51ÎŰÂţ

• Pre-Health is a pathway, not a major. Terms such as pre-health, pre-med, and pre-vet describe your interest and intention to prepare for a health professions program after completing your undergraduate education.
• Pre-Med is one path within Pre-Health. Students who identify as "pre-med" are generally considering becoming a physician and attending medical school, while pre-health encompasses many different health professions (i.e., - pre-PA, pre-optometry, pre-dental, etc.)
• You don’t need to know your exact career path yet. Many Vanderbilt students begin college interested in healthcare without knowing which profession is the right fit. That’s part of the exploration process and continued validation, as an adult in college.
• Explore before you decide. Healthcare includes 250+ career possibilities. Use your time at Vanderbilt to gain exposure, learn from professionals, explore your interests, and better understand the roles that align with your goals.
• Share your interests with us. Once you officially arrive as a student at Vanderbilt, let your academic adviser, faculty, and the Health Professions Advisory Office (HPAO) know about your interests so we can connect you with advising, experiences, and resources to support your journey.

Overall: You can arrive at Vanderbilt interested in healthcare without having your entire future figured out. Be curious, keep an open mind, and give yourself time to explore.

What should I major in as a Pre-Health/Med student at Vanderbilt?

• At Vanderbilt, pre-med, pre-health, pre-vet, etc. are not undergraduate majors, but pathways that reflect a student’s interest to prepare for a future career in healthcare.
• There are no preferred majors for admission to healthcare professional schools. Students are encouraged to choose a major that aligns with their academic interests, strengths, and intellectual curiosity.
• Students will need to incorporate into their course of study the prerequisite courses required by their professional healthcare schools of interest (medical, dental, or other professional programs).

Students from all academic disciplines can successfully pursue professional healthcare schools. What matters most is building a strong academic foundation and demonstrating meaningful holistic preparation for their intended profession.

You don’t need to have your entire pre-health journey mapped out before you arrive at Vanderbilt. Instead, focus on exploring the many healthcare possibilities ahead and building strong foundations before coming to Vanderbilt.

• Explore your healthcare career and industry options.
  • Healthcare offers 250+ career possibilities. Begin exploring different health professions (clinical) and discovering what interests you through .
  • “Pre-health” is broader than pre-med. Take time to explore the many specific health professions and career paths available to you.
  • Interested in the healthcare industry beyond clinical healthcare roles? Vanderbilt also provides resources for Vanderbilt students exploring non-clinical pathways in healthcare, including opportunities across business, consulting, technology, research, policy, and other areas. Preview @ Vanderbilt: Non-Clinical Healthcare Pathways & Roles
  • Once you arrive at Vanderbilt as an enrolled student, you’ll have access to support to continue exploring. Vanderbilt resources can help you learn about and prepare for both clinical health professions and non-clinical healthcare careers.

• Build strong academic foundations before Vanderbilt.
  • Continue challenging yourself appropriately in high school (or college if transferring to Vanderbilt), in all coursework, but particularly in science, math, and writing courses while focusing on finishing your current academic coursework successfully.

• Know that healthcare professional school prerequisite requirements vary.
  • Medical school and other health (clinical) professional schools are all individually accredited and establish their own specific prerequisite requirements.
  • However, common areas of prerequisite course preparation for medical or most healthcare professional schools include biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, mathematics/statistics, and English or writing.
  • Incoming first-year pre-health/med students are strongly encouraged to take General Chemistry (CHEM 1601/1602) and the corresponding labs (CHEM 1601L/1602L) to stay on track. Beyond this recommendation, there is no single preferred course sequence for pre-health students.
  • Often Vanderbilt students try to complete their requirements by the summer after their junior year (or after senior year if they prefer to take a plan for a gap/enhancement year) before applying to a healthcare professional school.
  • Once you begin at Vanderbilt, work with your assigned Vanderbilt academic adviser to plan your course sequence and with the Health Professions Advisory Office (HPAO) to understand prerequisites and preparation specific to your intended (clinical) health profession.

• Finish strong before you come to Vanderbilt.
  • Whether you are completing high school/preparing to transfer to Vanderbilt, focus on what is in front of you first.
  • Strive to academically challenge yourself in all of your high school courses and foundations, especially in the sciences (biology, chemistry, physics), mathematics and writing courses to ensure you have strong foundations to continue your academic coursework at Vanderbilt, as the clinical healthcare professional roles will commonly require college-level coursework at Vanderbilt in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math and more.

• Challenge yourself beyond the classroom.
  • Build healthy habits. Strengthen skills that will support your transition to Vanderbilt, including time management, effective notetaking, organization, and attention to your overall well-being (self-care, sleep, nutrition, mental/physical health).
  • Pursue what is meaningful to you. Engage in service, leadership, extracurricular activities, and other experiences that genuinely interest you, not simply activities you think a pre-health student “should” pursue.
  • Engage with others/community. Look for opportunities to connect with people and communities beyond your usual experiences. Listening, learning, collaborating, and stepping outside your comfort zone can foster personal growth and help prepare you for a future dedicated to serving others as a healthcare professional.
  • Focus on growth, not a checklist. Use your experiences to develop the habits, perspectives, and interpersonal skills that will help prepare you for Vanderbilt.

• Vanderbilt helps plan your academics and prerequisites for a healthcare profession once you arrive at Vanderbilt.
  • You do not need to determine your Vanderbilt course sequence before you arrive at VU orientation in your first semester.
  • During Vanderbilt orientation, your assigned Vanderbilt academic adviser will help you understand your academic requirements, prior coursework, and appropriate course selections.
  • Self-identify as a pre-health/medical student. If you are still exploring a specific healthcare profession, it’s okay. It takes time to validate which specific healthcare role is the best and right fit for you – long term.

• Anticipate taking/earning AP, IB, or other advanced credit(s) before coming to Vanderbilt?
  • Vanderbilt has specific policies governing advanced credit and course placement.
  • Preview policies @ .
  • Your assigned Vanderbilt academic major advisor will help you understand how your individual credits apply and guide your course selection during your first semester.

Over 30+ Vanderbilt Pre-Healthcare Related Student Organizations

At Vanderbilt, your pre-health/med experience extends beyond the classroom. Students can connect with peers, explore their interests, develop leadership skills, and engage with the broader health and healthcare community through more than 30 Vanderbilt health-related student organizations.

Beginning in your first semester at Vanderbilt, you’ll have opportunities to explore these organizations, build connections, and find the communities and experiences that are meaningful to you.

Preview:

HPAO Foundations for Vanderbilt First-Year Pre-Health Students

First-year pre-health students can also participate in HPAO Foundations, a first-semester experience designed to help you begin navigating the pre-health journey at Vanderbilt. Through small groups led by experienced Foundations Leaders, you’ll connect with fellow students, learn about pre-health resources and opportunities, and build a solid starting foundation for your Vanderbilt pre-health experience.

Preview: Vanderbilt HPAO Foundations

For annual outcomes and statistics regarding the most recent graduating class, please reference the 51ÎŰÂţ Us – Outcomes: HPAO Annual Report.