Students interested in pre-health programs are advised in the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office.

Creating a competitive applicant profile takes time and includes much more than academics. Therefore, all students who are considering a health profession should consult with the appropriate advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office early in their undergraduate career. Advisors can help students:

• Learn about the many different health professions
• Find ways to confirm their decision to pursue a career in health care
• Prepare academically and non-academically to become a competitive applicant
• Understand pre-requisites and the importance of course sequencing
• Navigate the application process
• Decide the best time to apply to a particular program
• Identify alternative career plans, etc.

Some health care professional schools require a baccalaureate (undergraduate) degree prior to matriculating (entering) that professional school or program whiles others do not require the baccalaureate degree. 

If you are interested in the following health care areas you must complete a baccalaureate degree:

• Dentistry
• Medicine
• Occupational Therapy
• Optometry
• Physical Therapy
• Physician Assistant

No specific major is preferred over another and students may choose their major from any undergraduate department at K-State. 

The following health careers require specific prerequisites but not require completion of a degree. Please note that some students choose to earn a baccalaureate degree even though it is not required for admission.

Pre-Health Designations:

• Chiropractic
• Clinical Laboratory Science
• Health Information Management
• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Respiratory Care
• Veterinary Medicine

(Pre-vet advising is available through both the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Agriculture.) 

Students interested in Athletic Training, Dietetics, Communications Sciences and Disorders or Kinesiology will be advised for their degree through the College of Human Ecology. All of these are appropriate majors for students who are a pre-health student. 

Students are encouraged to contact ACIC (Academic Career Information Center) to obtain additional information about health careers and to explore the majors offered at K-State. 

As careers in health care continue to be plentiful, the number of applicants to professional programs and schools has significantly increased. As such, the application process has become more competitive. One of the universal requirements is a high grade point (GPA) average. Therefore, after completing 24 or more semester hours at K-State, students with a K-State GPA below 3.0 will have their pre-health designation removed from their academic plan. In order to be competitive, students should work to earn a GPA at or above 3.5.

Helpful Links

• Explore Health Careers
• Health Professions Advisors

For additional information contact:
Health Professions Advising Office
College of Arts and Sciences
Kansas State University
117 Eisenhower Hall
Manhattan, KS  66506-1011
785-532-6900