Pre-Health Professions Home

Did you know the word chiropractic is derived from the Greek language and means 'done by hand'? Chiropractic is one of the most misunderstood professions filled with plenty of misconceptions and misinformation. Though spinal manipulation has been around over 2,500 years, modern chiropractic medicine only gained recognition a little over 100 years ago. Chiropractors are doctors who specialize in the neuromusculoskeletal aspect of the body. While there are several different aspects to chiropractic care, the focus is the central nervous system, which is responsible for almost everything, including thoughts, movements, and breathing. Chiropractors are educated in nationally accredited, four-year doctoral graduate school programs through a curriculum that includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical internship, with the average DC program equivalent in classroom hours to allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools

It takes the typical student three years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. After progressing on to chiropractic school, they will then need to successfully complete their first year of study there to be eligible to transfer those credits back to CSC in order to earn their Bachelor of Science in Health Science .The typical student takes four years to complete chiropractic school to graduate with their Doctor of Chiropractic (DC).

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific chiropractic programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Clinical Perfusion provides an opportunity for those individuals wishing to pursue a career in extracorporeal technology. Perfusionists participate in a number of diverse procedures that involve extracorporeal circulation, cardiopulmonary bypass, and blood conservation. The perfusionist is also involved in many other associated hospital services.

To pursue a career in clinical perfusion, one must first complete a bachelor's degree -- preferably with a emphasis in biology and chemistry -- to be eligible for admission to an appropriate master's program.

 

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This is for informational purposes only.For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific professional programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

 

Cytotechnology is the microscopic study of cells that have been shed, scraped or aspirated from body tissue. A cytotechnologist is a highly skilled laboratory professional. The cytotechnologist is responsible for the first microscopic evaluation of the cytologic material, determining the presence or absence of abnormal or malignant cells and providing a preliminary diagnosis in cases which warrant further evaluation by a pathologist. Cytotechnologists must know basic human anatomy, physiology and pathology, and have an in-depth knowledge of cell morphology in order to interpret varied cytology specimens accurately. In addition, cytotechnologists must master various specialized techniques for collecting, preparing and staining many types of cell samples. Cytotechnologists play an integral part in the total health care of patients.

To pursue a career in cytotechnology, one must first complete a bachelor's degree with an emphasis on biology and chemistry before being eligible to enter a school which offers a post-baccalaureate certificate in cytotechnology.

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific professional programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

By becoming a dental hygienist, you choose a career that offers independence, security, and challenge, with an emphasis on prevention of disease and increased care for the demands of an aging population.

Did you know there are cases in which an untreated toothache has led to death? Dental Hygienists perform preventative and therapeutic services, but do you understand how vital oral health is to the holistic wellness of the body? We know we need to brush, floss and see a dental hygienist regularly. But did you know the projected increase in demand for dental hygienists is projected to grow an astonishing 33% in the next several years?

It takes the typical student two years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. Professional school typically takes two more years resulting in a bachelor’s degree issued by the professional school.

Sample plan of study

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ELECTIVES** 12-hour series/electives 12 hrs
*CHEM 121: Introductory Chemistry is required for students who did not take chemistry in high school; students with ACT scores less than 21 in math are recommended to take MATH 142: College Algebra prior to taking CHEM 131/131L
**Students must elect a 12-hour series in one specific area of study, i.e. Psychology, Family Consumer Science, History or English. All courses in the 12-hour series must have the same prefix. For example: PSYC 131, PSYC 243, PSYC 251 and PSYC 254 or FCS 247, FCS 139, FCS 233 and FCS 320

PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific dental hygiene programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

By becoming a dentist, you choose a career that offers independence, security, and challenge, with an emphasis on prevention of disease and increased care for the demands of an aging population.

Are you aware that tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body? Do you know 25% of adults DO NOT brush their teeth twice a day thus increasing their risk of tooth decay by 33%? Do you know that tooth decay is the second most common disease, second only to the common cold? Dentists lead teams to provide preventative and restorative care to keep people healthy, alleviate pain, and treat patients’ oral health needs. They are at the forefront of research and developments in a wide range of innovative procedures to enhance dental and overall well-being. Dentists are instrumental in the early detection of oral cancers and systemic conditions that manifest in the mouth and that can affect the holistic health of patients. As the U.S. population ages and research continues to link oral health to overall health, the demand for dental services is projected to increase.

