Faculty: Camille Bennett (FL); Mary Bath-Balogh, Steven Crain, Robert Johnson, Ron May (FS); Dr. Dale Blum, Joseph Cates-Carney (PY)
Degree: Associate of Arts (AA-DTA)
Associate of Science (AS-T) - Track 1
Coursework for health professions can be incorporated within a variety of transfer degree options. These options include, but are not limited to: medical technology, physician's assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or pre-professional degrees for medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, pharmacy, naturopathy, osteopathy or veterinary medicine.
Students considering a health career program need to be aware that licensure and hiring may be affected if the graduate has practiced substance abuse and/or child abuse behaviors, or has been convicted of a gross misdemeanor or felony.
Students planning to transfer should complete AS-T or AA-DTA requirements and MUST check with the transfer institution to clarify specific requirements and transferable credits.
Emergency Medical TechnicianPierce College offers a certification for Emergency Medical Technician - Basic; this is an 8-credit course (Health Science 278) offered at Fort Lewis Applicants must have current CPR certification as either HEALTHCARE PRO VIDER or PRO FESSIONAL RESCUER. For more information call (253) 964-3139.
Occupational Therapy (Pre-)In Washington, University of Washington, Eastern Washington University and University of Puget Sound offer the Master's in Occupational Therapy (MOT). It is critical to coordinate with the transfer institution regarding their specific general degree requirements. Acceptance is VERY grade competitive (the average GPA of students accepted is 3.5+) but admission is also based on character, personality, maturity and recommendations from work or volunteer experience in an occupational therapy practice setting (minimum 40 hours experience). Applicants must have basic computer literacy. Most schools also require taking the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). Both universities require completion of a bachelor's degree prior to acceptance and coursework must include the following (taken within five years):
| Occupational Therapy (Pre-) | ||
| Dept | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL& 241 & 242 | Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 | 6 |
| CHEM& 161 | General Chemistry w/lab I | 5 |
| MATH& 146 | Intro to Statistics (required quantitative) | 5 |
| *PHYS& 121 | General Physics I | 5 |
| PSYC& 100 | General Psychology | 5 |
| PSYC& 200 | Lifespan Psychology | 5 |
| PSYC& 220 | Abnormal Psychology | 5 |
| *SOC& 101 | Intro to Sociology or ANTH& 206 (Cultural Anth.) | 5 |
*NOTE: These courses are required only by the program at UW; Physics and Chemistry both have math prerequisites. UPS also requires additional behavioral science coursework - listed in UPS Transfer Guide. Check course descriptions for prerequisites.
Physical Therapy (Pre-)In Washington, UW, UPS and EWU offer a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). Acceptance is very competitive and is dependent not only on a high GPA (usually 3.5+), but also on essays describing broad volunteer and/or paid physical therapy-related work experience (usually between 200-500 hours) in a variety of physical therapy service delivery environments. A completed AA or AS - Track 1 degree is recommended before transferring to a university. Some programs combine the senior year with the first year of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). When planning your courses, check with the transfer institution to clarify exact requirements. Most programs also require taking the GRE.
The following prerequisites are common to the programs in Washington. Out-of-state programs may differ slightly. All programs require completion of a Bachelor's degree prior to acceptance and science coursework should not be more than five years old.
| Physical Therapy (Pre-) | ||
| Dept | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL& 241 & 242 | Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 | 6 |
| BIOL& 242 | General Chemistry w/lab I | 5 |
| BIOL& 260 | Microbiology | 5 |
| CHEM& 161 & 2 | General Chemistry w/lab I & II | 5 |
| *†CHEM& 163 | General Chemistry w/lab III | 5 |
| CMST& 220 | Public Speaking | 5 |
| MATH& 141 & 142 | Precalculus I & II | 5 |
| MATH& 146 | Intro to Statistics | 5 |
| PHYS& 121 & 122 | General Physics I & II | 5 |
| *†PHYS& 123 | General Physics III | 5 |
| PSYC& 100 | PGeneral Psychology | 5 |
| †PSYC& 220 | Abnormal Psychology | 5 |
NOTE: Courses marked with * are required by UPS; those marked with † are required for EWU. Most suggested courses have prerequisites that must be included in academic planning.
