Prepare for the Future

Individual Focus

Pre-Health Advising at Illinois Wesleyan provides support for students who are considering a career in healthcare.

Many of our students, in a variety of majors, are interested in pursuing professional programs—medicine, dentistry, physician assistant, occupational/physical therapy and more--after graduating from IWU. In addition to the academic advising the students receive from our faculty, we have a dedicated pre-health advisor who can offer guidance and resources so students can learn about a range of career paths and are knowledgeable about creating a competitive application. Students planning to apply to professional school after graduation seek ways to build profiles of meaningful experiences that will enhance their chances of admission by volunteering, job shadowing and conducting internships.

This is your journey and you should take time to consider what’s important to you. Planning for a career in healthcare will require you to make a plan and seek advice. Think about experiences you want to pursue in college. Do you want to research or study abroad while you are in college? Have you considered how and when you will find the time to secure the necessary experience to be a competitive applicant? We are here to help. Make an appointment with your academic and pre-health advisors to discuss your plans.

Choosing a Major

Pre-med (pre-dental, pre-OT, etc) is not a major but rather a track of courses to best prepare you for the professional school of your choice. While some majors require courses that better align with prerequisite courses for professional schools, there is no specific major required for a career in healthcare.

• Select a major that represents your interests because you are more likely to excel in courses that interest you and your GPA will matter when you apply for professional programs.
• How well you do in your coursework is more important than your choice of major. Pre-health professional programs are built on a strong foundation in the sciences and mathematics. Admissions committees will strongly consider the rigor of your course selections in addition to how well you perform in these classes. The more science and/or upper division courses, the more competitive you will be.
• Different programs may have different pre-requisites. Check out “Pre-requisites & Program Guides” to see what classes will best prepare you for the professional program that interests you.