Many dental schools require a completed bachelor’s degree prior to entry. It is a highly competitive process to get admitted to dental school, which is why we recommend our students pursue a degree heavy in Chemistry and Biology. It takes the typical student four years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to dental school. Dental school typically takes four more years resulting in a doctorate.

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific dentistry programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Medical Laboratory Scientists make a vital contribution to patient care. They perform a variety of laboratory tests using state-of-the-art instruments and methods. The medical laboratory includes the areas of hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, immunology, blood banking, and laboratory management.

Do you prefer working behind the scene? Do you enjoy chemistry and biology? If so, have you considered a career in medical lab science? The Medical Laboratory Scientist is a critical contributor to health care. They perform the lab tests needed to help doctors in their diagnoses and treatment of illnesses like cancer, infection, and genetic diseases. They also make important contributions to industries other than hospitals and clinics. Employment opportunities can be found in a wide variety of areas, such as the federal government, public health, and research facilities related to pharmaceuticals, food industry, chemical companies, etc. A strong foundation in Biology and Chemistry can prepare students for successful entry into this in-demand career path.

It takes the typical student, three years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. Professional school typically takes one more year resulting in a bachelor’s degree issued by the professional school.

Sample plan of study

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*Recommended for students who do not have a good high school chemistry background; students who did not take high school chemistry are required to take CHEM 121 prior to taking CHEM 131.
**Students with ACT Math score less than 21 are encouraged to take MATH 142 prior to CHEM 131

PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific MLS programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

By becoming a physician, you will have a career with challenge, variety, financial security and choice. You will have the privilege of caring for people — people whose health care needs are attracting increasing attention across the nation.

Physicians are critical to the health and well-being of all Americans. They lead teams and collaborate with other medical professionals to treat patients. They are also integral partners in medical research that can lead to prevention and treatment of diseases and hope for patients suffering from serious illnesses like cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Physicians may be trained as generalists, focusing on the overall health of the individual or as specialists concentrating on one region or system of the body. Those wishing to pursue careers in specialties such as surgery, dermatology, oncology, neurology must first complete a Medical Doctor (MD) degree. It takes the typical student four years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to medical school. Medical school typically takes four more years resulting in a doctorate. Those wishing to pursue careers in specialties such as surgery, dermatology, oncology, neurology must first complete a Medical Doctor (MD) degree before completing the additional training/residencies/fellowships required for qualification.

The two most popular degree paths at CSC are Human Biology or Chemistry

Human Biology - Sample plan of study

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Chemistry - Sample plan of study

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific professional programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Did you know decomposing bodies almost always have a lime-green abdomen? Did you know a deceased body can be in varying stages of mortis – rigor mortis, livor mortis, or algor mortis? Rigor affects both smooth and skeletal muscles, including hair follicles resulting in postmortem “goose bumps”. Did you know the American Board of Funeral Service Education refers to the job of a mortician as “depression proof”? This is a career field that is only expected to grow with each passing year.

It takes the typical student two years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. Two additional years will need to be completed in mortician school in order to earn a baccalaureate degree.

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific mortuary science programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

You probably know nurses are the backbone of the U.S. healthcare system and are indispensable to patient safety, curative treatment, disease prevention, and health promotion. But did you know nurses are consistently ranked by the public as the most honest and ethical profession in the United States? Great nurses combine the ability to think scientifically with a compassionate heart.

There are several different degree paths to becoming a nurse. When choosing which path is best for you, be sure to consider the types of skills you want to learn, the position you would like to hold, where you want to work, and your salary needs. It takes the typical student two years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. Professional school typically takes two more years resulting in a bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree issued by the professional school. It should be noted that some students prefer to complete their bachelor’s degree before attending nursing school. Many nursing programs offered an “accelerated” program for such students.

