USF 2003-2004 Undergraduate Catalog - Pages 77 - 79
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 biology, chemistry and interdisciplinary natural sciences because of their interests in the health sciences, and the considerable overlap between the preprofessional curriculum and the degree requirements for those majors. 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.
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.
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
Chemistry
Physics
In addition to these requirements it is generally expected that preprofessional students will complete two semesters of English and mathematics appropriate for their degree. Some schools require calculus and some require one or two courses in biochemistry. CLEP credit usually is not accepted by professional schools, and some schools do not accept AP or IB credits. Students should check with the school of their choice regarding credit.
In addition to completing the basic preprofessional requirements listed under Requirements for Health Professions Schools, students should check requirements of individual schools, which may include courses such as speech and psychology. Although some chiropractic schools may require only 90 semester hours for admission, the State of Florida requires that students have earned a bachelor’s degree prior to beginning chiropractic studies in order to be licensed.
Most dental schools require the courses listed under Requirements for Health Professions Schools. The University of Florida and Nova Southeastern have the following required and recommended courses. However, students are encouraged to check with individual schools regarding specific admission requirements.
Required by University of Florida and strongly recommended by Nova Southeastern:
Strongly Recommended:
Recommended:
Additionally, the University of Florida requires and recommends
Required:
Stongly Recommended:
Recommended:
The basic requirements for medical schools are the courses listed under Requirements for Health Professions Schools. In addition, the following courses are required and/or strongly recommended. Students should check individual schools for additional requirements.
Required by Florida State University and University of Florida; recommended by University of Miami
Required by Florida State University
Strongly recommended by University of South Florida
Optometry schools differ somewhat in their admissions requirements. In addition to the common list of courses under Requirements for Health Professions Schools, most schools require the following courses:
Biology
Mathematics
Psychology
Students should check requirements of individual schools and complete requirements for those schools where they plan to apply for admission.
The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is the only veterinary school in the state. Admission into veterinary school is highly selective, and to be competitive students should obtain experience working with animals, preferably through employment with a veterinarian. Pre-veterinary students should complete a degree in the major of their choice while including the above classes and:
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
In addition, students must have a minimum of 80 hours, including 6 hours of English, 6 hours of social science, and 9 hours of humanities. Students are also required to take two courses in animal science which are offered only at University of Florida (e.g., Introduction to Animal Science and Animal Nutrition). Students usually take these in the summer before beginning veterinary school; these 8 hours can be counted in the 80.
Most pharmacy schools require a minimum of 60 semester hours and the basic science courses listed under Requirements for Health Professions Schools. In addition, specific courses in microbiology, biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, speech, computer literacy, economics, humanities, and social sciences are required or recommended. Due to the variations in admission requirements among the pharmacy schools, students should check with the school of their choice.
Physician assistant schools have slightly different requirements from other health profession schools. All physician assistant schools require or strongly recommend the following courses:
Biology
Chemistry
*Note: At USF, BSC 2093 and BCH 3023 have prerequisites that are not always required by the physician assistant programs. See the course descriptions for more information. Some programs may also require Anatomy labs.
In addition, Biology I and II (BSC 2010 and 2011) are also required by some physician assistant programs. Many schools require the second semester of organic chemistry, an additional upper-level course in biology, courses in psychology and/or sociology, public speaking (SPC 2600), at least one math course (MAC 1105 and STA 2023 are often recommended), and a course in medical terminology (CLT 3040 or HSC 4933). Students should always check with the schools they are interested in to ensure the completion of all requirements for those schools.
Physical Therapy programs in the State of Florida have the following requirements:
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
Physics
Psychology
Though many of the prerequisites for Physical Therapy are the same nationwide, a student should always check with their school of choice for admission requirements.
Early admission to professional school is exceptional with today’s competitive applicant pool; however, a few students may be admitted prior to completion of the bachelor’s degree through special programs such as the University Honors Program.
There are no State Mandated Common Prerequisites for this degree program.
Students planning on early admission should begin studies at a 4-year institution as professional schools require at least 1 year of studies at a university prior to application. Depending upon the professional school, additional science courses may be required or strongly recommended as indicated in the preceding sections. Exposure to a health profession is also strongly recommended.
Students who are admitted to an accredited U.S. medical or dental school after completing their junior year at the University of South Florida may be awarded the B.S. degree in Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences from the College of Arts and Sciences subject to the following conditions:
Biology
Plus two of the following biology courses, including at least one with a laboratory (minimum 7 semester hours):
Chemistry
Physics
Mathematics
Plus either the second semester of a calculus sequence OR
Students admitted to professional schools of veterinary medicine, optometry, or podiatric medicine prior to completion of their degree may also be able to transfer courses from the professional school and receive their bachelor’s degree. However, approval of the courses to be transferred must be obtained on an individual basis from the College of Arts and Sciences, and in some cases it may be necessary for students to complete more than 90 hours prior to leaving the University of South Florida.
Requirements for Health Professions Schools
Specific Requirements for Chiropractic School
Specific Requirements for Dental School
Specific Requirements for Medical School (including Osteopathic and Podiatric schools)
or
or
Specific Requirements for Optometry School
Specific Requirements for Veterinary School
and
or
and
Specific Requirements for Pharmacy School
Specific Requirements for Physician Assistant School
OR
Specific Requirements for Physical Therapy School
OR
Requirements for B.S. Degree for Early Admission Students
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Karen M. Hall - webCat@ugs.usf.edu
Effective Date: Semester I, 2003
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0304/hprofs.htm