Students requesting a committee letter from the Pre-medical and Health Professions Advisory Committee at Worcester State University for application to medical, dental, or veterinary school during an upcoming summer cycle must meet the following criteria:
- Demonstrate a cumulative GPA of 3.2. This includes ALL grades from any institution. It is up to you to calculate this and to be able to demonstrate it to the chair of the Pre-Medical and Health Professions Advisory Program. There are websites available to do this easily or you can use the GPA calculator spreadsheet available in the “forms” section of this page.
- Demonstrate a BCMP (biology, chemistry, math, physics) GPA of 3.4. Again, this includes ALL grades from any institution.
- Obtain at least one MCAT, DAT or GRE score:
- An MCAT score must be at or above the 45th percentile
- A DAT score must be at or above an 18 or the 50th percentile
- A GRE score (pre-vet students) of at least 150 verbal, 150 quantitative, and a 4.0 on analytical writing, or above the 50th percentile
- Demonstrated clinical experience. The type and extent of your experience should be discussed with your pre-med, -dental, or -vet advisor well ahead of any interview process.
If any of these 4 criteria is not met, you will not be eligible for an interview or committee letter, but you can still choose to apply on your own, without the committee.
Interviews are held on Reading Day at the end of each spring semester and over the summer as needed for students who are taking the MCAT in May, June, or July. Requests for an interview or committee letter will not be accepted after September 1 of an application cycle. Note that applying early in an application cycle confers a significant advantage for admission, so please try to be ready to interview on the Reading Day date, if possible.
If you plan to request a committee letter in the forthcoming admissions cycle (even if test scores are pending), please notify the Chair of the Pre-Medical and Health Professions Advisory Committee by April 15. If you meet the criteria for a committee interview, you must submit all items listed under "Additional Documents for a Committee Interview" below no later than 3 weeks before the interview date.
The Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Program is expected to meet the needs of students preparing to apply to medical, dental, or veterinary school, as well as those aspiring to enter pharmacy, physician’s assistant, physical therapy, or optometry programs. It is designed for students who need to complete the basic science curriculum either as new courses (career changers) or as repeat attempts (GPA enhancement). Students wishing to take an advanced curriculum are advised to seek a second baccalaureate degree through the undergraduate school in lieu of the post-bacc program. The post-bacc program is administered through the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education. It is part-time, and classes are offered primarily in the evening. The basic courses are offered throughout the academic year, and summer courses are also available.
The post-bacc program is very flexible and individualized. Students may begin the program in any term. Each student’s history is evaluated and an appropriate program of study is advised based upon his/her specific needs. Students have access to advising through the Pre-Medical and Health Professions Advisory Committee and, if applicable for target programs, a committee interview and composite letter of recommendation.
Students who complete 30 credits of basic core sciences and/or other elective science courses at WSU will receive a certification of completion of the program. Up to 8 undergraduate science credits from WSU or another institution may count as transfer credits toward the 30-credit total. Students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in the program.
Admission into the program is based on undergraduate GPA and letters of recommendation. A GPA of 2.75 overall is required for admission, but students with lower GPAs may be admitted on a provisional basis at the discretion of the program director if letters indicate strong potential for pre-medical/pre-health studies. Interested students should complete the online application and submit the $30 application fee, official undergraduate transcript(s), and two letters of recommendation to Sonela Demirazi in DGCE.
While applications are accepted at any time, it is recommended that prospective students wishing to start in a fall or spring semester submit materials for admission prior to the pre-registration period for the starting semester (April 1 for fall and November 1 for spring). Students may also choose to begin in a spring term, but should be aware that summer classes are not optimal for core medical or dental school prerequisites.
There is no financial aid available for this program. This is a federal restriction for any non-degree certificate program that does not lead directly to employment. Payment is on a per-course basis and is due at the time of registration for all evening and summer courses. Payment plans can be arranged through the Student Accounts Office (Room A-140). Costs per credit are detailed on the DGCE registration webpage.
Below is a list of the basic core courses and available electives. Since health professions programs differ in their requirements, students should contact the program director prior to registration to make sure they are taking the correct courses. Questions about the program should also be addressed to the program director.
Basic Core Courses
CH 120 (General Chemistry 1, including lab) - 4 credits
CH 121 (General Chemistry 2, including lab) - 4 credits
BI 140 (Introduction to Organismal Biology, including lab) - 4 credits
BI 141 (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology, including lab) - 4 credits
CH 201 (Organic Chemistry 1 lecture) - 3 credits
CH 202 (Organic Chemistry 2 lecture) - 3 credits
CH 203 (Organic Chemistry 1 lab) - 2 credits
CH 204 (Organic Chemistry 2 lab) - 2 credits
PY 221 or PY 241 (Physics 1, including lab) - 4 credits
PY 222 or PY 242 (Physics 2, including lab) - 4 credits
Math and Science Elective Courses
MA 200 (Calculus 1)
MA 201 (Calculus 2)
MA 150 (Statistics)
BI 203 (Genetics)
CH 410 (Biochemistry, including lab)
BI 161 (Anatomy and Physiology 1)
BI 162 (Anatomy and Physiology 2)
BI 204 (Microbiology)