With our frequently asked questions resources, we hope to provide general information on the questions we hear most often from our students and clarify things that can be confusing about pre-health at UO.
Is pre-health a major?
UO students do not declare “pre-health” as a major. Being pre-health at the University of Oregon means that you are following the course prerequisites for your health profession of interest, in addition to your declared major’s requirements. Please visit our Plan tab for more information on the common admission requirements for the various health professions.
The best way to let us know you are interested in health careers is to request access to our canvas site! In doing so, you will receive regular announcements on pre-health opportunities such as jobs, internships, pre-health club meetings and more!
NOTE: If you do not find the health field you are interested in listed in the Plan page, it may be because it is either a certificate program (i.e., CNA, Phlebotomy, EMT, etc.,) or that the requirements vary significantly by school and therefore we cannot build a common requirements list (i.e., chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine). If you are interested in these health fields, please schedule an appointment with a pre-health advisor to get some additional assistance navigating the process.
What health related majors are offered at UO?
As a pre-health student, you can pursue any major that you would like. In fact, we highly recommend you take the time to explore the different majors at UO. Check out this page for more information about the different majors available to you through the Office of Admissions.
While we encourage you to explore the different majors offered at UO, there are several majors pre-health students tend to gravitate towards. These majors include: Human Physiology, Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Multidisciplinary Science.
If you’re interested in various science majors, the good news is that most start off the same – with chemistry and math! This means you will have some time to explore your options with your advisor during your first year. We encourage you to select a major you enjoy and can thrive in.
Does UO have a nursing program?
The University of Oregon does not offer a nursing program. If you want to major in nursing, you should consider other schools that offer nursing, either at the associate or bachelor’s level. However, completing nursing pre-requisites and a bachelor’s degree at UO will enable you to apply to Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs (ABSN), Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing programs (MSN), or Direct Entry Doctor of Nursing Practice programs (DNP). Please read through our Nursing 3-year Overview to learn more about the different pathways you can pursue to become a Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner.
Why is Pre-Nursing a 3-year track at UO?
One of the main admissions requirements for nursing programs is 1 year of Anatomy and Physiology. The common pre-requisites to take Anatomy and Physiology at community college or other institutions is 1 quarter of chemistry and 1 quarter of biology. At the University of Oregon, the Anatomy and Physiology sequence is an upper-division 25-credit sequence that involves a human cadaver lab. Thus, in order to adequately prepare for the rigor and pace of this curriculum, students must complete 1 year of general chemistry, two quarters of biology, and two human physiology lower division courses. In order to start general chemistry, students must also be at or above pre-calculus comprehension. It is common for students to work on these pre-requisites for their first two years at UO and then take Anatomy and Physiology in the 3rd year.
Keep in mind that nursing programs do not require as much science coursework as what is required for UO’s Anatomy and Physiology. Thus, doing the UO pre-nursing track is going to provide students with a strong foundation in the sciences and a comprehensive background in anatomy and physiology prior to stepping into nursing school. If you love science then UO’s pre-nursing track is a great fit for you! You may also explore pursuing a non-stem major at UO and complete pre-requisites at Lane Community College as a dual enrolled student.
Our pre-health advising office is very transparent about the importance of maintaining strong grades for the nursing pathway. Programs typically require a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA in order to be eligible to apply to the program and typically require a B or better on the prerequisite coursework. Having a strong academic start to UO is critical. It is important for students to weigh the pros/con of doing UO’s 3 year science intensive pre-nursing track versus doing the 2-year option at a community college or other institution.
For further questions connect with our Pre-Health advising office! Additional details can be found in the Pre-Nursing Overview video, including the implications of financing a BSN over an ABSN program.
Does UO offer committee letters or letter packets for students applying to graduate programs?
The University of Oregon does not offer committee letters or letter packets, so UO students will need to request individual letters of recommendation for their Health Graduate School applications. Not having a committee letter or letter packet does not make your application less competitive than students who do have one. In fact, using individual letters of recommendation will give you the autonomy to choose letter writers who can best communicate your strengths as a candidate. This process does require a bit of early planning in order to ensure you are meeting minimum letter requirements for programs. We recommend getting informed on program requirements and developing an early plan with a pre-health advisor.
How can pre-health advisors help me throughout my pre-health journey? How often should I meet with a pre-health advisor?
Pre-Health advisors can assist students who are exploring health professions, all the way through the application process for health graduate school. If you plan to take a gap year(s), don’t worry! We allow students to use our services up to three after graduation. Exceptions are made if it is your first or second time applying to health graduate school.
Can I study abroad and still complete pre-health coursework?
Studying abroad or completing internships abroad is a great way to gain healthcare or non-healthcare-related experience. While we encourage students to study abroad, it is important to be mindful of a few implications of doing so. Studying abroad during the academic year can interfere with the science sequences. So while it is still possible to study abroad during the academic year, you should know that you will need to do some creative academic planning with your advisor to complete your science sequences - potentially extending your graduation timeline or taking summer classes. Because of the structure of UO's summer terms, which consist of (three consecutive four-week intensive sessions), students can have the opportunity to complete a yearlong sequence within one summer for certain science subjects.
Other options to consider are: doing a summer study abroad or internship abroad program. We do not recommend taking prerequisite courses while abroad.
Check out UO Global Education Oregon and Global Works for more information.
What is job shadowing and can pre-health advisors provide me with a list of places where I can shadow?
Job shadowing (aka observation), is a great way to clarify your interests, learn more about the complexity of health professions, build meaningful connections with health professionals, and demonstrate to graduate schools that you have done your research. While we do not have a pre-built list of places where you can shadow, pre-health advisors are happy to help you navigate this process. It’s never too early to get started – we recommend you start by connecting with friends, family, co-workers, professors, etc., to see if anyone can help you make a connection with someone for shadowing.
Is it required that I get involved in research for health graduate school?
Health graduate programs do not generally have a firm requirement that you need to get involved in research as an undergraduate student. Some programs may highly value research experience; others may be more focused on primary care.
UO is a Tier 1 public research university, which means that there are many ways to get involved with research opportunities on campus. Research experiences allow students to explore and clarify their academic and professional goals while developing critical thinking and transferable skills. To identify which experiential opportunities that you might like to pursue, we suggest thinking about why you are passionate about the health profession you are pursuing and how you can connect your experiential opportunities to that passion.
Learn more about how to get connected with undergraduate research opportunities with UO CURE.