Advising for Health care Majors
Start your career in health care by completing prerequisites at Edmonds College. Our affordable classes are small, with flexible options to fit your needs. After completing these prerequisite courses, you can transfer to other health care programs to complete your specialized degree, stay at Edmonds College, which is home to an accredited LPN program, or explore partnership programs in public health through Central Washington University.
The Biology department at Edmonds offers several pathways and classes for students who plan to pursue a career in the health care profession. These courses help prepare you for various programs in dental hygiene, nursing, radiology/ultrasound, physical therapy, physician's assistant programs, acupuncture, chiropractic, and others. Explore more about these careers on the health care pathways page. If you are interested in pre-medical, pre-pharmacy, pre-veterinary, or pre-dental degrees, you should take the classes for biology majors and explore these careers on the biology pathways page.
If you are interested in a nursing career, you can complete an associate degree in pre-nursing through the biology department. Our associate degrees transfer directly to accredited colleges in Washington state. There are also some guided pathways at Edmonds if you are a pre-LPN student. Additional information about pathways including the pre-LPN pathway can be found on the Health Care Pathways page. Students interested in other healthcare careers, including public health, radiology, physical therapy, and physician's assistant can complete the prerequisites for these programs individually or as part of the associate degree in pre-nursing DTA.
If you are planning on pursuing a career in health care, you should receive advice on your academic plan from a biology faculty advisor or the Edmonds College advising department. The information provided here is not a substitute for working with an advisor or member of the biology faculty. For more information on health care advising at Edmonds College, contact either Lori Hays, lori.hays@edmonds.edu or Jonathan Miller, Biology Department Head, jonathan.miller@edmonds.edu.
Students interested in careers in healthcare often need additional patient care experience in addition to academic courses when applying to transfer programs. Our Allied Health department has several certificate programs including certified nursing assistant (CNA), phelbotomy, EKG technician, pharmacy technician, and mental health technician that can help you jump start your career by gaining valuable experience while completing your prerequisites.
The table below lists some of the courses offered in the biology department that are typically required for admission into many health care transfer programs.
| Course Number | Course Title | Quarter Offered |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL& 211 | Majors Cellular Biology | Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring |
| BIOL& 241 | Human Anatomy & Physiology 1 | Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring |
| BIOL& 242 | Human Anatomy & Physiology 2 | Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring, |
| BIOL& 260 | Microbiology | Fall, Winter, Spring |
| NUTR& 101 | Nutrition | Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring |
All of the courses listed above (except Nutrition) require college chemistry (CHEM& 121 or CHEM& 161, with a 2.0 or better). BIOL& 211 is a prerequisite for 241, 242, and 260.
| Course Number | Course Title | Quarter Offered |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM& 121 | Introduction to Chemistry | Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring |
| CHEM& 131 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry | Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring |
For more information about academic requirements for specific transfer programs, visit the following sites:
Dental Hygiene
- Shoreline Community College Dental Hygiene Program
- Seattle Central College Dental Hygiene Program
- PIMA Medical Institute
Nursing-LPN
Nursing-RN
ADN Programs:
- Shoreline Community College Nursing Program
- Everett Community College Nursing Program
- Lake Washington Nursing Program
- Bellevue College Nursing Program
BSN Programs:
- Seattle University Nursing Program
- University of Washington Nursing Program
- Northwest University Nursing Program
- Pacific Lutheran University Nursing Program
- Seattle Pacific University Nursing Program
- Washington State Nursing Program