Aspiring doctors don’t have to major in pre-med. In fact, med schools might prefer that they don’t, said Eric Miller, advisor for MTSU’s Allied Health pre-professional programs.

“They all have the equalizer, certain benchmarks that [applicants] have to meet,” he said. “But they can create an incoming class with students from all walks of life, studying all kinds of things, and they love that.”

He encourages freshmen wanting to be doctors, dentists, pharmacists, or physical or occupational therapists to major in what they love. MTSU can design a curriculum around even non-STEM majors to meet professional program requirements.

MTSU also offers a competitive fast-track to medical school through the Early Acceptance Program with Meharry Medical College (see related article for details). And through the University’s “three-plus-one” partnerships with select pharmacy and chiropractic schools, MTSU students can apply for admission after their junior year. If they’re accepted, they receive their bachelor’s degree from MTSU one year into their professional studies.  

That bachelor’s is an important fallback, Miller said.

Other Allied Health three-plus-ones include Nuclear Medicine Technology and Radiation Therapy Technology—specialized degrees marketable in larger metro areas, like Nashville—as well as Diagnostic Medical Sonography, a degree marketable in both rural and urban areas, Miller said. 

A master’s degree in biomedical sciences, proposed for 2025, would serve as a conduit to any health-related professional program, he said.