Sample plan of study

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*Recommended for students who did not take chemistry in high school
**Students with ACT scores less than 21 in math should take MATH 142 prior to taking CHEM 140/140L

IN ADDITION to these courses, students wishing to attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Nursing must obtain a Basic Nursing Assistant certificate as part of the requirements for admission to their program.

PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific nursing programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Did you know occupational therapy (OT) techniques were used by Greek physicians for the treatment of mental illness as early as 100 B.C.? Did you know wounded soldiers returning from World War I and World War II relied heavily on OT pushing the profession to standardize training, instruction, and certification? Do you understand occupational therapy is NOT physical therapy? Rather occupational therapists help patients to participate in every day occupations, which is defined as all the meaningful activities a person desires and need to participate in for daily life.

Occupational therapists are trained to work with a variety of diagnoses including traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, stroke, cerebral palsy, burns, fractures, spinal cord injury, developmental delays just to name a few. It takes the typical student four years to complete a bachelor’s degree containing the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. Three years is the typical length for completion of professional school to graduate with a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD).

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*This course has pre-requisites

PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific occupational therapy programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Did you know that seeing is so important it takes up more than 50% of the brain’s functionality? Did you know the length of your eyeball helps determine what kind of eyesight you have? People who are nearsighted have a longer-than-normal eyeball, while people who are far-sighted have a shorter-than-normal eyeball. Just a millimeter change in the length of the eye changes the prescription for that eye.

Optometrists are independent primary health care providers who examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye, and associated structures, as well as diagnose related systemic conditions. It takes the typical student three years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. After progressing on to optometry school, they will then need to successfully complete their first year of study there to be eligible to transfer those credits back to CSC in order to earn their Bachelor of Science in Health Science. The typical student takes four years to complete optometry school to graduate with their Doctor of Optometry (DO).

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific optometry programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is licensed to prescribe and perform all diagnostic tests and is trained in manual medicine to treat all parts of the body from head to toe. Osteopathic physicians are also licensed to perform surgery and are permitted to prescribe controlled substances. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine practice in all medical specialties, including, but not limited to surgery, cardiology, intensive care, and radiology.

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific professional programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Did you know Benjamin Franklin was a Pharmacist? He was instrumental in creating the United States’ first public hospital – and the first hospital pharmacy, then called the hospital apothecary. Pharmacists play a vital role on the healthcare team through the medicine and information they provide to other providers and to patients. When pharmacists are involved in patient care, outcomes improve, and costs decline. Pharmacists can practice and specialize in any area of healthcare. They can even administer vaccines in all 50 states.

It takes the typical student three years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. Assuming the student is accepted to pharmacy school, they will then need to successfully complete their first year of study there to be eligible to transfer those credits back to CSC in order to earn their Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. The typical student takes four years to complete pharmacy school to graduate with their Doctor of Pharmacy (DP).

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific pharmacy programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Due to the demanding course load required for this program, it is suggested students consider completing dual credits (other than science) while still in high school.

Did you know Physical Therapy (PT) dates back to 460 BC when Hippocrates (the founder of medicine as a rational science) used hydrotherapy (water therapy) and massage to treat patients? Modern PT got its start during World War I as a response to the need to treat injured soldiers with head injuries, amputated limbs, and spinal cord injuries. Did you know PTs are among the top 100 jobs in terms of good salary, employment opportunity, job security, and work-life balance?

It takes the typical student four years to complete a bachelor’s degree containing the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. Three years is the typical length for completion of professional school to graduate with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT).

The following are professional schools that students often attend following their education at CSC: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Creighton University, and the University of South Dakota.

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific physical therapy programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Did you know the Physician Assistant (PA) was created in the late 1960s as a position to relieve a shortage of physicians? Did you know the supply of physicians will be unable to keep pace with the forecast increase in demand. A shortage of 124,000 physicians is expected by 2025.The employment opportunities for PA is expected to be fast growing due to anticipated expansion of the health services industry and shortages of PA in rural areas.

