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Dentists (DDS) play a significant role in our oral health care throughout our lives. Whether it's maintenance in our early years, braces in our adolescent years, or treatment for gum disease or teeth extractions in our senior years, successful dentists are capable and compassionate practitioners. 

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• Chemistry (General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry)

• Biological Science

• Physics 

• English

Highly recommended classes include upper division biology courses (Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Microbiology, Histology, Cell Biology, Immunology, calculus, Embryology, public speaking, humanities/social sciences, psychology, sociology, painting and sculpture, mechanical drawing, and business courses such as personnel management, accounting and marketing.

Freshman Year

• Confirm which major you want to purse
• Consider joining the Pre-Dental Society student club
• Stay focused to achieve excellent academic performance (most dental schools will only accept students with a minimum 3.5 GPA)
• Participate in health-related volunteer opportunities

Sophomore Year

• Take the time to develop relationships with faculty members for future letter of recommendations
• Continue to participate in health-related volunteer opportunities

Junior Year

• Study for the DAT (Dental Admission Test)
• Consider enrolling in commercial DAT prep courses
• Start getting the necessary application information ready
• Take the DAT in Spring

Summer between Junior and Senior Year

• Complete collecting and preparing all the necessary materials for your application: personal statement, letter of recommendations, DAT scores, etc.
• Take the DAT exam in the summer if you have not taken it in Spring or you want to get a better DAT score. A 90-day waiting period between tests is required
• Submit the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) after June 1 (earliest time) for AADSAS dental schools. For the non-AADSAS dental schools, contact them directly for their applications

Senior Year

• If you were granted an interview, prepare for the upcoming interview
• Complete your undergraduate studies and have a nice vacation before dental school starts.

You will need to take the to apply to dental school. You should take the test in the spring of your third year. Visit the for more information about applying to dental school. You can also find resources through the . 

After dental school, you will need to pursue your dental license to be able to practice. You may need to complete additional training before practicing. VIsit the for more general information.  

The responsibilities of EHS include inspections of facilities such as food establishments, public swimming pools, community drinking water systems, landfills, and underground storage tanks and oversee programs dealing with food protection, land use, recreational swimming areas, onsite septic systems, drinking water quality, housing, vector control, disaster sanitation, and solid, liquid, and hazardous materials management, in order to determine compliance with federal, state, and local statutes, regulations, and ordinances.

If you want to explore this career: 

After ÁùÉ«Íø, you will need to receive training and take a comprehensive exam. Several CSUs also offer master's degrees. Visit the for more information.

A Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) / Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) / Medical Technologist (MT) (these terminologies are equivalent) is a healthcare professional who performs diagnostic analytic tests on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens. MLS/CLS/MT work in clinical laboratories at hospitals, doctor's offices, reference labs, and within the biotechnology industry.

If you want to explore this career: 

• Prepare for MLS/CLS/MT Program Admission

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution 
• Medical Microbiology
• Immunology
• Hematology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Physics (light and electricity)
• Mathematics

• Anatomy
• Immunohematology
• Physiology
• Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• Statistics
• Mycology
• Parasitology
• Virology

To be considered a competitive applicant, you shoud have relevant clinical laboratory experience or relevant research experience as an employee, student or a volunteer.

A CLS requires specialized training after completing a bachelor's degree in a biological or natural science in addition to certain mandatory coursework. CLS training must be completed in a , and part of the CLS training includes clinical training that is conducted in a medical facility. After successful completion of training you qualify to take the national certification/ CA licensing exam to become a licensed CLS.

Aside from meeting course-prerequisites and other admission requirements, you should also apply for the , which is required to train (not work) in a department approved CLS training program. The license is required for training and must remain active for the duration of the CLS program that you will be trained in.

Doctors can be broadly characterized as primary care physicians, specialists and surgeons. 

If you want to explore this career: 

• Medicine

• General Course prerequisites include the following:
  • 1 year English
  • 1 year of General Biology with Laboratory
  • 1 year of General (Inorganic) Chemistry with Laboratory
  • 1 year of Organic Chemistry with Laboratory
  • 1 year of Physics with Laboratory

Freshman Year

• Decide the major(s) (Make an appointment to see a Career Counselor in Career Center)
• Consider joining the ÁùÉ«Íø Pre-Medical Student Club
• Stay focused to achieve excellent academic performance (Most Medical schools will accept only students with a minimum 3.5 GPA)
• Participate health-related volunteer opportunities

• Take the time to develop relationships with faculty members for future letter of recommendations
• Continue to participate in health-related volunteer opportunities

• Study for the MCAT exam
• Consider enrolling in commercial MCAT prep courses
• Start getting the necessary application information ready
• Take the MCAT in Spring

Summer between Junior and Senior Year

• Complete collecting and preparing all the necessary materials for your application: personal statement, letter of recommendations, MCAT scores, etc.
• Submit the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application after June 1 (earliest time) for AMCAS medical schools. For the non-AMCAS medical schools, contact them directly for their applications
• For osteopathic medical schools, need to submit through AACOMAS application service
• Take the August MCAT exam if you have not taken the April exam or you want to get a better MCAT score
• Complete the "secondary applications" if you receive them

• If you were granted an interview, prepare for the upcoming interview
• Complete your undergraduate studies and have a nice vacation before medical school starts.

