Among the fastest-growing career areas are the health-related professions and this trend is likely to continue in the 21st century, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. These employment opportunities require specialized training and one to four years of college-level studies in the appropriate pre-professional curricula. The pre-medicine/pre-health tracks are designed to help prepare students for future careers in the health arena and guide them through the process of applying to the various professional programs in health care.

The pre-medicine/pre-health tracks designed by the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Biological Sciences assist students following a traditional path toward ultimately earning a professional degree in a medical or health care field. Most students first earn a bachelor's degree, followed by training in a professional program such as a four-year medical or dental school. These tracks are distinctly different from the unique six-year programs offered by UMKC in medicine and pharmacy described elsewhere in this catalog. For information about dentistry please see the UMKC Dental Program in the Graduate Catalog.

Some of the pre-professional programs in health care include:

• Pre-Dental Hygiene
• Pre-Dentistry
• Pre-Health, which includes advising for careers in:
  • Chiropractic
  • Clinical Perfusion
  • Health Administration
  • Health Information Management
  • Nutrition/Dietetics
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Optometry
  • Physical Therapy
  • Podiatry
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Veterinary Medicine
• Pre-Medicine (allopathic and osteopathic)
• Pre-Nursing
• Pre-Pharmacy
• Medical Technology (see section under School of Biological Sciences)