University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Pre-Medical Professions
Johnstown, USA
Pre-Med
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 27,134 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* full-time, two terms | for out-of-state residents
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown has a strong commitment to educating undergraduate students preparing for careers in medicine and health-related sciences. Many Pitt-Johnstown students are in degree programs in preparation for employment or further graduate study in nursing, medicine, rehabilitation, optometry, dentistry, podiatry, or veterinary medicine.
Between 1999 and 2011, the average acceptance rate into medical school was 97.8%, while the acceptance rate into dentistry and podiatry schools has been 100%.
Students in the pre-med program work closely with faculty and medical professionals who guide and mentor them throughout their time at Pitt-Johnstown. Among the opportunities available to you at Pitt-Johnstown are:
- Individual academic advising sessions during which you will identify career goals, choose a major, discuss course requirements, and establish a timeline for completing your studies
- Job-shadowing experiences, internships, and preceptorships at our region’s leading healthcare facilities and research centers, which will provide you with real-world experience and a first-hand understanding of benefits and opportunities of your chosen career
- Research experiences, including participation at the annual Symposium for the Promotion of Academic and Creative Enquiry (SPACE), which enable you to connect theory-to-practice while making meaningful contributions to your career field
- Events, such as group informational sessions and workshops with community members in health professions, to help you establish a professional network
- Membership in the Health Sciences-Medical Real World Interest Group, which connects you to other students, faculty, and staff with shared interests
- Guidance on the review, selection, and application processes for professional school including mock interviews and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) preparation
Pre-Med Pathways
The Pitt-Johnstown Pre-Medical and Health Professions path offers students a course of study in preparation for further graduate education in a number of fields.
These programs typically require a baccalaureate degree before admission and require a similar set of courses, mandatory admissions or aptitude exams, and screening interviews by professional school faculty.
- Pre-Dentistry
- Pre-Pharmacy
- Pre-Medicine
- Pre-Physical Therapy
- Pre-Occupational Therapy
- Pre-Optometry
- Pre-Veterinary Medicine
- Pre-Health & Rehabilitation Science
- Public Health Administration
Pitt-Johnstown Financial Aid
Scholarship eligibility for incoming first-year or new students to Pitt-Johnstown will be assessed by the Admissions Office upon acceptance.
Process For Continuing Students
Each year, the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s Financial Aid Office awards numerous Gift and Endowed (G&E) scholarships, made available to deserving students through the generosity of many individuals, clubs, organizations, industries, businesses, and foundations.
The selection of scholarship recipients is based on specific criteria defined by the donor. A student’s academic performance and financial need may also be considered when deciding upon qualified candidates. Most G&E scholarships are geared toward continuing students; Pitt-Johnstown may require students to complete a scholarship application for consideration.
Completing the scholarship application does not guarantee selection, however, by completing the application, students are automatically considered for each scholarship that Pitt-Johnstown offers as well as several outside scholarships.
General Requirements
For consideration, students must:
- be enrolled for at least 6 credits in a degree-seeking program at Pitt-Johnstown.
- have successfully completed 12 credits as a degree-seeking student at Pitt-Johnstown.
- have earned a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
- complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 1 to be considered for need-based scholarships.
- be registered for the upcoming fall term by May 15.
- comply with Pitt-Johnstown's satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid.
- not be in default on an educational loan or not owe repayment on a federal grant.
- not have earned a Bachelor’s Degree.
Scholarship Exclusions/Adjustments
Limited G&E funds are available to full scholarship recipients. Scholarship awards may be adjusted if Financial Aid determines a student is the recipient of a full tuition scholarship or tuition remission.
Any student who receives a scholarship and/or grant awards that total more than Pitt-Johnstown’s annual cost of attendance, as defined by the Financial Aid Office, will have one or more awards reduced or cancelled.
The Financial Aid Office awards G&E scholarships based upon the information available at the time of the award, including intended major or cumulative GPA, as well as any other possible variables. In the event that this information is inaccurate or changes, the Financial Aid Office has the right to reduce, change, or cancel the award.
Recommended Coursework
Requirements
The following is a summary of the general and specific coursework requirements for students wishing to apply for medical and most other professional programs. There are specific requirements for some programs. A very few schools have unique admissions requirements and before seeking admissions to them you should review each school's literature for that information.
Generally, professional schools require completion of 90-100 semester credits of undergraduate work from accredited colleges or universities before applications will be processed. Exceptions are sometimes granted for extraordinary performance or where unique arrangements have been made with specific schools. (For instance, high school students with exceptional credentials can apply for acceptance to a program established between Pitt-Johnstown and the Pennsylvania College of Optometry that may allow entrance after the junior year if performance remains consistently superior.)
Usually, the following coursework must be completed before admissions exams can be successfully completed:
- 2 semesters of introductory biology with lab (BIOL 0110, 0111, 0120, 0121)
- 2 semesters of introductory chemistry with lab (CHEM 0111, 0112, 0113, 0114)
- 2 semesters of organic chemistry with lab (CHEM 0231, 0232, 0233, 0234)
- 2 semesters of introductory physics with lab (PHYS 0140, 0141, 0142, 0143)
- mathematics through 1 semester of calculus (MATH 0221)
General Education
In addition, students are expected to have general education courses including composition and other courses typical of Arts and Sciences baccalaureate programs. Some professional programs may have special requirements (e.g. optometry requires microbiology [BIOL 1185] and statistics [MATH 0212]). Some schools may also have additional requirements.
It is advisable to take some additional science courses in preparation for the admissions exams. Most students take Genetics (BIOL 0350), Cell Biology (BIOL 0360), and Animal Physiology (BIOL 1125). Biochemistry (CHEM 1321, 1322) is often cited by professional students as helpful.