A PA does most of the day-to-day job of a doctor from taking comprehensive medical histories, conducting exams, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, prescribing medications, assisting in surgery, etc. They can also work in all medical specialties. It takes the typical student four years to complete a bachelor’s degree containing the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school. To earn the credentials “Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C), a PA will have to complete a master’s degree in professional school (typically 2-3 years) and obtain licensure according to state laws specific to one’s state.

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PLEASE NOTE:This is for informational purposes only.For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific physician assistant programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Podiatric Medicine is the highly specialized branch of medicine dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and disorders affecting the foot, ankle and lower extremities. Podiatrists have completely independent and unlimited surgical, pharmaceutical and medical authority when acting within their scope of practice as described by each individual state.

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PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific professional programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Did you know X-rays were discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, recipient of the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901? Did you know the “x” in “X-ray” stands for “unknown” because he detected the rays but didn’t know quite what they were? Until it was known that X-rays were dangerous for those improperly exposed to them, they were used as novelty at carnivals and circuses like modern photo booths. Shoe stores even used X-rays to ensure a better fit using the size and shape of the bones of the feet.

People often gets confused by the difference between a radiographer and a radiologist. A radiographer is the one who takes the images. A radiologist is a specialist who interprets the images. There is a big difference in the amount of schooling required by each profession. A radiography program typically takes four years to complete. A radiologist must complete a bachelor’s degree, a doctorate in medicine, and additional years of fellowship/internships. CSC offers two pathways to a career as a radiographer: Pre-Radiography and Pre-Radiologic Technology.

It takes the typical student two years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to a professional program. The sample plan of study for Pre-Radiography below is aimed at the student who plans to graduate with their bachelor’s with the degree conferred by the professional school. The sample plan of study for Pre-Radiologic Technology at the bottom of this page is aimed at the student wishing to complete their studies in a combinations of classes offered at Chadron State College and Regional West Hospital in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Successful completion of the program results in a Bachelor of Science in Health Science.

Radiography
2 Years at CSC + 2 Years at Professional School

Sample plan of study

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*Recommended for students who did not take chemistry in high school
**Students with ACT scores less than 21 in math should take MATH 142 prior to taking CHEM 140/140L

PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific radiography programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

Health Science – Radiological Technology
2 Years at CSC + 2 Years in Regional West Hospital in Scottsbluff, NE

Sample plan of study

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*Recommended for students who did not take chemistry in high school. Students with ACT scores less than 21 in math should take MATH 142: College Algebra prior to taking CHEM 140/140L

PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into the specific radiography program, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.

The following are professional schools that students often attend following their education at CSC: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Regional West Medical Center.

The simple act of breathing is not something most people think about - until they can’t breathe normally. As a Respiratory Therapist, you will use a combination of scientific standards and practices to discover, manage and prevent dysfunctions of the cardiopulmonary system.

Respiratory Therapists work with medical direction at sites such as wellness centers, medical offices, asthma clinics, sleep disorder centers, and in hospitals. The patients you care for will rely on you to help diagnose lung and breathing disorders, determine therapies, and implement and manage ongoing care and treatment programs.

For more details check out the Respiratory Care page

Did you know the word veterinarian comes from the Latin veterinae meaning “working animals”? Did you know veterinarians, unlike physicians who usually also have to also complete an academic internship in addition to medical school, can enter practice immediately after graduation and licensure? Veterinarians work in a variety of settings while diagnosing and treating illness, injury, and disease in animals. They may deal with household pets in a general practice, or they may specialize in livestock, zoo-based animals, or racing animals. It takes the typical student three years to complete the pre-requisite courses necessary for admission to professional school, however the admission requirements vary between professional schools so it may take longer depending on the prospective professional school program. After progressing on to veterinary school, they will then need to successfully complete their first year of study there to be eligible to transfer those credits back to CSC in order to earn their Bachelor of Science in Health Science. Four years will need to be completed in veterinary school in order to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM).

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*Requirements needed for professional school vary

PLEASE NOTE: This is for informational purposes only. For class schedules & for courses required for admission into specific chiropractic programs, please see an advisor and your prospective professional school website.