Frequently Asked Questions
What are the various health care professions?
There are more than 80 health care careers with approximately 8,400 accredited professional education programs in various health care fields, many of which are listed as follows:
Dentistry
Dietetics
Medicine
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Speech Therapy
Optometry
Pharmacy
Physical Therapy
Physician Assistant
Podiatry
Veterinary Medicine
What are Health Professional Schools looking for in applicants?
What makes the University of Delaware unique in addressing requirements for the various healthcare professions?
What is meant by the term Pre-Health?
The term Pre-Health is a broad based term representing the various professions in the health care field that students may pursue. It is not a major/minor but rather a highly flexible track or pathway of certain courses that a student takes in preparation to address admission requirements for health profession schools. “Pre-Health” simply identifies those students who wish to attend a healthcare professional school following the completion of their undergraduate baccalaureate program of study. To achieve this goal a student must complete appropriate academic and co-curricular requirements prior to application to professional schools.
Can students at the University of Delaware major in Premedical/Health Profession Studies?
What is the best major for Premedical/Health Professional School applicants?
Should pre-health profession students consider a study abroad experience?
What are the basic pre-requisites/course requirements for admission to Health Professional Schools?
Can AP credit be used to fulfill premedical studies requirements?
What should I do if I perform poorly in a course?
Can Prerequisite courses for Professional schools be taken Pass/Fail?
What is a glide or gap year?
What are the Standardized Tests required by the various Health Professional Schools?
Dental schools have their own standardized exam called the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). The DAT is conducted by the American Dental Association (ADA). The DAT is administered year round at test centers operated by Prometric Inc., and is designed to measure general academic ability, comprehension of scientific information, and perceptual ability. All dental schools require applicants to participate in the DAT program.
The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) is a standardized examination designed to measure general academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. The OAT is sponsored by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) for all applicants in the United States and Canada seeking admission to an optometry pr. All schools and colleges of optometry in the United States, and the University of Waterloo, Canada require the OAT.
Constructed specifically for colleges of pharmacy, the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is a specialized test that helps to identify qualified applicants. It serves to evaluate academic ability and scientific knowledge essential for the pursuit of pharmaceutical education.
Veterinary schools and most Physician Assistant/Physical Therapy programs require applicants to have taken the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). GRE’s are taken by individuals applying to graduate programs in natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, business, humanities and art, education and other fields. GRE scores are used by admission boards to evaluate an applicant’s qualifications for professional graduate studies.