Pre-Professional(Chiropractic, Dentistry, Medical, Medical Technology, Naturopathy, Osteopathy, Pharmacy, Physician's Assistant/MEDEX, Veterinary Medicine)
| Chiropractic (Pre-) | |
| Although most applicants have completed a four-year degree, outstanding students are eligible to apply after three years of coursework. The closest schools of chiropractic are located in Oregon and California Like all professional schools, admission is grade competitive. Suggested coursework is outlined under the Associate of Science - Track 1. All courses have prerequisites that must be included in academic planning. | |
| Dentistry (Pre-), Medicine (Pre-), Naturopathy (Pre-), Osteopathy (Pre-), Veterinary Medicine (Pre-) | |
| The majority of applicants have bachelor degrees; this is NOT an actual major. Professional schools are looking for a broad liberal arts background. Be sure you get current information from the school of your choice early in your program and gain as much exposure to the profession as possible by working or volunteering. The Associate of Science - Track 1 outlines the courses generally required; however, an AA-DTA can also be tailored to include part of the required sciences. Check with a science advisor for exceptions or additions suggested by specific professional schools. | |
| Medical Technology (Pre-) | |
| University of Washington and Central Washington University offer Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology (BSMT) degrees and have affiliated clinical internship sites. Check to see if the college you choose requires taking the AHPAT (Allied Health Professions Admission Test) prior to applying. Students can transfer to either of these institutions with an AA-DTA but should try to include as many of the following courses as possible. All courses have prerequisites that must be included in academic planning. | |
| Dept | Course Name |
|---|---|
| BIOL& 160 | General Biology w/lab |
| BIOL& 211-213 | Majors: Cellular/Animal/Plant |
| BIOL& 260 | Microbiology |
| CHEM& 139 | General Chemistry Prep |
| CHEM& 161-163 | General Chemistry w/lab I-III |
| CHEM& 261-263 | Organic Chemistry w/lab I-III |
| MATH& 146 | Intro to Statistics |
| MATH& 151 | Calculus I OR |
| PHYS& 121 | General Physics I (suggested) |
| Pharmacy (Pre-) | |
| Schools of pharmacy are located at the University of Washington and Washington State University (must also include WSU General Education Requirements). Both are five-year Pharmacy Doctoral (Pharm.D.) programs. Check schools of Pharmacy for application criteria and deadlines. Admissions are made on the basis of GPA and PCAT scores. Coursework to be completed should include: | |
| Dept | Course Name |
| BIOL& 211-213 | Majors: Cellular/Animal/Plant |
| BIOL& 260 | Microbiology |
| CHEM& 161-163 | General Chemistry w/lab I-III |
| CHEM& 261-263 | Organic Chemistry w/lab I-III |
| MATH& 146 | Intro to Statistics |
| MATH& 148 | Calculus |
| MATH& 151 | Calculus I OR |
| ENGL& 101 | English Composition I |
| ENGL 107 | Composition - Writing About Literature |
| Humanities Electives (10 credits) | |
| Social Science Electives (10 credits) | |
| Note: Most suggested courses have prerequisites that must be included in academic planning. | |
| Physician's Assistant/MEDEX (Pre-) | |
The only Physician's Assistant program currently available in Washington is the MEDEX program offered through the University of Washington's School of Medicine in Seattle This is a two-year certificate granting program (eight quarters) with an optional degree available (Bachelor of Clinical Health Services). Admission is VERY competitive since many applicants already hold degrees and have many years of experience in the health field. Minimal admission requirements are:
| |
| *Clinical experience during a training program does not apply. | |
