If you’re interested in health and medicine, you’re in the right place.  

Iowa State’s biology program offers extensive hands-on learning opportunities that will help you build skills, knowledge, and confidence for your next steps. In particular, you can participate in nationally recognized, cutting-edge biomedical research with your Iowa State professors. You’ll learn from renowned faculty who are leaders in fundamental science in medicine and health. 

What careers can you explore in human health? Think rewarding jobs such as:  

• Dentist  
• Doctor 
• Optometrist 
• Podiatrist  
• Genetic counselor 
• Physical therapist 
• Occupational therapist 
• Physician assistant 

Medical professionals develop skills in areas such as microbiology, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, genetics, or surgery. You could practice medicine in a clinical setting, or use your training for careers in animal research, public health, food safety, regulatory medicine, or education.  

Opportunities at Iowa State 

At Iowa State, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to create a competitive portfolio for medical or professional school applications. We’ll help you gain experiences through teaching, job shadowing, internships, and research. Broadening your coursework can set you apart as well – for example, consider studying one of the many foreign languages offered at Iowa State.  

You can also gain leadership skills and meet students who share your interests in clubs such as:  

• Biological Sciences Club  
• Pre-Dental Club 
• Pre-Medical Club  
• Pre-Physical Therapy Club 
• And many others 

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Experiential learning coordinator Norah Wachola can help you find opportunities that fit your needs.  

Explore more student experiences

How do I prepare for medical or professional school? 

You do not need a specific major to apply to medical or professional school. However, the biological sciences are a great choice! The medical professions require specialized training and licensure or post-graduate education. And they vary in their admissions requirements. 

We'll help you plan with personalized support from your biology academic advisor. You'll also have a pre-health advisor. Your advisors can help you explore the paths in human medicine. We encourage you to look at medical or professional schools early on as an undergraduate. Then you can prepare accordingly.  

Along with core classes, our biology program offers almost 175 advanced course options. Look at the admissions requirements for your top medical or professional schools. You can then choose advanced classes accordingly. At Iowa State, you'll have flexibility to choose classes that best support your goals. 

While professional school requirements vary, they often recommend coursework such as: 

• A year of general chemistry 
• A year of organic chemistry 
• Advanced biochemistry classes 
• A year of physics 
• 1-2 semesters of calculus 
• Introductory social sciences, such as psychology or sociology 

With your focus on human medicine, you should take at least 9 credits from the list below. Anatomy and physiology courses are especially important. The symbol • denotes a course with a lab component, while courses with an "L" have a separate companion concurrent lab course.