Students who select the Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration must successfully complete:

• HLSC 102 - Introduction to Health Professions
• HLSC 201 - Medical Terminology
• HLSC 215 - Cultural Competence in Health Care (cc)
• HLSC 250 - Global Health
• HLSC 302 - Pathology for Rehabilitation
• HLSC 350 - Health Communication

The following related courses in Natural Science, Social and Behavioral Science and Mathematics:

*Students must complete these courses as part of their General Education Requirements

• BIOL 130 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lecture *
• BIOL 130A - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory *
• BIOL 131 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lecture *
• BIOL 131A - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory *
• BIOL 160 - General Biology I Lecture *
• BIOL 160A - General Biology I Laboratory *
• CHEM 160 - General Chemistry I Lecture
• CHEM 160A - General Chemistry Laboratory
• CHEM 161 - General Chemistry II Lecture
• CHEM 161A - General Chemistry II Laboratory
• CHEM 260 - Organic Chemistry I Lecture
• CHEM 260A - Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
• CHEM 261 - Organic Chemistry II Lecture
• CHEM 261A - Organic Chemistry II Laboratory
• CHEM 354 - Biochemistry
• BIOL 161 - General Biology II Lecture
• BIOL 161A - General Biology II Laboratory
• BIOL 265 - Microbiology Lecture
• BIOL 265A - Microbiology Laboratory
• BIOL 309 - Human Physiology for the Biomedical Sciences
• MATH 201 - Precalculus *

•  

• PSYN 101 - Introduction to Psychology , respectively *

• or

• PSYN 195 - Honors Introduction to Psychology , respectively *

•  

• PSYN 233 - Developmental Psychology Across the Lifespan:
• PSYN 370 - Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences

Recommended Open Electives:

3 Credits

• BHSC 308 - Health Care Management (cc)
• BHSC 366 - Medical Ethics
• BIOL 117 - Nutrition
• HLSC 200 - Issues in Personal Health
• HLSC 205 - Standard Safety Precautions for the Health Care Professional
• HLSC 209 - Emergency Care and Personal Safety
• HLSC 225 - Introduction to Accessing and Reading Scholarly Literature
• HLSC 295 - Topics in Health Sciences
• HLSC 380 - Workplace Experience in Health Science I
• HLSC 381 - Workplace Experience in Health Science II
• HLSC 390 - Epidemiology
• HLSC 400 - Health Sciences Capstone
• HLSC 402 - Scientific Writing

Additional Program Information

The baccalaureate degree in health science provides a comprehensive and innovative curriculum in the evidence-based factors that affect human health including human biology, personal behavior, social and environmental determinants of health as well as the structure of and access to health care. Students are broadly trained in the application of basic science to health, coupled with the development of the values, inter-personal and inter-professional skills required for success in professional practice and graduate study. The major builds on the 60-credit general education requirement and includes additional credits in the Basic Sciences, the Social Sciences and the Health Sciences. Students select a focused concentration of study that will prepare them for careers in health care and targeted graduate study. Students preparing to enter graduate programs in the Health Professions at Mercy College or elsewhere should coordinate their plan of study with their PACT advisor. Exceptional students who are seeking graduate education in Physician Assistant may also elect to accelerate and condense their studies for application to Mercy College’s Dual Degree Programs in Physician Assistant (B.S. in Health Science, M.S. in Physician Assistant), in consultation with the Program Head.

Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration: The pre-physician assistant concentration prepares students for graduate study in physician assistant and includes all prerequisites for application to the Mercy College Master’s Degree Program in Physician Assistant.

Major Requirements

1. Students who have selected a pre-physician assistant studies professional concentration must maintain a minimum cumulative and major GPA of 3.0 to maintain matriculation within the pre-professional concentrations. If a student’s cumulative and/or major GPA falls below a 3.0, they will be placed on pre-professional concentration probation and will have one semester to restore their matriculating concentration status by raising their cumulative and/or major GPA to a 3.0.
2. Pre-professional concentration students must achieve a grade of B or better in ENGL 112 or equivalent and MATH 116 or equivalent.
3. Any student who receives a grade below a C in a major course will be required to retake the course. Major courses may be retaken once.
4. Any exceptions to program guidelines require approval by the Program Head.

There is an 18-credit residency requirement in the major concentration of health sciences.

N.B. successful completion of the Pre-Physician Assistant Studies Concentration does NOT guarantee acceptance into the Mercy College Dual Degree Program.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of the Health Science Major, students are expected to:

1. Master the foundational core concepts and competencies necessary for preparation for the role of a health care professional.
2. Demonstrate professional behaviors that encompass strong interpersonal/interprofessional skills, cultural competence, ethical practice and a commitment to diversity.
3. Apply professional/scientific literature and materials to support professional decision making related to clinical practice and health care issues.
4. Acquire knowledge of the current health care system as well as challenges