A Major Decision
Many Pre-Health programs (especially those offering a Doctorate) expect students to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree before moving to their healthcare training program.
There is no "right" major for a given healthcare career. Therefore, UNO does not offer a major in Pre-Health.
Instead, we encourage students to review the list of available majors and choose a major they love. Studies have found that students who value and enjoy their field of study:
- Perform better in their classes
- Learn varied skills for a wide range of careers
The earlier you select a major, the more opportunity you'll have to complete classes of interest and participate in extracurricular activities.
David Owen, Director of Admissions at University of Chicago School of Medicine, said "Students should feel free to study what they wish, be it science or non-science. Demonstrating self-insight and ownership of their education is valued with our admission committee. We do not care what their major is; we only ask that if the student is a science major, that they take enough non-science so that they learn to think through ethical, cultural, and social issues and complications with the same ease that they determine how mass falls from a tree, and vice-versa. And to this, of course, add the social and interpersonal skill learning so important to a healthy patient/physician relationship that comes from career exploration, service to others, and leadership."
UNO has developed a Medical Humanities minor for students interested in exploring the human aspect of clinical medicine. The minor covers interdisciplinary fields that explore, from multiple perspectives, connections between humans, cultures, medicine, and allied health sciences.
