Pre-Professional Health Academic Program

Certificate Program

Health professional schools today are admitting more post-baccalaureate students than ever before.  They are looking for students who show promise in scholarship (as indicated by their academic performance), have competitive entrance test scores, have quality experience in a health/medical setting, and have excellent personal characteristics including maturity, leadership, self-discipline, compassion, and empathy, among others.

Most students come from one of two backgrounds: those who have many years of experience in a diverse variety of fields, who are interested in a career change to medical/health care; and others, with an educational background in science, who are looking to enhance their GPA.

Cal State East Bay’s Pre-Professional Health Academic Program is specifically structured for students from both of these backgrounds. It is goal-oriented, focused, includes health professions volunteerships/internships, research experience, community service, and prehealth association opportunities. Our program is cohort based, very competitive, and combines high quality academic instruction with entrance test preparation opportunities, growth and development of important personal characteristics, and mentoring, tutoring, and general advising.

The certificate has two postbac tracks:
1) Career Changer Track I for students with a non-science degree (2 full years – 8 quarters)  
2) Academic Enhancer Track II for students with a biological sciences or biochemistry degree (1 full year – 4 quarters).

To earn a certificate, students in Track I need a minimum of 90 units of science courses comprised of both lower and upper division classes. Students in Track II must complete a minimum of 43 upper division units to earn a certificate. Additional information about the curriculum requirements can be found on the Curriculum page.

Program Objectives

By successfully completing this program, students will:

• Acquire the required baseline knowledge in entrance and advanced science courses to competitively apply to health professional schools
• Make connections with the necessary health setting experiences required by health professional schools (volunteerships/internships)
• Train and prepare to take required national entrance tests like the MCAT, DAT, GRE, and OAT
• Engage in basic or clinical research both within and outside campus
• Participate in community service both within and outside campus
• Be mentored, advised, and tutored, in order to produce competent, uniquely qualified individuals who are well prepared to apply to health professional schools
• Have an opportunity to grow and develop personal characteristics (an important component of health professional school admissions)
• Acquire skill-based professional training for career advancement

Who Should Attend

• Individuals who have completed a bachelor's degree in a non-science field, and who have no professional background in the sciences.
• Those who have completed a bachelor's degree in a science, and who wish to improve their GPA for admission to medical schools.
• Individuals who are dissatisfied with a career that may have no direct community impact or meaningful human interaction.
• Students who desire a career that is challenging, engaging, and satisfying.
• Individuals who are empathetic, passionate, and committed to making a difference in peoples' lives.

Program Highlights