New pre-professional emphasis added for students majoring in public health

Students interested in pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, physician assistant studies, physical therapy and other health professions now have a new pathway within the Mizzou public health bachelor’s degree.

The BHS in Public Health with an emphasis in pre-professional studies combines Mizzou’s public health curriculum with the science preparation needed for admission to a variety of professional health programs. Students complete coursework that prepares them for professional school while also gaining a strong foundation in epidemiology, health policy, environmental health, disease prevention and other core public health disciplines.

The emphasis recognizes that future health professionals need to understand more than disease and treatment. Public health provides valuable insight into prevention, policy, epidemiology, and the environmental and social factors that influence health outcomes across entire communities.

By bringing together population health and individual patient care, the emphasis helps students understand what makes a person sick, why patterns of health and disease occur across communities, and what can be done to address those patterns. This combination prepares graduates to become health professionals who can address both individual needs and broader public health challenges.

Students can learn more about the curriculum and requirements for the Pre-Professional Emphasis in the Mizzou academic catalog.