Fordham has a long history of preparing students for medical, dental, veterinary, and other health professions careers. Fordham graduates have been accepted to study at numerous medical schools across the country including Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, Jefferson, New York University, Albert Einstein, New York Medical College, Brown, Creighton, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, George Washington, Loyola University, Northwestern, St. Louis University, Tufts, Tulane, University of Connecticut, all of the SUNY medical schools, as well as many osteopathic schools. Students have also gained admission to schools of dentistry and optometry.
Health professional schools do not require a particular major, but instead require that students complete specific coursework. Students preparing for a doctoral-level health professions career may therefore pursue majors in the natural sciences, social sciences, or humanities. Entering students should declare their interest in the pre-health professions program to the Admissions Office since such information is vital in preparing their freshman schedules.
Pre-Health Professions Advising
Students who are participants in Fordham’s pre-health professions program receive both individual and group advising from the Pre-Health Professions Advisor during their freshman through senior years. Group advising sessions are class specific (freshman, sophomore, junior) and are scheduled to help students plan for significant upcoming events, such as taking the MCAT. Students are also encouraged to individually meet with the Pre-Health Professions Advisor to discuss their progress in attaining acceptance into a health professional program.
The Freshman Pre-Health Symposium is a one-credit course offered in the first semester of freshman year. In this course, students read widely about diverse issues facing the medical professions. They also explore ways to engage fully in the academic and extracurricular life of the university. In addition, they work in small groups to discuss challenges common to first-year students in pre-professional programs and propose ways to meet such challenges. First-year students in this symposium work with upper-division peer mentors and participate in the Laennec Pre-Health Society’s general meetings and meetings targeted to first-year students.
The Laennec Society is a student organization that brings together students interested in doctoral-level health professional fields to promote academic excellence, provide essential information about health professions fields, and encourage future health professionals to engage in meaningful service to the community and to each other. The Laennec Society sponsors lectures by alumni in the health professions and by admissions representatives from professional schools. It also shares information from recent graduates about their experiences in professional school. In addition to meetings offered to all pre-health professions students, the Laennec Society also focuses some of its meetings on issues pertinent to students in a specific undergraduate year. Seniors attend workshops on interviewing skills, while juniors work together to approach professional school exams and the primary and secondary application processes. Sophomores focus on developing leadership in appropriate service, extracurricular, and research activities. Freshmen students are welcome at all meetings and have an opportunity to participate in events targeted to their specific needs.
Opportunities to Acquire Health Professional Experience
Fordham’s location in the New York Metropolitan area offers numerous opportunities for students to participate in volunteer programs, obtain physician shadowing experience, work in numerous nearby hospitals, participate in undergraduate research, and gain experience through summer internships.
Contact Information:
Dr. Donna N. Heald
Director of Pre-Health Professions Advising
Fordham College at Rose Hill
441 East Fordham Rd.
Keating Hall, Room 320
Bronx, NY 10458-9993
718-817-4710
