Pre-Health Professions Minor
Do you dream of a career in the medical field, but desire a flexible approach that will help you find clarity during your undergraduate years? Susquehanna University’s pre-health professions minor provides a strong foundation for your future, whether your passion leads to cutting-edge research or hands-on patient care.
This minor complements many majors by broadening your understanding of the health care industry and preparing you for a wide range of health-related careers. You’ll complete common prerequisites for advanced study while exploring topics like health care systems and bioethics, and you’ll develop practical skills in communication, professionalism and problem-solving.
At Susquehanna, your journey starts with an advisor who helps you tailor your courses to match your strengths and career goals, whether you are preparing for graduate school or exploring different options within health care. With two required internships, you’ll gain hands-on experience and an impressive resume to guide your next steps.
GAIN REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE WITH HEALTH CARE INTERNSHIPS
Susquehanna University offers invaluable hands-on internships, funded by a $50,000 grant, providing students with essential health industry experience and professional development opportunities.
SUSQUEHANNA MAJORS GO INTERDISCIPLINARY
Pre-health professional minor is an excellent complement to many other majors, such as biology and psychology. Learn how one student combined all three in pursuit of an exciting new program at Susquehanna University.
SUSQUEHANNA By the Numbers
More Than Metrics
100%
of health care studies students complete two internships as part of the minor
100%
of students receive financial aid through academic merit scholarships and need-based grants
80%
of Susquehanna students have a double major or minor
For High School Students
Explore Health Careers This Summer at Susquehanna
Dive into anatomy, physiology and health sciences while discovering your path in medical and health fields through a weeklong, hands-on pre-college experience.
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program Resources
This course examines the major organ systems of the human body with an emphasis on structure as it influences function. It is designed to fulfill the entrance requirements of several health fields’ post-baccalaureate and graduate training programs. The course is taught in a workshop format with the laboratory integrated into the lecture topics. Included in this workshop are hands-on study of the human skeleton, intensive dissection of the cat and dissection of other pertinent mammalian organs. Students will be required to identify most of the major mammalian anatomical systems and their detailed structures using either human models, isolated mammal organs or a dissected cat. Included in the course will be a discussion of some of the pathologies associated with human anatomy. This course cannot be used as a substitute for those courses in other programs that require cadaver dissection. Prerequisite: BIOL-101 or BIOL-102 or instructor’s permission. 3 lecture hours, 3 laboratory hours. 4 SH. INSTRUCTOR PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR ENROLLMENT.
This class focuses on the complex functioning of the individual organ systems of the body and how changing function may influence or be influenced by structure. The integrated interactions of each organ system with other body systems will be studied in detail within the contextual framework of maintaining homeostasis. Laboratory studies encompass many aspects of physiology, ranging from cell physiology to using humans as experimental subjects. Prerequisite: BIOL-102. 3 lecture hours, 3 laboratory hours. 4 SH.
Study of a particular topic in the health care area under the guidance of an appropriate faculty member. 1-4 SH.
A minimum of 40 hours of experience is required for each internship. Students may arrange for an internship from a wide range of health care disciplines and clinical settings, depending upon their interests. Typical settings include hospital or clinic-based practice, private practice, public health areas and service-learning opportunities. Internship experiences may range from strictly observational to more hands on, depending upon the actual internship. Students must apply through the Office of the Registrar and submit a Student Learning Contract before beginning their internship. 1 SH. THIS COURSE REQUIRES INSTRUCTOR PERMISSION TO ENROLL.
When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor and consult with their advisor(s).
Pre-Health Professions Minor
Learning Goals
- Students will understand the relationship between the structure of body parts (anatomy) and their
- biological functions (physiology)
- Students will be able to describe the interconnected elements of the healthcare system.
- Students will be able to apply the bioethical principles to critically evaluate contemporary issues in the
healthcare system. - Students will understand the social determinants that affect the health of individuals and communities.
- Students will develop important practical skills (e.g. professionalism, communication, empathy, problemsolving) through their internships in the healthcare field.
The pre-health professions minor is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare or
healthcare-related fields. Through course work and internship experiences, students gain a foundation that
prepares them for a future career in healthcare, including topics such as the business of healthcare, the ethical
dimensions of healthcare, as well as an understanding of human anatomy and physiology. The minor includes
the prerequisite courses required for many post-graduate programs in the allied health field (e.g. physical
therapy, physician’s assistant, optometry, occupational therapy, and accelerated nursing programs.) Students
majoring in biomedical sciences may not pursue a pre-health professions minor.
Students in the pre-health professions minor will be advised by Dr. Kelly Puzzi, pre-health advisor and director
of health professions. All internships should be planned in consultation with Dr. Puzzi.
Double-counting Restriction for Interdisciplinary Minors
Only 8 semester hours of this minor may double count toward the student’s major.
The minor requires 22-24 semester hours, including:
- 4 BIOL-102 Cell Biology and Genetics
- 4 HLCR-301 Human Anatomy
- 4 HLCR-302 Human Physiology
- 4 PHIL-224 Bioethics
- 2 HLCR-080 The Business of Healthcare
- 0-2 HLCR-500 Healthcare Internship*
* The minor requires two, unique internships (between 0 and 1 credit each). Each internship must be a minimum of 40 hours. Internships may be completed during the fall or spring semester, or over winter or summer break. Regardless of when the internship is completed, students must register for the internship and complete the student learning agreement prior to beginning the internship.
- 4 Elective course(s) chosen from the following:
- 4 BIOL-157 The Biology of Women
- 4 BIOL-220 Biostatistics
- 3 BIOL-300 Developmental Biology
- 1 BIOL-301 Developmental Biology Laboratory*
- 3 BIOL-306 Cell Biology
- 1 BIOL-307 Cell Biology Laboratory*
- 3 BIOL-312 Microbiology
- 1 BIOL-313 Microbiology Lab*
- 4 BIOL-318 General Biochemistry
- 4 BIOL-319 Advanced Genetics
- 3 BIOL-400 Immunology
- 1 BIOL-401 Immunology Laboratory*
- 3 BIOL-440 Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
- 1 BIOL-441 Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Lab*
- 4 BIOL-455 Functional Neuroanatomy
- 4 BIOL-500 Species Topics in Biology when the topic is Human Nutrition
- 4 BIOL-560 Interdisciplinary Explorations in Biology when the topic is Cancer Biology
- 4 BIOL-565 Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Genome Editing
- 4 CHEM-302 Medicinal Chemistry
- 4 CHEM-305 Forensic Chemistry
- 3 CHEM-424 Biochemistry of Metabolism
- 3 CHEM-426 The Biochemistry of Proteins and Enzymes
- 1 CHEM-427 Biochemistry of Proteins and Enzymes Lab
- 4 HIST-217 History of Medicine
- 4 HIST-323 History of American Medicine
- 4 POLI-354 Healthcare Policy
- 4 PSYC-237 Lifespan Development
- 4 PSYC-242 Health Psychology
- 4 PSYC-243 Drugs, Society and Behavior
- 4 PSYC-320 Psychological Disorders
- 4 PSYC-342 Behavioral Neuroscience
*Lecture courses (3 SH) may be taken without associated labs (1 SH) but labs cannot be taken unless the lecture is taken concurrently or has been successfully completed (C- or above) a previous semester.
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