Incoming Student FAQ

The Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) is set-up to help you navigate the pre-health requirements and process.  HPAC is composed of faculty and staff who know the requirements to successfully enroll in those post-Skidmore programs for the health professions. If interested, you are highly encouraged to sign-up for the Student Health Professions Network  (https://www.skidmore.edu/hpac/join.php). By signing up, you will be assigned in the fall an HPAC advisor who will advise you regarding your pre-health plans including what courses to take, how to fit pre-health with your other interests, and how to think about your co-curricular experiences to build your resume to make sure you are a competitive applicant when you apply. Your HPAC advisor will help you prepare your materials when you do apply to those programs. Your HPAC Advisor serves as a second advisor to support you here at Skidmore with a focus on preparing you for a health professions career. In addition, by signing up for the Student Health Professions Network, you will be sent information regarding important pre-health events, activities, and opportunities (e.g., jobs, internships, volunteering, and shadowing).   

Join the Student Health Professions Network by filling out the registration form or contacting Tracy DeRocher, HPAC Assistant, at tbroders@skidmore.edu.

Any student intending or thinking about a career in the health professions is considered pre-health at Skidmore. Common careers in the health professions pursued by Skidmore students are:

• Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.)
• Medicine (M.D. or D.O.)
• Nursing including nurse practitioner (B.S.N., M.S.N., D.N.Sci., D.N.P)
• Occupational Therapy (M.S.O.T. or O.T.D.)
• Optometry (O.D.)
• Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
• Physical Therapy (D.P.T. or D. Physio.)
• Physician Assistant (M.P.A.S., M.H.S., or M.M.Sc.)
• Podiatry (D.P.M.)
• Public Health (M.P.H. or M.S.P.H.)
• Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.D.M.)

Additional Skidmore students have pursued health careers in allied health fields (medical technologists, dieticians, dental hygienists, sonographers, radiographers, and speech language pathologists), genetic counseling, audiology, and medical laboratory scientist, as well as other health professions.

To be a clinical psychologist, please contact the Psychology Department. Note to be psychiatrist or a neurologist requires an M.D. or D.O. as they are medical specialties.

To be a social worker, please contact the Social Work Department.

Based on the last five years of data:
Overall, 84% of the Skidmore students who applied to medical schools, veterinary medicine programs, or dental schools got into at least one program they applied to (on the first attempt, it was 61%).

For Medical schools in particular: 82% of Skidmore students who applied were accepted to at least one program (62% on their first attempt).

That compares to nationally ~40% of students who apply were accepted.

More information on acceptance statistics.

In recent years Skidmore graduates have matriculated into the following programs:

MD/PhD Programs

• Yale University
• Wayne State University
• University of Rochester

MD/MPH Programs

• Stony Brook University

MD Programs

• Stanford University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of Pittsburgh
• New York Medical College (x3)
• SUNY Upstate (x4)
• Albert Einstein
• UMass Chan Medical School (x4)
• Brown University
• University of Vermont
• Drexel University
• Sidney Kimmel Medical College (Thomas Jefferson University)
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland
• Temple University
• University of Arizona
• University of South Florida
• Tufts University
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• Michigan State University
• Albany Medical College (x2)
• George Washington University
• Rutgers University (Robert Wood Johnson Medical School)
• Stony Brook University
• Hofstra University

DO Programs

• Western University
• New York Institute of Technology
• Touro College (NY)
• University of New England
• Rocky Vista University
• Edward Via College

Dental Programs

• University of Pennsylvania
• New York University
• Tufts University
• Tuoro College
• High Point University

Veterinary Medicine Programs

• University of Pennsylvania
• Ontario Veterinary College (Univesity of Guelph)
• University of Wisconsin
• Ohio State University
• University of Florida

Master of Nursing Programs

• University of Pennsylvania
• Johns Hopkins University
• Yale University
• University of Arizona

Physcian Assistant Programs

• Le Moyne College
• Boston University
• East Carolina
• Weill Cornell Medicine
• Northeastern University
• DeSales University
• Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
• Albany Medical College

No. The pre-health program at Skidmore is not a major but rather different tracks to prepare you for post-Skidmore professional programs in the health professions, to meet the pre-requisite course and other requirements for admission to those programs, and to prepare for relevant entrance exams if required (e.g., the MCAT).

