Pre-Health

Saint Louis University's pre-professional health studies program prepares students for some of the most popular careers in health care. Advisers guide students through course registration, internships and letters of recommendation.

Curriculum Overview

Students are encouraged to take a balanced combination of natural science, language, social science, humanities, and general liberal arts courses (15-18 credits per semester). The suggested selection of courses for beginning students is made on the basis of high school aptitude and achievement, as well as previous humanities and science courses.

Pre-health professions students are encouraged to acquire a strong background in the humanities and social sciences, selecting courses in which the development of communication skills and verbal reasoning are encouraged, as these skills are stressed in the admission selection process by professional schools. Students are also encouraged to complete an internship and/or shadow practitioners to gain firsthand experience in a health care setting.

Pre-Health students apply to professional school one year in advance of the expected date of matriculation. Within the first three years, the student must complete the following required courses in basic sciences that satisfy the majority of medical and other professional schools.

Students completing the minimum pre-health curriculum are better prepared to take the appropriate admission test as part of the application process for professional school.

BIOL 1240General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution3
BIOL 1245Principles of Biology I Laboratory1
BIOL 1260General Biology: Transformations of Energy and Matter3
BIOL 1265Principles of Biology II Laboratory1
Upper Division Biology course3-5
BIOL 3020Biochemistry and Molecular Biology3
BIOL 3040Cell Structure & Function3
CHEM 1110General Chemistry 13
CHEM 1120General Chemistry 23
CHEM 1115General Chemistry 1 Laboratory1
CHEM 1125General Chemistry 2 Laboratory1
CHEM 2410Organic Chemistry 13
CHEM 2420Organic Chemistry 23
CHEM 2415Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory1
CHEM 2425Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory1
MATH 1510Calculus I4
PHYS 1310College Physics I3
PHYS 1320College Physics I Laboratory1
PHYS 1330College Physics II3
PHYS 1340College Physics II Laboratory1
Total Credits45-47

Students are encouraged to take at least three upper-division biology or chemistry courses.

Students should also be aware of the updated MCAT. New and expanded content includes biochemistry, psychology, sociology and research/research methodology.

Recommended Courses

BIOL 3420Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates5
BIOL 3470General Physiology Laboratory1
BIOL 4440Vertebrate Histology: Structure and Function of Tissues4
BIOL 4540Human Systemic Physiology3
CHEM 2200Analytical Chemistry 12
CHEM 2205Analytical Chemistry 1 Laboratory2
CHEM 3330Physical Chemistry 13
CHEM 3340Physical Chemistry 23
CHEM 3345Physical Chemistry Laboratory2