Pre-Health Profession Options
Students interested in pursuing a health science professional degree such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician assistant, or chiropractic medicine can apply to a variety of undergraduate majors offered at SUNY Poly, all of which aim to work collectively to meet the necessary admission requirements for advanced study.
Each program pairs students with a faculty advisor who guides them through the process of exploring pre-health career options, taking the right courses at Poly, and applying for advanced study upon completion of their bachelor’s degree.
These programs include:
Focus Areas
| Pre-Med | Allied Health |
|---|---|
| Your pre-med advisor collaborates with your major advisor to ensure that you have the opportunity to take the courses you need to sit for the MCAT, in addition to the courses required for your major. |
Your pre-health advisor works with you to ensure that you have the prerequisites you need to enter the health-related graduate area of your choice. We also support students who plan to pursue an upper-level bachelor’s health program such as medical imaging and medical technology. |
Student Research Experiences
Just one example of how SUNY Poly students' educational experience is differentiated from other institutions is the incredible opportunity to research with cutting-edge partners, such as the Masonic Medical Research Institute (MMRI). Learn more about the experience of 3 pre-health students, Aaron, Cat, and Yuriy, below.
Catherine "Cat" Hagearty-Mattern '24
Biology and psychology major Catherine Hagearty-Mattern was drawn to MMRI’s research in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. “I lost my uncle when I was a kid, and I was told it was because ‘he had too big of a heart” said Hagearty-Mattern. “At the time, I didn’t understand that this was an idiom, but even as I grew to understand what that meant, I still did not understand how the size of the heart had an impact on its function.”
Hagearty-Mattern tested different methods of peptide synthesis that targets fibrin, which, when injected into the body, will bind with any fibrin found within the artery. “When this peptide is conjugated to a dye, it effectively becomes a marker for disease” said Hagearty-Mattern. “This fibrin-targeted peptide probe can be utilized to study cardiovascular disease, as fibrin deposition is a hallmark of atherosclerosis.” After graduation, Hagearty-Mattern plans on pursuing an MD or Ph.D
Aaron Farley '22
Biology alumni Aaron Farley was credited as a co-author for a newly published article in a highly respected, peer-reviewed science journal, Cells. This opportunity to conduct this exciting research arose when Aaron was studying in the 10-week "Summer Fellows" program at the Masonic Medical Research Institute in Utica, NY, with Dr. Lin, who led the study.
A new study led by the Masonic Medical Research Institute published in the journal Cells shows for the first time that a particular gene, called VGLL4, is required for embryo development but is dispensable for myocardial growth.1 This fact was previously unknown, and with this discovery, medical researchers now have useful new information about heart cell development, helpful for our understanding of congenital heart defects and heart failure.
Yuriy Milobog '22
While working as a Registered Nurse at St. Luke's Hospital in Utica, NY, Yuriy Milobag was also studying Biology in the pre-med track and applying to medical school. During his time as a SUNY Poly student, Yuriy was part of the Masonic Medical Research Institute’s summer fellowship program for the summers of 2021 and 2022 and a research assistant with his preceptor during the fall and spring semesters of 2021-2022. He worked on developing fluorescent nanoparticles for inflammation imaging.
Allied Health Club
SUNY Poly's student-run Allied Health Club is a great way to connect with like-minded students pursing their passion of helping others.
The Allied Health Club provides students with the opportunity for:
- Mentorship from successful healthcare professionals
- Job shadowing and community service
- Medical research experiences that offer credit towards your degree
- GRE and MCAT preparation courses at low-or-no cost to members
- Industry-specific guest speakers and lecturers
- Study groups (for classes, GRE, and MCAT)
- Learn More!
