A saint lawrence student, wearing protective goggles, holds up a glass beaker and conducts research in a laboratory.

Pre-health Chemistry

About Our Program

In our pre-health chemistry program, you'll meet the requirements of medical, veterinarian, dental, and other health-specific post-baccalaureate programs while having the flexibility to explore your interests beyond the classroom.

You’ll work side-by-side with dedicated faculty as you discover the basic principles of chemistry through hands-on classroom activities and cutting-edge research in our nationally-ranked science lab facilities. Under the guidance of expert mentors, you'll navigate everything from course planning and extracurricular activities to job-shadowing opportunities and medical school applications. 

Whether you’re synthesizing vitamins, shooting lasers, or examining health in society, you'll be well equipped for careers in medicine, dentistry, or chemistry.

Program Offerings

  • Major

Department

Learning Experiences to Prepare for Your Career

Pre-health Program

Ask questions and build a support system in this program dedicated to empowering you on your career path. Expert faculty in health and medicine will help you navigate everything from course planning and extracurricular activities to job-shadowing opportunities and medical school applications. 

Learn More About The Program

Research

Dig deeper into chemistry or pressing issues through research, either during the semester or as part of a paid summer fellowship. Students have conducted research on the kinetics of DNA, microplastics, aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, renewable energy, and so much more. 

You might even get to conduct an independent research project in the Adirondack park like John Hoefler ’20. He took advantage of our North Country location to analyze the mercury level in Church Pond located in the Western Adirondacks to better understand the effects it has on human health. 

Summer Research at St. Lawrence

As a summer research fellow, you’ll work alongside your faculty mentor to experience the joy of discovery. You’ll also find your community as you attend weekly barbecues, go on hiking trips, and collaborate with friends in the lab. 

Explore Research 

Study Abroad

An off-campus adventure helps you expand your appreciation of people, cultures, and history through thoughtful conversations and celebrating traditions. Explore out global classrooms and choose from more than 30 semester-long programs offered in more than 20 international locations, including Sweden, Denmark, and Kenya, where students will find public health-related internships.

Short-Term Off-Campus Research Fellowships

In addition to on-campus research opportunities, you’ll have the chance to pursue short-term summer research fellowships at other colleges and universities. Students have collaborated with chemists off-campus to explore nanotechnology, solar energy, genetics, oceanography, drug discovery, and more.

Explore Off-Campus Study Programs

Find Your Community

Among the 150+ clubs and organizations at St. Lawrence, you’ll find many that involve your passions and interests, including: 

  • American Chemical Society
  • Chemistry Club
  • Environmental Action Organization
  • Pre-Dental Society
  • SLU EMS
  • St. Lawrence University Emergency Medical Services
  • The Advocates
  • Pre-Health Club
  • Pre-Veterinary Club

Explore Clubs and Organizations

Why St. Lawrence for Pre-health Chemistry

96%

of St. Lawrence graduates majoring in a science field are employed or continuing their education within a year

115,000

Square feet of nationally-ranked laboratories, learning spaces, offices, and support spaces in Johnson Hall of Science

Two students sit on a red couch in a bright, airy study space with lots of windows. They both type on laptops.

Pre-Health Mentoring at St. Lawrence

Thanks to the support of fellow students and faculty mentors, St. Lawrence's pre-health mentoring program empowers first-year students to embrace all aspects of their liberal arts college experience—including sports, off-campus study opportunities, extracurriculars, and elective courses—as preparation for a career in healthcare after graduation. Read the Story.

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laboratory classes taught by teaching assistants-- you’ll conduct research one-on-one with your faculty mentor

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The number of scholarships offered to high achieving, Pell grant eligible, first-year underrepresented students interested in pursuing a STEM major

Health in Society

Explore health and medicine beyond the molecular level in these courses:

  • Zombies, Epidemics & Illnesses in Francophone World
  • Dealing with the Dead
  • Health and Healing in Africa
  • Global Public Health
  • Against Health: Rhetoric & the Health Humanities
  • Biomedical Ethics
  • Health Psychology

More Program Information

Program Requirements & Courses

Explore pre-health chemistry major requirements, as well as electives.

Complementary and Related Programs

If you’re interested in pre-health chemistry, you might also like these programs.

Student presenting in front of a poster

Festival of Science

Students regularly co-author and publish research papers with their faculty mentors. Share your findings at this spring event celebrating student research projects across campus.

Explore Research at St. Lawrence

Student doing research

Liberal Arts Science Scholarship

This program offers scholarships to domestic high-achieving, Pell-grant eligible students interested in pursuing STEM majors, outside of a pre-med track, including mathematics, statistics, computer science, physics, engineering, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, neuroscience, and geology.

Get More Information

We’re excited to learn more about you, tell you more about our interdisciplinary academic programs, show you around our beautiful campus, and help you navigate your college search.

Apply to St. Lawrence

We’re looking for curious students who are eager to make a difference. We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications and consider all aspects of your application and what we learn about you.