Preprofessional Programs

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Preprofessional Advisor: Holly Hobaugh
Office: Stalker Hall, room 214
Web site: http://web.indstate.edu/preprof
E-mail: holly@indstate.edu

The College of Arts and Sciences offers ongoing advising and recommended programs of study to students interested in pursuing a professional degree in any of the following areas:

Preprofessional Advising

At admission, students who indicate that they intend to follow any of these curricula are assigned to the college preprofessional advisor, who works with students to review the appropriate preprofessional curriculum, develop a first semester schedule of classes, and, for most students, select a major. Following the first semester, students who have declared a major will receive academic advisement in their major department from a faculty member specially designated to work with majors who are following a preprofessional program.

The preprofessional advisor continues to provide resources to advisors and preprofessional students throughout the students’ undergraduate careers in the college. These resources include a library of materials about professional programs, referrals to agencies and individuals on-campus and off-campus who may be helpful to preprofessional students, access to practice examinations for professional schools, preparation for the professional school admission interview, and review of professional school admission application materials. In addition, the preprofessional advisor works with preprofessional student organizations to offer on-campus activities designed to enhance students’ understanding of professional programs, careers, and opportunities.

Information concerning recommended programs of study is available from the preprofessional advisor. The preprofessional advisor is a professional staff member in the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Preprofessional Curricula

In most cases, students following a preprofessional track will complete requirements for a baccalaureate degree as well as the courses recommended for their preprofessional programs. In consultation with the preprofessional advisor, students who intend to complete the baccalaureate degree should select a major program during their first year. Once students have selected a major, they are assigned a faculty advisor in the major department. In addition, students should review the relevant section of this Catalog to ensure completion of all major requirements. Students seeking the baccalaureate degree should review University requirements and the requirements of the Foundational Studies Program as well.

Students pursuing a preprofessional track in pre-engineering, prepharmacy, and predental hygiene normally complete only one to three years at ISU before seeking admission to a continuing professional program. In every instance in which transfer of credits from Indiana State University is planned, students should consult with the preprofessional advisor to verify that the courses taken are satisfactory for transfer purposes. Students interested in pre-engineering should contact the advisor for pre-engineering in the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

MEDICAL EDUCATION

Indiana University School of Medicine-Terre Haute students accepted by the Indiana University School of Medicine are assigned to take the first two years of a regular four-year medical program at Indiana State University. Currently the basic medical sciences are taught during the first four semesters. The first year (two semester) program offered at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Terre Haute includes courses in biochemistry, gross anatomy, histology, neurosciences, physiology, and microbiology; the course Introduction to Clinical Medicine I; and optional clinical correlation programs in cooperation with the Hamilton Center, and Terre Haute Regional and Union Hospitals. Students enrolled for the first year of medicine at Indiana State University also take the second year of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine-Terre Haute. The second year (two semester) program includes courses in pharmacology, medical genetics, pathology, and history taking, and the course Introduction to Clinical Medicine II. All students take the third year of medicine at the Medical Center in Indianapolis, but have the option to complete some clerkships at regional campuses. The fourth year of medicine includes an elective program with over 500 approved clinical and basic sciences courses available to seniors. Many of the clinical electives have been established in community hospitals throughout Indiana as part of the state-wide system for medical education. For more information, contact the Director of the Indiana University School of Medicine- Terre Haute or visit its Web site at terrehaute.medicine.iu.edu/.

THE RURAL HEALTH PROGRAM

The Rural Health Program, a baccalaureate/medical degree program established through a joint initiative by the Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana State University, addresses Indiana’s rural health needs by providing increased opportunities for selected rural Indiana residents to obtain education and training in medicine. The program is limited to outstanding students from rural Indiana who are entering college for the first time. Students who are admitted to the Rural Health Program complete a baccalaureate degree at Indiana State University with a major in any of a wide variety of courses of study, including all courses required for admission to medical school. After successfully completing the undergraduate degree at Indiana State University, students in the Rural Health Program who have met the grade point average and MCAT requirements will be admitted to the Indiana University School of Medicine to begin training as a medical doctor.

Students can find more information about Indiana State University’s prehealth professional education programs at http://www.indstate.edu/preprof/.  Requests for further information should be directed to the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

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