You can major in anything you want. Many pre-health students major in the natural sciences but other pre-health students have majors outside the sciences. You will want to follow your academic interests and your educational and career goals. The key is planning appropriately, which is why we highly encourage you to sign-up for the Student Health Professions Network. If you do, in the fall you will be assigned an advisor from the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) to help you prepare for the programs you are interested in attending after you complete your Skidmore education.

Even if you just think you might be interested in pursuing a career in a health profession, you should still join the Student Health Professions Network so that you will be assigned a HPAC advisor along with receiving the health-related communications. You will then have all the relevant information to make informed decisions. It's better to have all the information up front rather than trying to catch-up at some later point in time. If you decide at any point that you are no longer interested in pursuing a health profession track, you can simply notify the HPAC Administrative Assistant or your HPAC Advisor, and you can be removed from the network list.

Given the chemistry required by those programs, you should take the Chemistry Placement Diagnostic before your summer advising session and registration for Fall classes.

Typically, students interested in programs in medicine, vetrinary medicine, denistry, pharamcy, physician assisting, and podiatry are recommended to take the following:

• Scribner Seminar - 4 credits
• BI 107 or BI 108 (can start in either)^{^} - 4 credits
• CH 115 or CH 125 (depending on placement) - 4 credits
• Suggestions for a fourth course include a writing course (EN 103, EN 105, EN 105H, EN 110*, or a WI-designated course, depending on your placement), a course to fulfill a different general education requirement (humanistic inquiry, artistic inquiry, global cultural perspectives, or a language), calculus (MA 111 or MA 113 depending on placement), or a course to explore a potential major. Remember programs are looking for you to develop multiple competencies across the liberal arts.

^{^} If thinking about a Neuroscience major, you may want to substitute NS 101 for a Biology course your first semester. For HHPS, you may want to consider HP 126 in lieu of a Biology course.

 

In the spring, we generally recommend:

• BI 107 or BI 108 (depending on your fall course)^{^},
• the next chemistry course (CH 126 or CH 221, depending on your fall course), and
• For your third course, you may want to consider a writing course if you haven't completed the writing requirement yet, a calculus course (MA 111 or MA 113), a course of interest to fulfill another general education requirement, or a course to explore a potential major or minor or to expand your intellectual horizons. Discuss with your academic advisor and your HPAC advisor especially if you are considering three laboratory science courses.
• For a fourth course, a class that interests you that fulfills a general education requirement or to explore a potential major or minor or to expand your intellectual horizons - Take advantage of the fact you are at a liberal arts institution. Remember programs are looking for you to develop multiple competencies across the liberal arts.

^{^} If thinking about a Neuroscience major, you may want to substitute NS 101 for a Biology course. For HHPS, you may want to consider HP 127 if you took HP 126 in the Fall. 

The recommendations are for if you want to attend the relevant health professions program the fall after you graduate Skidmore and or want to study abroad while attending Skidmore. The recommendations are more flexible if you plan to take a gap year(s) before starting your professional training especially if you don’t want to study abroad for a semester.

The exact courses will depend on the pre-health track(s) you are interested in as well as your other interests and priorities.Please read the New Student Advising & Registration Guide for Health Professions, the relevant HPAC page(s)and the pre-requisite chart to help inform you. Discuss options with your advisor. Please feel free to reach out to the chair of HPAC, Dr. Sheppard ksheppar@skidmore.edu, if you want additional advice and to discuss how your potential schedule fits your pre-health interests. 

* EN 110 is for students interested in majoring or minoring in English. Everyone else should take EN 105 or a WI course to fulfill the writing requirement.

Please refer to the Health Professions Pre-requisite Chart to see what is typically required by various programs in the health professions.

