King's College - Biology Department

PRE-HEALTH PROFESSIONS

The Pre-Health Professions program is well-suited for students who are interested in graduate school or professional studies as well as careers in medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, veterinary medicine, chiropractic medicine, podiatry, pharmacy, physical therapy, optometry, and clinical laboratory science.

Students preparing for a career in the health professions may select any major course of study provided they include courses in science and mathematics required by a specific program. While most pre-health professional students major in Biology, students can select virtually any of the majors offered at King's and prepare for further study by taking specific courses related to the type of professional study which interests them. Students meet with the Pre-Health Professions Advisor to ensure they are on the corrrect path for their chosen filed of interest. All questions that current or future students have should be directed to the current Pre-Health Professions Advisor, Dr. Robert Paoletti.

The Pre-Health Professions program integrates coursework and hands-on research from the science departments, the liberal arts components of the college and significant patient exposure in the health care profession. Through our articulation agreements, qualified students have the option of entering health profession post-graduate programs after their Junior Year, thus cutting off a year of their bachelors' degree program (and the tuition associated with it).

Early Entrance to Health Professions Programs

A unique option King's offers students is the ability to enter the health professions program of study before completing their undergraduate degree program. King's College students who satisfy the requirements may enter these programs after their Junior Year at King's College and begin their health professions program. Students who qualify spend one year less total time required to satisfy bachelor degree requirements and the professional degree requirements and also have one less of tuition payments.

King's College has articulation agreements with:

Why study at King's College?

Small Class/Lab Sizes
With classes averaging only 18 students, and labs only 13, King's program provides early exposure to hands-on lab training, professional associations and scientific research—quite unusual at the undergraduate level. All pre-health professions students are followed closely by their pre-health professions advisor to ensure appropriate preparation for post-graduate health care professions education.

Individual Attention by Faculty
All classes are taught by professors, not graduate students, assuring students high quality and individualized instruction in the sciences required for successful health professions academic achievement.

Early, Hands-On Research Opportunities
To prepare students for future careers, the science faculty emphasizes curriculum focusing on laboratory experience. Even in the first year, students use state of- the-art technology in the Parente Life Sciences Center.

Patient Care Experience
Admission to medical schools demands superior college academic records and acceptable performance on standardized test scores such as MCAT, DAT, GRE etc. Also, students must provide evidence they have the necessary personal qualifications for the medical profession. Students meet this requirement by participating in health professional shadowing experiences in a variety of rotations in a hospital environment or private practice facility, and volunteering at clinics, nursing home facilities or other medical care facilities.

Professional School Preparation
To prepare students prepare for the required standardized entrance tests, King's in association with Kaplan Testing Services and the Princeton Review offers formal programs of subject review that provide the student with valuable preparation and experience with standardized testing such as the Medical College Admissions Test and the Graduate Record Exam, required for successful entry into professional school programs.

Workshops are also conducted to help make the application process more trouble-free and upper-class students offer peer-tutoring sessions to help streamline the application process and prevent difficulties that can jeopardize a student's application.

National Reputation
In addition to a solid science background, many medical schools seek students exhibiting skills in writing, English and critical thinking. Students who receive their undergraduate education at an institution with a strong liberal arts program, such as King's, are at an advantage.

Engaging Environment
Our students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities such as campus organizations, service experiences and intercollegiate athletics to provide evidence of unique qualifications that will make them stand out from others applying to competitive health profession programs.

Successful Results
The high quality of academic preparation, the emphasis placed on research and the patient care exposure at King's serve as prerequisites for successful entrance into professional school graduate studies. The Pre-Health Professions program King's graduates have been accepted at some of the leading medical, dental and veterinary institutions in the country including the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University, Pennsylvania State University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Stanford University, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Commonwealth Medical College and Johns Hopkins University.