The Pre-Health Advising Office offers resources and information to students from all UF majors who intend to pursue a graduate program in the health professions, such as medical, dental, veterinary, pharmacy, physician assistant, optometry, physical therapy, and/or occupational therapy school. Pre-health students may choose almost any major they are interested in pursuing. Pre-health students should review the detailed information on the pre-health advising website to explore and keep track of necessary steps to take throughout their time at UF in order to become competitive applicants for the professional programs to which they plan to apply.
All pre-health students are encouraged to enroll in Pre-Health Essentials, a free, non-graded Canvas course offered by the Pre-Health Advising Office. Pre-Health Essentials offers workshops and resources for pre-health students to explore and prepare for a healthcare profession.
Pre-Health Students
Plan to complete the following courses, which are the basic prerequisites for many pre-professional graduate programs. Some health professions do not require all of these courses, and some may require more. Requirements vary from program to program, so you should carefully investigate the requirements of the institutions to which you plan to apply.
Students can find pre-health Suggested Course Timelines on the pre-health website Forms & Handouts page. These timelines outline required and recommended pre-requisite courses for each health profession.
Mathematics
At least two semesters of college-level mathematics; one semester of statistics (STA 2023) is required. Calculus (MAC 2311 or MAC 3472) is recommended for pre-medical students, and required for pre-pharmacy and pre-optometry students.
General Chemistry
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following options: | 5-8 | |
| Option A: | ||
| General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| General Chemistry 2 and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| Option B: | ||
| General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| Honors General Chemistry 2 and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| Option C: | ||
| Chemistry for Engineers 1 and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| Chemistry for Engineers 2 and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| Option D | ||
| One-Semester General Chemistry and One-Semester General Chemistry Laboratory | ||
Organic Chemistry
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following options: | 8-10 | |
| Option A: | ||
| Organic Chemistry 1 | ||
| Organic Chemistry 2 | ||
| Organic Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Option B: | ||
| Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 1 | ||
| Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 2 | ||
| Laboratory in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | ||
Biochemistry
One semester is required by many professional schools. BCH 4024 or CHM 3218
Physics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following options: | 8-10 | |
| Option A: | ||
| Physics 1 and Laboratory for Physics 1 | ||
| Physics 2 and Laboratory for Physics 2 | ||
| Option B: | ||
| Physics with Calculus 1 and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 1 | ||
| Physics with Calculus 2 and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 2 | ||
| Option C: | ||
| Enriched Physics with Calculus 1 | ||
| Enriched Physics with Calculus 2 | ||
| Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 1 | ||
| Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 2 | ||
Biology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BSC 2010 & 2010L | Integrated Principles of Biology 1 and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| BSC 2011 & 2011L | Integrated Principles of Biology 2 and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 2 | 4 |
English
At least two semesters
Additional Course Requirements
Pre-Medical Students
Should also take:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SYG 2000 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
Pre-Dental Students
Should also take:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Basic Biology of Microorganisms and Laboratory for Basic Biology of Microorganisms (non-microbiology majors) | ||
| Principles of Microbiology and Principles of Microbiology Laboratory (microbiology majors) | ||
Pre-Optometry Students
Should also take:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Basic Biology of Microorganisms and Laboratory for Basic Biology of Microorganisms | ||
| Principles of Microbiology and Principles of Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Also recommended: | ||
| APK 2100C | Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory | 4 |
| APK 2105C | Applied Human Physiology with Laboratory | 4 |
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology | 3 |
Pre-Pharmacy Students
Should also take:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 8-9 | |
| Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory and Applied Human Physiology with Laboratory | ||
| Functional Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals (acceptable for UF College of Pharmacy) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Basic Biology of Microorganisms and Laboratory for Basic Biology of Microorganisms (non-microbiology majors) | ||
| Principles of Microbiology and Principles of Microbiology Laboratory (microbiology majors) | ||
| Also recommended: | ||
| ECO 2023 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| or ECO 2013 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| PHY 2053 & 2053L | Physics 1 and Laboratory for Physics 1 | 5 |
| PHY 2054 & 2054L | Physics 2 and Laboratory for Physics 2 | 5 |
| SPC 2608 | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology | 3 |
Pre-Veterinary Students
Should also take:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Basic Biology of Microorganisms and Laboratory for Basic Biology of Microorganisms (non-microbiology majors) | ||
| Principles of Microbiology and Principles of Microbiology Laboratory (microbiology majors) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Genetics (non-microbiology majors) | ||
or AGR 3303 | Genetics | |
| Genetics of Domestic Animals | ||
| Also recommended: | ||
| ANS 3006 | Introduction to Animal Science | 3 |
| ANS 3440 & ANS 3006L | Principles of Animal Nutrition and Introduction to Animal Science Laboratory | 5 |
| ZOO 3713C | Functional Vertebrate Anatomy | 4 |
| PCB 4723C | Physiology and Molecular Biology of Animals | 4 |
Pre-Physician Assistant Course Recommendations
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHM 2045 & 2045L | General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHM 2046 & 2046L | General Chemistry 2 and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
| CHM 2210 | Organic Chemistry 1 | 3 |
| or CHM 2200 | Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry | |
| BSC 2010 & 2010L | Integrated Principles of Biology 1 and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| BSC 2011 & 2011L | Integrated Principles of Biology 2 and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| APK 2100C | Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory | 4 |
| APK 2105C | Applied Human Physiology with Laboratory | 4 |
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 | 3 |
| HSC 3537 | Health and Medical Terminology | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Basic Biology of Microorganisms and Laboratory for Basic Biology of Microorganisms | ||
| Principles of Microbiology and Principles of Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Also recommended: | ||
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PCB 3063 | Genetics | 4 |
| CHM 2211 & 2211L | Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 5 |
| BCH 4024 | Introduction to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| or CHM 3218 | Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 2 | |
| SPC 2608 | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| or AEC 3030C | Effective Oral Communication | |
| PCB 4233 | Immunology | 3 |
UF's pre-law advisors offer students assistance as they explore their interest in law and provide guidance during the law school application process. Students are encouraged to utilize UF's pre-law resources:
- Pre-law Website: Review pre-law tips, timelines and resources at www.advising.ufl.edu/prelaw.
- Pre-law Listserv: Join the listserv to receive pre-law announcements and stay connected with UF's abundant pre-law activities. Instructions are available at: www.advising.ufl.edu/pre-law/pre-law-listserv/.
- Pre-law Advising: Pre-law advisors are located in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Academic Advising Center in Farrior Hall. Students may make an appointment through the AAC website: https://www.advising.ufl.edu/. In addition, students may reach the pre-law advisors at prelaw@advising.ufl.edu.
Choosing a Major
Pre-law students must develop analytic and problem-solving skills, critical reading abilities, writing skills, oral communication and listening abilities, research skills, and organization and priority management skills. These skills can be attained through virtually any major in combination with a wide variety of complementary electives. There is no "pre-law" major at UF; students should choose a major in which they have a true interest and select a broad, diverse, and challenging array of courses from demanding instructors in order to prepare for success in law school.
Exploration
Pre-law students are encouraged to carefully assess their interest in and motivation for attending law school. The pre-law timeline, featured on the website, encourages you to shadow attorneys, conduct informational interviews, complete internships, and speak to admission officers to learn about law schools and the legal profession. Students should also consider studying overseas, writing an honors thesis, and getting involved in leadership opportunities. These activities will enhance the depth and value of students' undergraduate education and may also distinguish students from other top law school applicants.