If you are interested in nursing, physical therapy (PT), or occupational therapy (OT), but NOT medicine or physician assistant, we recommend the following:

• Scribner Seminar - 4 credits
• One or Two of the following options, depending on interests (4 to 8 credits):
  • BI 107 (nursing or PT) or BI 108 (PT) - 4 credits
  • CH 115 or CH 125 (nursing or PT; depending on placement) - 4 credits
  • HP 126 (nursing, PT, or OT) - 4 credits
  • PS 101 (nursing, PT, or OT) - 4 credits
  • MA 111 (PT or OT) or MA 113 (PT, depending on placement) - 4 credits
  • A statistics course (Nursing, PT, or OT) - 4 credits;
    • Note - For non-STEM majors, MS 104 is the suggested course. If thinking Health & Human Physiological Sciences as a major, MS 204 is the statistics course to take as it is required for the major. MS 204 is the statistics course suggested for STEM majors if they don't have a statistics course impedded into the major. If considering majoring in Biology, the major requires BI 235 that will likely fulfill the pre-requisite for the programs programs, so you may want to hold off taking a statistics course. In a similar fashion, you may want to hold off statistics if you are considering majoring in Psychology or Neuroscience as PS 202 will likely fulfill the pre-requisite for the professional programs and is required by both majors.
• For the other one to two courses, an expository writing course (e.g., EN105 or EN 110 if planning to major or minor in English), or a course to explore an interest to fulfill another general eduction requirement (humanistic inquiry, artistic inquiry, global cultural perspectives, or language), or to explore a potential major or minor.

If you are pre-nursing or pre-PT, you should take the Chemistry Placement Diagnostic before your summer advising and registration for Fall classes.

There is flexibility. The exact courses will depend on the pre-health track(s) you are interested in as well as your other interests and priorities.Please read the New Student Advising & Registration Guide for Health Professions, the relevant HPAC page(s)and the pre-requisite chart to also help inform you as well as discuss with your advisor. Please feel free to reach out to the chair of HPAC, Dr. Sheppard ksheppar@skidmore.edu, if you want additional advice and to discuss how your potential schedule fits your pre-health interests. 

Please refer to the Health Professions Pre-requisite Chart to see what is typically required by various programs in the health professions. The pre-requisite chart and below are to provide guidance. Individual programs may differ in what they require. As an applicant, you are responsible for looking into the exact requirements of the programs you are applying to and making sure you fulfill them.

Chemistry

For those tracks requiring chemistry, you need to take the Chemistry Placement Diagnostic if you haven’t already.

• Medicine, dentistry, PA, veterinary medicine, podiatry, optometry, and pharmacy require multiple semesters of chemistry (4-6 semesters depending on placement and exact programs applying to). The chemistry courses are sequential, so CH 125 or CH 126 needs to be completed before CH 221. CH 221 needs to be completed before CH 222, which is the pre-requisite for CH 341. CH 341 is required to take CH 342.
• Nursing and physical therapy require 1-2 semesters of chemistry.

Biology

• Medicine, dentistry, PA, veterinary medicine, podiatry, optometry, nursing, physical therapy and pharmacy require 2-4 semesters of biology. The 200-level biology courses typically have either BI 107 and or BI 108 as a pre-requisite.
• Nursing requires 1-2 semesters of biology.

Human Anatomy & Physiology

• Occupational therapy, PA, optometry , nursing, and physical therapy require 2-3 semesters by the Health & Human Physiological Sciences Department with at least Anatomy & Physiology I & II (HP 126 and HP 127). HP 126 is the pre-requisite to take HP 127.

Behavioral & Social Sciences

• Medicine and podiatry require the MCAT exam which includes a behavioral and social science section. Before taking the MCAT, it is recommended to take or study material from:
  
  • either PS 101 Intro to Psychology or NS 101 Intro to Neuroscience; and
  • one of the following three social science courses - SO 101 Intro to Sociology, AN 101 Intro to Anthropology, or SW 212 Power, Privilege and Oppression: Advancing Social Justice
• Optometry, PA, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and pharmacy require 1-3 semesters of psychology. Of those, pharmacy and occupational therapy often also expect SO 101.

English & Writing

• Medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, podiatry, optometry, and pharmacy typically require two semesters of English and or writing intensive courses. EN 105 or EN 110 for the Writing requirement fulfill one-semester. Check the programs you are interested in to see if the second course needs to be in English or if other writing intensive courses can count. A small number of programs will count writing in the major, though catalog language about this is typically required.

