Pre-Health at the UW

Understand what "pre-health" means at the University of Washington Seattle, how to access advisers and how to get started.

Pre-Health at the UW

Pre-Health at the UW

Pre-health is not a major

We define pre-health (or pre-med) as a process a student goes through if they intend to enter a health professional field. Pre-health is not a “major” or “track”. The process includes:

  1. Actively exploring a variety of health care professions and understanding the type of work (e.g. patient contact, type of facility) involved and how this matches your personal strengths, motivations, and preferences
  2. Preparing for a selected health profession, this includes both academic (e.g. course planning and major selection) and vocational endeavors (e.g. job shadowing, volunteering, research, leadership, work experience)
  3. Applying to the professional schools including assessing readiness to apply, selecting schools, preparing for and taking entrance exams, and preparing a compelling application

Frequently Asked Questions

Read all Frequently Asked Questions

Get Started and Stay Connected

Get Started and Stay Connected

Review the website

This website provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how pre-health at the UW works. There are many people at the UW who can support you in navigating the pre-health process. This website will help you know where to start.

Stay connected

View and sign up for alerts and updates from pre-health news and events to start connecting with resources, summer programs, fellowships, career panels, internships, and more! Click the "sign up for alerts from this interest community" on the sidebar.

Make an Appointment

Make an Appointment

Non-UW Students

Unfortunately we do not have capacity to see non-UW students. Interested in attending the UW? Feel free to explore the website and these other resources: ExploreHealthCareers.org and UW Pre-health News and Events.

Admitted Students

Newly admitted students should wait until their Advising & Orientation session to speak with an adviser. Review this website and come prepared with questions to ask.

Current Students

Current students should meet with their academic adviser and then make an appointment with a career coach.

Not sure who to meet with? Use the chart below to understand how an adviser or coach can help you.

Academic Advising

Meeting with an general or departmental adviser can help you prepare for your chosen healthcare career. Advisers can help you with:

• Which courses you need for your chosen health professional school and when to take them
• How to choose the major that is the best fit for you
• How to combine major requirements with pre-health requirements

Advising Office
Mary Gates Hall 141
(206) 543-2550

washington.edu/uaa/advising

The Career & Internship Center

Meet with a Career Coach who can help you with questions about:

• Which health career is the best fit for you
• Getting clinical experience and exposure
• Getting involved in research and leadership activities
• Your timeline for preparation and application to health professional schools

The Career & Internship Center
Mary Gates Hall 134
(206) 543-0535

careers.uw.edu