Pre-Health Sciences
Undergraduate Pre-Professional Advising College of Natural Sciences
Pre-Professional Advisory Track
Pre-Health Sciences Transcription
(upbeat jazzy music)
[video: Prof. Ann Auman’s voice comes in over clips. A researcher dressed in scrubs uses medical equipment to view something. A doctor speaks with a patient who sits on the exam table. A student observes another student, who rides a stationary bike.]Prof. Ann Auman, Dean of Natural Sciences: The Pre-Health Sciences Advising Program at PLU is good for students who are interested in exploring the possibility of going to medical school, dental school, pharmacy school, physician’s assistant school, maybe veterinary school as well.
[video: Prof. Auman sits in a blue-walled classroom, speaking to the camera.]Prof. Auman: Any type of program after PLU that is focused in healthcare.
(upbeat jazzy music)
[video: Prof. Neal Yakelis’s voice comes in over a clip of a student speaking to a professor.]
Prof. Neal Yakelis, PLU Chemistry Professor: The faculty members who are members of the Pre-Health Sciences Advising Team combined
[video: Prof. Yakelis stands in a lab.]Prof. Yakelis: have decades of experience helping students navigate both their time at PLU as well as after graduation into their careers in the health sciences.
[video: Prof. Auman’s voice comes in over clips. A student in a lab coat flips through a notebook filled with notes on graph paper. A professor speaks to nursing students in scrubs in front of a wall of medical supplies. Students in goggles and lab coats observe an experiment. A student in the lab measures a liquid into a graduated cylinder.]Prof. Auman: Our faculty members work really hard to provide a high-quality experience for our students while also providing them the support that they need to be successful here.
[video: Prof. Yakelis’s voice comes in over clips. A sweeping shot of PLU’s campus on a sunny day. A professor writes on a whiteboard in blue dry erase marker. Students seated at tables facing each other discuss class material.]Prof. Yakelis: Here at PLU, you get to prepare for the health sciences in a liberal arts context. That helps you make connections between classes that seem directly connected with the health sciences
[video: Return to Prof. Yakelis in the lab.]Prof. Yakelis: and the natural sciences, but with all other disciplines. And this, in the end, will make you a better healthcare practitioner in the community.
[video: Prof. Auman’s voice comes in over clips. A student signs up for a club, writing down their information on a registration form. PLU’s improv group, the Clay Crows, cheer at their booth at the Involvement Fair. Students talk and eat snacks at PLU’s Involvement Fair. A student takes a blood test from another student. A shot from above of PLU’s campus, cherry blossom trees blooming. A shot of a weight rack in PLU’s Names Fitness Center. In the gym, a student does reverse lunges holding a kettlebell in one hand, another student coaches him. PLU’s orchestra playing. Two students stand on a sand dune, holding up a PLU pennant.]Prof. Auman: Our students can participate widely in a lot of different kinds of experiences on our campus. They may be science students, but they don’t need to be science students as long as they have satisfied the prerequisites for whatever program that they’re interested in pursuing. We have many of our pre-health students who are athletes or musicians. Many of them participate in study away opportunities,
[video: Return to Prof. Auman in the classroom.]Prof. Auman: so we are more focused on providing students a holistic education to make them more well rounded.
[video: Prof. Yakelis’s voice comes in over clips. Students and a professor sit in a circle in a classroom, having a discussion. Another shot of a similarly arranged classroom, a professor speaks to the class. A professor speaks to a table of students, who hold handouts.Prof. Yakelis: Our classes have smaller sizes and are all taught by faculty members, both lecture and labs. So this allows students to develop closer, meaningful mentoring relationships with faculty members.
[video: Return to Prof. Yakelis in the lab.]
Prof. Yakelis: Here at PLU, your opportunity to work with the Pre-Health Sciences Advising Team doesn’t expire upon graduation. We work with alumni all the time in order to help them pursue their professional and post-graduate programs.
[video: Return to Prof. Auman in the classroom.]Prof. Auman: We still provide these services to our alumni so that students don’t need to feel like they have to apply immediately upon graduation. Sometimes it takes some time for our alumni to discern their paths and this gives them the opportunity to do that.
[video: Prof. Auman’s voice continues over clips. A physician observes the knee of a patient. A researcher looks at a sample underneath a microscope. A dentist examines the teeth of his patient.]Prof. Auman: Upon graduation, our students go out and are successful in a wide variety of different kinds of careers and
[video: Return to Prof. Auman in the classroom.]Prof. Auman: I have never heard a PLU alumni member say that they were under-prepared for anything that came along to do.
(upbeat jazzy music)
About:
Interested in a healthcare career? At PLU, Pre-Health Sciences isn’t a major — it’s a pathway that prepares you for professional schools and training programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and more. You’ll build a strong foundation in the sciences and the liberal arts, so you’re ready for both the technical side of healthcare and the human side — how science connects to people and communities.
Many pre-health students major in biology or chemistry, but others choose psychology, sociology, Hispanic studies, religion, or other fields. What matters most is completing the prerequisites for the healthcare professional school program you want to pursue.
PLU’s Pre-Health Sciences Advising Team will work closely with you to map your journey. The Advising Team includes professors from the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Health Professions, who have years of experience guiding students into healthcare fields and helping them achieve their goals. Between PLU’s reputation for academic excellence, hands-on research, and service opportunities, you’ll graduate ready to take the next step toward a meaningful career in healthcare.
Skills you'll gain from this program:
- Scientific Knowledge & Application — Gain a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, and related sciences through coursework, quantitative analysis, and lab experience.
- Pathway to Professional School — Complete the credits and preparation needed to apply to medical, dental, and other healthcare programs.
- Communication & Collaboration — Learn to explain scientific ideas clearly and work effectively with faculty mentors, peers, and professionals.
- Hands-On Experience — Receive one-on-one advising, research opportunities, and workshops that prepare you for health professional schools.
- Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving — Build the ability to analyze scientific data and apply it to real-world health challenges.
Pre-Health Sciences Graduates from the last 10 years
Health Professions Programs
- Medical School, University of Washington
- Medical School, Washington State University
- Medical School, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
- Medical School, Oregon Health Sciences University
- Medical School, Creighton University
- Medical School, Georgetown University
- Dental School, University of Washington
- Dental School, Western University of Health Sciences
- Optometry School, Pacific University
- Pharmacy School, University of Southern California
- Pharmacy School, Washington State University
- Pharmacy School, Pacific University
- Physician Assistant School, University of Washington
- Physician Assistant School, Franklin Pierce University
- Veterinary School, University of Pennsylvania
- Veterinary School, Washington State University
It’s FREE to apply to PLU
When you're ready, we're here. Apply now and fulfill your potential!
Get StartedMedical School
75% of our students who apply to medical school are accepted (2012-2022).
Strong Record
For more than 50 years, nearly every entering class at UW Medical School (one of the top medical programs in the nation) has had at least one PLU graduate.
Dental School
73% of our students who apply to dental school are accepted (2012-2022).
Get Involved
Join PLU’s Health Club, a student-led club for those interested in attending a healthcare professional program after graduation.
