Pre-Professional Programs

(Dentistry, Medicine, [Physicians and Physician's Assistants], Optometry, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Veterinary Medicine)
Jacksonville University has been very successful in placing graduates in professional programs. Students have a number of options in choosing major fields and specific courses within basic admissions requirements for professional schools so careful advising is essential.

LAW
Students who plan to attend law school should consult with the pre-law advisor in the Division of Social Sciences early in their undergraduate careers. Law schools do not favor any set pre-law program or major. They do advise students to select majors and courses that are intellectually stimulating and which require precision of thought and expression. For further information or questions, please contact the Office of Admissions.

PRE-HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Many of the course requirements for admission to programs leading to degrees in the health professions are similar. Most students who aspire to such programs major in either Biology or Chemistry, but students who choose to major in other disciplines are successful in gaining admission to classes leading to a degree in the health professions. These schools look for well-rounded individuals who have demonstrated the ability to use their intellect. It is to the student’s advantage to choose a major based on their interests so that they may excel. The Division of Science and Mathematics has a pre-health professions program to assist students with the applications process and other ways of reaching their goals in these fields. Students interested in health professional careers, especially those majoring in non-traditional disciplines should work closely with their academic advisor and the Office of Pre-Health Professional Advising to ascertain that the course requirements of the program to which they are applying are met.

Dentistry, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Students who plan to enter a dental or medical school after graduation should consult with the Pre-Health Profession Advisors in the Division of Science and Mathematics early in their academic careers. The pre-health professions program is intended to guide students through the proper courses and procedures for becoming accepted by a medical school or biomedical professional school. The program includes completion of the basic requirements of U.S. medical schools as follows:

PRE-HEALTH PROFESSIONS BASIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS

* Prerequisite for most 300/400-level BIOL courses. This may be waived in many cases by permission of the faculty teaching upper division courses. Medical schools generally require a minimum of 8 credit hours of Biology. Most other programs in the health professions or completion of the undergraduate major in Biology or Biochemistry or also require additional Biology courses which vary by program.

These requirements encompass the material needed for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is required by all but a few medical schools in the U.S. These courses also comprise the information needed for basic background for the study of medicine as well as admission to most other health professions programs. The requirements are to be regarded as minimal for either purpose.

In addition to the basic medical/dental school requirements, the following courses are recommended for strengthening the student’s basic science background, and good performance in these courses will also make the student a stronger candidate for admission to the program of their choice:

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED COURSES

*May be waived by permission of instructor.
    
Pre-pharmacy students often major in Biochemistry and are in consultation with the chemistry faculty. Many pharmacy programs also require students interested in attending Pharmacy school to take a two-semester Anatomy and Physiology sequence. Students interested in pharmacy school should contact the Office of Pre-Health Professional Advising in the Division of Science and Mathematics for additional information.

A variety of internship programs with either Research or Clinical/Practical Professional orientation are available to JU students. JU students collaborate with mentors at the Mayo Clinic, UF/Shands Jacksonville and other institutions. The Faculty and Staff at JU work with these institutions to identify and encourage minorities and other students who are interested in careers in research and medicine through these internships.

BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN CONJUNCTION WITH PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS

Jacksonville University’s policy is to grant a bachelor’s degree to a student who attended JU for three years, then successfully completes at least one year at a professional school qualified under transfer credit policies and in a field related to the major pursued at JU. The following qualifications and procedures apply:

• Before leaving Jacksonville University, the student must:
  • Complete all core curriculum courses required for the expected degree.
  • Complete all specific course requirements for the major pursued, as well as other major requirements, to the extent that no more than 12 credit hours of electives in the major remain to be taken.
  • Have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, qualify according to the rules of transfer, and complete a total of 120 semester credit hours
• Acceptable professional schools for this special consideration must be accredited to grant degrees in the following fields:
  • Medicine (MD, DO, PA) or podiatry
  • Dentistry
  • Physical Therapy
  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Occupational
  • Therapy
  • Law
  • Chiropractic Medicine
• In order to qualify for this consideration, the student must:
  • Apply for graduation, using the appropriate JU Graduation Application Form.
  • Furnish complete transcripts of the academic record at the professional school.
  • Be approved by the major department at JU.
  • Be approved by the appropriate academic dean.
  • Be approved by a majority vote of the University Faculty.​