• BI 107 Molecular and Cellular Foundations of Life is offered both in the Fall and the Spring. Introductory Biology courses can be taken in any order (e.g., BI 108 can be taken before BI 107).
• BI 108 Organismal Biology is offered both in the Fall and the Spring. Introductory Biology courses can be taken in any order (e.g., BI 108 can be taken before BI 107).
• CH 115 Fundamental of Chemistry is offered only in the Fall for those that place into CH 115 by the Chemistry Placement. Note - CH 126 is offered in the Spring, so you can complete Principles of Chemistry in your first year if you take CH 115 in the Fall. CH 126 is equivalent to CH 125 but has a CH 115 pre-requisite. CH 115 is an FQR course, so CH 115 also has as an additional pre-requisite of either FQR or AQR placement or completion of MA 100. If you placed into MA 100, please contact the chair of HPAC, Dr. Sheppard ksheppar@skidmore.edu, to discuss options. Principles of Chemistry (CH 125 or CH 126) is the pre-requisite to take CH 221 Organic Chemistry I, which is offered both in the Fall and Spring.
• CH 125 Principles of Chemistry is offered only in the Fall. CH 125 has a pre-requisite of direct placement into CH 125 or completion of CH 115. It is an AQR course so also has the pre-requisite of AQR placement or completion of an FQR course. CH 125 or 126 is the pre-requisite to take CH 221 Organic Chemistry I, which is offered both in the Fall and Spring.
• HP 126 Human Anatomy & Physiology I is offered only in the Fall. HP 126 is the pre-requisite to take HP 127 Human Anatomy & Physiology II.
• HP 127 Human Anatomy & Physiology II is offered only in the Spring. HP 127 has HP 126 as the pre-requisite.
• EN 105 for the expository writing and to fulfill one semester of the two-semester requirement of many programs is offered both in the Fall and Spring semesters. For those students considering English as a major or a minor, EN 110 is also offered boths semesters. You should take either EN 105 or EN 110 but not both.
• Typically, PS 101  Intro to Psychology, NS 101  Intro to Neuroscience, PY 130  Introductory Physics I, PY 140  Introductory Physics II, MA 111 Calculus I, and MA 113 Calculus II are also offered both semesters.

Yes! Studying abroad can be a great experience for those looking to go into careers in health care. Going abroad requires careful planning. It is especially true if you want to start a health professional program the fall right after you graduate Skidmore. Typically, students go abroad during their third year often in the spring but fall is an option.

You can, but it is not advised to take one or more of the science courses during the summer. Schools want evidence that a incoming students to their programs can perform well in a science-intensive curriculum. They want to see that applicants took two science pre-requisite courses with labs for at least two semesters in an academic year, rather than taking one during the summer. If you must take one of the courses during the summer, you should take it at your home university or another that is at least as demanding.  Admissions staff are quick to notice transcripts where this is not done.  Furthermore, you may find it more difficult to get meaningful recommendations from Skidmore professors because they will not know you as well.

Please check with your programs of interest, as this policy varies. AP courses may count as generic credit toward the 120 credits you need to graduate, but they often can't replace Skidmore courses. Our experience is that high school AP courses, while excellent preparation, are not the equivalent to college courses in many important ways, even if you've covered many of the same topics. Many programs also state that even if they will count the AP credits, the AP credits will not count towards lab requirements and often recommend taking a more advanced course to be competitive.

We do not recommend taking any required course S/U. Other courses, far removed from your major field or pre-requisites, may be taken S/U. You should check with a health profession advisor before you decide.

• For accommodations in College - Skidmore College is committed to supporting the learning needs of all students in our diverse community. If you have a documented barrier to learning or think you may have a disability, please consult with Meg Hegener, Associate Director of SAS and Coordinator of Student Access Services (mhegener@skidmore.edu). Accommodations are approved by the coordinator following a review of students’ documentation. If you are approved for academic accommodations, please provide your letter of accommodations to your instructors early in the semester or as soon as you are approved so that you and they can proactively coordinate implementation. Academic accommodations based on disability cannot be granted by individual faculty. For further information, please call (518) 580-8150 to contact Student Academic Services in Starbuck Center. Please see the following for additional information and to request accommodations: https://www.skidmore.edu/accessibility/index.php
• Standardized Tests - You will need to apply to the relevant organization administering the test. Skidmore is not involved in the decision making process. Please review the guidelines and requirements to apply for accomodations on the relevant standardized test. The MCAT for example needs prior verification and a current evaluation.
  
  • MCAT Accommodations Application Guidelines & Requirements - note, a current evaluation is required in addition to previous verification. Overview of MCAT Accommodations.
  • DAT Accommodations
  • OAT Accommodations
  • PCAT Accommodations
  • GRE Accommodations