
PRE-MEDICAL PROGRAMS
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View our Pre-Med Events: Click Here.
Why start your medical education here?
Advisement
Our pre-med advisors can assist students who plan to apply to medical, dental, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary, or other professional medical programs.
Committee File
The pre-med committee file service enables qualified students to get a committee letter written for their professional school application.
Health
Professions Fair
Gain networking experience and information regarding career options after graduation.
Preparing You For A Range Of Careers
Known as MD’s (allopathic medicine) or DO (osteopathic medicine)
Practitioner: Doctors perform health assessments, run diagnostic tests, prescribe medication, create treatment plans and provide health and wellness advice to patients. Doctors can specialize in specific areas of health; they might also perform surgery. Doctors work in hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, community health centers or private or group physicians’ offices.
- Allopathic Medicine (MD): Allopathic medicine refers to a system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery.
- Osteopathic Medicine (DO): Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or DOs, are fully licensed physicians who practice in all areas of medicine. Emphasizing a whole-person approach to treatment and care, DOs are trained to listen and partner with their patients to help them get healthy and stay well.
Length of Medical Education: Varies on average 3-4 years of medical school after undergraduate studies plus additional years for clinical, residency and fellowship.
Research-Based MD-PHD Programs:
Known as MD-PhD (allopathic medicine doctor and a doctor of philosophy)
Research-Based Practitioner: MD-PhD programs are usually research-oriented appealing to those who prefer research based medical practice over clinical practice and want to become research physicians. MD-PhD programs provide training in both medicine and research. An MD-PhD can be pursued through a combined dual degree program, earning both MD and PhD degree.
Length of MD-PhD Education: Varies on average 7-8 years of both graduate and medical school after undergraduate studies plus additional years for research, clinical, residency and fellowship.
Helpful Links:
Known as DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine)
Practitioner: Dentists are responsible for preventing, treating, and maintaining the oral health of their patients. Instrumental in the early detection of oral cancer and systemic conditions that manifest in and around the oral cavity. A successful dentist is someone artistic, easy to talk to, a leader, and likes to work with their hands. Dentistry can appeal to though looking for a flexible career.
- Difference between DDS and DMD: The DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine) are the same degrees. Dentists who have a DMD or DDS have the same education. It's up to the universities to determine what degree is awarded, but both degrees use the same curriculum requirements.
- Research-Based: Serve as the forefront of new developments in dental implants, computer-generated imaging, and cosmetic and aesthetic procedures. Advances in dental research, including genetic engineering, the discovery of links between oral and systemic diseases, the development of salivary diagnostics and the continued development of new materials and techniques, make dentistry an exciting.
Length of Dental Education: Average 4 years of dental school after undergraduate studies plus any additional time if dental specialties pursued.
Helpful Links:
Known as PA’s and professionally as PA-C as Physician Assistant Certified.
Practitioner: Physician assistants have a similar role to primary care doctors. They treat, diagnose, and prescribe medication, but are under the supervision of a medical doctor.
- On average higher amounts of healthcare/patient contact hours required to apply for PA school than other health professions.
- Physician Assistant Programs award a master’s degree.
Difference between Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners:
*PA training on average includes up to 2000 hours of clinical training as part of the education. Rotations will take place in a number of different settings and specialties. PA’s are trained to be able to change specialties without further training.
*Nurse Practitioners are trained at various statuses that include being a registered nurse (RN) and then pursuing advanced licensing and complete roughly around 600 hours of additional clinical experiences. For nurse practitioners that want to change specialties, additional formal training and certification are required.
*Both in most states and territories work under the supervision of a medical doctor.
Length of PA Education: Average 27 months
Helpful Links:
Known as PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy)
Practitioner: Licensed doctorial health profession that prepares medications by reviewing and interpreting physician orders; detecting therapeutic incompatibilities. They dispense medications by compounding, packaging and labeling pharmaceuticals and controls medications by monitoring drug therapies and advising interventions. They also supervise the work of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants.
