Pre-Health

Students pursuing a degree in a medical or health-related field, with plans to continue on into a health professional program.

Students jumping

Tips for Advising

The Pre-Health Student Resource Center is a specialized career center that works with pre-health students across all colleges and majors at the U. They support students along the entire pre-health journey, from exploring health career options, preparing an authentic and competitive portfolio of experiences, and applying to a health professional program.

Services Highlight

The Pre-Health Student Resource Center has a variety of ways to support students, including:

  • 15-minute drop-in appointments
  • 30-minute appointments with career counselors
  • credit courses and global programs
  • customizable pre-health action plan
  • workshops, events, and fairs such as the Health Careers Fair (fall) and Health Professional School Expo (spring)
  • What-if Pre-Health APAS

Expand all

AHS 1101 or AHS 1102: Orientation to Health Careers

1 credit, AHS 1101 meets Fall, in-person, Monday, 3:35 - 4:35pm
1 credit, AHS 1102 meets virtual, asynchronous, Fall and Spring

This course gives students the opportunity to explore a wide variety of health careers, while engaging in self-reflection about career goals.

  • A past student said, “it is a good course to take if you’re interested in a health/medical career and if you don't know what exactly you want to do, because it goes into detail about different types of professions.”

AHS 1611: Future Physician - Medicine in the 21st Century

1 credit, Fall, in-person, Wednesday, 3:35 - 4:25pm

A great course for students that are pre-med or pre-PA to hear weekly from physician guest speakers about hot topics in the field of medicine. 

  • A past student said, “This course helped me gain a lot of clarity and understanding surrounding what a career in medicine looks like and appropriate steps to take along the path towards that goal.”

AHS 1612: Future Physician - Life and Work of a Physician

1 credit, Spring, in-person, Wednesday, 3:35 - 4:25pm

A great course for students that are pre-med or pre-PA to hear weekly from physician guest speakers about their different medical specialties.

  • A past student said, “This course helped me gain a lot of clarity and understanding surrounding what a career in medicine looks like and appropriate steps to take along the path towards that goal.”

AHS 1613: Experience in Healthcare and Public Health

2 credits, online, asynchronous

In this service-learning course, students participate in (a minimum of) 35 hours of volunteering in a healthcare or public health setting, while completing reflective assignments that move them closer towards the point of application. Open to students with all health career interests. 

  • A past student said, My experience in AHS 1613 has been transformative, turning my once vague aspirations of a medical career into a well-structured plan. Volunteering at the University of Minnesota Medical Center has been an enriching experience.

AHS 2301: Orientation to Research and Clinical Research

2 credits, Fall, meets Mondays, 11:15am - 12:05pm

This course introduces pre-health undergraduates to research and clinical research. They will learn about concepts, tools and opportunities available at the UMN to support them in finding and conducting research, as a key part of their health professional school application portfolio. 

  • A past student said, “This course helped me get a better understanding on how to start a research project and the different steps to take.” 

AHS 3101: Teamwork and Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare

2 credits, Fall, in-person, meets Wednesday, 1:25 - 3:20pm

In this course, pre-med, pre-PA, pre-PT, and other pre-health students will explore the importance of collaboration in healthcare by engaging in case studies, role-playing, and team-based exercises. They will develop skills for working on an interprofessional team, learning to integrate the expertise of healthcare professionals, patients, and families. Open to all undergraduate students. Prerequisite for the PHSRC M Health Observership program. 

AHS 3401: Writing a Personal Statement

1 credit, virtual/remote, multiple sections offered

This course is for students who are within one year of applying to a health program, and who are hoping to develop a well-written and compelling personal statement.

  • A past student said, “AHS 3401 allowed my personal voice, motivations, and character to come through in my writing.”

Global Programs

The Pre-Health Student Resource Center has collaborated with the Learning Abroad Center to build customized programs for pre-med and pre-health students. These are all 3-credit courses, with a mix of on-campus course sessions and time spent abroad. A selection of these programs are offered each academic year: 

  • AHS 3001: Health & Medicine in India
    • Winter Break Travel to Mysore, India followed by Spring Semester A-Term On-Campus Class
  • AHS 3002: Global Health in Thailand
    • Winter Break Travel to Chiang Mai, Thailand followed by Spring Semester A-Term On-Campus Class
  • AHS 3003: Sustainable Approaches to Health in France
    • Spring Semester B-Term on-campus class followed by May Term travel to Athens, Greece
  • AHS 3004: Health in Ecuador - History, Environment, and Culture
    • On-campus class in Spring semester with Spring Break travel to Quito, Ecuador
  • AHS 3005: Modern Medicine Through History in Greece
    • Spring Semester B-Term on-campus class followed by May Term travel to Athens, Greece

Referring Students

Students can access the Pre-Health Student Resource Center in a variety of ways. 

For Advisors 

Advisors are also more than welcome to contact the Pre-Health Student Resource Center with their questions or to talk through a particular situation! You can contact our main office phone or email or reach out directly to any of our staff. 

Visit Website