Pre-Professional Allied Health Advising

Experiential learning opportunities, enhanced mentoring, and professional skills development – key features of the McDaniel Commitment – combined with the flexibility of the McDaniel Plan’s liberal arts and sciences curriculum – make McDaniel an ideal place to pursue pre-professional studies in allied health. The allied health advisors are prepared to offer guidance for any pre-professional goals. The Health Sciences major offers specializations in Athletic Training, Chiropractic, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant.

Department of Health Sciences

Education and Career Paths

McDaniel students have gone on to graduate and professional programs for physician assistant studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, clinical exercise physiology, applied health physiology, athletic training, orthotics & prosthetics, nursing, and medicine, among others.

Physician assistant, physical therapist, and occupational therapist are the three most common allied health professions that our students have pursued. Because the prerequisites vary for each graduate school program, students are encouraged during their sophomore and junior years to identify the specific prerequisites for schools of interest.

Recent McDaniel graduates have been accepted into programs at schools such as Baylor University, Thomas Jefferson University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, George Washington University, University of Delaware, University of Pittsburgh, Chatham University, Shenandoah University, Temple University, Towson University, Tufts University, Arcadia University, and Drexel University.

Students can find information on careers in health care from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or ExploreHeathCareers.com.

85%

Average acceptance rate of McDaniel students applying to allied health postgraduate programs

Advising

Allied health advising can begin as early as the first semester on campus or whenever a student first decides to pursue a health-related career. Students are strongly encouraged to have regular meetings with the allied health pre-professional advisors (Dr. Steve McCole and Dr. Jennifer McKenzie) throughout their time on campus. The allied health advisors, in addition to the student’s major advisor, help each student to individualize the McDaniel Plan by identifying courses and experiences to best meet the student’s goals.

To this end, the allied health professions advisors have information on model schedules, prerequisites, internships, admissions, and other information that they happily provide to anyone that meets with them. One of the strengths of our advising is that these meetings allow a mentoring relationship to develop. This relationship is particularly helpful when the student is going through the application process and needs a letter of recommendation.

Meet Your Pre-Professional Advisors

Jenny McKenzie

Associate Professor of Kinesiology Jenny McKenzie is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with expertise in kinesiology and exercise physiology. Her research interests include health-related and performance-related benefits of exercise and exercise training.

Learn about Dr. McKenzie

Steve McCole

Associate Professor of Kinesiology Steve McCole has taught at McDaniem for 19 years. His research interests include cardiovascular performance during exercise and exercise and aging.

Learn about Dr. McCole

Giulia Pires '22

"I had the opportunity to do an independent study with Dr. Steve McCole in which I researched recovery post strength training. Besides learning an enormous amount of information, this experience solidified my desire to go into the sports medicine field."

Read about a Health Sciences major

Athletic training
Chiropractic
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Pharmacy
Physical Therapy

Experiential Opportunities

Although specific requirements vary by graduate and professional program, students are strongly encouraged to complete internships, shadowing experiences, and take part in research with faculty members.

Oftentimes, these experiences can take place at home during summer and semester breaks or during the semester at various locations near campus. Some of the sites near campus where students have recently interned, volunteered, or shadowed have included: Carroll Hospital Center, Life Fitness Physical Therapy, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Pivot Physical Therapy, Towson Sports Medicine Center, and the University of Maryland Medical Center.

The allied health professions advisors and McDaniel’s Center for Experience and Opportunity are available to assist students in planning for and identifying these types of opportunities.