Health sciences
Degree programs
On the MCV Campus, VCU offers 10 different bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral-level programs for those interested in working in health care. More detailed information about programs and admission requirements is available from the Office of Pre-health Sciences Advising in the University College.
Degree requirements
Prior to gaining admission to these programs, students must take and perform well in a required set of prerequisite science and nonscience courses. When students are nearing completion of their prerequisite courses, they must apply in a competitive process to be accepted into the various programs on the MCV Campus. The bachelor’s degree programs in nursing, clinical laboratory sciences, clinical radiation sciences, emergency medical sciences and administration, and dental hygiene require between one and two years of prerequisite courses. The entry-level master’s degree in occupational therapy requires three years of prerequisites, and doctoral-level programs in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and physical therapy require the completion of a bachelor’s degree in any subject plus the completion of required prerequisites. Admission prerequisites can be found by searching the recommended courses. Students are encouraged to work with their advisors at the community college to identify courses to meet their goals.
If students wish to continue taking prerequisite courses and complete their bachelor’s degrees at VCU, they can apply for admission into VCU’s various pre-health preparatory programs by contacting the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at (804) 828-1222. Upon acceptance into one of these programs, students will attend a transfer orientation and be advised by a representative from the Office of Pre-health Sciences Advising, which serves VCU students by providing information on curricula, course sequencing, volunteer service and application procedures to assist them in gaining admission to undergraduate-, graduate- and professional-level programs in health sciences.
Additional information
For more information on the health sciences programs, students should contact the school sponsoring the degree of interest.
| Program | School | Contact | Minimum requirements for admission | Degree granted |
| Clinical laboratory sciences | Allied Health Professions | Dr. Teresa Nadder | Two years of prerequisites | B.S. |
| Clinical radiation sciences | Allied Health Professions | Dr. Jeff Legg | One year of prerequisites | B.S. |
| Dental hygiene | Dentistry | Coral Diaz | Two years of prerequisites | B.S. |
| Nursing | Nursing | Susan Lipp | One year of prerequisites | B.S. |
| EMSA | Medicine | Daniel Barry | Two years of prerequisites | Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) |
| Occupational therapy | Allied Health Professions | Sonya Lamb | Three years of prerequisites | Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (M.S.O.T.) |
| Pharmacy | Pharmacy | Sonya Lamb | Bachelor’s degree including required prerequisites | Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) |
| Dentistry | Dentistry | Sonya Lamb | Bachelor’s degree including required prerequisites | Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) |
| Physical therapy | Allied Health Professions | Sonya Lamb | Bachelor’s degree including required prerequisites | Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) |
| Medicine | Medicine | Sonya Lamb | Bachelor’s degree including required prerequisites | Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) |
Students also can prepare for careers in veterinary medicine, podiatry and physician assistant studies by completing bachelor’s degrees and taking the necessary prerequisite courses at VCU.
