Pre-Health Careers

Graduate School Planning

  • Start preparation early for graduate schools. Get information on the requirements, which vary from one school to the next but almost always require that you take the GRE (basic and/or advanced) and have certain courses in your background.
  • It is very important that you talk with faculty members about your interests and career objectives. They can often guide you to the right places and provide helpful pointers on admission to graduate school.
  • Prepare for the GRE. Take a review course or purchase a guidebook from a bookstore. Practice taking the test. Many graduate schools are requiring minimum scores before they will consider you.
  • Some courses are vital to your receiving serious consideration for admission. For instance, if you are going to graduate school in molecular biology, you should take related courses (advanced molecular, advanced cell). Again, ask members of the faculty. We are glad to help.
  • Obtain some research experience, either at Wofford or through an off-campus program. You may be able to work out an Interim project at a research laboratory. Also, there are quite a few summer research programs at various universities (for example, see NSF). These experiences are critical to your professional development and will provide you with important contacts that may prove essential to your chances for admission to the best programs.

Senior Year

  • Two four-hour biology courses
  • Electives
  • Apply to medical schools by Sept. 15
  • Apply to graduate programs by appropriate deadline

You Also Need:

  • One course in calculus or statistics
  • Additional math, computer science
  • Clinical experience*

Biology Electives

Fall Courses - 4 HR

  • Microbiology: 324
  • Physiology: 342
  • Plant Kingdom: 360**
  • Field Biology: 370**
  • Field Botany: 372**

Fall Courses - 3 HR

  • Intro. to Research: 250**
  • Evolution: 399
  • Human Genetics: 421**
  • Advanced Cell: 433**

Spring Courses - 4 HR

  • Developmental: 332**
  • Anatomy: 340** / 440**
  • Histology: 344
  • Ecology: 382**
  • Freshwater Biology: 386
  • Adv. Molecular : 436**
  • Neurobiology: 446**

Spring Courses - 3 HR

  • Developmental: 331**
  • Scientific Literature: 351**
  • Marine Biology:385
  • Immunology: 423
  • Neurobiology: 445**

*January interim of your sophomore or junior year
**Alternate years

There are also special topics courses offered from time-to-time. Most of these are three-hour classes. You may also receive hourly credit for independent research.

Summer Research Programs