Majors & Minors

Pre-Health

Train for 21st-century careers in the health professions in the liberal arts and sciences tradition.

Contact

Maria Cuevas

Professor of Biology

Maria Cuevas

Professor of Biology

Study Abroad

Interested in studying abroad? Here is a link to study abroad programs that relate to Pre-Health.  These are suggested programs that fit with the student’s major or minor. Students can go on other programs. Thus, this is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all programs that are available. Remember it requires planning. We recommend you visit with your academic advisor as well as any staff member in the Study Abroad office https://www.southwestern.edu/study-abroad/contact-us/

To access the list of programs click on the link below. 

 https://www.southwestern.edu/study-abroad/study-abroad-programs/study-abroad-by-major/

 

OVERVIEW

If you are committed to both lifelong learning and improving the wellness and lives of others, the pre-health pathway at Southwestern University provides you with personalized advising so that you can prepare to become an innovator and leader in a variety of healthcare fields, from medicine, dentistry, optometry, and veterinary science to pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and physician assistantship. You will receive assistance with organizing your course schedules and completing the specific educational requirements that will impress admissions committees at top professional and graduate programs.

By engaging in pre-health advising, you will receive important notices about financial aid, such as the latest merit-based premedical scholarships; summer undergraduate research experiences sponsored by the National Science Foundation at universities throughout the U.S.; and postbaccalaureate programs and jobs that can improve your admissions prospects for medical and other professional schools. You will receive alerts about registration deadlines for upcoming standardized exams, such as the MCAT or DAT, and suggestions for how to request recommendation letters . You can also benefit from Southwestern’s vast network of alumni relations: recent undergraduates have gained hands-on experience in internships and research assistantships at major institutions, including Houston Methodist and St. David’s hospitals and the University of Texas Health Science Center . Such high-impact experiences are valued by graduate and professional programs; SU’s acceptance rates are significantly higher than the national average. But they also provide you with an opportunity to discover whether a career in clinical or nonclinical healthcare is right for you during your undergraduate years.

Although the majority of our pre-health students have majored within the natural sciences, health-related professional school programs are looking for bright, highly motivated students who care about people, not simply for individuals with specific majors. So we encourage you to major in fields of study that challenge you and inspire your curiosity while you complete your prerequisite courses. Whether you pursue majors in art history, business, or a STEM field, embarking on the pre-health pathway will help you become a competitive applicant for professional schools and graduate with a well-rounded, meaningful education.


https://www.southwestern.edu/scope/projects-mentors/

Director of General Chemistry Labs Willis Weigand and SU undergraduates Luis Ramirez ’21 and Valerie Acosta ’22 spent their summer discovering new ways to reduce the side effects and enhance the potency of compounds containing nitrogen and sulfur that are used as anti-cancer and anti-bacterial medications.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR WORK AND OTHER SCOPE PROJECTS


EXPLORE SOUTHWESTERN

Pre-Health News

Video: Southwestern Student Interns in Cutting-Edge Cancer Research Lab

Natasha Ndele ’24 spent her summer researching bladder cancer at the Houston Methodist Research Institute.  

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Southwestern Achieves 100 Percent Medical School Acceptance in 2023

Southwestern announces a groundbreaking achievement. 

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Nyaberi (fourth from left) was selected to engage in a premedical fellowship at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra.

Becoming a Better Thinker through Science

Esther Nyaberi ’21 finds joy in researching apple snails, environmental DNA, and microplastics.

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