Pre-Health Programs

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.