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Pre-Medical Sciences Studies (Certificate)

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Our Pre-Medical Sciences Studies program is specifically designed to prepare you for professional school.

Degrees & Offerings
  • Certificate
Location
  • Bloomsburg
  • Lock Haven
  • Mansfield
Department
College
Program Contact
Chair, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences / Professor of Biochemistry
Illustration of Mountain

Preparation for the medical professions is more than a collection of courses.

Our Pre-Medical Science Studies Certificate program helps prepare you for entry into post baccalaureate schools in the medical professions: medical school, dental school, veterinary school, podiatric school, pharmacy school, and optometry school. Students for whom the certificate program is designed:

  • Post-baccalaureate students that require additional preparation at the undergraduate level.
  • Undergraduate students on an alternative path to preparing for professional school, such as Psychology, Exercise Science or Anthropology to name a few.

Courses and Curriculum

Key

  • Medicine (M), Dentistry (D), Pharmacy (P), Veterinary (V), and Optometry (O)

Required Courses

  • BIOL110 Principles of Biology 1 (MDPVO)
  • CHEM121 General Chemistry 1 (MDPVO)
  • CHEM122 General Chemistry 2 (MDPVO)
  • CHEM281 Organic Chemistry 1 (MDPVO)
  • CHEM282 Organic Chemistry 2 (MDPVO)
  • CHEM351 Biochemistry 1 (MDPVO)
  • PSY100 Intro Psychology (MDPVO)
  • SOC101 Intro Sociology (MDPVO)
  • PMSS300 Pre-Medical Sciences Seminar (MDPVO)

Biology Electives (choose three)

  • BIOL211 Cell Biology (MD)
  • BIOL446 Immunology
  • BIOL443 Molecular Biology
  • BIOL479 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (D)
  • BIOL474 Human Physiology (D)
  • BIOL340 Microbiology (MD)
  • BIOL209 Genetics (MD)

Math Electives (choose one)

  • MATH150 Essentials of Calculus (M)
  • MATH160 Calculus 1 (M)
  • STAT141 Statistics (DPO)

Physics Electives (choose one path)

  • PHYS208 Intro Physics 1
  • PHYS209 Intro Physics 2
  • PHYS211 General Physics 1
  • PHYS212 General Physics 2

Strongly recommended (not required)

  • Research of Independent Study
  • BIOL180 Anatomy and Physiology 1 (PO)
  • BIOL181 Anatomy and Physiology 2 (PO)

Non-course requirements

  • QPA 3.2
  • Science QPA 3.2
  • C or better in all required courses

  Certificate Progress: Enrolled students can review program requirements and track progress toward certificate completion using the university’s degree audit and advising tool, Degree Works.

Upon completion of the PMSS Certificate program, students will:

  1. Describe the role of biology and biochemistry in living systems.
  2. Describe the role of chemistry and physics in biological systems.
  3. Describe the psychological, social, and biological foundations of human behavior.
  4. Apply critical analysis and reasoning to solve problems.

As a program goal, students will prepare application materials for professional school.

Pre-Med Advising

PMSS students have a Pre-Professional Advisor to advise them in coursework and in other important facets of pre-professional preparation:

  • community service
  • shadowing
  • professional development activities

Our experienced advisors know the ins and outs of applying to professional schools.

Qualified Faculty

At Commonwealth University, professors with advanced degrees in their field teach all lectures and labs. Most have doctorates. The professors are here because they love to teach.

Academic Rigor

Our courses provide the rigor needed to develop critical thinking and analysis skills, not only required to perform well on today’s MCAT, OAT, DAT, and GRE, but also for success in your professional school curriculum.

Pre-Med Sciences Seminar

When you apply to professional school, the Pre-Medical Sciences Seminar course will help you stay on track with preparing your application.

Continue to Explore

Program Faculty

Toni Bell

Toni Trumbo Bell

  • Chair, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences / Professor of Biochemistry
  • Bloomsburg

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