Interest in premedical/prehealth education is at an all-time high. This is especially true at Grove City College in the Albert A. Hopeman, Jr. School of Science and Engineering where the mission is to provide outstanding health-professional career preparation from a distinctly Christian perspective. This sets us apart from the majority of colleges and universities today, and has the practical effect of attracting outstanding faculty and students, and perpetuating a learning climate centered on truth and excellence.

The solid foundation that our students receive in the natural sciences is further strengthened by a strong core curriculum in the humanities and social sciences.

The health care professions into which our students have entered include medicine (both allopathic and osteopathic), dentistry, optometry, physicians assistant, physical and occupational therapy, medical technology, cardiovascular technology, pharmacy, nursing, veterinary  medicine, and biomedical research.

The success of our program is reflected by the fact that in each of the last three years about 90 percent of our graduates, who applied, gained admission to a variety of health-related programs. About one-third of these pursued medicine, while the rest were accepted into other health care schools. Many of our graduates have achieved significant distinction in the various programs.

CURRICULA

Most of our premedical/prehealth students pursue majors in the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Some, however, are non-science majors who take only the foundational courses required for acceptance to most premedical/prehealth profession programs. The core premedical science courses at GCC include General Biology I, Cellular and Molecular Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and College Physics. In addition, we recommend a number of upper division courses such as Developmental Biology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry.

Mathematics (including calculus), psychology, and English requirements are incorporated into the general education courses required for an academic major. All of the science courses include laboratory experiences taught by professors, not graduate teaching assistants or student workers. The labs include introductions to clinical and research techniques employed in modern biomedical laboratories.

Independent research experiences are available to upperclass students. These include “cutting edge” applications of DNA technology to such biological applications as cancer and cardiovascular research. All of these techniques rely on computer integration and Internet accessibility. Collaborations with nearby leading medical research centers have greatly aided in the development of these endeavors.

Some of the projects currently in progress involve tumor progression in mice, tissue and cell cultures, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, and spectrometry.

The Hopeman School’s upper-level classes typically have a low faculty-student ratio. These courses are often structured in the traditional lecture format with a research emphasis, or in a discussion/small-group format. Some courses such as Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry II are taught from a problem-solving approach emphasizing current research techniques. Others such as Human Anatomy and Physiology, Cardiopulmonary Physiology, and Pathophysiology emphasize integrated clinical problem-based learning, and are enhanced by computer simulations and computer-integrated research equipment.