Program Highlights
In addition to learning from Dominican's outstanding science and mathematics faculty, you’ll have access to experiences and support designed to better prepare you for a career in the medical field.
- Campus Speakers: Learn insider tips and advice from medical school admissions officers, as well as from a diverse group of top health care professionals speaking on real-world issues such as trends in global health.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Boost your resume while acquiring valuable hands-on, clinical, and community service experience.
- Medical School Application Assistance: Letters of recommendation, preparation of personal statements, and on-campus interviews
- KAPLAN Testing Services: Take advantage of Dominican's discounted online KAPLAN Prep Courses for the MCAT, GRE, OAT, or DAT.
- Pharmacy Mentoring Partnership: Mentorship by a student ambassador from the College of Pharmacy at Touro University of California, and guaranteed interview for potential admission to the College of Pharmacy.
Our Program
The Post-Bac Premedical program offers two tracks:
Track 1: Academic Enhancer
Goal: Retake course work, improve GPA and MCAT score.
Recommendation: Enroll in three courses/12 units per semester.
To earn a program certificate, students must complete at least 24 units. Students may then select from the following courses to complete their certificate:
- BIO 1100/1105 Cell and Developmental Biology
- BIO 2800/2805 Genetics and Molecular Biology
- BIO 3610/3615 Advanced Microbiology or BIO 3620/3625 Medical Microbiology
- BIO 3000/3005 Advanced Cell Biology
- BIO 3200/3205 Advanced Genetics
- BIO 4410/4105 Molecular Cell Biotechnology
- BIO 3750/3755 Immunology
- BIO 4810/4815 Histology
- BIO 4220/4225 Medical Parasitology
- BIO 3700/3705 Comparative Anatomy
- BIO 3850/3855 Neuroscience
- BIO 4100/4115 Animal Physiology
- BIO 4500/4505 Human Anatomy
- BIO 4510/4515 Developmental Biology
- BIO 4600/4605 Human Physiology
- BIO 4998 Directed Research in Biology
- CHEM 2000/2005 General Chemistry I
- CHEM 2100/2105 General Chemistry II
- CHEM 3800/3805 Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 3900/3905 Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM 4000/0005 Quantitative Analysis
- CHEM 4100/4105 Biochemistry I
- CHEM 4200/4205 Spectroscopic Analysis
- CHEM 4998 Chemistry
- ENSC 4300/4305 Toxicology
- MATH 1600 Calculus I
- MATH 1700 Calculus II
- MATH 3500 Advanced Statistics
- PHYS 2000/2005 General Physics I
- PHYS 2100/2105 General Physics II
Track II: Career Changer
Goal: Complete the prerequisites for medical/health professional schools. Guides students without a science background through the most essential science courses required for application to medical school
Recommendation: Enroll at least two courses/eight units per semester.
Eligible students have completed a bachelor’s degree in a non-science discipline. To earn the program certificate, students must complete at least 24 units. Some students may need 32 units (8 lecture/lab courses) from the core medical school prerequisites or elective courses listed below to meet the admissions requirements. The exact number of courses needed will be determined by transcript review and the preferred health professional school entry requirements
One year of biology
- BIO 1100/1105 Cell and Developmental Biology
- BIO 2800/2805 Genetics and Molecular Biology
One year of general chemistry
- CHEM 2000/2005 General Chemistry I
- CHEM 2100/2105 General Chemistry II
One year of organic chemistry
- CHEM 3800/3805 Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 3900/3905 Organic Chemistry II
One year of physics
- PHYS 2000/2005 General Physics I
- PHYS 2100/2105 General Physics II
Students may substitute from the following courses to complete their certificate:
- BIO 3610/3615 Advanced Microbiology or BIO 3620/3625 Medical Microbiology
- BIO 3000/3005 Advanced Cell Biology
- BIO 3200/3205 Advanced Genetics
- BIO 4410/4105 Molecular Cell Biotechnology
- BIO 3750/3755 Immunology
- BIO 4810/4815 Histology
- BIO 4220/4225 Medical Parasitology
- BIO 3700/3705 Comparative Anatomy
- BIO 3850/3855 Neuroscience
- BIO 4100/4115 Animal Physiology
- BIO 4500/4505 Human Anatomy
- BIO 4510/4515 Developmental Biology
- BIO 4600/4605 Human Physiology
- BIO 4998 Directed Research in Biology
- CHEM 4000/0005 Quantitative Analysis
- CHEM 4100/4105 Biochemistry I
- CHEM 4200/4205 Spectroscopic Analysis
- CHEM 4998 Chemistry
- ENSC 4300/4305 Toxicology
- MATH 1600 Calculus I
- MATH 1700 Calculus II
- MATH 3500 Advanced Statistics
Partnerships
Dominican’s Global Education Office partners with the Atlantis Pre-Med Fellowship Abroad Program to match you with international hospitals where you can shadow physicians, gain exposure to the medical field, and learn a different culture.
