Programs

Overview

This professional pathway allows students to earn a combined BS from MCPHS and MS or MEd in Occupational Therapy from Springfield College in Springfield, Mass., in 5 years.

Program Highlights

• Faculty mentors with years of expertise in both teaching and advising pre-health professions students
• A strong peer support network of pre-health students, including a Premedical Society and Minority Association of Health Professions Students Chapter 
• Committee letter and interview support for students applying to professional school; courses and resources that are custom designed for professional school entrance exams and application preparation
• Research fellowships, clinical internships, and volunteer and shadowing opportunities in the Longwood Medical area and Greater Boston

Program Details

BS in Premedical And Health Studies/ MS or MEd in Occupational Therapy From Springfield College Professional Pathway

This articulation agreement with Springfield College provides a vehicle for students interested in occupational therapy to earn the Bachelor of Science degree (BS) from MCPHS and a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from Springfield College in just five years.

Students complete the first three years of the curriculum in Premedical and Health Studies at MCPHS. If they have met specific academic criteria they then enroll for two years in the Master of Science or Master of Education degree program in Occupational Therapy at Springfield College. Students earn the BS degree from MCPHS after their fourth year (first year at Springfield College) and their Masters degree after successful completion of Springfield's requirements in the fifth year.

The first three years at the MCPHS provide a blend of liberal arts, pre-health sciences, and health perspectives courses which prepare the student for professional study. The two years at Springfield College offer students a highly integrated academic and clinical education that is rooted in the College's humanistic philosophy: the occupational therapy programs emphasize that health and learning are best gained through an approach that unifies spirit, mind, and body. The entry-level course of study includes the theory, skills, and administration of occupational therapy across the life span. Students learn to work with individuals whose abilities to engage in the everyday tasks of living or the mastery of self and the environment are challenged by developmental delays, mental or social disabilities, physical dysfunction, chronic illness, or age. Students benefit from lectures, seminars, group projects, and hands-on experience in supervised laboratories, and work with clients in service delivery setting s under the direction of experienced therapists. The occupational therapy program at Springfield College has been fully accredited as an entry-level master degree program since 1991 by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

Admission to Springfield's occupational therapy program is contingent upon the student achieving a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00, a 3.00 cumulative required physical, biological, and social science courses, a successful interview at Springfield College, and completion of required volunteer/observation experience in an OT setting. Students in this pathway must take Anatomy and Physiology I and II during their first 3 years. Faculty mentors will assist students in finding appropriate course substitutions once they matriculate to the college. There are three spaces reserved for MCPHS students, with competitive admission thereafter.

Premed Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I keep my scholarships after I transition into the professional phase of the Premedical and Health Studies Professional Pathways?

A: Yes, provided the professional phase is taught here at MCPHS and you must maintain the minimum GPA requirement of the scholarship.

Q: If I decide not to pursue the Professional Pathways, what can I do with a Bachelor of Science in Premedical & Health Studies?

A: You can go on to do research, work in a lab, or go to school to teach. By adding a minor, your B.S. in Premedical & Health Studies becomes a very flexible degree.

Q: Does the College provide research opportunities to Premedical & Health Studies students?

A: MCPHS has a SURF program, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF), which affords research opportunities with our own faculty to qualified students. In addition, there are many opportunities in the area hospitals and research facilities, some of which are Harvard Affiliates.

Curriculum

Year I-Fall

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BIO 150L	Biology I Laboratory	1
BIO 151	Biology I: Cell and Molecular Biology	3
CHE 131	Chemical Principles I (w/lab)	4
FYS 101	First Year Seminar	1
LIB 111	Expository Writing I	3
MAT 151	Calculus I	3
TOTAL		15

Year I-Spring

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BIO 152	Biology II: Biology of Organisms (w/lab)	4
CHE 132	Chemical Principles II (w/lab)	4
LIB 112	Expository Writing II	3
LIB 120	Introduction to Psychology or	3
LIB 133	American Culture, Identity, and Public Life
MAT 152	Calculus II	3
TOTAL		17

If LIB 120 is completed in Year I Spring, then you will have the following Year II schedule.

Year II-Fall

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BEH 350	Abnormal Psychology	3
CHE 231	Organic Chemistry I w/lab	4
LIB 133	American Culture, Identity, and Public Life	3
LIB 205	Health Professions Orientation Seminar	1
MAT 261	Statistics	3
	Social Science Elective	3
TOTAL		17

Year II-Spring

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BIO 255	Medical Microbiology (w/lab)	4
CHE 232	Organic Chemistry II	3
CHE 234L	Organic Chemistry II Lab	1
SSC 230	Cultural Anthropology	3
SSC 495	Evolution of the Health Professions	3
TOTAL		14

If LIB 133 Is completed in Year I Spring, then you will have the following Year II schedule.

