While there are prerequisite courses for all health professional programs, preparing for graduate education in the health professions requires more than taking the correct courses. Students must also demonstrate their motivation and commitment to the profession through exposure to the field, direct contact with patients, and evidence of core competencies such as service orientation, cultural awareness, empathy and compassion, reliability, and resilience.
Getting Started
Ole nursing students looking at their notes during a class simulation.
Healthcare is an immense field with many career options for people with all levels of education. We encourage students to explore many areas of health care in order to find the best fit. Many St. Olaf alumni offer opportunities for shadowing in a variety of fields, and St. Olaf’s pre-health advisors can help you find your fit.
Explore Various Health Careers
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Stories from Applicants Who Chose to Pursue Medicine
Article Explaining the Difference between D.O. and M.D. Degrees
At St. Olaf, pre-health is simply an intention to pursue a career in any area of healthcare; pre-health is not a major. Health professions schools seek strong, well-rounded students who have not only demonstrated strength in the sciences but also an interest in the human condition. Therefore, the liberal arts offer the perfect roadmap for pre-health students to prepare for their graduate programs. Students from a variety of majors have successfully matriculated to graduate health programs, so it’s best to choose a major that’s interesting and exciting to you.
Preparing for any health professional program requires careful academic planning, as prerequisites vary by field and even by school or program. Please review the course recommendations for each health profession in the Advising Resource section below. Meeting with the St. Olaf faculty advisor for your intended graduate program will ensure you plan courses that fulfill academic prerequisites.
Students should take advantage of the many opportunities to obtain patient contact and observe practitioners at work in their field of expertise. Related experience is essential to successful application to many health professions programs. Students seeking more information about clinical opportunities are encouraged to visit the Piper Center.
Certified Nursing Assistant Course
EMR/EMT Training Course
Pathways to Healthcare (experience+ training for students who don’t have a CNA)
St. Olaf EMT
Northfield Hospital & Clinics
HealthFinders Collaborative
St. Olaf Alumni Directory
Virtual Shadowing through the University of Colorado (searching or a new platform fall 2026)
University of Colorado Wilderness First Aid Training & Conferences (in Colorado)
Many health professions schools value research experience as an undergraduate. Research not only demonstrates your intellectual curiosity and commitment to learning, but it also provides evidence of your ability to work as part of a team and to critically interpret scientific literature. Research can be in any area and can take place in the laboratory, the field, or internships. Below are a few of the options for pre-health students:
Rockswold Health Scholars
Health Scholars at the Mayo Clinic
HOT Division Summer Internship Research Program at the University of Minnesota
Lillehei Heart Institute Summer Research Scholars Program
Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation Summer Research Program
Innovation Scholars
Norway Innovation Scholars
Collaborative Undergraduate Research & Inquiry (CURI)
National Institutes of Health
Mayo Clinic SURF Program
National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Database
Other Options for Research at St. Olaf
As healthcare is a service profession at its core, health professions schools are interested in students who have demonstrated compassion and empathy through service to others. Therefore, participating in meaningful service to your community illustrates your desire to work with others and make a difference in others’ lives. Long, sustained periods of service are preferred over brief stints in many activities.
Volunteering at St. Olaf
St. Olaf EMT
Project Friendship
Northfield Shares Volunteer Opportunities
Health Finders Collaborative
Northfield Hospitals & Clinics
Phillips Scholars
Ready, Set, Smile Dental Volunteering
National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics
Pre-Health 101: Explore (first-years), Pre-Health 201: Prepare (sophomores), and Pre-Health 301: Apply (juniors and seniors) workshops are held every year, and are designed to allow students to check in with Professor Kevin Crisp, Chair of the Health Professions Committee, and Heather Banks, Pre-Health Career Coach, about progress towards their goal of matriculating to a health professional school. Recordings of past sessions are available to students on the Pre-Health Moodle site.
Advising Resources for Health Professions
Academic preparation is crucial for students interested in attending graduate health professions programs. Please review the appropriate advising resource for your area of interest and meet with the appropriate faculty advisor often.
Please check the advising resources below and to your right to see the recommended and required courses along with additional requirements for each professional interest.