Looking ahead to …
A CAREER IN HEALTH OR MEDICINE
Health profession schools often require that you take many courses pre-matriculation to meet entry requirements and/or prepare for standardized tests. Applicants will need to check for variations at the specific schools where they intend to apply.
Course requirements for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs will include lists similar to the one below.
| General/Inorganic Chemistry | 2 courses with lab |
| Math | Calculus required for Physics + a few medical schools have a math requirement |
| Biology | 2 courses with labs + (physiology recommended for MCAT) |
| English | 2 courses (one will be WRITING 101) |
| Psychology | 1 course |
| Sociology | 1 course in medical sociology recommended |
| Statistics | 1 course |
| Organic Chemistry | 2 courses with lab |
| Physics | 2 courses with lab |
| Biochemistry | 1 course |
For more information about prehealth coursework see https://advising.duke.edu/prehealth/prepare/course/.
Prehealth courses at Duke are rigorous, and you’ll want to plan your prehealth schedule carefully. Many prehealth students begin taking chemistry and calculus in the fall, and then will add biology in the spring. AP, IPC or PMC credit may be used for some requirements. See the Office of Health Professions Advising website for more details. Here are some things you should do as a prehealth student this year:
- Read the information on the prehealth website. Visit prehealth.duke.edu/prepare.
- Enroll in math and chemistry courses this fall. Trinity students should aim for a balanced schedule which includes no more than two lab math/science courses.
- FOR PRATT STUDENTS ONLY: Consult with a Pratt advisor about how these requirements are incorporated into your engineering curriculum.
- Attend a Prehealth Group Advising Sessions when they are offered.
- Sign up for prehealth email announcements: https://prehealth.duke.edu/prepare/listserv.
- Use weekly Zoom drop-ins to get your questions answered; we use a waiting room for privacy. See our weekly announcements for details.
PREHEALTH QUESTIONS
For more information about prehealth requirements, visit the Office of Health Professions Advising website at prehealth.duke.edu/prepare.
PREHEALTH PATHS BEYOND STEM
You don’t have to major in a natural science to be a strong candidate. Duke’s Health Professions Advising Office encourages students to focus on what interests them most. Many Duke students interested in prehealth careers major in social sciences or humanities and are as successful with admissions as those in a STEM field.
LAW SCHOOL
There is no “pre-law track” at Duke, but there is a pre-law process. Being pre-law at Duke means engaging with the information and programming provided by the Office of Pre-Law Advising to help you determine if law school is right for you. The Office of Pre-Law Advising sponsors programming through the Bench & Bar Pre-Law Society and the Black Pre-Law Society. All students with any interest in pursuing law school are strongly encouraged to join either or both of those student groups. For more information, visit the Office of Pre-Law Advising’s website at prelaw.duke.edu and join the listserv using your Duke e-mail address now at rebrand.ly/dukeprelawlistserv. You can also follow us on Instagram at duke.prelaw.
BUSINESS SCHOOL
Students interested in careers in business, finance or entrepreneurship and innovation have many options at Duke. Visit https://advising.duke.edu/prebusiness-advising/ for more information.