°ÅÀÖÊÓƵ students who are interested in a career in medicine may choose to complete a pre-med track along with the bachelor's degree in preparation for medical school. °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ offers pre-med tracks in allopathic and osteopathic medicine. Pacific also offers several other pre-professional tracks.
Allopathic Medicine
Allopathic medicine offers many careers, and new opportunities are constantly emerging with each advance in medical knowledge. Allopathic physicians, who earn doctor of medicine, or MD degrees, cover a wide range of functions in health maintenance, including acute care and preventive care. These responsibilities include diagnosing disease, supervising care of patients, prescribing treatment, and participating in delivery of healthcare. Some physicians also concentrate on basic or applied research; some become teachers; and others combine various elements of these activities.
Graduating students select an area of medicine for further training and eventual practice. Generalists specialize in internal medicine, pediatrics or family medicine, while other specialties include allergy and immunology, anesthesiology, dermatology, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pathology, psychiatry, radiology, rehabilitation, and surgery (in various specialties of its own).
Many physicians work long, irregular hours. Employment for physicians and surgeons is expected to grow by 3 percent form 2021 to 2031, and in 2021, the median annual salary for physicians exceeded $208,000. Median salaries for cardiologists ($353,970), anesthesiologists ($331,190), emergency medicine physicians ($310,640) and orthopedic surgeons ($306,220) were the highest.
Osteopathic Medicine
Osteopathic medicine, meanwhile, is a form of American medical care that embraces a holistic philosophy. Osteopathic physicians, who earn doctor of osteopathy, or DO degrees, practice traditional forms of medicine, such as prescribing medication and performing surgery, but they also are trained to use osteopathic manipulative treatment to assist in diagnosing and treating patients. Osteopathic physicians focus special attention on the musculoskeletal system. About half of all osteopathic physicians practice in primary care areas, such as family practice, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and internal medicine.
About 11 percent of all U.S. physicians practice osteopathic medicine, often in small cities and towns or in rural areas.
Program and requirements
Pre-med tracks at °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ can prepare students for medical school in either allopathic or osteopathic specialties.
There are 150 medical schools in the United States teaching allopathic medicine. Programs vary widely and may include three to eight years of graduate medical education. The first two years are typically devoted to basic sciences, with the next two years focused on clinical skills. Most schools require students to pass the U.S. medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to graduate. Following graduation, students enter residency training in their specialty. Family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics often include three years of residency prior to a certification test. Other areas may require additional years of residency.
There are 40 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. The curriculum at these schools involves four years of academic study, often followed by a one-year internship then a residency program that may last two to six years, depending on specialty.
Prerequisites
Specific requirements can vary by school. Required coursework often includes biology, chemistry, physics, and behavioral and social sciences. Consult the individual medical school's official admissions website or the .