Year II-Fall

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
CHE 231	Organic Chemistry I w/lab	4
LIB 120	Introduction to Psychology	3
LIB 205	Health Professions Orientation Seminar	1
MAT 261	Statistics	3
SSC 230	Cultural Anthropology	3
SSC 495	Evolution of the Health Professions	3
TOTAL		17

Year II-Spring

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BEH 350	Abnormal Psychology	3
BIO 255	Medical Microbiology (w/lab)	4
CHE 232	Organic Chemistry II	3
CHE 234L	Organic Chemistry II Lab	1
	Humanities elective	3
TOTAL		14

Year III-Fall

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BEH 250/405/260*	Behavioral Sciences	3
BIO 110	Anatomy and Physiology I	4
LIB 220	Introduction to Interpersonal Communication for Health Professionals	3
PHY 270	Foundations of Physics I	3
PHY 272L	Foundations of Physics I Lab	1
PSB 331	Biochemistry I	3
TOTAL		17

*Third year BEH requirement: students take BEH 250 Health Psychology, BEH 405 Mind/Body Medicine, or BEH 260.

Year III-Spring

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BIO 210	Anatomy and Physiology II	4
BIO 332	Genetics	3
LIB 512	Health Care Ethics	3
PHY 274	Foundations of Physics II (w/lab)	4
PSB 332	Biochemistry II	3
TOTAL		17

The first year courses at Springfield College will be accepted as transfer credits to complete the remaining requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree.

Accreditation

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is authorized to grant undergraduate and graduate degrees in the health sciences and related fields. MCPHS is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. 

Advisory Committee

The Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee exists to support students who are seeking admission to medical school or other health professional schools. When it is determined that a committee letter is warranted, the committee composes an evaluative letter that incorporates the student's reference letters, academic credentials, community service and extracurricular activities, research accomplishments, and other relevant personal data. The Committee may also coordinate mock interviews for students who are completing secondary applications.

The Committee members pursue liaison or working relationships with medical and professional school representatives and admissions committees. They attend national or regional meetings of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) and share pertinent materials and knowledge acquired at these meetings with colleagues and students. The Committee also periodically reviews and updates the Premedical and Health Studies degree program requirements, embedded minor concentrations, and affiliated professional school pathways.

The Committee is composed of the Premedical and Health Studies Program Director, Assistant Director, and faculty program mentors and is chaired by the Program Director or Assistant Director. Faculty program mentors hold office hours for advising, serve as contacts for specific pathways, write letters of recommendation, and participate in pre-health professions events in addition to their teaching, service and research responsibilities.

Graduates of the College have been accepted at a number of medical and dental schools, including Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Boston University, Dartmouth School of Medicine, Duke University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Medical College of Virginia, Michigan State University, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, the State University of New York at Brooklyn, the State University of New York at Buffalo, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Syracuse University, Tulane University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts, and the University of Vermont.

Recently, Premedical & Health Studies majors have had acceptances to the following programs:

• Masters of Physician Assistant studies program at MCPHS
• M.D./M.P.H. programs at Tufts Univ. School of Medicine and Tulane Univ. School of Medicine
• M.D. programs at Univ. of Vermont, Univ. of Massachusetts, Commonwealth Medical College, Ross Univ. & St. Georges Univ.
• D.P.M. program at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine
• D.V.M. program at Tufts University and Colorado State Univ.
• D.M.D. programs at Tufts University and Boston University Schools of Dentistry
• accelerated BSN program at MCPHS, Nurse Practitioner track
• clinical research internships with the National Institutes of Health IRT program and Harvard Medical School
• O.D. degree program at Pennsylvania College of Optometry & accelerated O.D. degree at the New England College of Optometry
• and many others 
  

For Transfers

MCPHS welcomes students from other institutions. Any applicant to MCPHS who has completed at least one semester of college coursework (12 credits or more) is considered to be a transfer applicant. Students who have been out of high school for more than two years are strongly encouraged to take math and science courses at another accredited college or university and then to apply for transfer to MCPHS.

The transfer requirements may be different for different MCPHS programs. To find the requirements for transferring into this program, please click the link below.

Transfer Requirements for Premedical and Health Studies (BS) (Boston)