Prospective Pre-health/Health Professions Students
Healthcare professions in the U.S. require a postgraduate degree. First you must receive a bachelor's degree then apply to healthcare professional schools for your advanced degree.
Each healthcare profession has it's own set of required courses and experiencies that are required for admissions. See all disciplines
Advising Services
When you are a UNC student we can help you on your path to a medical career with services including:
- Individual advising
- Information brochures
- Workshops and meetings for your personal essay
- Workshops and practice interviews
- Workshops and assistance with applications
- Clinical internship opportunities
- Pre-health Professionals Club
Before UNC
If you're in high school considering a career in healthcare, there are things you can do to prepare for college and professional school.
1
Volunteer in a healthcare setting
Gain clinical experience to determine your suitability for the field and develop interpersonal skills necessary in the profession:
- Shadow a medical professional
- Become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Work as a medical scribe or phlebotomist
- Volunteer with hospice care or in a medical setting
2
Take challenging coursework
Healthcare fields require science courses. College courses are advanced so time management, note taking skills and study techniques are important for your success.
- Take advanced placement courses
- Develop study skills
AP, IB and Co-curricular Courses
Many high schools offer AP, IB or co-curricular courses. These courses are a great way to challenge yourself and learn new material but many professional schools will not accept them as prerequisites. However, if the co-curricular course appears on a college transcript, it is likely a professional school will accept it.
Competencies
Competency is the habitual use of certain skills and knowledge to benefit the community. The Association of American Medical Colleges created 15 core competencies required for entering medical students.
These competencies were developed for student pursing medical school but are suited for all healthcare careers.
