Pre-Health

Undergraduate

Explore your interests. Pursue your passions.

Are you hoping to enter graduate training in clinical professions such as nursing, dentistry, and veterinary and human medicine? Or do you want to explore and pursue public health or other non-medical professions such as physical or occupational therapy?

Mount Holyoke College is a great place to prepare for a career in the health professions.

 

Shelley Hsiao

Program Overview

Health profession schools recommend a broad academic background, making the combined breadth and depth of the liberal arts curriculum — with its emphasis on critical reading and thinking, clear writing and speaking, and leadership — a wonderful preparation for any health profession.

As a pre-health student at Mount Holyoke you will complete the prerequisite courses required by health profession programs and also select a major from any of those offered at the college. We encourage you to choose a discipline that you are particularly excited about exploring in depth. The additional academic offerings through the Five College Consortium make make thousands of courses available, allowing nearly all pre-health students to complete all of their prerequisite courses while enrolled at Mount Holyoke.

Excellent academics.

We encourage you to take courses in a variety of disciplines, providing you with the opportunity to be a well-rounded learner and to develop broad academic skills. You will undertake challenging coursework; you will be encouraged to think critically about what you are learning and to apply new skills and concepts.

Here you will develop a strong foundation in the sciences, and can also choose to take non-science courses that complement your health profession interests. In addition to courses in the life sciences, you can find health-related course offerings in the departments of anthropology, computer science, critical social thought, dance, economics, environmental studies, gender studies, philosophy, politics, sociology, statistics and more. The Five College consortium offers thousands more courses to choose from, as well as certificates in Cognitive Neuroscience, Culture, Health & Science, and Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice.

Broad opportunities outside the classroom.

Meaningful extra-curricular experiences are critical for developing the pre-professional competencies that health profession schools seek in their applicants. You can get involved in student-run organizations, volunteer off campus, and hold an on-campus job. Study abroad and engaging summer experiences are also available to you. Mount Holyoke offers a multitude of ways for you to explore your interests, and we are a small enough community that if you are interested in taking on leadership roles, you are likely to find such opportunities.

A community environment.

Here you will have ample opportunity to develop strong relationships with faculty and staff: professors, advisors, supervisors, coaches. These relationships are important when building skills, experiences, and a career.

Pre-Health by the numbers

31

Majors studied by pre-health students

Pre-health students are currently majoring in 31 different areas across the College.

80

Applications

We assist approximately 80 students and alums during each application cycle.

10.5%

Careers in health professions

10.5% of graduates pursue further education to enter a career in the health professions.

Community Voices

Spotlight on Pre-Health students and alums

Natercia Rodrigues ’06 Medical Faculty/Attending Physician

We are here to help you!

Pre-health advising is available as soon as you are admitted to Mount Holyoke and continues through the time that you matriculate at a professional school. If you have an interest in the health professions, we encourage you to connect the Office of Pre-Health Programs early, even if you are unsure. We can help you to make informed decisions.

Contact Us

The Office of Health Professions Advising supports students & alums hoping to enter graduate training in clinical professions such as nursing, dentistry, and veterinary and human medicine, or who are pursuing public health & other non-medical professions.

Jacqueline Collette
  • Coordinator, Office of Health Professions Advising

Next Steps

Apply to Mount Holyoke

Mount Holyoke seeks intellectually curious applicants who understand the value of a liberal arts education and are driven by a love of learning. As a women's college that is gender diverse, we welcome applications from female, trans and non-binary students.

Financing your education

Everyone’s financial situation is unique, and we’re here to make sure cost does not get in the way of an exceptional education.