Graduate Health Profession Programs and Requirements
Navigating the path to graduate health profession programs requires careful planning. RIT’s Pre-Health Advising Program is designed to help students strengthen their candidacy by providing personalized guidance on coursework, clinical experience, and application strategies.
Below, you’ll find key admissions requirements for various health profession programs, including exams, GPA expectations, prerequisite coursework, and patient care/clinical experience. Patient care/clinical experience can include volunteering, shadowing, and working in roles such as CNA, PCT, pharmacy technician, scribe, dental or veterinary assistant, and EMT.
Minimum Course Requirements: BIOL-101/103, BIOL-102/104 • CHMG-141/145, CHMG-142/146 • CHMO-231/235, CHMO-232/236 • PHYS-111, PHYS-112
Please Note: Specific requirements may vary for different programs.
Pre-Medical
MCAT exam required.
Absolute minimum of 160 patient care hours.
Allopathic (MD) MCAT
Average accepted student score: 512
Minimum GPA to apply: 3.0
Average accepted GPA: 3.7
Osteopathic (DO) MCAT
Average accepted student score: 504
Minimum GPA to apply: 3.0
Average accepted GPA: 3.56
Prerequisite Courses
Required
1 year of Biology*
2 years of Chemistry (General* and Organic*)
1 year of Physics*
1 semester of Calculus and/or Statistics
1 year of English*
Highly Recommended/Sometimes Required
1 semester of Biochemistry*
1 semester of Intro Psychology*
1 semester of Intro Sociology*
* subject on standardized exam
Pre-Physician Assistant
GRE or PACAT exams sometimes required.
Up to 2000 patient care hours in some cases.
Minimum GPA to apply: 3.0
Average accepted GPA: 3.6
Prerequisite Courses
Required
2 years of Biology including Microbiology
1 year of Human Anatomy & Physiology
1 year of General Chemistry
1 semester of Organic or Biochemistry
1 year of English
1 year of Humanities/Social science (Psychology)
1 semester of Statistics
Pre-Optometry
OAT exam required.
60 clinical hours recommended.
Minimum GPA to apply: 3.0
Average accepted GPA: 3.5
Prerequisite Courses
Required
1 year of Biology*
2 years of Chemistry (General* and Organic*)
1 year of Math (College Math, Statistics or Calculus)
1 year of Physics*
1 year of English*
Highly Recommended/Sometimes Required
1 semester of Microbiology
1 semester of Psychology
1 semester of Organic and 1 Semester Biochemistry
* subject on standardized exam
Pre-Dentistry
DAT exam required.
200 clinical hours.
Minimum GPA to apply: 3.0
Average accepted GPA: 3.5
Prerequisite Courses
Required
1 year of Biology*
2 years of Chemistry (General* and Organic*)
1 year of Physics
Highly Recommended/Sometimes Required
1 year of English*
1 semester of Biochemistry
* subject on standardized exam
Pre-Pharmacy
PCAT exam required.
Minimum GPA to apply: 2.5
Average accepted GPA: 3.32
Prerequisite Courses
Required
1 year of Biology*
1 semester of Calculus and 1 Semester of Statistics
2 years of Chemistry (General* and Organic*)
1 semester of General Physics
1 semester of Microeconomics
1 semester of Public Speaking
Highly Recommended/Sometimes Required
1 year of English
2 years of social/behavioral science
1 year of Anatomy & Physiology
* subject on standardized exam
Pre-Nursing
most accelerated Bachelors in Nursing (BSN)
Minimum GPA to apply: 2.8
Average accepted GPA: 3.7
Prerequisite Courses
Required
1 year of Human Anatomy & Physiology
1 semester of Microbiology
1-3 semesters of Developmental Psychology
1 semester of Statistics
Highly Recommended/Sometimes Required
1 year of General Chemistry
1 semester of Sociology
Pre-Veterinary
Sometimes GRE is required.
1000 clinical hours including large and small animal experience needed.
Minimum GPA to apply: 3.0
Average accepted GPA: 3.54
Prerequisite Courses
Required
1 year of Biology plus
1 semester of Microbiology, Immunology, Physiology or Genetics
1 year of General Chemistry and 1 semester of Organic
1 year of Physics
1 semester of Biochemistry (full year with lab preferred)
1 year of English Composition or Writing Intensive Course