Pre-Med
For a competitive edge, look to APU for challenging courses, intentionally small classes and personalized mentoring
Maybe you’ve heard the Myth of Organic Chemistry:
A chem prof strides into a packed lecture hall on the first day of class. She tells her students to look to their right, their left, behind and in front of them. Of those five students, she says, only one will earn a grade high enough to continue in the pre-med program.
At Alaska Pacific University, we tell a different story:
As an APU pre-med student, you’re never a statistic.
Our intentionally small class sizes – including courses you need in biology, chemistry and physics – foster a learning community that helps you achieve in day-to-day classes and as you prepare for medical school admission testing.
APU’s pre-med track is an interdisciplinary concentration that gives context and focus to your studies. It’s comparable to a minor that you’d pursue in combination with any bachelor’s degree at APU.
While some pre-med programs rely on teaching assistants, your pre-med classes are taught by full-time APU faculty who want to help you succeed. Your medical school recommendation letters – key to admission – are written by APU professors who know you and take time to understand your personal and professional goals.
As an APU pre-med student you’ll join a close-knit cohort. You’ll meet often with your academic adviser to remove guesswork from choosing courses that are right for you. You’ll learn from physicians and health-care professionals for active learning in settings as unique as Alaska itself.
And as you prepare for medical school admission exams, you’ll benefit from APU test workshops and mentoring at no extra cost.
As director of APU’s pre-med track, I know that success in medical school admissions no longer depends solely on an undergraduate degree in the sciences.
Increased emphasis on patient- and community-centered health care has expanded the med school applicant pool to include exemplary students like you with degrees in Liberal Studies, Psychology, Environmental Science and Sustainability Studies, among others.
Med schools want students with demonstrated self-determination.
The pre-med program at Alaska Pacific University features lots of opportunity to showcase your passion and perseverance. Become involved in APU campus life to demonstrate integrity, commitment and leadership. Choose distinctive internships and practicums at places like the Alaska Native Medical Center, a unit of the federal Indian Health Service and Alaska’s only Level II trauma center. APU’s pre-med partnership with Providence Medical Center introduces you to the state’s largest hospital, encompassing family medicine, a cancer treatment center and children’s hospital.
No school can guarantee your success in every class. When you choose pre-med at Alaska Pacific University, we’ll help you demonstrate top performance in a challenging curriculum that meets standard pre-requisites for medical school admission.
I’m looking forward to working together as you pursue your goals in medicine and allied health. Welcome!
– Mark Faller, Ph.D., Director
Pre-med Interdisciplinary Concentration, Liberal Studies Department
