When considering candidates for admission, health professional schools consider applicants holistically. Admissions decisions may be based upon their assessment of you in various areas of competency, one of which is academic performance.
Your academics can forecast how well you will perform in a professional program, and may even predict if you will complete the program of your choice. Additionally, your academics tell admissions representatives about your intellectual curiosity, problem-solving skills, and your ability to manage a rigorous course load with multiple demands on your time.
If the professional school you are applying to requests an explanation of Emory's Continuing Writing Requirement, click here to access a general explanation of our requirement that you can send directly to the school.
If the school requires a personalized letter detailing the specific courses you completed, please complete this CWRT Explanation Form. We will respond to these requests within 3 business days.
You do not need to major in the sciences – but you do need to demonstrate that you can handle upper level science coursework. Choose a major that you are interested in and find time to take upper level science courses.
Review the complete list of Emory College Majors and Minors
Is there a pre-health major?
No, there is not a pre-health major. We encourage you to major in whatever you are most interested in, and we will work with you to balance your schedule with pre-requisite courses for health professional schools. The pre-requisite courses prepare you for admissions tests and they serve as a foundation for the graduate level coursework to come.
Is it ok to major in a non-science? Is there a benefit for students applying to medical school to pursue a humanities major?
Absolutely! You can major in ANYTHING as an undergraduate and pursue any degree (BA or BS) and apply to medical school. You have to be strategic and work in the pre-requisites for the professional program you are interested in, but it is very manageable with any major.
Many health professional schools are looking for well-rounded students who excel in science and non-science areas. Humanities and Social Science courses help to develop critical thinking, reading, writing and communication skills - all valuable to careers in healthcare.
Can I double major as a pre-health student? Will this make me a stronger applicant?
Emory students may either double major, or select one major and one minor.
While double majoring can be beneficial to students (if there is a reason behind the double major), double majoring alone does not make students a stronger applicant.
Can I study business and still be pre-health?
Yes!
If accepted into the Business School, students may still take courses (pre-requisites and more) in the College. Students may also choose a second major in the College.
Can I pursue the Dual Degree Program (pre-engineering) and still be a pre-health student?
Yes, but this may take a lot of planning. Many of the Dual Degree requirements (depending on the Georgia Tech major) are also pre-health requirements.
Do I have to decide to be pre-health immediately?
No, but if you considering pre-health, it may be a good idea to start working on pre-requisites. Pre-Health advisors work with students at any stage of their pre-health journey until they are ready to apply to health professional programs.
What is the most popular major for pre-health students?
Pre-Health students major in lots of different subject areas. We encourage students to major in what they are passionate about and interested in studying. Some of the most common majors are Biology, Human Health, and NBB, although pre-health students have majored in every area offered by the College.
Use this GPA Calculator to determine your current GPA or as a planning tool.
BCPM GPA Calculation
The grades from your undergraduate transcripts (from all undergraduate institutions) will be evaluated in 2 ways: the cumulative GPA and the BCPM GPA. The BCPM GPA includes all Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math courses taken as an undergraduate. Courses that are cross-listed with a BCPM designation MAY be counted towards your BCPM.
In order to calculate your BCPM GPA, follow these instructions:
The Office of Undergraduate Education offers numerous programs to support student learning.
We are strong advocates of studying abroad and we make every effort to help you find a suitable experience. As a pre-health student, you should not miss the opportunity to study abroad. Besides enhancing your academic qualifications, studying abroad promotes an increased understanding of the world and your place in it, develops your knowledge of foreign languages, and provides you with valuable skills to help you be a competitive applicant to graduate/professional schools.
Choosing the right program is the first step and then planning is the key. Emory offers unique opportunities to study abroad while making progress towards major requirements, GERs, and gaining clinical/research experience. Please consult with Pre-Health Advising regarding taking any health professional school requirements abroad.
These are just some of the many opportunities that may be of interest of pre-health students. Visit the Study Abroad website to find out more!
When applying to professional graduate programs within healthcare, you will be required to disclose any honor code or conduct code violations from any institution you attended prior to applying.
The Emory Honor Code is in effect during your tenure as a student. The Emory University Undergraduate Code of Conduct is also in effect during your tenure as a student. Violations to either will be on your permanent Emory record. Criminal background checks are also performed for acceptance in most health professional programs.
If you plan to apply to professional graduate programs, you need to be very careful of the choices you make as an undergraduate student. Pre-Health Advising staff can meet with you on a case by case basis to discuss repercussions of violations.