Being a Pre-Health student means that in addition to your major requirements, you are also completing the pre-requisite coursework and extracurricular work to apply to a professional health program such as medical school or dental school after your time at UP. There is no such thing as a pre-health major or a pre-med major, so the good news is you can major in anything you want! Professional health programs admit students from a variety of majors every year with no preference shown to any particular area.
Here at UP, we can help you determine how to fit in the extra pre-requisite coursework for any professional health program with your major choice. We can also help you figure out what kinds of extracurricular activities you should be doing while you are a student to help you with that professional school application later on.
Below, you can find pre-requisite worksheets for the common professional health programs we advise for. Please note that these worksheets list the general pre-requisite courses for each area. Students should always double check the specific pre-requisites for the programs they are applying to in order to ensure all of their coursework is completed prior to application.
For prospective and first-year Pre-Health students, check out our Pre-Health Basics with a list of frequently asked questions.
Andrew Lafrenz, PhD, MPH, is the new Associate Dean for Pre-Health Professions, the Director of the Public Health and Wellness Program and an Associate Professor. Andrew is a 2002 graduate of the University of Portland with a degree in Biology. Upon completion of a Masters in Integrative Physiology at the University of Georgia, he became a full-time lecturer in the Biology Department at UP for eleven years. Andrew was also an All-Academic student-athlete in track and cross-country for both the University of Portland and the University of Georgia. After attending Oregon State University and earning an MPH in epidemiology and PhD in public health with a focus in behavioral epidemiology he completed a postdoc fellowship in epidemiology with the CDC. During that fellowship, he worked with the Wyoming Department of Health analyzing maternal and child health data related to obesity, physical activity, and nutrition.
This will be his 22nd year as a full-time faculty member in higher education, teaching courses ranging from Anatomy and Physiology to Epidemiology and Community Health Promotion. His scholarship focuses on community-based research in the areas of maternal and child health as well as more recently, the role of green spaces on the health of communities. Andrew holds national certifications as a Master Certified Health Education Specialist, a National Board of Health and Wellness Certified Coach and an Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Certified Guide. For the past 5 years, he has served as the County Epidemiologist for the Columbia County Public Health Department. Andrew also retired this summer as an elected official serving as a Scappoose City Councilor.
Take the Pre-Health Survey and Sign Up for Our Listserv
University of Portland's Annual Health Professions Fair
We can also help advise you if you are interested in chiropractic medicine; the pre-requisites are similar to medicine with a few differences. If you have any questions you can always email us!
In this Alumni Spotlight, we are proud to introduce Christine Nguyen who graduated from UP back in 2016, majoring in Biology and minoring in Sociology. During her time on the bluff she had opportunities to work with Dr. Dizney in the biology lab, Dr. Francisco-Menchavez in sociology as well as with Dr. Sullivan doing neuroscience research. Knowing the rigor and time it takes to become a physician, she took some time off before applying to medical school & worked as a hospitalist scribe at Providence Portland Medical Center, a medical coordinator at St. Mary’s Home for Boys residential facility, and then a clinical research coordinator for the Maternal Fetal Medicine division of OB/GYN at OHSU. She says that these gap years allowed her to “take that time to really reflect on my life and see if medicine was something I truly wanted to pursue. Applying to medical school was tough, but I think everything happens for a reason, and now here I am!”. Christine is now a medical student at PNWU and has been very active in trying to reach out to UP students as a mentor & with lots of great opportunities for them to get involved / connected. We are very thankful for her continued support of our undergrads and wish her all the best as a future physician!
James Bradt came to the University of Portland from the rural town of Pendleton, OR. While James loved the rodeo, he put his bull riding drams on hold and came to UP wanting to pursue a wonderful branch of health professions- Optometry. James had already gotten some experience volunteering in an optometry clinic prior to starting at UP, but upon arrival on the bluff, he got jumped right into more clinical volunteering and solidified his experience and desire to pursue Optometry. Fun fact- He applied to Optometry school his senior year while he was also taking his capstone Biology of Exercise class. For part of his class project, James committed to run his first ½ marathon and collected physiological data along the way. Like all things James puts his mind to, he successfully completed (rocked) the ½ marathon and also solidified a spot at Midwestern University in Arizona. James is a hardworking, kind, wonderful human and will make a great optometrist in the near future!
Interested in reading more about our alumni and their respective paths in a variety of health fields?
For more Alumni Spotlights, click here.
Questions? Contact us! healthprofessions@up.edu
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