There is no major called “pre-podiatry”, nor is there any particular major which is required for admission to podiatry schools. Bradley University offers a wide range of excellent majors, courses and opportunities which prepare students well for admission to podiatry schools. Students should choose a major based on their personal interests and abilities, and then meet with both their Academic (within their major) and Pre-Health Advisor regularly to ensure that they are taking the necessary courses (and at the right time) to meet their major and graduation requirements, as well as required and recommended courses for admission to podiatry schools. These pre-requisites can be taken as part of the major, Bradley Core, or free electives toward graduation, thus allowing students flexibility with their choice of major, and the ability to customize their pre-podiatry plan.
The following majors and minors are most popular among pre-podiatry students, because they incorporate many of the pre-requisite courses into the major requirements:
Majors
Minors
Below are listed the most common pre-requisites for podiatry schools and the Bradley courses which will satisfy them. Be aware that each podiatry school may establish their own specific pre-requisites which may vary from this list, so it is your responsibility to carefully research the admission requirements for schools to which you plan to apply. Pre-requisite courses may be taken as part of a Bradley major, minor, Bradley Core or free electives. Work with your academic and pre-health advisors to plan the best timing and sequence for completing pre-requisites for podiatry schools. All science courses should be taken with labs unless otherwise noted.
See AACPM College Information Book and individual Podiatry school webpages for program-specific requirements.
Competitive applicants to podiatry schools are well rounded and have pursued a wide range of experiences to develop not only their scientific, thinking, and reasoning skills, but also interpersonal, teamwork, and leadership skills, and professionalism. Most podiatry schools like to see some job shadowing so you have some idea what the doctor-patient relationship is like from the podiatrist’s perspective, and understand a podiatrist’s unique role. Register with the DPM Mentors Network to find a podiatrist to shadow. Some experience working with patients is also recommended so you know you are comfortable being around sick people or in a surgical setting. But there is no set number of hours required – it’s more about quality than quantity of experience.
Volunteering and community service, whether or not it is in a healthcare setting, demonstrates your commitment to serving others, as you will as a future podiatrist.
Research
Research experience helps you to learn the problem-solving skills needed to think like a podiatrist, and develop an understanding and appreciation for the scientific and medical research that will be the basis for modern podiatric medical practice.
Get Involved
Becoming a leader in a student organization, job, etc. gives you experience working with teams, communicating, and working together to share responsibility for accomplishing shared goals. Consider joining organizations such as BU Med or Alpha Epsilon Delta honor society, and working your way toward an executive board or other leadership role.
Most Podiatry programs require the MCAT, but requirements vary by school. (A few schools may accept DAT, OAT, or GRE scores as an alternative.) Competitive MCAT scores for Podiatry programs are lower than those for medical schools, typically around the 50th percentile.
MCAT Prep
Although we do not offer a formal MCAT prep course at Bradley, the Health Professions student clubs often hold an MCAT Workshop and offer an on-campus practice test day to help students develop a personalized strategy, timeline, and study plan to meet their individual needs. There are many commercially available MCAT prep materials and services. We do not endorse any one over the others, but can assist students in choosing products and services that fit their learning style, timeline, and budget.
MCAT Testing Locations
The MCAT is administered on select test dates at Pearson VUE Testing Centers. The closest testing centers to Bradley University are:
Pearson Professional Centers-Peoria IL 4507 N. Sterling Ave Suite 302 Northwoods Professional Bldg. Peoria, Illinois 61615 (309) 682-8638
Pearson Professional Centers-Springfield IL 3000 Professional Drive Lower Level, Suite C Springfield, Illinois 62703
Pearson Professional Centers-Davenport (QuadCities) 100 East Kimberly Road Suite 401 Northwest Bank & Trust Company Davenport, Iowa 52806
Information and Resources:
Entrance Exam:
(Most require or prefer the MCAT, but requirements vary by school. Some schools may accept scores from any of these exams)
Application Service:
Since 2013, Bradley graduates have been accepted to and continued their education and training at many podiatry schools. We are proud of the success and accomplishments of our alumni.
Podiatry Schools
Offers also received from: Des Moines University, Kent State University, Western University of Health Sciences
