PRE-MEDICAL PROGRAMS
We’re the No. 1 ranked public university in the country for our commitment to teaching.
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.
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 medicinerefers 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.
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:
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-I: Natalie Everett
Last Names J-Q: Joslyn Cartlidge
Last Names R-Z: Nika Daryooni
Pre-Med Coordinator and Post-Bacc Students: Linda King
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 UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS FAIR
Registration will open soon for Georgia State University’s 2020 Health Professions Fair. Here’s an overview of last spring’s event to help you plan ahead:
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Time: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Check-In Begins at 10 a.m.)
Location: Atlanta Campus – Georgia State University, Student Center East Ballroom
To provide you with the greatest recruitment potential in our area, the event will be open and free of charge to our students and for students from nearby institutions as well. Last year, more than 600 students from Georgia State and surrounding institutions attended the health professions fair!
Georgia State University, 4th Annual Health Professions Fair, registration for the 2020 conference will open in February 2020. Due to limited space for the fair, we encourage you to register and pay your registration fees as soon as possible.
Please note there is a $175 registration fee which includes a table and up to two chairs, parking, and lunch for up to two representatives. A meal order form and a parking form will be emailed to your attending representatives at a later date. We have limited access to electrical outlets, and outlets will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis per paid registration.
If an invoice is required prior to payment, please contact Ms. Turner at cturner@gsu.edu.
Make plans to attend Georgia State’s Fifth Annual Health Professions Fair during the Spring 2020 semester. Registration will open in February 2020. In the meantime, here’s a look at the schools that attended in 2019:
| Attending School/Organization | Location |
| Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine | Dothan, Alabama |
| American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine | Coral Gables, Florida |
| Army Medical Department | Washington, DC |
| Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges | Washington, DC |
| Auburn University: Harrison School of Pharmacy | Auburn, Alabama |
| Augusta University College of Allied Health Science | Augusta, Georgia |
| Dental College of Georgia at Augusta | Augusta, Georgia |
| Bastyr University | Kenmore, Washington |
| Belmont University | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Brenau University | Gainesville, Georgia |
| Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine | Lillington, North Carolina |
| Des Moines Univerisity | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Eastern Virginia Medical School | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Emory University | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine | Bethesda, Maryland |
| Ga Campus- PCOM | Suwanee, Georgia |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Keck Graduate Institute | Claremont, California |
| LECOM | Erie, Pennsylvania |
| Liberty University: College of Osteopathic Medicine | Lynchburg, Virginia |
| Life University | Marietta, Georgia |
| Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine | Harrogate, Tennessee |
| Medical University of South Carolina | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Mercer University | Macon, Georgia |
| Georgia Baptist College of Nursing (Mercer) | Atlanta, Georgia |
| MGH Institute of Health Professions | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Midwestern University | Downers Grove, Illinois |
| Morehouse School of Medicine | Atlanta, Georgia |
| New York College of Podiatric Medicine | New York City, New York |
| New York Institute of Technology | New York City, New York |
| R3 Education Inc. | Fort Devens, Massachusetts |
| Rosalind Franklin University | North Chicago, Illinois |
| Rosenburg School of Optometery | San Antonio, Texas |
| Ross University School of Medicine | Portsmouth, Dominica |
| Rush Medical College | Chicago, Illinois |
| Samford University: McWhorter School of Pharmacy | Homewood, Alabama |
| Sherman College of Chiropractic | Boiling Springs, South Carolina |
| South College School of Pharmacy | Atlanta, Georgia |
| St. Georges University of London | London, UK |
| Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| The Princeton Review | Framingham, Massachusetts |
| UAB | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Union University | Jackson, Tennessee |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida |
| University of Georgia | Athens, Georgia |
| University of Medicine and Health Sciences | New York City, New York |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| University of North Georgia | Gainesville, Georgia |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee |
| VCOM | Blacksburg, Virginia/Auburn, Alabama |
| West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine | Lewisburg, West Virginia |