You will need to take the MCAT to apply for medical school. You should take the test in the spring of your third year. Online MCAT registration is available on the . AAMC also provides resources for preparing MCAT exams, including  and 

Attending medical school takes 4 years. You will then complete a residency program that will give you more in-depth training within a specialty. 

Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions. Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program.

If you want to explore this career: 

In California, there are several types of pre-licensure nursing programs: an associate degree in nursing, a bachelor of science in nursing (offered at other CSUs and private colleges) or an entry level master's program in nursing. 

To practice as a registered nurse in California, you must be licensed by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). You must meet educational requirements, pass a criminal background check, and pass the national licensing examination.

Optometrists (OD) are trained to provide eye-care for people who have vision problems or develop them as a result of reduced ability to adjust their eyes to changing light and distance, a problem that often appears as we age. Optometrists spend much of their time assessing the vision status of each patient to provide individualized lenses, in the form of contact lenses or glasses. Recently, optometrists have also begun to perform laser surgeries on the eye and to specialize in low-vision care.

If you want to explore this career: 

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
• Each program has its own prerequisites. Check specific school for detail prerequisites.  
• General Course prerequisites include the following (at least 3 years of pre-optometric study):
  • One year of General Biology with lab
  • One year of General Chemistry with lab
  • One year of Organic Chemistry with lab
  • One year of General Physics with lab
  • One year of English
  • Mathematics (Calculus)
  • Statistics
  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology/Bacteriology
  • Psychology
• Other courses recommended and/or required:
  • Anatomy
  • Reading and Composition (two writing or literature courses)
  • Cellular Physiology
  • Neurophysiology

You will need to take the to apply to optometry school. , you need to complete a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree from an accredited school, pass the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) exams, and pass the California Laws and Regulations Exam (CLRE). 

Pharmacists (PharmD) are health care professionals who dispense medications prescribed by physicians. They also counsel patients on proper drug use. Pharmacists work in a variety of settings including hospitals, retail businesses, long-term care facilities, internet pharmacies, and public health services.

If you want to explore this career: 

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution 

• General Course prerequisites include the following:

  • 1 year of English (Composition)
  • 1 year of General (inorganic) Chemistry with Laboratory 
  • 1 year of Organic Chemistry with Laboratory 
  • 1 year of Biochemistry 
  • 1 year of General Biology with Laboratory 
  • 1 year of Physics with Laboratory 
  • Calculus
  • Two speech courses

• Other common requirements include (but are not limited to):

  • Internship and research
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology ( no plant or cell anatomy and physiology)
  • Microbiology with lab
  • Social sciences (Economics, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology)
  • Humanities (History, Philosophy)
  • Additional Communication courses (Any additional communication, public speaking or debate courses)
  • Ethnic studies

  • Computer Literacy

, you need to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from an accredited program, pass the NAPLEX and CPJE exams, and fulfill licensing requirements with the California State Board of Pharmacy.

Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain. They are licensed doctors who work with multiple patient populations impacted by disease, injury, and movement dysfunction. 

If you want to explore this career: 

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited PT educational program
• General Course prerequisites include the following:
  • 1 year of biology
  • 1 year of general inorganic chemistry with labs
  • 1 year of general physics with labs
  • 1 semester of mathematics -- some may require calculus and statistics or just statistics 
  • 1 semester of anatomy
  • 1 semester of physiology
  • 1 course in Psychology -- some schools require two 

, you must earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education-accredited physical therapist education program and pass a state licensure exam.

Physician Assistants (PAs) are health care professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. PAs provide physical exams, order and administer tests, make diagnoses, and treat illnesses. PAs work in a variety of settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and surgical centers. They are qualified to practice in over 60 specialty areas. 

• Bachelor's degree or higher
• 1 full year of English (Composition component required)
• 1 year of inorganic chemistry with Labs
• 1 year of biology with Lab
• College Algebra
• Human Anatomy
• General Psychology
• General Sociology
• Physiology (human/vertebrate/organ)
• Basic Microbiology with Lab
• General Statistics
• Spanish
• Genetics
• 1 year of humanities (i.e. Art, Music, Ethics, Philosophy, Foreign Languages, Religion)
• Clinical Health Care Experience (direct patient contact experience) about 1000 hours

Strongly recommended:

• Medical Terminology
• Biochemistry with Lab
• Immunology
• Other Biology courses
• Organic Chemistry

A PA must attend a specialized medical training program associated with a medical school that includes classroom studies and clinical experience. , each PA must pass a before being licensed by the Physician Assistant Board.