Professor and student working in lab

Pre-Health Programs

A proven path to success in allied health professions.

While Mercyhurst does not designate a specific major to students interested in joining the medical field, our Pre-Health program provides a strong foundation to prepare and apply to veterinary, pharmacy, physical therapy, chiropractic, dentistry, optometry, osteopathy, physician assistant, and podiatry professional programs. Our Pre-Health students often choose to major in Biology, Public Health, Sports Medicine, Biochemistry, Chemistry, or Applied Forensic Sciences to prepare for their future in a health professional school. We offer ten pathways that can be accomplished within any major that form a unique, multidisciplinary undergraduate education that can leads graduates to successful future careers.

The REACH curriculum at Mercyhurst provides Pre-Health students with a broad, well-rounded education by exposing students to issues of social justice, coursework in the liberal arts, and the development of critical thinking and problem solving to be well-prepared for work in the global health care community. Health professional programs require and highly value coursework in the liberal arts.

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  • Pre-Chiropractic

    The broad liberal arts offerings at Mercyhurst help build a skill set required for entry into chiropractic school. Our laboratory sections are always small (fewer than 22 students) and taught by professors, giving students the benefit of a personalized education. These labs also provide opportunities for hands-on manipulation and dissection of organisms, practical skills in the highly technical field of chiropractic medicine.

    professor and student instructing anatomy
  • Pre-Dentistry

    Our newly renovated Anatomy Lab and faculty specialized in anatomy instruction and research provide an optimal training ground to prepare students for dental school. We offer standardized test review and focus groups, so students can gauge their level of preparedness for this difficult specialty from the very beginning of their educational training.

    Instructor and students examine xray
  • Pre-Medical

    Our Pre-Medical track prepares students for entrance into medical school to become allopathic (MD) or osteopathic (DO) physicians. Our potent combination of academics, advising, research, and volunteer opportunities has led to great success placing students in top medical schools across the country. Additionally, our personal interactions with students have made them eligible for awards and fellowships offered to a select few.

    Two female medical students look over paperwork
  • Pre-Occupational Therapy

    Our Pre-Occupational Therapy program prepares students for admittance to graduate level occupational therapy programs, following guidelines provided by the American Occupational Therapy Association. Students in this track focus on the sciences, social sciences, sports medicine, and observation of health care professionals, while receiving a well-rounded education.

    male and female group of medical students
  • Pre-Optometry

    We prepare students for entrance into optometry school by offering a powerful combination of representative coursework and laboratory training. Our flexible schedule allows students to complete requirements for entrance into highly competitive schools of optometry while exploring other interests at the same time.

    two medical students complete eye exam
  • Pre-Pharmacy

    The preparation students receive in the sciences and liberal arts — combined with the hands-on experience gained in our laboratories — provides outstanding preparation for those applying to pharmacy school. 

    group of medical students examine microscope slide
  • Pre-Physical Therapy

    This track is intended students planning to pursue their doctoral degree in Physical Therapy. Hands-on anatomy lab experience and field observation are key components of the track, which is based on guidelines from the American Physical Therapy Association.

    physical therapist and patient complete exercises
  • Pre-Veterinary

    We offer a unique combination of courses and practical experience to prepare students for entry into veterinary school. Students who major in Biology, Applied Forensic Sciences, or related disciplines complete representative coursework that prepare them for entry into the veterinary sciences. While completing their coursework, students are also able to gain exposure to the veterinary field through research and volunteer opportunities.

    male student and professors perform animal examination
  • Pre-Podiatry

    Representative coursework in the sciences, in conjunction with our hallmark liberal arts education, prepares students for entrance into podiatry school. Each year our seminar series hosts speakers from podiatry schools to give our students opportunities to learn more about the profession and the path toward becoming podiatrists.

    group of medical students examine xrays
  • Pre-Physician Assistant

    Our educational philosophies and representative coursework provide excellent opportunities for students preparing for admission into physician assistant school. The volunteer opportunities available at Mercyhurst and within the Erie community present a variety of ways a student can fulfill shadowing requirements or engage in other relevant field experiences to prepare for physician assistant school, including Mercyhurst's own Physician Assistant program.

    professor and students review skeletal anatomy

    Mercyhurst offers dedicated pre-health advising from experienced faculty, who mentor students, helping them refine research techniques, prepare for tests, and successfully apply to graduate school. A specific pre-health advisor works to prepare students for applying to professional health programs and pursuing a career in the allied health field.

    Advisement includes:  

    • Assisting students in understanding the process of applying, interviewing, and gaining acceptance to health professional programs.
    • Identifying necessary prerequisite coursework for health professional programs.
    • Helping students identify and secure opportunities to gain clinical experience.
    • Assisting in standardized test preparation (MCAT, GRE, DAT, PCAT, OAT).
    • Assisting students with writing and editing personal statements.
    • Preparing students for interviews, including conducting mock interviews.

    We also offer a 12-seminar series that covers pre-health topics including professional school timelines, personal statement writing, standardized test preparation, and self-evaluation.

    Mercyhurst maintains affiliations with several health professional programs.  These affiliations afford our students the opportunity to gain provisional early acceptance to professional programs in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, podiatry, chiropractic medicine, or medical technology.  Several of these affiliations include the option to pursue accelerated degree programs. Current affiliations include:

    • Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) — Medicine (3+4, 4+4), Pharmacy (2+3, 3+3, 4+3), and Dentistry (4+4)
    • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) — Medicine (4+4)
    • Northeast College of Health Sciences (NCHS) — Chiropractic Medicine (3+3)
    • Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine — Podiatry (3+4)
    • Saint Vincent Hospital, School of Medical Technology — Medical Technology (3+1)