USF 2001-2002 Undergraduate Catalog - Pages 77

Health Professions

The University of South Florida is an excellent location to prepare for a career in the health professions. The Veterans Administration Hospital, University of South Florida Medical Center, Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida Mental Health Institute, and University Community Hospital are within walking distance of the campus and offer students excellent opportunities for observation, research, and experience.

The College of Arts and Sciences offers programs designed to prepare students for admission to professional schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, and physical therapy. Most of these professions require four years of preprofessional preparation followed by four years of training in a professional school. A few well-prepared students with exceptional qualifications may be admitted to some professional schools as early as the completion of the junior year of preprofessional work. The preprofessional programs do not meet requirements for a degree; therefore, students must choose a major in addition to fulfilling their pre-professional requirements. Most preprofessional students major in the sciences because of their interests in the health sciences, and because of the considerable overlap between the preprofessional curriculum and the degree requirements for majors in the biology and chemistry departments. Entrance into all professional schools or programs is competitive, and students should begin establishing a record of excellence with the first semester at USF. Furthermore, it is essential that students pursue courses developing a sense of understanding of cultural and humane values as well as basic social problems. Students should also have some clinical and/or volunteer experience related to the medical field.

The College of Arts and Sciences provides academic advising in the Science Advising Center (CHE 306). The office maintains a library of current catalogs and books on admission requirements for professional schools and is an important resource center for preprofessional students. Students considering one of the health professions should contact the College of Arts and Sciences during the first semester at USF to declare their interest in a health professions program. Students are then assigned to the Science Advising Center for curriculum planning. At the time of application to professional schools, students are provided information about admission tests and the application process, and they are assisted in the process of obtaining recommendations . For additional information, go to http://www.cas.usf.edu/sac/.

Requirements for Health Professions Schools

These courses prepare students for admission to professional schools of chiropractic medicine, dentistry, medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, optometry, veterinary medicine, and pharmacy. All of these professional schools have in common the following course requirements, which should be completed by the end of the junior year, the usual time of application:

Biology

• BSC 2010, 2010L Biology I: Cellular Processes (3,1)
• BSC 2011, 2011L Biology II: Diversity (3,1)

Chemistry

• CHM 2045, 2045L General Chemistry I (3,1)
• CHM 2046, 2046L General Chemistry II (3,1)
• CHM 2210, 2210L Organic Chemistry I (3,2)
• CHM 2211, 2211L Organic Chemistry II (3,2)

Physics