Pre-Health Professions (Minor)
The Pre-Health Professions Minor will ensure cadets have taken the required pre-requisite courses for medical, dental, nursing, physician assistant, and physical therapy graduate and professional programs. Cadets who complete this minor will be prepared for the rigors of these highly selective programs and the standardized tests, such as the Medical College Admission Test or Dental Admission Test.
In addition to the course requirements, many programs have shadowing or medical experience requirements. Cadets majoring in Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry track or Behavioral Sciences/Health Professions Concentration have dedicated pre-health tracks within their academic majors that fulfill most of the Pre-Health Professions minor requirements. Accordingly, academic leadership and respective advisors-in-charge will ensure cadets in these programs who choose to add the additional courses meet all requirements for academic minors as directed in the U.S. Air Force Academy Course of Instruction.
Course Requirements
The Pre-Health Professions Minor requires 15-21 semester hours. Of those, a minimum of six semester hours are in excess of the major’s requirements. The course requirements are designed to satisfy the prerequisite requirements for most health profession graduate programs and to prepare cadets to excel as future U.S Air Force health professionals. Each of the four tracks is designed to satisfy the prerequisites for a specific health professions graduate program and should be carefully chosen by the cadet in consultation with their major advisor and a Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) advisor. Consult an HPAC advisor if any courses are validated.
Completion of the Pre-Health Professions academic minor is not sufficient to compete for accession into Air Force health professions. If cadets intend to compete for accession into health professions (medical, dental, nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant), deliberate coordination with the HPAC is required to meet all preparation and competitive release requirements. All courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Pre-Medical and Pre Dental Track
A. 93 Semester hours of Dean’s academic core courses.
| Core Requirement | Required Core Options/Substitutions | |
|---|---|---|
| P / C / B Option 1 | General Chemistry II Lecture and Lab | Chem 200 |
| P / C / B Option 2 | General Physics II with Laboratory | Physics 215 |
| Statistics | Choose 1 | |
| Adv STEM Option | Choose 1 | |
| Adv Sociocultrural Option | Choose 1 | |
| Adv Open Option | Choose 1 | |
B. 21 Semester hours of minor’s courses.
| 1. Bio 215 | Introductory Biology with Laboratory (4) |
| 2. Chem 233 | Organic Chemistry I (3) |
| 3. Chem 234 | Organic Chemistry II (3) |
| 4. Chem 243 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory (4) |
| 5. Bio 360 | Cell and Molecular Biology (3) |
| 6. Bio 363 | Genetics (4) |
Pre-Nursing Track
A. 93 Semester hours of Dean’s academic core courses.
| Core Requirement | Required Core Options/Substitutions | |
|---|---|---|
| P / C / B Option 1 | General Chemistry II Lecture and Lab | Chem 200 |
| P / C / B Option 2 | General Physics II with Laboratory | Bio 215 |
| Statistics | Choose 1 | |
| Adv STEM Option | Human Nutrition | Bio 370 |
| Adv Sociocultrural Option | Choose 1 | |
| Adv Open Option | Choose 1 | |
B. 15 Semester hours of minor’s courses.
| 1. Bio 332 | Microbial Diversity (3) |
| 2. Bio 410 | Anatomy and Physiology: Sensory and Motor Integration (3) |
| 3. Bio 431 | Microbiology (3) |
| 4. Bio 440 | Anatomy and Physiology: Visceral Systems Integration (3) |
| 5. Beh Sci 440 | Lifespan Development (3) |
Pre-Physician Assistant Track
93 Semester hours of Dean’s academic core courses.
| Core Requirement | Required Core Options/Substitutions | |
|---|---|---|
| P / C / B Option 1 | General Chemistry II Lecture and Lab | Chem 200 |
| P / C / B Option 2 | Introductory Biology with Laboratory | Bio 215 |
| Statistics | Choose 1 | |
| Adv STEM Option | Human Nutrition | Bio 370 |
| Adv Sociocultrural Option | Choose 1 | |
| Adv Open Option | Choose 1 | |
B. 18 Semester hours of minor’s courses.
| 1. Chem 230 | Introductory Organic Chemistry (3) |
| 2. Bio 332 | Microbial Diversity (3) |
| 3. Bio 410 | Anatomy and Physiology: Sensory and Motor Integration (3) |
| 4. Bio 431 | Microbiology (3) |
| 5. Bio 440 | Anatomy and Physiology: Visceral Systems Integration (3) |
| 6. Chem 481 | Biochemistry I (3) |
Pre-Physical Therapy Track
A. 93 Semester hours of Dean’s academic core courses.
| Core Requirement | Required Core Options/Substitutions | |
|---|---|---|
| P / C / B Option 1 | General Chemistry II Lecture and Lab | Chem 200 |
| P / C / B Option 2 | General Physics II with Laboratory | Physics 215 |
| Statistics | Choose 1 | |
| Adv STEM Option | Human Nutrition | Bio 370 |
| Adv Sociocultrural Option | Sociology | Beh Sci 360 |
| Adv Open Option | Choose 1 | |
B. 16 Semester hours of minor’s courses.
| 1. Bio 215 | Introductory Biology with Laboratory (4) |
| 2. Bio 32 | Biomechanics (3) (Offered Spring, even-numbered years only) |
| 3. Bio 410 | Anatomy and Physiology: Sensory and Motor Integration (3) |
| 4. Bio 440 | Anatomy and Physiology: Visceral Systems Integration (3) |
| 5. Beh Sci 440 | Lifespan Development (3) |