- Pharmacists work in a variety of different healthcare settings: retail, hospitals, government and military facilities, research labs, clinics and other patient care settings, consultants, and pharmaceutical sales.
Length of Pharmacy Education: Average 4 years of pharmacy school.
Helpful Links:
Known as DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) or VMD (Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris)
Practitioner: Veterinarians are responsible for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of disease in animals. They can work in private practice, zoos, wildlife parks, and the government (FDA, NIH, and CDC).
- There are few difference between DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) and VMD (Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris) and are practically the same degree, differences in the name stem from area where the degree was received. All US schools awarded DVM degrees with the exception of University of Pennsylvania which awards a VMD degree.
Length of Veterinarian Education: Average 4 years after undergraduate studies.
Helpful links:
Known as Doctors of Optometry (ODs)
Practitioner: Optometrists evaluate a patient's overall vision health as well as examine, diagnose and treat patients for any conditions affecting vision. This includes prescribing corrective lenses such as glasses and contacts.
- Doctors of Optometry (ODs), commonly known as optometrists, are independent primary health care professionals for the eyes. They are trained to evaluate a patient’s visual condition and determine the best treatment for that condition.
- Shouldn’t be confused with ophthalmologists or dispensing opticians.
- Ophthalmologists are physicians who perform eye surgery, in addition to diagnosing and treating eye conditions.
- Dispensing Opticians fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, following prescriptions written by ophthalmologists or optometrists.
Length of Optometry Education: Average 4 years of optometry school after undergraduate studies.
Helpful Links:
Known as Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)
Practitioner: Podiatrists treat and diagnose foot disorders resulting from injury or disease. Practitioners usually specialize in a particular area of podiatric medicine, varying from surgery, sports medicine, biomechanics, geriatric care, pediatrics, orthopedics, or primary care.
Helpful links:
- Podiatric Medicine Overview
- AACPM College Information Book
- Find Accredited Podiatric Medical Schools
- Council on Podiatric Medical Education
- American Podiatric Medical Association
Length of Podiatry Education: Average 4 years in a college of podiatric medicine after undergraduate studies. Medical school is followed by a 36-month residency.
Your Next Steps
Our pre-med advisors can assist students who plan to apply to medical, dental, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary, or other professional medical programs.
Not sure who your pre-med advisor is?
- Last Names A-F: Kalen Strader - [email protected]
- Last Names G-L: Emma Green- [email protected]
- Last Names M-R: Donald Harper - [email protected]
- Last Names S-Z: Natalie Everett - [email protected]
- Last Names A-Z (Post-Bacc Students): Lisa Shepard - [email protected]
- Pre-Med Program Manager: Linda King - [email protected]
To schedule an appointment, please call our main office line at 404-413-5000.
The pre-med team at Georgia State offers programming designed to assist students in the process. Programming includes workshops/seminars, our Annual Health Professions Fair, Fall Med Fest events, and other events throughout the semester. Scroll down for a calendar of coming events.
This service allows qualified students to get a committee letter written for their professional school application.
Pre-Medical Committee File Resources
Pre-med File Information Packet
Pre-Med Student Evaluation Form (Faculty)
Georgia State’s Annual Health Professions Fair
Health Professions Schools/Vendors
Thank you to all that attended the 8th Annual Health Professions Fair!
The 9th Annual Health Professions Fair will be held in Spring 2024!
Contact Us
The college office coordinates senior advisement. Freshman through junior level students seeking advisement receive support from the university advisement office.
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Listserv
Pre-Medical Advisement
Pre-Medical Advisors
- Last Names A-F:
Kalen Strader - [email protected] - Last Names G-L:
Emma Green - [email protected] - Last Names M-R:
Donald Harper - [email protected] - Last Names S-Z:
Natalie Everett - [email protected] - Last Names A-Z (Post-Bacc Students):
Lisa Shepard - [email protected] - Pre-Med Program Manager:
Linda King - [email protected]