There is a two-semester mentoring program that provides an opportunity to shadow a physician at one of three nearby Kaiser Permanente facilities.
Students enrolled in Dominican’s Post-Bac program are mentored by a student ambassador from the College of Pharmacy at Touro University of California. Get an inside look at the world of healthcare, learn interesting facts about medical issues and procedures, and get tips and recommendations about pharmacy schools. Successful completion of the program will guarantee an on-campus tour as well as an interview for potential admission to the College of Pharmacy.
Admissions and Aid
Admission to the program is limited. Applications are reviewed and admission decisions are made on an ongoing basis. Early submission of application materials is advised.
Requirements
- Completed BA or BS degree in any field of study
- GPA of 2.8 or higher
- Essay and resume
Please note: Criminal background checks, or information relating to a student’s criminal background, are not used as part of the admissions process at Dominican University of California (DUOC). Students should be aware that some programs train students to sit for the State of California or national licensure and certification examinations that qualify them to work in the field relating to their program of choice.
The following programs constitute a list of 2021/2022 DUOC programs that train for licensure or certification: Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physicians Assistants, Counseling Psychology, Art Therapy (Marriage & Family Therapy), and Education.
Students with questions relating to criminal background requirements, who wish to enroll in these programs at DUOC should speak to an Academic Advisor and reference the specific qualifications for degree completion, and license or certification.
If an application deadline falls on a weekend and/or holiday, applications will be accepted through the end of the next business day.
| Fall Deadline | July 1 |
| Spring Deadline | October 1* |
* Applications are reviewed and admission decisions are made on an ongoing basis until the class is filled.
Learn about tuition per unit, additional fees and total tuition.
We'll also show you how a Dominican education is more affordable than you might think with support from financial aid and loans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any prerequisites?
You must hold a baccalaureate degree and a minimum GPA of 2.8.
What is the instructional format?
Courses are three-unit lectures with one-unit labs. Classes are taught on campus during the day Monday through Thursday.
How long is the program?
The program length is variable depending on what courses have already been successfully completed. We anticipate this will take a minimum of one year for those who are well prepared, for most it will take two years.
Do you need to have taken the MCAT before applying?
No. Our program is here to help you prepare for the MCAT.
Does your curriculum include all medical school prerequisites?
Yes! Students who are accepted into our Post-Bac Program have access to all the medical school prerequisites courses, along with other science and psychology courses that can help you improve your MCAT score.
May I only take the courses I need?
Yes, however, you must complete 24 units to receive our Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Certificate.
What is the estimated cost of the program?
The total cost of the program can vary depending on how many courses you need to take. Please refer to the Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program Tuition and Aid page for detailed information.
If I am interested in applying to physician assistant, dental, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, or optometry school, am I a good candidate for this program?
Yes! Since the prerequisite coursework for these schools/programs are similar to that of medical school, our program was designed for you. Although we’ve partnered with Kaplan to offer a discounted MCAT preparatory course, admitted students planning to take the DAT, OAT, PCAT or GRE can also participate in the online prep course.
It is possible to have a job while enrolled in the program?
Yes, it is possible to have a part-time evening or weekend job, but since our classes are only offered during the day, nearly every day of the week, it would be very difficult to work full time while enrolled in our program without having a flexible work schedule.
Does your program include an MCAT Prep Course?
Yes. Through our partnership with Kaplan we offer an on-demand 12-week MCAT online prep course. Cost is separate from tuition but is offered at nearly 50 percent off the regular price.
Degrees Offered
Certificate
Course Catalog
Office Hours
Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
