• Choose a major.  A “pre” major (pre-med, pre-dent, etc.) is not major to graduate with but a designation which gives you access to a pre-health advisor.  Most health profession programs will accept students from any major as long as required classes for admission are completed.
     
  • Here is a list of majors available at Iowa - http://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/your-program/
     
  • If your major requires calculus or another math course, plan to complete that at community college.
     
  • Complete your World Language General Education Requirement before you transfer to Iowa. Students must complete four years of language in high school or complete Intermediate II of a language at community college.  Most language classes at Iowa are 5 semester hours and require at least two hours of study outside of class each day. This can be a demanding workload on top of science coursework.  Finishing your World Language at community college can help.
     
  • Set yourself up for success by having multiple career goals in mind.  Medical, dental, and physician assistant programs are highly competitive with more qualified applicants than available spots.  Pre-health students should have at least three career paths in mind. For example, a student who is applying to medical school might also look at applying to optometry or podiatry programs or graduate programs in biology.
     
  • Shadow and interview healthcare professionals in your chosen field before coming to Iowa.  It can be challenging to shadow in Iowa City.