to change treatment standards in patient care.
Prerequisite(s): (BIOL 1040 or (BIOL 1240 and BIOL 1245)); (BIOL 1060 or (BIOL 1260 and BIOL 1265)); CHEM 1120; CHEM 1125
PPHS 2930 - Special Topics
1-3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
PPHS 2980 - Independent Study
1 or 3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
PPHS 3930 - Special Topics
2 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
PPHS 3980 - Independent Study
1 or 3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
PPHS 4910 - Internship
1-3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
This course is designed to introduce undergraduate students to the practice of dental and oral medicine in a clinical setting. Throughout this course students will gain the opportunity to shadow dentists in three specialty areas: orthodontics, endodontics, and periodontics to foster greater awareness of the challenges and rewards of dentistry. The internship consists of forty hours of shadowing at SLU’s Center for Advanced Dental Education.
Prerequisite(s): (CORE 1000 or UUC Ignite Seminar Waiver with a minimum score of S); CORE 1500*
* Concurrent enrollment allowed.
Attributes: UUC:Reflection-in-Action
PPHS 4930 - Special Topics
3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)
PPHS 4970 - Advanced Independent Research in Pre-Professional Health Studies
1-3 Credits (Repeatable up to 12 credits)
Research Topics.
PPHS 4980 - Advanced Independent Study in Pre-Professional Health Studies
1 or 3 Credits (Repeatable for credit)